Stumbleweed forum posts in last 60 days

Finally back to update you all. Sorry for the protracted hiatus—had a bad bike wreck and a long convalescence.

I’ve had about 6 sessions on the Foilscoot now and it’s an absolute hoot. I’m 82 kg, riding the Armstrong APF 1675 (new purchase—thank you, Mrs. Stumbleweed!), HA180 stab, and a Cedrus Evo Wing mast. After just one session I was already getting the hang of it—and without the "am I going to end up in the ER" anxiety I used to feel with every leap off the dock on a traditional pump setup. Yesterday, I managed to pump a full 180 circle right back to the dock.

A few observations:

1. While launching is dramatically easier than a traditional dockstart, newbies can still blow it—sometimes badly. The big no-nos are a slow run with a weak jump (which drops you too close to the dock) and landing heavy on the tail (which stalls the foil and sends you drifting right back into the wood). I have guests wear helmets and PFDs without exception.

2. Living in Hood River, we get visitors from all over who want to try foiling. This is by far the best starter option I've found. Compared to e-foil or tow-foil lessons, it’s vastly cheaper and logistically way simpler. I won’t even compare it to winging, because I tell all three-day houseguests they won't make meaningful progress in a single wing lesson—unless frustration and total exhaustion are their thing. Since setting this up two weeks ago, I’ve had 6 guests try it. Two were starting to get the hang of it after 60–90 minutes, and all were thrilled just to try. None had ever foiled before.

3. I started this to up my pump game for winging, and like a few posters here, I was skeptical about how well it would translate. That chapter isn't fully written yet, but I have some initial thoughts. Learning what an effective pump stroke actually feels like has been revelatory. Experiencing the emphasis on the upstroke (rather than mashing the foil down into the water), the necessity of pitching the board down on the downstroke, and the cadence linking the two has been huge. For whatever reason, I couldn't make those connections stick while winging. The big question remaining is how these newly acquired skills will transfer. On the next light-wind day, I plan to take the APF 1675 out with a wing and see how flagged-out pumping goes. I’ll keep you posted.

Crosswind is definitely bad news. My best takeoffs were skating down faces.

All in all, yesterday was a glorious day of foiling at Rufus, but I could use a little tactical advice on waterstarts when conditions get heavy.

Rider and Equipment Setup:
Rider Weight: 82 kg
Board: 78 L Omen Emissary (semi-sinker)
Foil: Armstrong 780 HA v2 + 180 HA tail (no shim)
Mast: 72 cm Project Cedrus Evolution Wind (90 cm available)
Wing: 3.0 m (2.5 m available)

Location and Wind Conditions:
Location: Rufus (wind numbers taken from The Wall sensor upwind, as the Rufus meter is unreliable).
Session 1 (10:00 AM - 11:00 AM): ~21 kts average, gusts to 31 kts. Waterstarts were straightforward and manageable.
Session 2 (11:30 AM - 1:00 PM): ~27 kts average, gusts to 38 kts. Heavy, steep, short-period chop.

Current Waterstart Technique:
My current approach to getting onto foil in these conditions relies on a specific three-part sequence:
Gust and Wave Gap Timing: I wait for an incoming gust for initial lift, while simultaneously scanning upwind to ensure I am not about to get hit by a large set wave during the transition.

Standing and Building Momentum: Once on my feet, I focus on gaining initial forward board speed before attempting to fly the foil.

Pumping the Profile: I time the pumping cycle to coincide with either a relatively flat patch of water or by bearing down the downward ramp of a wave face to help accelerate the high-aspect foil past its stall speed.

The Problem:
While this technique works reliably in moderate conditions, it broke down during Session 2. Getting onto foil became an physical battle, taking up to 10 attempts on one occasion. The high stall speed of the 780 cm2 front wing combined with steep chop continually stalled the board's forward momentum before takeoff speed could be reached.

Note: Once on foil, I’m good, so the focus here is strictly on improving the success rate of the waterstart itself.

Questions for the Forum:
Mast Height: Would swapping from the 72 cm to the 90 cm mast aid waterstarts in heavy chop by keeping the front wing submerged in less aerated water during acceleration, or does the added length create too much drag prior to getting on plane?

Technique Refinements: Are there mechanical or positional tweaks to complement the timing routine above when trying to accelerate a high-aspect foil in heavy chop?

Cheers