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Foilers vs Kiters proportion now

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Greenturtle
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Re: Foilers vs Kiters proportion now

Postby Greenturtle » Tue Sep 18, 2018 12:28 am

I still see most people out on tt or surfboard, and would rate these people as very “cool” for sure haha.
I ride all kinds of boards, including hydrofoil, and enjoy them all for their individual properties. The properties of tt and sb, and what you can do on them cannot be replaced by hf. All will persist, and reign king in their respective areas.

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Re: Foilers vs Kiters proportion now

Postby longwhitecloud » Tue Sep 18, 2018 12:30 am

they dont count as they mostly dont pay for their gear or they get it for 70% of wholesale.. less than resale value.. so its free anyway at resale


foiling is generally for the older generation, same in surfing with a foil, same with sup foil.. gives them focus and passion... not a bad thing as you get older

just the way it is. it is ideal for marketing to that age group with high margin products ( like foils) using " features and tech" kind of like kitesurf marketing of the last ten years ( controlled by non kiters actually in some cases)... with the professional token young sponsored rider to aspire to.

young people dont care for that marketing.. they can rip on any gear, preferably something that does not cost too much. Here you can get 'china direct foils' for about 35% of retail big brand prices.. but still no one wants them.. they are actually still expensive compared to a twiny or surfboard... or just dont appeal to the target of middled aged affluent tech minded men.

@austinkalama ( insta) is a very rare younger interesting foiler, but again, like super kai (token sponsored younger rider).. foil afforability is not an issue for them.

windsurf foiling will grow no doubt imo as it proportionally gives a bigger low end range than kiting that was way better to start with. Also safety simplicity is a big factor to many.. and winsurfing is safer than kiting. Bans will happen though as with everything new due to clueless decision makers.

never forget the simplicity, affordability, travel ability, of the humble dependable twin tip.. with kiting. and remembwr if you love kiting you can always move somewhere windier.. one life....

the ad for a foil and board here on this site.. $2500 dollars ($1500 Euros).. not for younger people, its the cost of a used car here.

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Re: Foilers vs Kiters proportion now

Postby jumptheshark » Tue Sep 18, 2018 1:25 am

IMG_3914.jpg
Thats all the gear I pack most days. There are three used kites in there one alloy foil, harness, helmet, pump, wetsuit etc. Not one piece cost as much as a new 12m. All behind the back seat. Neither my surfboard not TT will fit in the trunk like that.

Listening to old guys argue against foiling by saying its for old guys is a bit rich. I for sure am stoked to have a branch of the sport that will take me into my rickety years. Best learn now tho. I took a beating in those early stages that I would not wish on the elderly.

Cost is an issue for high end gear in all branches of the sport. If your going to extol the virtue of the humble twintip, you can't really overlook the value in many of the alloy set ups that can be bolted to pretty much any ol piece of wood.

Shallow spots, sure. Windy spots, I can see the lack of motivation to change, but it doesn't negate the fact your missing out on something. Foiling brings a whole new world to those who get into it. The argument that its disengaged from the water is coming from only those who haven't experienced it to any real degree.

I wholeheartedly agree with the poster who said that each type of board will reign supreme in its prime conditions. The foil just happens to make prime conditions out of what is otherwise less than ideal on anything else.

One life indeed! Kiting nearly doubled the number of days I got on a windsurfer. Surfboards bumped that up another 30%. Foiling has more than doubled that. Super stoked to be living this life right here.
Last edited by jumptheshark on Tue Sep 18, 2018 1:39 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Foilers vs Kiters proportion now

Postby deniska » Tue Sep 18, 2018 1:31 am

longwhitecloud wrote:
Tue Sep 18, 2018 12:30 am

windsurf foiling will grow no doubt imo as it proportionally gives a bigger low end range than kiting that was way better to start with. Also safety simplicity is a big factor to many.. and winsurfing is safer than kiting. Bans will happen though as with everything new due to clueless decision makers.
I doubt that windsurf foiling will catch up big.. The main issue (looking at the local guy) is getting up to a foiling speed in low wind.
With kite it's much easier to generate some pull to get started.
The other day I saw one poor windsurf foiler going slow for 30 minutes, waiting for a gust to get started. He finally got going, but being unable to do flying jibes he had to stop after 2 minutes and wait again.. Meanwhile I was going back and forth and jumped over him (well a little behind, not to piss him, since we are friends)

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Re: Foilers vs Kiters proportion now

Postby JakeFarley » Tue Sep 18, 2018 1:53 am

At my location the ratio foilers to kiters (TT, SB, Skim) is about 1:4, or 1:3. Due to the shallow water at low tide not many foilers.

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Re: Foilers vs Kiters proportion now

Postby downunder » Tue Sep 18, 2018 2:37 am

ap888 wrote:
Tue Sep 18, 2018 12:19 am
Toby has never foiled ever what!!!!!? Toby you are missing out big time if you haven’t....boosting on foil compared to twintip is like driving a 1995 Ford pickup vs driving a BMW F80 M3 :D 5 times the fun..
I hear a lot about boosting on a foil.

How is the crashing on the same working for you? Any 1080 you can show us that you do?

~

"Neither my surfboard not TT will fit in the trunk like that." - that's because you can't ride a 120cm TT board.

Toby is about 90kg and he is riding, guess what, 126cm TT if not mistaking. Says it all.


Looks like most of the people responded, including me, are way over 40-ties. Others are addicted, and there is no reasonable discussion with the likes. Think about any addiction before replying.

:bye:

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Re: Foilers vs Kiters proportion now

Postby pikovsg » Tue Sep 18, 2018 2:38 am

One day a company will release an auto variable height foil and low tide blues will be no more.

Even now, at our shallow place at West Dennis Beach on Cape Cod, freestyle foiling on a 28” mast is the cat’s meow.

By the way, foiling at our spot is 31 yrs old and up, and fully represented throughout. That said, the youngest age here is at least 26-28, so not much difference either way.

By FAR, the biggest misconception in foiling is that it’s a light wind alternative. With straps or hooks, freestyle foiling is just as intense as the twintip or surfboard version. But you gotta walk that walk and devote that time to learn, like any serious sport progression. You can see when foilers are learning - they fall over and over again. :)

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Re: Foilers vs Kiters proportion now

Postby jumptheshark » Tue Sep 18, 2018 2:58 am

You have no clue what I can ride. That skim is 110cm 111 would not fitlike that. Got lucky with that.

A 120cm tt is garbage in anything but a perfect slick. Nobody rides boards that small anymore. I prefer a decent rocker line so ride a 140.

I couldn’t be bothered jumping a foil. Too dangly for my tastes. Save that for the tt on bigger days. Reckon I can huck it every bit as well as you.
Last edited by jumptheshark on Tue Sep 18, 2018 3:05 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Foilers vs Kiters proportion now

Postby ap888 » Tue Sep 18, 2018 3:03 am

downunder wrote:
Tue Sep 18, 2018 2:37 am
ap888 wrote:
Tue Sep 18, 2018 12:19 am
Toby has never foiled ever what!!!!!? Toby you are missing out big time if you haven’t....boosting on foil compared to twintip is like driving a 1995 Ford pickup vs driving a BMW F80 M3 :D 5 times the fun..
I hear a lot about boosting on a foil.

How is the crashing on the same working for you? Any 1080 you can show us that you do?

~

"Neither my surfboard not TT will fit in the trunk like that." - that's because you can't ride a 120cm TT board.

Toby is about 90kg and he is riding, guess what, 126cm TT if not mistaking. Says it all.


Looks like most of the people responded, including me, are way over 40-ties. Others are addicted, and there is no reasonable discussion with the likes. Think about any addiction before replying.

:bye:
Can’t explain the feeling of boosting on a foil it’s indescribable just get out there and try it start small :) Just started with straps today pretty much did some back rolls double front rolls one footer not anything crazy by my standards but feels nice coming in toe side jump tack back roll to other direction was super fun..

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Re: Foilers vs Kiters proportion now

Postby pikovsg » Tue Sep 18, 2018 3:06 am

A good number of people don't want to bother taking foil to level 2 and stick to what's comfortable. But past level 2 is where the cake resides. And it's the best cake you've ever "not" had. :)


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