Hi gents

I need advice from the gurus. I've had 4 short days on the foil mostly in VERY gusty winds. I am sailing on the high areas of south africa where the winds are renowned to be super gusty and we've had a heat wave which makes the gusty conditions worse with long spells of 2-5 knots with 20+ gusts coming through.

Now I know the above conditions are not conducive to easy sailing but thats how I learnt 35 odd years ago and went on to master wavesailing and big cape point waves etc but man I am finding foiling extremely uncomfortable. I am absolutely exhausted and sore after a few runs. Is this normal? Its almost like doing a new sport...almost nothing like windsurfing which is perplexing.

I am riding a self-made foil board and a Naish 2019 WF thruster. My back leg is cramping trying to keep the foil level and funnily enough I seem to get my best runs with the sail kind of sheeted out (maybe overpowered?) and unhooked?? I can't sheet in as I seem to then turn into wind and get thrown off. I've had moments when I feel really in control and everything is settled where I get a eureka moment and next minute I am in the drink.

I've ordered a 90 cm mast as I've been on the stock naish 70cm as I've heard a longer mast is more forgiving with more room to move which makes sense.

Just a short clip a friend (Glyn) gave me.