Need some tips

[alexrider]

There's so many new variables! Shit, it's fun!

The Kiteforum quote of the week!

[bragnouff]

I tend to ride with kite low too, and on the foil it is also the case. I think the reason it's not advised is because when you fall off the board, it is more likely for the board to shoot up into the air and grab a steering line into death loop. I try to consciously eject and jump downwind of the board, but it's not always possible to control how you crash, and I got caught twice... lucky that the kites are used in the very lower end of their wind range, and it doesn't develop into the death part of a death loop, but it's pretty nasty nonetheless...

[Mossy 757]

Also kite low backstall slingshot downwind is much amusing.

Best. Thing. Ever.

It's even more fun on a big foil kite when your bar is set up to oversheet an inch or two. The kite just sits there and you rip around the radius

[plummet]

Just experiment and put your rear foot a bit further rear, the balancing point is definitely rear foot behind the mast on all hydrofoils for balance.

hmmmm.... Not sure this is entirely correct. Care to explain the Drexler vids where his back foot is on top of the mast.?

I'm rolling with rear foot on top of the mast on my design. I'm pretty sure its design specific, Also rear stab aoa affects foot postion. more aoa = more feet forward.

https://vimeo.com/204927223

[TomW]

Thanks everyone. I'm going to try kite 45 up, inching rear foot backwards, and focus 5-10 m forwards.
Back to Sweden tomorrow and probably won't get out for a month. Pretty damn cold back there.
Goal is to spend the season getting proficient and be able to at least surface gibe.

[Starsky]

It takes a little while, but you eventually just develop a familiarity with what the world looks like from ride height. At that point there is no need to look anywhere in particular.

Something a few of us freeriders have found helpful is to avoid seeking a static riding position. For most novices a static stance is too tense and braced to maintain the fine balance point of foiling. Relaxed comfort in a still stance will come with time. At first it's easier to feel the balance point by moving it intentionally.

Try riding in a manner that is in constant planned correction between both up/down and side to side. There is a nice degree of stability in feeling your center of gravity work against the foil while it carves through a turn. Simply linking turns will allow you to feel the balance point alternate from side to side instead of trying to balance precariously right over top of it. Like carving a skateboard or snowboard downhill instead of simply riding straight.

Likewise, learning to constantly correct between the top and bottom of ride height will teach you where the middle is and end up with you riding at a nice stable height, while automatically knowing when you need to rise or drop in anticipation of oncoming swell. This will help you get a feel for pumping the foil off the bottom of ride height to rise back up to a controlled height.

The above will come in handy when trying to get back downwind. Novices learn to get upwind first because they feel most stable leaning against line tension with the foil canted over at an angle. Freeriding downwind there is drastically less line tension to lean against, so the foil is more vertical making ride height very sensitive. Learning to feel stability through constant "S" turns and pumping off the bottom in the trough between swell will help immensely in making your way downwind in rolling swell.

[borist]

Tom, might want to get a balance board to keep yourself sharp until you get back on foil. I still use mine in winter, although not as much since I have Onewheel as well.

[Alvaro]

Great thread guys!

[Kamikuza]

Never have the kite low, it is asking for trouble in every way (can explain later), always 45 or higher Tom

PF

Care to elaborate?

I love kite low. In fact often when cranking upwind play the "can I get my wingtip closer tor the water than my board" game.

If not overpowered kite low is perfectly fine in my opinion. particularly cranken upwind.
Also kite low backstall slingshot downwind is much amusing.

Yeah, load up the kite and foil and charge upwind. Kite high is too hard to lean against and load up at the same time.

[Kamikuza]

Just experiment and put your rear foot a bit further rear, the balancing point is definitely rear foot behind the mast on all hydrofoils for balance.

hmmmm.... Not sure this is entirely correct. Care to explain the Drexler vids where his back foot is on top of the mast.?

I'm rolling with rear foot on top of the mast on my design. I'm pretty sure its design specific, Also rear stab aoa affects foot postion. more aoa = more feet forward.

Because that's how he likes it...? I've not seen him ride in light winds, he always looks powered so in that case standing on the mast creates a stable platform, albeit less responsive. He may be very front foot dominant too...

In light winds, I find my rear foot creeping back even more than usual so I can keep pushing the board up on the foil. Front foot moves forward to giver me a wider base, although I feel it's easy to move front foot too far and ruin the balance, making it a constant fight.