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What are your Worst Accidents Hydrofoiling?

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Kykeon
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Re: What are your Worst Accidents Hydrofoiling?

Postby Kykeon » Tue Sep 26, 2017 9:47 am

K-Roy wrote:
Tue Sep 26, 2017 7:57 am
Kykeon wrote:
Tue Sep 26, 2017 7:24 am
Foil stuck in the lines seems often, i also had it.
Releasing safety makes little sense (as with all death loops) , actually makes things worse...

It's instinctive but your logic must fight it.
Best thing is to grab a single line and pull until you flag the kite on it
are you sure it would work?
I have Bandit's, so a little sceptical...
:-(
The good thing with foiling is that the kite is smaller.
The bad thing is that it's easier said than done.

What is your alternative?
Release the chicken loop? That will just make things worse.

I don't know the specifics of the bandit. But in principle everything will flag when hold from a single line.
Since bandit has high y, may be easier to pull a steering line.

Your worry is that if you also inverted the kite at the same time?

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Horst Sergio
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Re: What are your Worst Accidents Hydrofoiling?

Postby Horst Sergio » Tue Sep 26, 2017 9:58 am

In nearly 3 years and 250 Sessions:

NO accidents, NO blood, nothing, while free racing, jumping, free styling and trying lots of things never done before. :cool2:

My "secrets" are:
- Don't use your (even beginner) foils with the sharp edges as they come out of the box, but sand the pointy tips down to round once.
- Use full neoprene especially shoes and helmet for protection
- Learn 100% blind kite control, best with a soft kite, whose power can be killed easily via back stall anytime. If your standard reaction is: "Problem => Safety", than you might mostly make things worse with a foil in the lines.
- And for sure, know your limits. I see very often people putting them self in danger or don't progress over years because of using inappropriate equipment in to difficult conditions:

Strong wind, race kites or race foils are cool on the beach, but not made for beginners to go out with! :nono:

Save progress for All :)

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Re: What are your Worst Accidents Hydrofoiling?

Postby RichR2 » Tue Sep 26, 2017 10:57 am

Twisted ankle due to foot not coming out of strap. I'm now using foot hooks so that problem is easily solved.
I've also experienced lines in foil followed by deathloop. Seems a common one and would be interested to hear peoples thoughts on how to avoid it and what the best course of action is if it happens. Fortunately for me, during the deathloop as I flew through the air the foil detached, but not an experience I want to repeat.

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Re: What are your Worst Accidents Hydrofoiling?

Postby Horst Sergio » Tue Sep 26, 2017 11:36 am

Hi Rich,

behavior with foil in lines is already discussed here:
viewtopic.php?f=196&t=2393310&p=939403#p939403

For beginner there is a general advice, which also avoids to have the foil in the lines to close to 100%, but also helps to avoid accidents generally:

Never fly your kite in the lower half of the wind window. If you keep the kite always above 45° it is extremely unlikely that the foil will make it up 2 m to reach the lines. Additionally with the kite up your always able to lift your self away from the foil during falling. If your kite is a big one with high AR, which comes to the lower part of the wind window during loops, just use longer lines or start your loops at a higher position above your head.

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Re: What are your Worst Accidents Hydrofoiling?

Postby davesails7 » Tue Sep 26, 2017 12:19 pm

Horst Sergio wrote:
Tue Sep 26, 2017 9:58 am
In nearly 3 years and 250 Sessions:

NO accidents, NO blood, nothing, while free racing, jumping, free styling and trying lots of things never done before. :cool2:
Me too. 3 years, 300 sessions, no injuries. All with sharp race foil and 3 straps.

I've seen more people cut by things on the bottom (shells, coral, etc.) than cut by the foil although foil cuts do happen, especially when learning.

My foil went through the lines once when I was learning.

I think foiling is generally safer than normal kiteboarding due to the smaller kites and tendency to go out in less wind.

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Re: What are your Worst Accidents Hydrofoiling?

Postby Peter_Frank » Tue Sep 26, 2017 12:35 pm

I did not get the foil in the lines when learning...

But later, when able to ride, I did two or three times, no injury though :x
On the first one the kite quickly ended in the water, my luck as I almost panicked fearing the foil "axe" coming toward me while kite looping.
The next times I simply continued to fly the kite, and slowly put it down in the water and then releasing the hydrofoil from the lines (and hoped none of the lines was cut - you have to check when ashore eventually).

The last years it has never happened though, amazing so good one becomes at "not" getting in these situations, with experience :D

I had a long rip (slice) in my shorty wetsuit once during the learning years (it died because of this, was old anyways), from a sharper racewing, lucky it was only the suit

I usually dont wear full wetsuit, mostly shorty or short armed, and never boots except when winter, as all this removes a huge part of the experience, feel, and freedom for me...

Hear a lot about many who has bruised their shins - have never experienced this, is it on the board edge or on the foil or ?

I have had a small Donald Duck bump in the head once, recently, from my carbon board, not hitting me with speed, but quite slow simply its pure stiffness when dolphining in small waves towards me and I was unaware focusing on my kite - my mistake...


Foil in the lines happens for two reasons is my take:

1. You are an absolute beginner, and you lose all focus on the kite so you fly it down inadvertently while the board shoots up when you fall backwards, and the board gets stuck in the lines... This will wear off as soon as you learn to ride a bit, but really dangerous when a beginner as you ride more powered and with no control whatsoever.

2. You can ride, and practice or enjoy riding fast downwind with kite low - THIS is where I have had it happen twice, while practicing carves downwind at speed, and having or getting the kite low when you wipe out.

#2 also dissapear with practice, as you dont transition with slack lines nomore thus not the kite as low, and you will hardly never shoot the board up anymore either.

But you CAN avoid it, by riding with the kite higher when going deep downwind - I prefer this not because of the "foil in the lines" risk (only), but because I dont wanna risk to get the kite in the water, as relaunch is most often not possible when hydrofoiling.

8) PF

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Re: What are your Worst Accidents Hydrofoiling?

Postby Horst Sergio » Tue Sep 26, 2017 12:45 pm

davesails7 wrote:
Tue Sep 26, 2017 12:19 pm
I think foiling is generally safer than normal kiteboarding due to the smaller kites and tendency to go out in less wind.

:thumb: My words, thanks to the foil, kiting has become such an incredible save, relaxing, but in the same time more action sport.

Before foiling I always had to go with the biggest kite possible to be hold more or less save, but gusts while being ashore have always been a high risk. But even at 20 knts with a 15 m² kite everything felt slow and heavy.
Today with 9 m² at 10 knts i can do so nice, fast and creative tricks with lots of action. And if the wind triples in a gust? It just doesn't matter for safety, while the same just would have killed you during old twintip time.

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Re: What are your Worst Accidents Hydrofoiling?

Postby Mossy 757 » Tue Sep 26, 2017 1:01 pm

I have two 3" scars on the tops of both my feet from kicking the TE of my Sword2 mast. I tore a giant patch of skin off my right thumb/wrist by falling on the foil after a failed gybe in tons of wind. I had the foil come through my lines and rip apart the handgrip on my bar.

If you're looking for safe, you should check out the local public library...

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Re: What are your Worst Accidents Hydrofoiling?

Postby pj sofine » Tue Sep 26, 2017 2:19 pm

Bruised ego , had one hard impact on my foiling dreams, almost broke my will in one session,then there was the time I had a cut in my expectations.Also a slight fracture in my confidence. :o

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Re: What are your Worst Accidents Hydrofoiling?

Postby Oldman » Tue Sep 26, 2017 2:49 pm

pj sofine wrote:
Tue Sep 26, 2017 2:19 pm
Bruised ego , had one hard impact on my foiling dreams, almost broke my will in one session,then there was the time I had a cut in my expectations.Also a slight fracture in my confidence. :o
Hahaha well said. Agree fully :thumb:


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