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Old 14-01-2025, 19:13   #1
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Foiling for Old Folks

Hi,

I am an old windsurfer. Decades ago, I was impressed by a 75 year old guy at a windsurfing resort in Cancun where I was staying and having a great time sailing. 75!! And he was doing fine!

Yikes, now I am 75! I haven't windsurfed for at least 15 years, but am intrigued by foiling, especially "wing foiling" in which the propulsion is by an inflatable free wing. Have any of the old timers here tried wing foiling? Am I nuts to consider it?

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Old 14-01-2025, 19:32   #2
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pirate Re: Foiling for Old Folks

If your still fit and flexible enough go for it.. it looks great fun.
There's several who foil boards on the river here and wing foiling is becoming popular down in Portimao, definitely looks easier than wind surfing.
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Old 15-01-2025, 06:22   #3
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Re: Foiling for Old Folks

I'm about 20 years behind you, but I know a few people in your age group who have taken up wingfoiling.

As always, take some lessons with a decent instructor FIRST, not after trying on your own. It's really hard to get rid of bad habits. People who try on their own first almost always build in bad habits- because they don't know what they are doing. If they take a lesson later, most of the class will be spent correcting these habits.

Being an old Windsurfer is both good and bad. You totally understand the wind, steering, and the physics. The balance is different. When my reptile brain switches back to Windsurf mode, I crash- lol.

There is lots of going from kneeling to standing. The wing can help, but make sure your legs are ready for the workout.

(For many years, I was an instructor in the WindSurf world. Including Cancun Most of my time was spent correcting bad habits.)
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Old 15-01-2025, 20:04   #4
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Re: Foiling for Old Folks

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Originally Posted by boatman61 View Post
If your still fit and flexible enough go for it.. it looks great fun.
There's several who foil boards on the river here and wing foiling is becoming popular down in Portimao, definitely looks easier than wind surfing.
Thanks. I think I'll give it a go!
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Old 15-01-2025, 20:10   #5
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Re: Foiling for Old Folks

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As always, take some lessons with a decent instructor FIRST, not after trying on your own. It's really hard to get rid of bad habits. People who try on their own first almost always build in bad habits- because they don't know what they are doing.
Way, way back, I taught myself to snow ski, and was winning races in high school. Then I took a lesson, and started loosing races!

But your point is well taken, When I learned to windsurf, I took a couple lessons first, and they were super helpful!
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Old 16-01-2025, 05:59   #6
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Re: Foiling for Old Folks

The A-cat fleet is not a young group and plenty foiling there:

https://www.usaca.info/
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Old 16-01-2025, 11:05   #7
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Re: Foiling for Old Folks

Ken, never too old..J Socrates is in her 80's and sailed from west coast of canada down to australia...solo circumnavigated in her late 70's-early 80's. It looks to be a bit easier than wind surfing w/o having to pull the sail out of the water. Looks like with a little bit of balance and some upper body strength you should be sailing...let us know how you do..thnks
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Old 16-01-2025, 12:25   #8
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Re: Foiling for Old Folks

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Ken, never too old..J Socrates is in her 80's and sailed from west coast of canada down to australia...solo circumnavigated in her late 70's-early 80's. It looks to be a bit easier than wind surfing w/o having to pull the sail out of the water. Looks like with a little bit of balance and some upper body strength you should be sailing...let us know how you do..thnks
Blimey! That's a long way to go on a wingfoil...
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Old 16-01-2025, 12:58   #9
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Re: Foiling for Old Folks

I have a friend who is 80+ and he too does the same sport. He took it up last year when their friends' son brought a kit to their boat in BVI.



He says it took him a while to take off for the first time, but once he did then the learning curve flattens.


He says he wanted a new sport as now he can no longer apnea due to an old age lung condition he developed.


I will try this too now - just not here in Canaries where water is just too cold. I will wait till we are in the West Indies again. Maybe this autumn.



b.
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Old 16-01-2025, 15:54   #10
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Re: Foiling for Old Folks

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Blimey! That's a long way to go on a wingfoil...
Doug, this woman's got some serious sailing chops, so wouldnt put it past her to wingfoil across the pacific! Just need a good set of foulies, room on her board for a watermaker and a place to whack the fish in the head prior to drying them on the trailing edge of the foil! Oh, and a light weight solar panel on her foil to drive the 'maker!! Probably no EPIRB or AIS tho...
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Old 16-01-2025, 17:53   #11
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Re: Foiling for Old Folks

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The A-cat fleet is not a young group and plenty foiling there:

https://www.usaca.info/
I'd love to have an A cat! After learning to sail on monohulls when I was about 20, I bought a beach cat, and loved it. But then I got hooked on windsurfing, and did that to go fast.... and at first, the windsurfer was so quick to rig -- I could go for a quick sail after work. I continued to sail monohulls for a little cruising, some racing, daysailing, etc. Then (quite a bit later) I built the Windrocket to go really fast.

Back when I went from cat to windsurfer, I really thought I would have a hard time -- there is just such a huge difference in stability. But I got the feel for the sail while on land, and quickly came to realize that having a sail to hold onto made things fairly easy.

I am feeling a little bit of the same trepidation re foiling as I had re windsurfing. Being perched atop that little post high above the water seems so inherently unstable.
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Old 16-01-2025, 18:00   #12
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Re: Foiling for Old Folks

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Ken, never too old..J Socrates is in her 80's and sailed from west coast of canada down to australia...solo circumnavigated in her late 70's-early 80's.
Thanks! Inspiring!
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Old 16-01-2025, 18:16   #13
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Re: Foiling for Old Folks

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Originally Posted by Hoodsail View Post
Doug, this woman's got some serious sailing chops, so wouldnt put it past her to wingfoil across the pacific! Just need a good set of foulies, room on her board for a watermaker and a place to whack the fish in the head prior to drying them on the trailing edge of the foil! Oh, and a light weight solar panel on her foil to drive the 'maker!! Probably no EPIRB or AIS tho...
I have thought seriously about entering the Race to Alaska. I got a kick out of one of the early racers who was interviewed, saying that a SUP was the perfect vessel for the trip! It's only 750 miles... how hard could it be?

I remember thinking, while in Cancun windsurfing (decades ago) in constant 20-25 knot winds, sun, warm water... that I should encourage the folks sitting on the beach to come out onto the water. I thought I'd deliver this pearl of wisdom to these folks -- three handsome guys, and three petite cute women: "You should really get out in this wind if you want to get comfortable with it."

Just as I had that thought, a waterspout formed about half a mile away, and the wind where I was came up to 45 knots or so. I headed in, feeling lucky to be alive. All six of these folks suited up, grabbed boards and rigs, and headed out! They were just waiting for the wind to come up.

Fortunately I did not have to opportunity to deliver my pearl of wisdom.
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Old 16-01-2025, 18:22   #14
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Re: Foiling for Old Folks

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Originally Posted by barnakiel View Post
I have a friend who is 80+ and he too does the same sport. He took it up last year when their friends' son brought a kit to their boat in BVI.



He says it took him a while to take off for the first time, but once he did then the learning curve flattens.


He says he wanted a new sport as now he can no longer apnea due to an old age lung condition he developed.


I will try this too now - just not here in Canaries where water is just too cold. I will wait till we are in the West Indies again. Maybe this autumn.



b.
We will all have to get together... maybe race from Miami to Freeport.
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Old 31-01-2025, 07:48   #15
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Re: Foiling for Old Folks

Hi,

I windsurf, surf, foil (in the surf), wingfoil and windfoil! My garage is big and my trailer is bigger than my bus!

I am 20 years behind you, I am not wingfoiling much anymore as I still really enjoy my windsurfing. I got to a decent level of wingfoiling where I could ride the waves.

My advice is this:
Get a decent size board, something you can easily stand on when sideways in the chop. Width helps. The volume will depend on your weight and balancing skills. 130 to 160 litres. DO NOT TRY TO START TOO SMALL OR YOU MIGHT BATTLE AND LOSE INTEREST QUICKLY!
If you can afford it get a short foil mast 500-600mm and a longer one 750mm for later…you could always buy this later.
First learn to foil behind your dinghy. Start slowly.
Getting lessons is fantastic advice!!!!
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