65
When did you first come across
windfoiling and what did you initially think?
I first started seeing foils on the water when the
International Moth foiling scene first kicked off. As a
skiff sailor at the time, I was immediately intrigued
and knew that this was a future of sailing. The
fascination only grew after SailRocket2 broke the sail
speed record in 2012, and the America’s Cup lit up
San Francisco a year later. I would regularly
brainstorm ideas for foiling windsurfers over a beer
with my father.
In late summer of 2016 I became aware of the
windfoiling buzz, with the first pieces of demo kit from
Horue flying tentatively at Calshot lagoon. Like most,
I immediately dismissed it on grounds of expense. A
special foil board for £1.5k on top of a foil for £1.8k?
That is going to sting if you smash it up! I really
wanted a go but did not feel comfortable learning to
foil on that investment.
How long before you got to try it
proper? What were your first
experiences like?
During the summer of 2017 I became really curious. It
was still expensive but I’d seen great things being done
on Youtube and there were rumours of more affordable
aluminium foils on the way. I started putting it off
because, “I’ll never get anything done if I go sailing on
calm days as well.” During my autumn holiday in
Rhodes I saw some sailors slogging through their first
few sessions. The wind was light and I was itching for a
go. Sadly, the foil kit was not for hire so I got in the
beers instead and watched them get wet all afternoon.
I didn’t get to try foiling at all until I’d bought my own
setup. The first session immediately followed two
hours of freeride blasting at Lepe Country Park. The
wind had dropped dramatically and the day was young
so I rigged the foil and jumped in. I immediately
experienced a very positive learning curve. Every fall
gave me something new to think about during the
uphaul. I was trying different foot positions, mast
positions, pumping and take off manoeuvres. It was a
great day, made even better by the excitement of the
kids playing in the shallows. They couldn’t believe
what they were seeing.
Did it take a while to click and you fully
commit to foiling, buying gear and
following the path full time?
Once I decided to take the plunge everything moved
pretty quickly. I was in my local board shop one
afternoon, lamenting the disastrous long range
forecast when I was shown some very pretty aluminium
foils and informed that any old formula board will do! I
did a bit of magazine research and rocked up days
later clutching a nervous looking credit card. Sorting
the board took a few weeks and then I waited for the
next sea breeze! The first 20-metre flight was a game
changer. I’ve not looked back.
How does foiling fit in with your windy
repertoire now?
Ever since taking it up, windfoiling is the discipline I
engage in most. I don’t go chasing conditions so I want a
kit selection that lets me enjoy the local area whenever I
like. Foiling fits that brief - for most of the year, we see
force 3-5 conditions. As a relatively big guy (100kg) I can
almost guarantee windsurfing on weekends and days off
without needing giant formula kit.
Where are you at with skills? What are
your goals/aspirations as far as
windfoiling goes?
I’m currently experimenting with foiling gybes. I’m yet to
stick an entirely airbourne turn but I’m switching feet in
the air and planing out. Being able to jump in the strap
and get up again with a single pump makes me feel very
smug. Aerial moves are absolutely out of reach with my
big formula board but I’d love to get to nail upwind and
downwind 360s without touching the water.
uk
WIND
SURFING