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hydrofoiling in "normal winds"

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BraCuru
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Re: hydrofoiling in "normal winds"

Postby BraCuru » Wed Sep 28, 2016 7:26 pm

opie wrote: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.
Agreed! :thumb: I use 5m then but I consider to buy 3m for super special days :)

I love foiling in two wind options:
- under 8kts
- over 20kts.
Anything between is not SO interesting and exiting.

I haven't used a TT since 2010 and haven't used a wave board a single time this year.
I try to learn foiling in all possible conditions and honestly I have more fun than on any other type of board.

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juandesooka
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Re: hydrofoiling in "normal winds"

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.

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Re: hydrofoiling in "normal winds"

Postby Mossy 757 » Wed Sep 28, 2016 8:03 pm

I love it in choppy ocean swell in the 18-22kt range. It's more like backcountry powder skiing than anything else; challenging, physical, fast, and dynamic.

About to participate in a regatta this weekend with a forecast in the 20-30 range, I'll let you know how it goes ;-)

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Re: hydrofoiling in "normal winds"

Postby TomW » Fri Sep 30, 2016 7:17 pm

I have similar question. I'm at early learning stage, 3 sessions and getting up and then crashing after 10 m.
Going to Brazil to kite and wind is generally 20 knots I heard, some days can be lighter.
I'm thinking of bringing foil along with TT and surfboard. I have good 17-12-9 kites.
Hoping to do one session a day on HF then on other boards. If I'm lucky I might get 4-5 sessions in Brazil and then have to break for winter and wait till spring. If I can get somewhat going and not drifting and falling downwind, I'll open up for more sessions at my local spots.

Should I invest in a 5 m kite for this trip? If so which? I can't get a BRM cloud.
I can get north mono, ozone reo or Enduro , Lf solo and others.

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Re: hydrofoiling in "normal winds"

Postby foilonfoil » Fri Sep 30, 2016 8:15 pm

I foil in all conditions although move from foil kites to LEI's when conditions pick up. IMO, its a skill how to foil in high/gusty winds and lots of fun to learn.

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Re: hydrofoiling in "normal winds"

Postby Peter_Frank » Fri Sep 30, 2016 8:21 pm

TomW wrote:I have similar question. I'm at early learning stage, 3 sessions and getting up and then crashing after 10 m.
Going to Brazil to kite and wind is generally 20 knots I heard, some days can be lighter.
I'm thinking of bringing foil along with TT and surfboard. I have good 17-12-9 kites.
Hoping to do one session a day on HF then on other boards. If I'm lucky I might get 4-5 sessions in Brazil and then have to break for winter and wait till spring. If I can get somewhat going and not drifting and falling downwind, I'll open up for more sessions at my local spots.

Should I invest in a 5 m kite for this trip? If so which? I can't get a BRM cloud.
I can get north mono, ozone reo or Enduro , Lf solo and others.
I dont see any reason why you should go for these "light" kites for the small ones ?

In the small sizes their advantages becomes disadvantages instead IMO.

So you could just go with a normal 5 or 6 or 7m2 that can be used with your surfboard most often too, and will give you loads of fun on your hydrofoil in lighter winds :thumb:

8) PF

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Re: hydrofoiling in "normal winds"

Postby TomW » Fri Sep 30, 2016 9:51 pm

Peter,

I use my 9 m kite regularly with my surfboard, had a 7 before and rarely used it. It was too small and I don't go out in 30 knots / 15 ms in Sweden. Too gusty and crazy turbulent in such winds.

Question is : " what kite size and typ should I have for learning hydrofoil in 20 knots? "

Thanks!!

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Peter_Frank
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Re: hydrofoiling in "normal winds"

Postby Peter_Frank » Fri Sep 30, 2016 10:23 pm

TomW wrote:Peter,

I use my 9 m kite regularly with my surfboard, had a 7 before and rarely used it. It was too small and I don't go out in 30 knots / 15 ms in Sweden. Too gusty and crazy turbulent in such winds.

Question is : " what kite size and typ should I have for learning hydrofoil in 20 knots? "

Thanks!!
IMO as said, something around a 5-6m2 normal wavekite if average weight :-)

I am average weight and we often has stable winds 20-30 knots here, but I use a 5m2 wavekite on a surfboard from 25 knots so often use my 5 and 6m2, and my 7 is used when its around 20 knots :naughty:
That was a detour though... For hydrofoiling in 20 knots a 6m2 is fine for learning where its easier a bit powered, and later if riding waves a 5m2 is better.

8) Peter

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Re: hydrofoiling in "normal winds"

Postby fogmeister » Sat Oct 01, 2016 1:02 am

our top foil riders here ride in all winds they do not wish to be on anything else.......today it was 25 kts gusting to 35............they were all out on 6m kites!

so def worth getting even if at first in only light winds, i finally broke down and am going to foil in light winds instead of my flyrace,,,,,,even though i could get down to 5kts with it, it is just apparent that the foil is infinitly more fun and can boost 30+ feet around 10 knots!!! (at that the flyrace was infinitly more fun than a door!!!!)

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Re: hydrofoiling in "normal winds"

Postby TomW » Sat Oct 01, 2016 7:42 am

I ordered a 7m North Mono. They Claim it works in lighter wind and is good surfboard kite in lighter winds.. I was thinking 5 m but then thought it would be too small in 20 knots and huge gap to the 9, and less useful with surfboard.
Probably easier to sell too, if I don't use it.


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