The 'Dockstar' Foil Pump ladder
So you've found this page either by accident or you've be intrigued by watching someone throw themselves onto a small board above the surface of the water, off a ladder and onto a floating surfboard !
The rider is propelled forward by the lifting force of a hydrofoil, the ladder is just the means used to gain speed and height above the water, and some more advanced at this task will use a pontoon , a rock or even a log.
Enter British ladder expert company - CHASE LADDERS who after some prompting decided to take a design brief and design a ladder platform to help those crazy enough to want to jump off a ladder onto a 'bladed' floating surfboard.
It's an addictive pastime, making you want to win the game even though you don't see the finish for weeks.
We reckon on your own, you need to give foil pumping 15-30 hours of your time before you start to gain momentum and start achieving longer runs by part pumping - part hovering above the surface of the water for up to a minute .
The record is over an hour , and a US advocate of the sport Wake Thief aka Devon offers a free hat to those who achieve over a minute !
Why ?
Why indeed , Hydro foiling is the newest water sport on the scene and has many guises. The simplest is body, board and hydrofoil using rhythm and speed in the athlete to achieve flight until the imminent splash. Learning to pump foil is best suited to those who may have friends to help the process seem enjoyable, as after spending over a thousand pounds on the kit the hard earned rewards are made more euphoric when shared with a wingman.
Foil surf UK offers a 60 minute introduction to the Dockstar ladder , the board , the foil and the technique in Swansea , south wales .
You may leave with a ladder which doubles as an epic painting platform or the exhilaration of learning to skim the waves like a bird
For Details - email [email protected]
Foil Footstraps
The compromise is using one front foot strap as getting both feet into two straps is quite a challenge. The front foot is more essential in my opinion than the rear.
What straps to use ? you can get away with using kitesurf footstraps if you have an old one lying around , we sell single foot straps from ION here .
What is important is selecting the correct screw to fix the strap - ideally stainless and usually 20mm in length
"Typically with surfboards, you only have the option to push down on the board to create pressure or control, with the strap you can actually lift and pull against the strap and that it’s extremely helpful when you’re trying to get going. You can pull that board up, on the first pump you can be much more extreme which is going to help you get up on foil much quicker. when I’m riding the waves with straps I feel much more in control, because I’ve got that level of leverage by using a straps. but I also come from a background of Windsurfing, so I’m very comfortable using it, a lot of people think that when they use straps you can get caught in them, and that’s true, you can ! But with just the slightest bit of kicking them away or pulling your feet out, you eliminate that risk, so It’s almost become second nature, something you don’t even have to think about. But your first couple times using them it can be scary until you get used to them and then it’s not even a thought anymore kicking out of them is quite easy. I recommend them but no, they’re not necessary. "
Dave Kalama