The pumping technique you use on the board varies from foil to foil. If you are on a smaller foil, then you need to pump faster. In other words, you need a higher cadence. With larger foils with more buoyancy, you can reduce the cadence a bit.
A foil is like an airplane. The greater the lift, i.e. the larger the wing, the more payload can be loaded. In this case, you are the payload and the airplane is your foil. So be aware of how heavy you are and then find an appropriate foil. Many people who don’t study the subject enough will have to pay their dues. Foils have their speed range. A foil that starts to rise at low speeds will not be very fast and of course vice versa.
Frank:
„Getting a one size fits all foil“ can be difficult.
If you weigh 80 kg and use a foil with a width of about one meter, a surface area of 2,000 to 2,400 cm2 and a volume of 3.5 to 4.5 liters, you have a good chance of quick success.”
Frank knows the subject very well and as it is with most sports, you have to gain experience to get to know your material better. Especially in the beginning it can be very helpful if you have a slightly larger foil. Because it is always true: the bigger the wing, the stronger the lift. In technical jargon we speak of “lift”.
For all those who want it a little more precise, we let Frank run free here:
“The front wing is also shaped by the outer line. If the wing is rather pointed, pumping becomes less efficient. But it becomes more stable with increasing speed, for example, if you catch a wave. If the wing is rather straight at the front, it becomes more efficient at pumping. Usually, however, these wings have less volume and a particularly wide version is more difficult to launch from a quay wall. A wing that can be launched well from different points is ultimately the most fun. At many spots you even have several jetties or walls within a radius of 200 m, so you can commute. Flexibility in launching is my number one priority! Each set also has its own rhythm or ideal line. They are always similar, but to be efficient on the road for a longer time, you usually have to adjust to each wing for a while to find your “groove”.
The new “High aspect” front wings look very efficient and are also very efficient when pumping. However, they also have disadvantages. For dock launching, they only come into play if you are clearly advanced or have a lot of experience or are particularly light. If you buy a wing with a width of 1.10 m and a volume of less than 3 liters and weigh 70 kg at a height of 1.80 m, you will sooner or later be satisfied with it as a pumpfoil. With a boat or cable, it is also possible with more weight – but that does not count. If the body size is missing, there can be problems when pushing. If you start at a quay wall and have a wing that is 1.10 m wide, then it is more difficult to start. A footbridge that is open at the bottom makes things a lot easier.
But let’s be honest: speed junkies won’t be happy on a pumpfoil anyway. Pumpfoiling is a “surf workout” to enjoy and a great workout for people with a play instinct. I myself surfed mainly longboard before and immediately felt comfortable on a pumpfoil. When I’m out with the boys, we also try different starting blocks. Sometimes at a wall, sometimes at the jetty. So that everyone can have fun together, it’s a great advantage to be flexible at the start. In the cold season you are also not quite so splashy because of the thick second skin. For me with 80 kg and 1.80 m height, a good all-rounder has over 2,000 cm2, a meter wingspan and about 4 liters volume. Other wings are also fun for me, are also necessary for some tricks, but often require optimal launch conditions, which are less common in reality.
The foil weight can also be a little heavier at the beginning, which stabilizes more easily and is also less sensitive in contact with the bottom. If you stick with it longer – and that will happen – you can then upgrade with pro foils and change according to conditions. A little preview is my latest freestyle video on www.2wave.de. These are just the beginnings, but possible is more than most imagine. The last two wings I built as a hobby are more towards “high aspect”, but have more volume than the commercial ones. The speed and stability in the wave is more limited, but this doesn’t matter when pump-foiling up to max. 20 km/h. Thus, significantly more tricks are possible and nothing stands in the way of freestyle when pump-foiling.
Maste, Fuselage and Stabilizer
I prefer to use short masts, but I can only use them with a few wings. Preferably under 60 cm. But most of the time I take 60-70 cm. Some even prefer 80 cm. Ultimately, it depends on personal riding style and preference. Sometimes also on the available starting block. For freestyle it tends to be shorter, for extra long pumping you also need a longer mast. Likewise with high start blocks.
A shorter fuselage creates similar effects to a smaller rear wing when pumping. Reducing both can bring out some efficiency, depending on the front wing and pumping technique. However, pumping becomes more sensitive, you have to react more intuitively, and you get out of rhythm more quickly. So concentrate! With many manufacturers, the rear wing of a standard set can be easily replaced. It makes sense to consider this as a first variation option. For example, to order a 45er still another 40er in addition. I am skeptical about some of the tests already shown on the web. Any change to a foilset may well mean that you need a few sessions to find the ideal line, the right push and the perfectly fitting foot position. Since in pump foiling, compared to all other foil sports, you create the propulsion and thus the lift through the wing stroke, routine with a set is very important if you want to get everything out of it. A wing or rear wing that you put in the corner after ten tries may charm you after 100 tries. So be careful.
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These are highly complex relationships between the rider and the gear.
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Sometimes it is better to use a Pumpfoil to 100% through appropriate practice sessions than to be able to use various ultralight sets only to 60% because two years of experience are still missing. For the beginning I even recommend a not too light board. For beginners I think a short board with 3-5 kg makes the most sense. Some just use a silk screen 18 mm, 35 cm x 115 cm or an old wooden wakeskate. The extra weight stabilizes during the first attempts. Lightweights are fun later, when you are really in training. It really doesn’t have to be a material battle. If you handle foil and board well, you will have fun with a foil for a very long time! They really hold much better than I thought at the beginning.
Future potential – curiosity or real sport?
Opinions are still somewhat divided on this. But Frank has already noticed a great deal of interest among his surfing clientele. People are also amazed when they see someone pumping past their canal. Foiling is still very unknown to the masses. But if there is one thing that foiling has taught us already, it is that you can do the sport in an extremely large number of places, where in the past water sports were almost unthinkable, let alone a surf sport. This is also the reason why people like Frank and I strongly believe in the potential of this sport. Even though it sounds difficult at first, if you get into it, you will quickly progress and get excited. On top of that, the actual sports equipment is extremely light and easy to transport.
Pumpfoiling also has potential as a competitive sport. The vision of two-man elimination races on a short buoy course is not so far-fetched. Or how about doing a timed race to see who can fly the longest. Now imagine if we could build a launch ramp that would allow us to launch two foilers side by side into the water at the same time. The ramp would be 5 meters high and the competitors would be launched into the water at remarkable launch speeds. That has X-Games potential!
Frank is firmly convinced that this sport will eventually become Olympic due to its flexibility, great fun factor and environmental compatibility. He is serious about that!
