Unfortunately, if is THAT hard and not appealing for the average Joe, the HF numbers will never grow. It is the TT which enabled you to HF, not the vice versa. Same with LEI kites, they are enabling kite surfing, not the foil kites (except in some occasions, we now that anyway).Jyoder wrote: ↑Mon Apr 09, 2018 2:23 amLet’s go existential. What brought you to kiteboarding? For me it was to have a sailboat I could fit in the trunk of my car, and the fun of flying a controllable kite. I was never interested in boosting, “tricks” and the skater culture, but rather a dynamic personal experience of wind-powered movement and peaceful flow. I bought a hydrofoil as soon as I could confidently ride upwind on my TT and sold the TT soon after. It’s been a long hard learning curve and I can’t even do real transitions yet, but I never consider going back. Riding any other board feels violent and jarring now.
A good question and one worthy of a thread in its self.Jyoder wrote: ↑Mon Apr 09, 2018 2:23 amLet’s go existential. What brought you to kiteboarding? For me it was to have a sailboat I could fit in the trunk of my car, and the fun of flying a controllable kite. I was never interested in boosting, “tricks” and the skater culture, but rather a dynamic personal experience of wind-powered movement and peaceful flow. I bought a hydrofoil as soon as I could confidently ride upwind on my TT and sold the TT soon after. It’s been a long hard learning curve and I can’t even do real transitions yet, but I never consider going back. Riding any other board feels violent and jarring now.
The good thing is that learning to HF is not that hard. I’ve seen students in our school fly with control in 5 hours of lessons. The new gear (short masts and low aspect wings) really simplifies the learning curve.downunder wrote: ↑Mon Apr 09, 2018 7:50 amUnfortunately, if is THAT hard and not appealing for the average Joe, the HF numbers will never grow. It is the TT which enabled you to HF, not the vice versa. Same with LEI kites, they are enabling kite surfing, not the foil kites (except in some occasions, we now that anyway).Jyoder wrote: ↑Mon Apr 09, 2018 2:23 amLet’s go existential. What brought you to kiteboarding? For me it was to have a sailboat I could fit in the trunk of my car, and the fun of flying a controllable kite. I was never interested in boosting, “tricks” and the skater culture, but rather a dynamic personal experience of wind-powered movement and peaceful flow. I bought a hydrofoil as soon as I could confidently ride upwind on my TT and sold the TT soon after. It’s been a long hard learning curve and I can’t even do real transitions yet, but I never consider going back. Riding any other board feels violent and jarring now.
The only way to get the HF numbers up ( not being a lonely Nigel! ), is the get the kiting numbers up, either TT or a SB converts (as we all are). If the TT/SB is in decline, so will HF (no ppl to convert).
Simple as that. So I would never ever say get rid of TT/SB simple because that is what attracts new kiters. Remember, aa HF was in water skiing many many years ago. The skis died out, the wakestyle boards prevailed.
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