Learning to Flatwater SUP Foil Paddle Start

This is video from my first successful flat water start sup foiling session in the Santa Barbara harbor.

Equipment used: Gofoil M280 (about 2400 sqcm surface area), 27 inch mast, the 6'1'' Kalama E3 Performance Downwind board (6'1'', long, 23'' wide, 105 liters), a ZRE paddle (Blade Width 8.75' and 115sq inch surface area).

In this video, I weighed 83 kg (183 pounds).

And here's a transcript, if you don't want to listen to the entire thing:
After months of practicing, I was finally able to accomplish a flatwater SUP foil start today. I started foiling about 6 months ago and spent 3 months and about 30 one-hour long sessions trying to paddle up on foil. I tried everything, but I just couldn’t do it. I got the biggest foil on the market, the fastest and lightest purpose-built downwind board, the biggest and lightest paddle I could find, starved myself to lose another 15 pounds of weight, watched countless hours of youtube videos, but I was unable to achieve flight on the foil and I finally gave up for several months, thinking that at my age of 48 years I would be unable to learn the flatwater start.
But there were two things that helped me to finally accomplish it: First the foil drive and second one of Jeremy Riggs’ videos with drills. I used the foil drive to learn how to paddle while on foil, by using the foil drive to get up on foil, then I turned off the engine and kept paddling. It took me many days just to learn that, but after a few weeks I was able to do more than 60 paddle strokes without coming off the foil. Once I could do that, I went out today without the foil drive and was able to nail the start on the second try. Without practicing to paddle while on foil first, I would have likely never been able to learn to flatwater start.
The second thing that helped were Jeremey Riggs’ drills that help with timing the stroke and unweighting the board. A link to the video is in the description. Good luck to all of you who are trying the flat water start, it Is difficult, but it is not impossible.

[PaddleWithRiggs]

Congrats! Stoked to see you put in the time and effort to learn. Glad the drills were helpful. Thanks for sharing the link 🤙

[sitioalgodoesmaraubahia]

Congrat’s on you achievement! I am 63, and your video gave me another boost and new drive to keep on trying! Have a lot of fun with your foil!!!🎉🎉🎉

[DS-gomn]

Holycrapola, I got exhausted just watching the video! That is a ton of work

[DieKolbiesAbenteuer]

Thank you for this Video! I will start this spring to learn it and i hope it will be in summer. I am 57 years old, 198cm tall, 94 kg weight and i had all the stuff to do this. I will post all my session into youtube ....

[eyke]

My greatest respect for this achievement. I'm practicing the dock start, which isn't easy either, but it's probably a bit more difficult in your way. :-D 🤙

[damandanyk]

Thank you for this! I needed the encouragement. I've just started attempting to flat water foil start and it is very discouraging. I have gone a similar path with lighter boards, bigger foils, with no success. I will go back to the basics ans start practicing those drills.

[Hundert]

Gratuliere, gut gemacht! Schönes Wochenende ⭐👍

[shreddagorge]

Nice work! I hope Santa brings you waves for Christmas...

[tvepaddler]

Very impressive! Now we just need some decent downwind conditions....!!

[ntrainer]

Well done and thank you for the inspiration! I'm planning to buy the same board you have but was wondering if you had to do it all over again, would go with the 6'4" x 23 instead to make it a little easier? The 6'1 is probably better once your up on foil, but I'm wondering how much easier the 6'4 is to paddle up and if it's worth the extra length and Liters?

[davewestfoils]

i'm about to give up ay haha! Been trying and I think my paddle might not be big enough

[gianlucamuccioli-foil]

Thanx for video
For me the secret is your Kalama board E3 6’5

[ntrainer]

Is the mast all the way forward or back a bit?


































?

[marcraga-lerk]

Thanks for the video. One question I have been trying it for a few weeks and I can t see the light. I'm 65 kg I m using a 102 cm wingspan and 2100 sqm. The problem is me or my equipment? thank you

[yannickgiau]

Aloha
big app and respect for success 🙌.
I've been trying for 5 times one hour without success.
I have a 5.10 x 23 100 liters board. I use a 78 inches paddle headheight and the foil is the png 1150 from axis
I'm also 48 😀, weight 70kgs and have some experience surfing waves on my board which gives me opportunity to paddle while on foil even though I am really bad at it😅
My question is should I put the foil way to the front of the board or way back ?
Also is my paddle big enough? What size is yours?
Tanx

[futuretrader]

Wer, wenn nicht Du! Greetings from good old Germany