Wing with Skateboard

[VenturaSupper]

New to winging and was advised that I needed to spend some time with the wing on land more specifically skateboarding. Any goals that I should be working towards on dry land before I head back in the water? Being able to go upwind on a skateboard? Tacks?

[Wingman]

I'm a couple weeks out from making this video in the How to Wingfoil series, but both of these things (practicing on land, winging on a skateboard), will save you a ton of time on the water. Let me see if I can organize my thoughts:

• Go to a beach with a non-crowded big parking lot and onshore wind during non peak hours (for example: Ocean Park in Santa Monica on a weekday afternoon with a west wind. You don't want too much wind, but you need some. Maybe 10-15 mph. (You can usually wingskate with a small wing when you can't even foil.)

• First, go on the sand, and then just work on flying the wing. What happens when you lift your front hand versus lifting the backhand? What happens when you push the front hand in versus out? Same with the back hand. Then pretend you are going left. How would you switch the wing to go right? If you just release the back hand, the wing will flag out, you can turn your body right and switch front hands, then grab the back hand to repower the wing and go right. This is essentially a jibe /gybe. Repeat the other direction. Here's an example of how to practice that on land.
  
  
  
  The most important skill is to learn how to keep the wing from nose diving the bladder into the ground and how to keep the wing tips out of the water. And how to safely depower the wing at all times. (New wingers will also want to work on flipping the wing back over when it ends up on it's back in the water. To do this, you'll tread water and walk your hands along the bladder to the wing tip. From there you can easily flip the wing without resistance from the wind.)

• Then try the same thing on the skateboard. Make sure you don't have too much wind and I recommend knee pads and a helmet at least at first. Place the skateboard perpendicular to the direction of the wind, step on the skateboard your comfortable riding direction while either flagging the wing with the luff handle or holding the front riding handle and completely sheeting out the back hand (no power in the back hand. This is why you want to practice on the sand first to feel how the wing gets power). After you are on the skateboard, you can slowly start to sheet in the back hand to get power in the wing and you'll start to roll forward. If you start to go too fast, let go of the back hand completely and roll to a stop or jump off.

• After you can ride straight a little and safely depower, you can try the jibe on the skateboard. You'll do the same technique as on land, but you'll need to carve the skateboard downwind. As you do so, you can either grab the luff handle to depower the wing or just let go of the back hand completely. It will take some practice not to backwind the wing and run over it. As the wing is depowered, skate through the downwind point and continue riding toeside the other direction. Then you can switch front hands and repower the wing with the new backhand.
  
  I don't recommend trying to ride switch on the skateboard at this time. However. I recommend riding switch on the water from day one when trying to get on foil.

• Yes, you can also work on riding upwind on the skateboard by keeping the wing powered where it is and just swiveling your hips to an upwind direction. If you go too far upwind and start to slow down, turn your hips more downwind again. The main thing is keeping the wing where it is and powered and just twisting your hips and looking where you want to go.

After a while you should be able to just cruise around and be having a good time. When you get to that point, you know you're ready to hit the water and you'll have saved a ton of time falling off your board! Hope this helps. Happy to answer any questions that need clarification.

[VenturaSupper]

Just got back from my first session with the skateboard and wing. I tried a carver style skateboard which seamed a little tough at first but quickly found the hang of it. I started with my 5M wing and was able to get going and figure out the power zones. Switched to my 7m and that was when I could really see the progression increasing. Once I switched to my 7m I was able to really figure out what each hand placement does and how to keep the large wing from hitting the cement. What was truly downwind and how to gather speed before attempting to travel upwind. Tacks and Jibes were rather simple but learned quickly that speed is your friend on turns. The wing will just follow you miraculously and be there every time.

One question I did have. When going "Upwind" I would occasionally feel a gust that stopped or severely slowed down my speed. Was that me pointing too far upwind?

I am planning on having a few more sessions on the cement in addition to out in the water. It was just plain fun, if someone is new like me I highly recommend it. Getting comfortable with the wing is easiest while on land.

[Wingman]

Awesome! I love a good wing skate session. Woulda been better use of my time today than sitting out in the ocean with no wind.

One question I did have. When going "Upwind" I would occasionally feel a gust that stopped or severely slowed down my speed. Was that me pointing too far upwind?

Sure sounds like it. As you hone your technique you figure out how to keep the wing back in the power zone while eeking out as much upwind as possible by shifting your hips and resting your chin on your shoulder and looking where you want to go.

For fun here are a couple of gifs of me learning to tack through the wind into backwinding. It sort of shows the limits of where you can go. You’ll see I bring the wing parallels to the water a little to pass though the eye of the wind without getting stopped by the wind.

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[pakaakauai]

Quick tips for getting going on a skateboard:
https://www.pakaafoilhawaii.com/blogs/n ... ng-foiling