What’s the easiest way to launch behind an efoil versus a boat? Size of board makes a difference, small prone boards can be sunk but with normal prone boards (+30L) is difficult, especially in open ocean swell.
Normal wakeboard style start works fine for me even with a kitefoil board with little flotation. You just need to immediately point the board at the boat and keep the tip of the nose above the surface until you force the angle of the foil correctly to start helping with lift. An inflatable with a 9.9hp does fine swells for towing.
Boards with medium flotation like your +30L example are actually harder to get up on because you cant sink them down in the water and start like a wakeboard. The best trick is to have a front foot strap to hold it perpendicular to the boat so they can get some tension in the rope and you can plant your feet. Foot placement is a lot trickier in the waves if you can’t get a driver who understands the need for the slow drag to let you get your feet placement and planted then both hands on the rope.
I have yet to be towed behind an efoil, but I would think it may require the person being towed to be on a SUP foil or both riders must really know what they are doing if the water isn’t pretty calm. I am eager to try this if I can find someone willing to pull me. The Lift marketing videos sure make it look easy, but I don’t think I have seen any footage of them starting. It sure would be simple if you started off by sitting on a dock or the back of another boat that is out of the camera scene!
Peep this. Lift tow video.
If you’ve ever wakeboarded you know that laying back and dragging or crouching works. But yeah I’d say it’s harder on a midsized board.
Yugi I wanna try with my 5’6" x 21.5" prone board. I think we could do the kneeling crouch that I do winging or start on knees. Let’s try it. I’ll bring my big wing too so we can foil early.
I have only been successful in getting “on foil” behind an efoil using a 5-4, 54L prone board in open ocean. Also on a 6-0, 69 L prone board in choppy water. Start on my knees, once the board is planning on the surface I placed both hands with the tow rope handle at the top of the board and pop up as usual. If the foiler doesn’t glide straight at the beginning it causes the efoiler to turn in circles. So the foiler has to try to keep the board going in a straight line. The efoiler has to accelerate at a measured pace. Once the foiler is on foil the efoiler can instantly feel it, it’s important that the efoiler not slow down at this point or the foiler will loose speed and sink. Also the foiler shouldn’t pump, keep tension on the line. But like foilmore says being on a low volume board and sinking it is best, but I don’t think the efoil has enough power to pull the foiler out of the water. It’s a compromise as getting on foil with a 45L board is doable but when you get whipped into a wave it’s a lot of board to turn and pump.
Definitely doable, I can do it on my 5-4 54L prone board.
Was able to EFoil tow using a 4-6 45L 20.5”blue Planet board. I think the flat bottom helps in getting the board to plane smoothly allowing the rider to get his front foot in position first then his back. Once up and planing just Ollie up and your on foil. We’re using a Lift 5-6
I use a 33L surf foil board. Just lie on your belly. Get some speed. You don’t need a lot. This will give you some stability. Bend your back foot onto your rear deckpad and get your arms into a push-up position. So one hand holding tow rope and the other on the throttle. Once steady, pull the other leg through and foot between your arms. Front foot should land between the Hands. Tow hand in front and throttle hand can be used for balance. Stay very low still. Once steady increase throttle and slowly stand up. You can either choose to pump or gain more speed to get on foil. If you feel the wing ready to stall blip the throttle more to pull you over the hump.
Boom on the foil now.
Where are you guys attaching the tow line? On the lift video it looks like it was attached to the top of the mast?
I attached the tow line to the back of my life jacket, but I notice that most everyone else attaches to the mast. I haven’t tried the mast connection but I think I can feel the rider (tension on the tow rope) when it is attached to my body. Also when I whip the rider into a wave I can lean forward at the time of the whip to gain a small amount of speed.