Learning to Flat water paddle up onto the Foil. VLOG #43

After a failed start due to lack of skill, fitness, balance and good learning conditions I have come back to trying to learn how to do this mythical discipline. And a 53 year old who has lost a lot of fitness due to life and age its been a struggle but it's also been a great way to incentivise myself to get fit and to learn new skills. Here's my journey so far.

[@mmnnmt]

Really enjoyed that. I've just started. ...

[@heliboy9992]

Welcome aboard! Hope this helped you a little

[@stkl23]

Keep at it, mate! Repeating it over and over again is what helped me learn flat water paddle ups last year. In the end it's balance and technique that get's you up on foil.

[@heliboy9992]

Thanks for the words of encouragement. It’s doing to be a long road indeed

[@stkl23]

@@heliboy9992 You can do it! Try and build enough speed to get the board skimming across the water (only works when you properly unweight yourself while pumping). That‘s when the board will accelerate enough to get onto foil. At that point you have to adjust your paddle cadence to the foils „pumping rhythm“ - larger foils generally have a slower pumping cadence..

[@heliboy9992]

@@stkl23 I’ve felt all of the stages by using a Foil assist and can feel when it’s ready to pump but it’s that board speed that I’m short on. 1/2 a knot more needed but havnt got the lungs yet. Getting better but slowly.

[@bastialdehoff7779]

Get a longer and narrower board and you will be up instantly (min. 8'6" - 9') You will be able to put down a lot more power without pushing the nose under water, since the board will and feel alot more stable in pitch axis. Also the the glide and efficiency of the longer waterline will accelerate so much faster with less effort so you still have some juice left in the arms to dig deep when the board is off the water to keep pumping and not get a heart attack once you are up. It's a night and day difference no one can imagine without feeling it.

[@heliboy9992]

Unfortunately there is no money left to buy a different board and it’s almost impossible to get one shipped here without another huge chunk of import tax going on top. If I can’t do it on this kit then so be it. Enjoying the workouts and hoping, maybe.

[@bastialdehoff7779]

building one is also no option? You'll get it with your setup too, just a matter of time and dedication. A good way to get fit, just be careful with your shoulders.

[@asaintx]

This is so true. I've been using a dw board to wing foil and the instant acceleration w less effort to get up on foil makes it impossible to go back to a regular wing board. Night and day.

[@paramick4220]

lovely place ! Thanks for the video.

[@marianoremartinez4294]

Tienes ese canal de agua perfecto para dockstar. Bien hecho, sigue practicando 🤙🏻💪🏻💪🏻

[@richardclarke2213]

Great to see you again, your wingfoil tips got me foiling 2 years back, not sure I’ve got the cash for another board but keep us posted on your progress what a turnaround 🙏🙏👌

[@heliboy9992]

Glad my trials and errors helped you out. This is a bit of a personal thing to push me to get and stay fit. Also we have months of light winds here in the summer so another way to get out on the water. All of the skills this is teaching me and improving are directly improving my winging too. Will keep the updates coming

[@elliottaylor8344]

Well done mate im loving your determination Its the only way i ever learnt anything was after days and days of failure 😊

[@heliboy9992]

Old school learning! Makes it all the more satisfying when it happens. Hope you are getting out and flying now it’s warming up there.

[@elliottaylor8344]

​@heliboy9992 your right about the rewards if its not hard it's not realy worth doing if that make sense It's freezing here I have been out as much as possible although it's ether work no wind or dead north at the moment. I'm sure it will come good eventually 😅😅

[@heliboy9992]

@@elliottaylor8344 the wind sport optimism lol. There’s always tomorrow. You would love it here. The North sound would be your playground. Huge long reaches (3 miles ) in reasonably flat water. Stingrays, turtles and crystal clear.

[@elliottaylor8344]

@@heliboy9992 where did I go wrong its 5deg here customer said he had frost on his roof Saturday where are you based now and is this permanent or just a work placing?

[@heliboy9992]

@@elliottaylor8344 Grand Cayman. Working and living for as long as they let me.

[@user-ej7el2fj6r]

Well done and thanks for sharing.

[@heliboy9992]

Thanks for watching!

[@asaintx]

great post, thanks for putting me on to the existence of higher volume dw sup boards. I didn't realized Gong had an Xl in a 165L that is something I can actually stand on. May look at those, everything else I see is way too small imo. Inspiring to see your progress.

[@heliboy9992]

They have a great range. This was the biggest when I bought mine last year.

[@rmoisio]

good going

[@kiteingkev1]

Great commitment! What do you think of the cruzader for ease of release? Have you had a chance to ride others to compare? Any issues with its strength? Im hinking about going 8'2 x 20 145L cruzader for my 88kg for flatwater paddle ups.. I'm currently sup foiling and dw on my 7'x22 118L.

[@heliboy9992]

Thank you It’s the only board I’ve tried as it was all that was available last year. No idea if it’s easy or hard to release. I just hope it lifts eventually. I’m guessing this is going to be power overcomes lack of skill and technique at first. Once I get to the next stage of getting the foil to work, it will be yet another learning process. The foil is probably the best I can get for me weight but I’m. Thinking a longer and narrower board would be better. Unfortunately I’m always at the start of these things ( kiting, Windfoil and winging) so I just have to use what’s out there. The board is a year old now with many hours of use and lots of miles of winging too. It’s got some dings and scrapes but it’s actually doing better than expected for such a light board. The box is holding up to using a huge foil too. I think losing 10 kgs will be a bigger help in the future. That’s a time issue. Hopefully fitness and technique will meet at the ideal weight and flight will occur. 🤞

[@RobertFaller-mu1yp]

I really like this vid; well done, thanks! I started wing foiling this year (up and flying but not gybing yet :-)) and spotted 1 vid where the guy just starts pumping from a standing start and gets up on foil (like, really?!). I can't find that post and have not found another like it (anyone seen it?). Anyhow I got all inspired to at least plan to give it a go sometime in the 'off-season'. Looks like hard work! I'm 70Kg on a 111L Sunova Board and a large (Gong) Foil; if anyone knows for a fact that my efforts will be futile, do shout 🙂Cheers, Rob

[@heliboy9992]

Yes I saw that video. Oh to be 50 kgs and super fit. Showed that this can be done without a paddle with decent technique. I’m working on the technique so my paddle work can add to the foil. Keep working on it. Try to get a GPS watch to track your speeds. .1 mph is an improvement each time so track your speeds to see if you are getting better

[@jswguitar100]

Great effort - I know because I've just started on this journey. Same age, a bit lighter than you. Inflatable cruz. I'm impressed with how straight you are paddling, harder than it looks. BTW, what paddle are you getting (i.e. size of blade). The PPC and QB ones I've seen recommended online are about the same price as my board !!!

[@heliboy9992]

I’ve ordered a PPC as a replacement. It’s on its way but things take ages to get here. Working on the straight line at slow speed really helps. Do perfect slow strokes and then try faster each session. Muscle memory helps when your brain is starved of oxygen lol

[@jswguitar100]

@@heliboy9992 Haha. Thanks for the tip. I'd be interested to see how you get on with the PPC - might get you that extra knot that you're looking for!

[@heliboy9992]

@@jswguitar100 let’s hope so 🤞

[@benjamin5838]

Thanks for this video, but now i am worried. Most videos suggest that paddle up is possible within 4-5 sessions with a board of 30l above your weight. Bought a quite expensive 7‘0 109l sup downwinder yesterday. Maybe to optimistic as a beginner/intermediate wingfoiler with 80kg ? 😮

[@heliboy9992]

This is why I make these videos. The riders generally sponsored by the brands make it look and sound easy. Too many people buy the kit not knowing that it’s going to be a journey unless you have natural talent and skills. I suggest you get out there and just start. Track your progress. Take video to compare each week and see improvements. If you hit a flat spot in progression, reach out to the groups and ask for feedback. I have absolutely no idea if bigger or longer boards as I’ve never tried any. I bought the board I have at the start of the DW evolution so I have what I have. Working with it until I can do it or I’m proven it doesn’t work. Get out there dude. 👍

[@AurelienQRI]

Ne surtout rien lâcher et travaillez le mouvement des jambes

[@AdamsHadEnough]

Nice progress! I am 87kg and hoping to give it a shot on the Sirus 156 next week after falling short on a Fluid XXLT with the 7'6" inflatable Cruz during several sessions. It's a long road for sure!

[@heliboy9992]

Now I see improvement it motivates me to keep pushing. Constant failure in the early days really didn’t help.

[@AurelienQRI]

Ne rien lâcher !

[@Hanssupansnow]

Nice vid. Don’t know your height and the length of your paddle (shaft). It looks like your paddle (shaft) is too long. Max about 4cm above your bodyheight and it may be a bit shorter so you can easier reach a faster cadence. Good luck with the cardio.

[@heliboy9992]

I am 6’1” and I was advised to shorten my paddle length which I did and then broke it. On a fixed length now which is too long. I’m waiting for a new paddle to arrive and will continue trying a shorter length. Thanks for your input

[@Hanssupansnow]

@@heliboy9992 ok, good luck, beware your shoulders with a too long shaft. It did cost 1,5 year to recover about 10 years ago when paddle shafts were about 25cm above bodyheight.

[@heliboy9992]

@@Hanssupansnow hoping my adjustable paddle arrives soon

[@AurelienQRI]

Bien fléchir les jambes à chaque poussée