I've gone to the Dark Side

juandesooka

OTF status
Jan 12, 2009
346
294
63
It's not so different from surfing once you figure it out. :) It'll turn the worst days into the best day ever. We have way more "worst days" than we do good surf days.
It really is amazing how it can transform terrible conditions into fun. Sit on the beach after and watch the absolute crap surf and laugh at how must stoke it provided. It is magic for the jaded surfer soul. As Ghostshaper says, like being a grom again.

As well, the wind-chasing variations are a natural progression, which then makes those painful blown-out days into smorgasbords of wave gluttony. It's so fun to drive to the beach, the treetops waving and seeing an endless line of disappointed surfers heading the other way...the point is mine, ALL MINE.
 
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Muscles

Michael Peterson status
Jun 1, 2013
2,596
3,597
113
California/Hawaii
When I first started, I was laughing how I felt scared of waist high waves. Brought me back to my grom days and the stock that I had then.
Totally feels like I'm 5 years old trying to figure out how to boogie board. Every session and every wave is new and exciting.

Surfing got to the point where I was just going through the motions because I did it for long. Bottom turn, cut back, maybe a hack if I was lucky. Then inevitably getting into it with some agro dumbass on a wavestorm or an intentional burn artist who then blames you for "ruining the vibe". The worst was the 40 plus year old surfers who were still agro and think being a good surfer matters. An adult middle aged male acting like a teenager over shoulder high swell. Ugh.

Sorry, went on a rant there. Paddle out on a foil and I don't need to deal with any of it.
 

oeste858

Phil Edwards status
Sep 11, 2017
6,931
17,276
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San Diego, CA
I'm a week into prone foiling and hooked. My third session I was able to get up on a wave and ride it all the way. No carves yet but I feel like I have the pop up and ride motion down. Plan to keep going. It's so much fun and waaaayyyy better than surfing. No crowds or battling for waves. I'm leaving the water happy and stocked which was starting to not be the case with surfing.
This thread makes me curious about dipping a toe in the dark side.
@Muscles did you just buy an entire used setup on CL? Anything specific you were searching for? I am starting from zero and know nothing. But I sure know the frustration of dealing with all the dingdongs surfing nowadays.
 

casa_mugrienta

Duke status
Apr 13, 2008
43,214
17,644
113
Petak Island
This thread makes me curious about dipping a toe in the dark side.
@Muscles did you just buy an entire used setup on CL? Anything specific you were searching for? I am starting from zero and know nothing. But I sure know the frustration of dealing with all the dingdongs surfing nowadays.
Check out what they have in stock at infinity up in Dana point
 

Hdip

Michael Peterson status
Apr 23, 2005
3,331
788
113
Malibu, CA
There were a couple full used setups, board and foil at the foil expo last weekend. @SanDiegoFoilClub brought them up I think. It would be worth messaging him if you're looking for a setup in SD.
 
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Hdip

Michael Peterson status
Apr 23, 2005
3,331
788
113
Malibu, CA
Sorry, went on a rant there. Paddle out on a foil and I don't need to deal with any of it.

I tried to wing today so I wouldn't have to deal with surfer's at all. Wind never came up. So I put the foil on the prone board and did this instead. Still didn't have to deal with surfer's. Not quite the same though. I'm bad at this version of foiling. The ocean is big. There's a lot of way's to use it. We need to take more advantage of it than only using the 50 feet by the shore.