Another stoked newbie

[_zeta]

Hi everyone, this is my first post in this forum after a loooong time reading every post on hydrofoil advice, gear,tips...

So I want now to give sth back based on my own experience learning to foil:

- Rider: 30 y/o; 105kg. riding TT since 2014

- Conditions: 12/13 knots on the first few sessions. now rinding mostly on 10 to 16 knots. If blowing much more, I still go out on the TT.

- Gear: after a lot of research, I got a Shinnster + Zeeko W&G with Carver wing.
The large area/low volume board seemed to make sense to make it easier to learn strapless (more on that later).
Zeeko Alu was very well regarded everywere I read, and seems carbon is unnecessary. I am happy with both choices!

Helmet (I never used before on the TT....but looking at the weigh and pointy/sharp edges of the foil...it felt necessary)

Either flying a north mono 12 (only the first few sessions) or NEO 10m (the 12 makes me feel overpowered very quickly, at just 13/14 knots)

- Mast Length: I found it so worth it to start with shorter masts (30cm).
Actually, I got a 96cm mast, and struggled my first times out....lots of walking in my spot to reach good depth, and hard to start with when not familiar to feeling of the foil. Decided to cut my mast in 2 (30 and 66cm pieces). starting at 30cm was effortless, very easy to get the feeling of the foil engaging. And when falling from 30cm, you just keep going. A couple of 1hr sessions later, I stepped up to 66 cm mast with no problem, and after a few hours of dolphin stage, I am now riding confortable on both tacks stable on the foil. Going to get a new 96 cm mast, but keeping the 66cm as I guess I will keep using it on low tide/shallow spots.

- Straps: I started with the idea of learning strapless to avoid ankle injuries. But when water starting (still on the 96 cm mast) I found it unnecesarily hard (even on the low volume board)...so continued with a single front strap, very loose, which made all it much easier. probably, it may not have been necessary on the 30 cm mast set up, but I kept it anyway... I can always release the board when falling. never been close to an injury so far.

So as I said, I am now riding confortable on both tacks. No toeside or jibing yet, but planing to start practicing some carves to toeside and touch down jibes soon. I have to say that thanks to the short masts maybe, I found the process easier than I thought/read about. No too many or too hard crashes, and in a few hours, everything just clicks in and it is so much fun to ride confortably with just 9/10 knots wind. (unprecedented for my 105kg!!). Upwind angles are amazing, and contraty to what I read, going back downwind did not turn out to be so hard/scary even at the begginning. (maybe the NEO's great drift helped here?)

Hope this is helpfull fore someone still deciding how to give HF a try, just go for it!
Tips for progression always welcome!

Z

[juandesooka]

Nicely done. Sounds about as straightforward a learning progression as you could hope for.

Toeside opens up a lot of fun, carving downwind...just do it. May be surprised that it's easier than you thought. A slider hook helps a bit though, as the angles are even more pronounced than a surfboard.

[slowboat]

If you want to really speed up your progression, put the TT away for a while. (you can always come back to it in the future). Get some smaller kites and go out all reasonable conditions.

[TomW]

I've been trying to sell my nearly new TT. Sold my 17m kite, my 12m 5 strut Core is gathering dust. Trying to sell it too...
One year in, about 60-70 hours of foiling. Still totally obsessed.

[Peter_Frank]

If you want to really speed up your progression, put the TT away for a while. (you can always come back to it in the future). Get some smaller kites and go out all reasonable conditions.

So true, put your TT and/or waveboard away, now you are up and riding, but still a relatively newbie.

Ditch your dignity a while, while learning foil - as it will pay off to go "total beginner" for a longer time.
Some need to get their self-esteem back, by going out on the boards they KNOW they can ride well, but if you can avoid it, it will pay off bigtime

If windy, take your smaller kites, A LOT smaller, as you will find it very easy with these, and not as much "punishment" when it goes wrong.
Only when lighter, you need a bit more power than when experienced, so take a reasonably big kite here, but you know that.

You will progress so much faster and better - and dont get discouraged when NOTHING works on some days, this is just a part of the progress and as long as you tell yourself that, even a bunk session can be turned around mentally to something good, eventhough not impressive for others watching, but who cares, it will END up impressive one day

Later when learned into muscle memory, you can switch boards easy, same day, no problem - but for starters to learn totally new and some counter intuitive muscle memory reactions that are NOT like on other boards, it will pay off to be consistent and just "eat" your self-respect while fooling around like we all did, and I still do sometimes ha haa

Great to hear from another stoked hydrofoiler, you get so addicted, but it is a SANE addiction in every way

You can actually choose WHEN you want to go out kitesurfing now, so you work and family and everything, will be stoked that you dont have to go "kitesurfing" in the middle of a wedding, because "there is ONLY wind right now" ha haa

(only problem is, it is SO addictive, that you might use a lot more time on the water - we all do no doubt - but schhhh, dont tell anyone....)

Peter

PS: You are one of the, maybe a bit more rare, ones who havent got that many years of experience, and still you are stoked about hydrofoiling - AWESOME to see, instead of us old geezers being in everything from the start, that is not the same as when relatively "new", my respect

[_zeta]

Thanks for the ecouragement!

I actually did avoid riding the TT at the very begining, until clearing dolphin stage, but you are convincing me to put it away a little longer...

Will share an update later!

Z