Postby juandesooka » Wed Sep 28, 2016 7:38 pm
Great question. I am a low level intermediate foiler, so take my comments with the grain of salt.
Foiling in light wind is obviously fun. Super smooth and can use a smaller kite.
For me, though, the real goal in foiling is to carve swells. If there are breaking waves, I will be on my surfboard, but on the days with a nice rolling swell, I like to ride in them with the foil. The problem is, around here pretty much the only time you get this is from wind waves resulting from higher wind. So, 20kt plus is when the waves are better, but also the foiling more challenging.
I agree with tmcfarla's experience...in higher winds, once you are maxed out on kite and accelerating, it can be a challenge to slow down. For me, sometimes it ends up as a crash on purpose in advance of an uncontrolled crash. [most of the time being maxed on kite means the wind has come up, plus we have to body drag through 100m of kelp, so inevitably being powered for body dragging means over powered on the foil.]
For sure you can ride a foil in higher winds, another challenge to tackle and super fun to try! But the other posters are right too, when you are already riding your foil in 75% of other light and medium wind conditions, you will probably want to try other boards in higher winds just to mix it up a little.