Ride with Blake | How To Transition On a Foilboard

How to do a transition on your foilboard!

It's Friday so you know what that means. Another episode of Ride with Blake. The last week was incurably fun as some old friends from MACkite came to visit. Ryan (Rygo) Goloversic, Steve Lee and Chris Bobryk. There is nothing like kiteboarding with friends and having some adventures. Like when we helped some F-16 pilots get a session and they were quick to reciprocate by letting us fly in their in single engine plane. It's amazing what life will bring if you open yourself up to it! Or as I like to say Everyday is a Saturday!  

Foilboarding brings a whole new world of progression and fun to light wind days. As much as I love riding powered up, I find equal gratification sailing in silence and exploring all the wonders nature has to offer. The thing about kiteboarding and especially foilboarding is it's incredibly silent while moving through the water. This allows me to sneak up on sea turtles, dolphins, sharks you name it. One of my favorite pass times is sailing out to the reef and allowing my imagination to wonder.  

Now before you start your own excursions, I recommend you learn how to transition on your foilboard. It goes without saying that you should know how to get up and ride one first. Check out my First Vlog from a few months back if you need to learn this step. 

A few basics behind your first time on a foilboard

Got it? Alright, lets get started!

Step one

Start carving S - turns slightly downwind. This will teach you control over the foil. Imagine your body and the foil as one cohesive unit working together. Visualizing this will help you maintain control while riding. Remember to keep your weight slightly over your front knee, keep the back knee slightly bent and look where you want to go with your head and your shoulders. 

Imagine your body and the mast are one cohesive unit 

Step two 

Do the toe side boardstart. This is as simple as doing a regular boar start except that you ride downwind and carve around immediately to toe side. I recommend you attempt this every other boardstart. Chances are you are going to fall a lot but you may as well get the muscle memory down now and save the time later. This will teach you control and kite technique required for your first transition. 

Step three

This step involves timing with the kite and keeping momentum with your foilboard. Unlike a regular twintwip you have less room for error when it comes to staying on a plane. In order to complete a transition you need a certain amount of speed to stay on plane and accomplish a smooth transition. I usually initiate my turn right as I am bringing the kite back over my head. As I start to lock the kite in at a 45 degree angle my board has completed the rotation and I've locked in the foil in the opposite direction. Remember to keep a little bit of tension in your kite lines as well. If you lose tension, you lose control. No one wants to get abruptly pulled off their board.

Step four

Attempt the heel to toe transition. Remember keep your weight balanced over your front knee. Keep your body in line with the foil mast as much as possible. As you bring your kite overhead  turn your shoulders and hips downwind to initiate the turn.

Step five

I've said it a few times but it is important to keep your weight slightly over your front knee. I also like to bend my back knee forward to help with weight distribution. What you don't want to do is lean too far forward or too far backwards. Keep your weight directly above the foil. This is important to maintain control of the wing underneath you. 

As always I'm happy to answer any questions in the comment section. If you have any requests don't hessitate to ask and I'll get on it for you.

Peace 

-Blake 

Blake Olsen

A Michigan boy through and through (even though he was born in Saudi Arabia), Blake is a youth with a lifetime of experiences and adventures. Not only that, he's passionate about sharing his zest for life with others. He is proficient at many fields, including kiteboarding and acting as concierge to any who simply ask. Looking for an adventure? Well, Blake is your guy. From sailing the Gulf and the Caribbean to backpacking Hawaii and Southeast Asia, he knows his stuff and can make your vacation into an adventure.

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