Foil - wave riding

[Lmrutledge]

+1 on that

[Sir V]

Kai is letting his foiling and surfing do the talking.. what I don't understand is: why are non-foilers bagging down the foil riders stoke?

I've been playing in waves for a while now, and I am the guy with the biggest grin .. the only thing I am interested in is being better every day - better than myself that is !!!

But I sure have fun - here's a couple of examples

Disclaimer: I CAN'T SURF.. between both shoulders I've had 3 Rotator Cuff surgeries so paddling is out of the question. But, am I going to stop trying and riding how I like? HELL NO!!! see the smile on my face, that really is all that matters..

http://www.youtube.com/embed/WNYBSvACIf4


http://www.youtube.com/embed/HxcTDraVuzM

[BraCuru]

I am looking for videos showing somebody ripping waves on a foil.
I would not believe it two weeks ago.
Now I believe it!

Dear believers!
I quote the first post of this topic written 4 years ago.
This is not the future! This is today
So happy to see such fast foil development.
Kai in the action on a pretty short board

[BraCuru]

Gunnar 2013:

Hi Everyone,

Here is my 2 cents on wave riding with foils.

"Normal" Waveriding (normal size breaking waves) is not really doable on a foil.
For me it's all about using the right tools for that the right job,
and a Foilboard is not the right tool for having fun in those conditions.
Gunnar

Not doable? Really?
Ask this guy what does he think about it

[gmb13]

Gunnar 2013:

Hi Everyone,

Here is my 2 cents on wave riding with foils.

"Normal" Waveriding (normal size breaking waves) is not really doable on a foil.
For me it's all about using the right tools for that the right job,
and a Foilboard is not the right tool for having fun in those conditions.
Gunnar

Not doable? Really?
Ask this guy what does he think about it

https://vimeo.com/300036833

The equipment has evolved a long way since 2013 I for one am happy that it has. All we need now is dedicated wave kites for foils

--
Gunnar

[cor]

Those videos are looking really unimpressive. Where is the action and the fun? No cut backs, no splashes, no slashing, no tight turn angles... just riding gently down the line. When I saw the first videos of wave kiting back then, it was the exact opposite! I was stoked and addicted immediately, before I've even tried it myself.

But I don't want to judge before I haven't given it a try and I love to foil in flat water and doing tricks etc. Maybe there is something appealing to foiling in the waves that you cannot see but you need to feel to understand. Will give it definitely a try.

[gmb13]

Those videos are looking really unimpressive. Where is the action and the fun? No cut backs, no splashes, no slashing, no tight turn angles... just riding gently down the line. When I saw the first videos of wave kiting back then, it was the exact opposite! I was stoked and addicted immediately, before I've even tried it myself.

But I don't want to judge before I haven't given it a try and I love to foil in flat water and doing tricks etc. Maybe there is something appealing to foiling in the waves that you cannot see but you need to feel to understand. Will give it definitely a try.

I agree with you 100%. Video cannot convey the feeling you get from actually riding the wave with a foil without the kites power. I cannot speak for others, but I want to be able to ride the waves like I do on my SUP foilboard, wave power only and kite just drifting. I would also love to be able to do more radical cutbacks, and am working on a way to do that without the kite falling out of the sky. Current wave kites do not drift well enough to go full speed on the bottom turn, but eventually the brands will make something that will work for this.

--
Gunnar

[juandesooka]

Fun to read this thread 5 years later, especially for all the negative nellies. The gear has sure evolved a lot since then ... but even moreso, seems eyes and minds have opened too.

Those videos are looking really unimpressive. Where is the action and the fun? No cut backs, no splashes, no slashing, no tight turn angles... just riding gently down the line. When I saw the first videos of wave kiting back then, it was the exact opposite! I was stoked and addicted immediately, before I've even tried it myself.

But I don't want to judge before I haven't given it a try and I love to foil in flat water and doing tricks etc. Maybe there is something appealing to foiling in the waves that you cannot see but you need to feel to understand. Will give it definitely a try.

Yesterday we had some nice wind swells, maybe waist to chest high. On the surfboard it was kinda "meh", decent enough to drop in, do a few turns, but not much of a wave face, no breaking waves to play in. Then I got on my foil and it was next level super fun, best session I've had in a while. High speed powered carves like a rocket powered skateboard. Dropping into a marching swell and getting 5 s-turns down the line with the kite drifting, feeling the wave power re-engage with each top turn. Repeated until my quads couldn't take any more ... stoked.

Reading your post, I was reflecting on why it was kinda boring on the surfboard but so much fun on the foil. I think the challenge is a big part of it -- so much more going on when foiling that it feels like a major achievement just to make it work -- half the time I ride out of a sequence amazed that I'm still up and going. Though I'm sure it looks quite lame from the beach, "why's that guy zipping back and forth like that", probably can't even tell there's wind swells from that distance. Would look even worse on gopro, with the flattening fish eye. But I can say with certainty "it is way more fun than it looks!"

It's become a cliche, but kitefoiling swells downwind does feel similar to snowboarding powder. Maybe part of the reason is that you aren't riding the surface (as you are when snowboarding hard pack or kiting with a normal surfboard), but you are riding under the surface, within the powder/wave, almost like you're connected to the mountain/ocean. When you see dolphins or orcas playing in the waves, they are experiencing that same energy ... and yes, I consider what they are doing to be surfing, even if they aren't throwing spray with big cutbacks.

For breaking waves, I am more likely to grab my surfboard, as the surface carving is big fun too. Though riding down the line on a foil is pretty fun too ... different than a surfboard, but you can feel the wave energy for sure, also presents big logistical challenges. I am getting into sup/surf foil on no-wind days, which is opening up fun potential for waves that are otherwise considered too lame to be surfable.

Bottom line, foil's another toy in the toybox, offers great potential to mix it up and chase fun conditions.

[TomW]

I had loads of fun riding small breaking waves in Brazil. One day I got lucky with tides and swell and found a spot on a secluded rivermouth sand reef and was ripping along fast closing out ( impossible to make without high speed) shoulder high break at 35km hr.

Half the fun was the fact that I was foiling upwind of the kite center 2-6 km away looking for spots that are impossible to reach on surfboard unless you have 4wD vehicle and time, and hard to stay in without foils upwind ability.

[Matteo V]

This thread is the best ever at exposing the wide range of kiteboarder mentality/attitude.

For sure it can be done but you'd be happier on a regular surfboard.

The "I know best for me and you".

....I am not into constraining what I ride before I have even tried it. We all have preferences..personally I never much cared for skimboards with kites..but I am not going to knock it for someone else...just because they like it. I decided after trying and yes I do have skimboards. I am all for it if you have found one way that works for you...personally I have all sorts of boards and yes I have a TT. I am not into limiting myself..I will never be the best at any of them and that is fine I just like riding and trying new things.

The "You know best for you and you should try things out to make your own decision".

BTW. I remember him when I experienced Punta Preta in 2007. He was unknown to the world and we thought he was some crazy local waterman trying to prove that strapless might be done on powerful waves or that jumping with strapless board was possible.
4 years later nobody was surprised to see kitelooping, handlepassing, or other sick tricks.
6 years later nobody even try to ride in straps in KSP tour.

And the, "The future of fashion is 'this', and you will be uncool if you don't jump on the band wagon and do what everyone else is doing when they start doing it."


Sorry, nothing more to add - I just had to jump on the band wagon myself so I can be part of the group in this thread.