hydrofoiling in "normal winds"

[pcloud]

It seems that many who foil do so to get out in low wind conditions but prefer regular kiting in higher winds. Is that because foiling is more difficult with higher winds? I am on the fence about getting into foiling. We have pretty good wind regularly where I am so will foiling be worth getting into?

thanks

[Regis-de-giens]

Personnally it is more due to "vary pleasures" and diversity by keeping TT riding when wind is high enough ; low wind days are more frequent so it let enough time to foil , higher winds are more rare so it is time to do something else that is also so great ! TT kiting allows easier jumps, different transitions and different contact feeling with water ...

...And since we do not have to definitelly choose and keep both pleasures !

[davesails7]

It depends on the person.

I used to have a course-race board for low wind riding, but I just used it to pass the time when it was too light for the twintip.

Now I definitely like a good foil session over a good twintip session. 9-15 kts is perfect for foiling. 15-20 is still good, but sometimes I pick the twintip. Over 20 kts I almost always go with the twintip.

The big difference though, is now when I'm on the twintip I wish there wasn't so much wind so I could have had a good foil session

[irwe]

9 - 15 kts Foilboard
15 - 20 kts Strapless Surf
20 - 25 kts Strap Surf
> 25 kts TT

Get the Foilboard, it will be a new challenge for you. Now when I use a surfboard or TT I find it is so easy. Everything improves after you learn to Foil.

I have easily doubled the number of kiting sessions this year because of the Foilboard.

[Starsky]

Do it. Foiling is a game changer even if it doesn't become your favourite thing ever, it will completely shuffle your understanding of conditions.

I learned back in the day and rode a twin tip only for about 6 years. When we finally clued into surfboards it changed everything. Minimum wind for fun came down from 15 knots to almost 12. Spent almost 80% of my riding strapless for the next 6 years. Still loved the twin tip, just couldn't bring myself to schlog around underpowered just fighting to hold ground when the surfboard was upwind/downwind all over the place and much more powered up the bulk of the time. The good bump and jump or boost days on twin tip were still great and kind of like a treat.

The foil did the same thing all over again, only more drastic. Doesn't really sound it when you say the wind minimum is now down to 10 knots, but its a bit more complex than that. Foiling in 10 knots is so much better than surfboard in 12 knots or twin tip in 15. Foiling in 17-20 knots can be more fun depending on conditions. There are so many days between 10 and 15 knots that you double your water time as soon as you start foiling. The feel of the ride is a total trip and it may well become your favourite. I dedicated the end of last season and all of this one to the foil and its shaping up that its just more fun in most of our local conditions to foil until its a solid 18 knots. At that point it's still not certain that I won't foil. All depends on the conditions. The best ever for me will always be strapless in good waves. That is a super treat. Still very much love being powered up in a slick or good bump and jump on a twin, but going forward it looks like about 80% foiling. You get out all the time, its easy, it has the speed and range to get you to the good spots and back really quick. A good 9m is almost the only kite you need! I've done it so much this summer that I definitely look forward to the next session on something else. It's a guaranteed great session now when one of the other boards comes off the rack.

[pcloud]

Some very helpful responses. It seems at over 20 kts or so, many prefer planing to foiling. That is what I am trying to understand. People who foil seem to really love it, so why not at over 20 kts?

thanks

[grigorib]

Foiling slowly is taking over my deep water sessions to the point I don't take the twintip to our local lake anymore. My smallest foiling wing is 8m Rally 2012 so 20 knots is pretty much limit to foiling for me. That is fully trimmed in. Will get a smaller Rally and will keep riding higher winds. Foiling is amazing.

[tmcfarla]

Some very helpful responses. It seems at over 20 kts or so, many prefer planing to foiling. That is what I am trying to understand. People who foil seem to really love it, so why not at over 20 kts?

thanks

You probably need a new kite for anything much over 20 knots. I'm scared on my 6m at 25 knots, mostly because it gets difficult to keep speed under control. The way I deal with being way over powered on a twin tip, bearing straight down wind to lose speed, doesn't work very well on a foil, they are too efficient to lose speed. At a certain speed, the falls begin to hurt quite a bit- you are moving faster and falling from higher up than with another board. Maybe I could move that range up a little bit with a smaller kite, but at some point the chop alone seems to give the foil a mind of its own.

I think it is definitely worth getting into, 10-20 knots is great on a foil, and I imagine nearly every place has a good number of days in that range.

[opie]

I love foiling in the high 20's. I can use my 3.5m kite, which is in itself super fun, and the waves created by the wind create unlimited possibilities.
The sessions are shorter, though. It's more tiring than 15 knots.

[Peter_Frank]

Some very helpful responses. It seems at over 20 kts or so, many prefer planing to foiling. That is what I am trying to understand. People who foil seem to really love it, so why not at over 20 kts?

thanks

You probably need a new kite for anything much over 20 knots. I'm scared on my 6m at 25 knots, mostly because it gets difficult to keep speed under control. The way I deal with being way over powered on a twin tip, bearing straight down wind to lose speed, doesn't work very well on a foil, they are too efficient to lose speed. At a certain speed, the falls begin to hurt quite a bit- you are moving faster and falling from higher up than with another board. Maybe I could move that range up a little bit with a smaller kite, but at some point the chop alone seems to give the foil a mind of its own.

I think it is definitely worth getting into, 10-20 knots is great on a foil, and I imagine nearly every place has a good number of days in that range.

Agree with you and Opie

I ride my 5m2 to 20 knots but not over, dont work for anything but race or going back and fourth, and most hydrofoilers needs (but havent got) a smaller kite to be powered spot on.

I've just gotten a 3.5m2 (Takoon LOG) to ride in more than this.

Not having a small kite is the only reason I take (took) a waveboard when +20, except when perfect sideshore and good wave conditions of course, but very often NOT the case, it is often choppy surfaces or not sideshore and then a hydrofoil is WAY more fun IMO, also in waves

Mixing things up are great, sometimes on a waveboard, other times on a hydrofoil (wavetype) when close to 20 knots - and having a small kite makes you able to choose whatever you like on a given day, a win win

PF