Anybody in Vancouver Downwind SUP Foiling?

[Slappy]

I have shoulder impingement issues so I can't really paddle like a normal prone paddler (well I can, but if I do I wont be able to use my arms the next day). The board also doesn't provide much float and does not like to be paddled at an angle, you want it flat underwater as the foil will start to engage.

I have 2 ways I paddle:
1. I lie on my back with the board under my butt and skull, it's fast, low energy, very easy and my preferred way, only downside is you aren't looking where you are going.
2. I lie face down on the board with it under my hips and arch my back (so my face is out of the water) and use my forearms to paddle (to avoid shoulder impingement). It's slower but still okay and I can see where I am headed.

Oh yeah, if the current is inflowing you can just sit there and let it push you back to the dock as well, so nice!

[Slappy]

Managed to break the 1 min mark last night, but it was straight line so still cheating.

Started around 7:00 when the tide was just finishing a big incoming swing, yet still incoming for another hour or so until peak.

tide.jpg (36.62 KiB) Viewed 46294 times

Yet from 7:00 - 8:00 the current was flowing out of False Creek for some reason and sadly the way it curves around the dock it made it so I was unable to dead start off either corner. I do not understand what drives the currents at this spot. My guess is that False Creek had filled on the big up swing and then sloshed off the end and was rebounding back out. Also there was easterly winds which might have been pushing water out. By 8:00 the current was back to inflow and actually ripping, which finally allowed me to get some runs in.

[Richi]

Nice work Slappy! Thanks for the swimming back techniques, its going to help allot when I finally get out there for the first time.

[Slappy]

Got a new PR for both loop and straight line last night. I'm confident I can break 1 min on a loop next time I get a 0 wind night, even a slight wind just kills me. With lower than I'm used to tides almost hit a rock too.

My new distance record is 311 m, which is actually far enough to make it from Jericho Pier to East of the kayak center, that was going against the current too so I might be ready to attempt some runs from Jericho Pier towards Jericho Beach. Struggling with my old man back currently though :S

[Slappy]

Saw this one on IG today
https://www.instagram.com/p/C-B0Mj7Pjl_/

And also Toni from RoamFoils going out in to the middle of the channel, I certainly wouldn't feel safe swimming in from the middle, boats and jetskiis rip through there doing 25 knots.

[Slappy]

Did a legit 1:08 loop at Alice lake yesterday. I cut a chunk of an EVA brick to use as a bumper for the bolt which worked quite well, but I ended up doing dead starts anyways because running is a bit awkward on that dock because it's high.

Jump to 4:13 for the dock stuff:

[Slappy]

Pretty sweet conditions at Vanier yesterday once the current kicked in. We had a decent SE wind going against the incoming current and it made for mini Hood River like conditions for downwinding to the Heritage Harbour.

I'm pretty excited for more serious SE conditions for running these DW loops in fall. Might not make it out to BBay that much anymore.

[Slappy]

Bit of a neckro here, but we've got Simon doing beach starts and a few different people doing launcher platforms now at Jericho. Good times ... at least until the water turns black soon, already hitting the 109-173 range already.

[Slappy]

Learning to pumpfoil was definitely the best decision I've made in my wind sports journey and I encourage others to do so as well. It's just such a perfect companion sport and has so many great aspects.

Right now you can get a complete rig (including board) for $1850 CAD shipped to your door including customs. On top of that the learning process has never been easier on these new accessible pump wings.

gong-trail-pack.jpg (25.02 KiB) Viewed 1218 times

[adam2]

Whoa I haven't seen this thread in a while. I concur with Slappy 100%, pumpfoiling has been the best thing ever in terms of my wind/watersport journey in Vancouver. I ended up shelfing the downwinding idea for now, as this city lends itself so well to pumpfoiling. I had a session a couple weeks ago with a couple other pumpfoilers going off the Jericho dock in a very small NW groundswell and catching and linking those bumps on a 7.5L board, it was such a fantastic feeling. I look forward to extending these downwind runs in bigger swell as well as with the parawing. These were conditions where I wouldn't come close to consider inflating a hand wing or kite. And if it's not about the swells it's about the boat wakes at Vanier, even with the 5kt speed limit, there's often a non-stop series of wakes to catch with just enough speed for some pretty fun rides. Also the dockstart community that has grown here in the last year or two is full of great people, and it's been fantastic watching everyone progress, even when they get way better than me. It's bonkers what some of the guys who started recently are doing in terms long downwinders and wake rides. I expect to see more and more windsport enthusiasts moving to the sport once they realize conditions are almost always on in Vancouver.