Once you're comfortable riding your Foil Drive, there are a few techniques that can make transitions between powered and unpowered flight smoother and more controlled.

The key is to avoid aggressive movements. Let the speed and lift you've already created do the work for you.

For instructional video, see: Transitioning from motor to free-foil

Transitioning from Motor to Glide

When transitioning from powered flight to gliding, you don't need to aggressively kick, push or force the board onto the foil.

If you already have enough speed, the board and foil are generating the lift you need.

What to Do

1. Build up your speed using the motor.
2. As you reach your desired speed, gradually reduce the throttle.
3. Make a small, subtle movement to transition onto the foil.
4. Allow the board and foil to rise naturally onto the foil.
5. Once you're established, continue gliding.

Less is more.

Avoid aggressively kicking or pushing the board. A smooth, subtle movement will help maintain stability and keep the board and foil settled.

What Not to Do

Avoid making large or aggressive movements during the transition.

An aggressive kick can:

• Unsettle the board.
• Disturb the foil's stability.
• Cause you to lose your balance.
• Make the transition harder than it needs to be.

If you have speed and lift, let the foil do the work.

Pre-Spooling the Propeller

When you're gliding and the motor is out of the water, it is good practice to pre-spool the propeller before re-entering the water.

This allows the propeller to already be spinning when it enters the water, helping you maintain your forward momentum rather than having to start the motor from a complete stop while submerged.

How to Pre-Spool

While gliding:

1. Prepare to re-engage the motor.
2. Start the motor while the propeller is completely out of the water.
3. Allow the propeller to spool up.
4. Smoothly lower the motor back into the water.
5. Continue accelerating and maintain your forward momentum.

This can be particularly useful when coming off a wave or when you want to transition smoothly from gliding back to powered flight.

The aim is to maintain your existing momentum rather than stopping and having to accelerate again.

Starting the Propeller in the Water

You can also start the motor with the propeller submerged.

However, avoid starting the propeller when it is partially submerged.

If the propeller is half in and half out of the water, it can cause increased vibration as the blades repeatedly enter and exit the water.

For the smoothest operation, aim to have the propeller either:

• Completely in the water, or
• Completely out of the water when starting.

Starting in the Water

If you start the motor in the water, make sure the propeller is fully submerged before engaging it.

Starting the motor in the water is perfectly workable, but you may lose some forward momentum while the propeller engages and the system builds speed again.

Avoid running the propeller half in and half out of the water.

Recovering from a Stall

If you slow down too much and the foil begins to stall, don't try to overpower the stall with a sudden burst of throttle.

It can be tempting to slam the throttle on to try to recover, but a sudden increase in thrust can pitch the board upwards unexpectedly and make the situation more difficult to control.

If You're About to Stall

If you're losing speed and feel the foil beginning to stall:

1. Stay calm.
2. Avoid making aggressive movements.
3. Don't suddenly apply maximum throttle.
4. If you cannot safely recover, jump clear of the board.
5. Restart and try again once you're safely back on the board.

It's safer to fall off gracefully than to aggressively try to save a stall.

Never attempt to save a crash by putting yourself in the path of the board or foil.

The Key Takeaways

Smooth movements are better than aggressive ones.

• Use your existing speed and lift when transitioning from motor to glide.
• Make subtle movements rather than aggressively kicking the board.
• Pre-spool the propeller when gliding to maintain forward momentum.
• When starting the motor, avoid having the propeller half in and half out of the water.
• If you stall, don't try to overpower the foil with a sudden burst of throttle.
• If you can't safely recover, fall away from the board and start again.

With practice, these techniques will become natural and help you make smoother, more controlled transitions between powered flight and gliding.