Foils in Crowded Lineups

[SenorBlues]

I took the dog for a walk yesterday afternoon at probably the only place that was rideable in Town. It's a multi-use spot, more longboarders than shortboarders usually and windsurfers and kiters once the wind picks up. Surf schools on the inside when it's small.

There were between 30 and 40 people including the surf school out in the mostly thigh to waist high surf. There were 3 foilboarders out, 2 SUP foils and 1 prone. They were all proficient and catching waves, covering a lot of ground AND weaving in and out of the crowd at high speed.

To be honest, it looked fun for how shitty the waves were and it makes regular SUPing look like more of a donkey show than it already is. My concern is every SUPer with the means is going to jump on the bandwagon (think K-uno) and with their apparent lack of concern regarding safety, bad sh!t is sure happen. To further clarify, there are empty reefs immediately to the east and west where they could have gone but they chose to be surf in the middle of the crowd.

 

[PPK96754]

Lemmings
Sheep
Humans

My wife and I go to a neat lil beach on Kauai's north shore. Empty, quiet, dog goes up into the Naupaka bush and crashes. We go snorkeling, watch a few turtles, cruise around inbetween the small little sandy channels watching little fish and poke at things.

And it doesn't take very long for someone to plop their azz down right next to us when they have an entire, White Sandy Beach to choose from. They, decide to sit right next to us. WHY? Just beats the phuck out of me and .... we've even moved to a different location and it doesn't bother them one bit!
I gues it's Location. Location. Location mentality.

I have no problem in being rude now days and I tell them that there's a whole dam beach and that they need to move and get the phuck away, turn your radio down with the tinny sounding speakers and pick up their dirty
diapers floating at the waters edge along with the kids poop.

Human's gravitate ... safety in numbers ....
So I'm presuming the same for your area

K--uno goes to places where other Foils operate, understands the "local" governance of shortboards, longboards and Sup's in the line up. Hell, he's up and on the road in the early AM and in the ocean finding lil reef breaks.
And Having the most FUN ..... on ALL of his watercraft's
And hanging around my cousin ... ain't such a bad thing either on Maui.

 

[SenorBlues]

Yeah sorry, I should have been able to resist K-uno but old habits die hard.

 

[bonzer5fin]

That fag's in the water more than any of us, living on Maui, and laughing. Good for that son of a bitch.
Foil surfing in crowds, though, not a good thing.

 

[slopokecr]

Cliffs.
Those foilers consider themselves elite.
Arrogance is the problem.

 

[Kaser1]

We invaded Kanaha this week on the foils. Normally we're 1 reef over at Ka'a, but Kanaha looked alittle better. Not too many foilers been out there, it's normally a SUP/LB spot and since most of the good SUP crew is now exclusively foiling. So the void has been filled by mostly beginners on SUPs that all the surf shops tell them to go.

Not too crowded, about 20 out total. There were just 2 of us on foils. I was prone and Junya with paddle in hand. We were sending it deep, from top of reef all the way through flat section and to the channel. Criss crossing a couple times on a few...having a blast as usual.

It was odd... most just sat back and watched the show. But yea, we're not foiling normal "surf" spots that are crowded. We're off at distant spots that surfers wouldn't think of surfing.

But that's just here on Maui. I'm sure there's spots on the mainland that are great foil waves that some of those getting into the sport will find. There's plenty that come to mind, especially spots north of Point Conception and in SD.

On another note, my loaner from DK had it's Tuttle box fail yesterday. The mast is supposed to be at 90 degrees.

 

[Sniper]

I had a very bad experience with a foiler a few months ago. I paddled out after work, about 5 o’clock after watching it for an hour. It was remnant big south swell and there were 4 foot sets every 15 to 20 minutes with the inside really consistent 2 foot. There were pretty much 5 guys in the inside catching a ton of waves and the foiler and a few long boarders and 4 guys waiting for the bombs. Pretty crowded but as soon as the foiler caught a wave while I was paddling out wide he almost ran into me full speed. I literally slipped off my board and swam to the bottom. When wave passed and I came up the guy was super apologetic. I said dude, you better go in. He didn’t say anything but he went in.

Last week there were 3 foilers out at the same spot that knew what they were doing. I rode behind them on every wave and they never even came within 10 feet of me. I was literally packing 3 second barrels and coming out and doing a turn way on the shoulder and they were always way ahead of me. All 3 if those guys are used to taking over said spot on regular sups and they are the worst. Now that they are on foils they are literally out of the way. It might get really bad soon once more people start foiling. Supposedly it’s like crack. Will report back when I get mine.

 

[Autoprax]

The whole reason to foil is get away from the crowd and still be able to do something that resembles surfing.

Crowds bum me out so hard now.

They always did but now I don't like to surf because of it.

 

[Tomdiddlybomb]

what I suppose is my 'local' is a tight little harbour break, and one guy has started riding a foil SUP in there with up to 20-30 people in the water. bloody dangerous! SUPs are bad enough because they take off so far out and go straight through the middle of the lineup for longboarders, and then the lineup for the shortboarders. The foil is 10 times worse because he's just straight lining trying to get above the water, it's up to everyone else to either squeeze between him and the wall or paddle way out of position. Needless to say I've not surfed there in quite a while...

That being said there were a couple of prone foilers surfing manu bay when I was in raglan, and they were taking off DEEP, on waves nobody wanted, and flying along getting no closer than 15 feet to people. Responsible. Didn't look as fun as a regular board though, but that's not my problem!

 

[Ifallalot]

I really hope it stays in HI

 

[rts265]

I really hope it stays in HI

unfortunately, saw on at a popular beach.

 

[Kaser1]

I really hope it stays in HI

 

[SrPato]

Last week on the South shore of Kauai, there was a SUP foil rider on a consistent reef break. He was damn good and played by the rules. Not hogging the waves, rotating with us and not chancing last second drop in's in front of us. At the end of each wave he would pump the board up and down, nearly back to the lineup. It was very impressive and gave me a new respect for his sport. On the other hand, we have two SUP foilers that have have claimed one of our favorite local spots at home and they have no etiquette what so ever. It's really frustrating, especially since these guys were bad enough as regular SUP'ers. I guess I'll have to pull a Snake Plissken and start wearing a personal arsenal in the water. :fight:

 

[Homie]

And it doesn't take very long for someone to plop their azz down right next to us when they have an entire, White Sandy Beach to choose from. They, decide to sit right next to us. WHY? Just beats the phuck out of me and .... we've even moved to a different location and it doesn't bother them one bit!
I gues it's Location. Location. Location mentality.

The same thing happens to me when I park my car, no matter where I park or how deep out I park someone pulls up next to me and does something like eat their lunch or talk on their phone. People are idiots!!!

 

[the janitor]

Not too crowded, about 20 out total. There were just 2 of us on foils. I was prone and Junya with paddle in hand. We were sending it deep, from top of reef all the way through flat section and to the channel. Criss crossing a couple times on a few...having a blast as usual.

How hard is it to paddle back to the top of the reef if you are prone?

 

[SurfFuerteventura]

I really hope it stays in HI

that! it's scourge has already made it out to the atlantic.

dealing with 2 on sups and one proner, as well as the kiters and windsurfers who are doing it now on super small days.

used to be able ot surf alone on the days it's boarderline for kitibg/windsurfing... i'd go and get mine while they waited for the wind to kick up. now? F-UCKING HUUUUUGE KITE/SAIL AND THE FOIL... WEEEEEEE!!! NOT!!!

they are dangerous. just like SUPs are. not so much more than a normal board mind you, but when you put a normal board in the hands of the uninnitiated they basically just flounder around and float. SUPs and these things? yeah..... :fight:

keep your fun from ruining other peoples fun, and there should never be any problems.

it's when your fun basically runs into and over everyone elses fun that the problems begin.

this said, if you can control your board i have absolutely no problem what you ride.

if you are a danger? keep far, far, far away from me. i hit back.

 

[ShiverMeTimbers]

My friend who I'm going to Kauai with next week is a foiler, but prefers to stay away from crowds. He is obsessed, says it is all he thinks about.

Foils look interesting but they sketch me out. I still think we're 3 evolutions, or 4 years from foils being completely adopted and more user friendly.

 

[Autoprax]

And it doesn't take very long for someone to plop their azz down right next to us when they have an entire, White Sandy Beach to choose from. They, decide to sit right next to us. WHY? Just beats the phuck out of me and .... we've even moved to a different location and it doesn't bother them one bit!
I gues it's Location. Location. Location mentality.

The same thing happens to me when I park my car, no matter where I park or how deep out I park someone pulls up next to me and does something like eat their lunch or talk on their phone. People are idiots!!!

000'd

 

[GromsDad]

Anybody seen the picture of the guy with his face literally half cut off by a foil board?

 

[Kaser1]

Not too crowded, about 20 out total. There were just 2 of us on foils. I was prone and Junya with paddle in hand. We were sending it deep, from top of reef all the way through flat section and to the channel. Criss crossing a couple times on a few...having a blast as usual.

How hard is it to paddle back to the top of the reef if you are prone?

Depends on what board you have attached to your foil. I recently broke the box that holds the foil on a board I was riding that was an 8ft converted SUP. It's about 28" wide and probably 4" thick. I could knee paddle it back out which was nice.

I'm now on a borrowed 7'2 egg that's about 2.5" thick and it's alot of work. Most foil spots are at least .5 mile out, and you're riding waves that far.

So at least here on Maui, foam is your friend.