Not many TT riders goes Hydrofoil ?

[Peter_Frank]

Just an observation around here:

Almost every single hydrofoiler are avid and hardcore wavesailors only (based on only about 15 riders if I only count locally, so not much for statistics I know), or in a few cases racers.

There are a couple that might pick up a TT for a few days, but only a few percent of the active.

And not one single guy/girl that rides TT only, are hydrofoiling ?

It could be a coincidence ?
It could be because it is only old geezers like me who find it awesome ?
It could be because we have found what "matters" ?

Anyways - just an observation around here, how is it at your spot if a hydrofoil culture has built ?

It makes sense though, as waveriding and hydrofoil is both about the feel of purity and smooth carving sensation, and most of all, the feeling of ZEN. when it all works !!!

I am just an old softie, I know, but noticed this

PF

[Starsky]

Thats it, Im mounting a foil to a wakeboard.

[Laughingman]

Just an observation around here:

Almost every single hydrofoiler are avid and hardcore wavesailors only (based on only about 15 riders if I only count locally, so not much for statistics I know), or in a few cases racers.

There are a couple that might pick up a TT for a few days, but only a few percent of the active.

And not one single guy/girl that rides TT only, are hydrofoiling ?

It could be a coincidence ?
It could be because it is only old geezers like me who find it awesome ?
It could be because we have found what "matters" ?

Anyways - just an observation around here, how is it at your spot if a hydrofoil culture has built ?

It makes sense though, as waveriding and hydrofoil is both about the feel of purity and smooth carving sensation, and most of all, the feeling of ZEN. when it all works !!!

I am just an old softie, I know, but noticed this

PF

I would say this is about the learning curve more than anything else. A tt rider might first want to learn to ride a sb before learning a foil...?

[Bigdog]

Good call B.

[plummet]

Here's my thoughts as a Mutant TT rider.

The reasons I don't use a surfboard in one of the best surf locations in the world.

Jybing is annoying every turn.
Riding toeside upwind hurts my knees
Surfboards are slappy and horrible for everything other than on the wave face.
They are unwieldy in the air
Don't fit in the back of my car sideways
More likely to be damaged
I love to boost. That's more important than riding the wave...........

Ultimately for me jumping is the reason I Kite. Remove the air and just ride wave.... I don't think I could be bothered. TT's are better for jumping!.....

So..... TT riders are more consumed with airtime. Or want to ride like their other board sports, Wake, skate, snowboarding. They will typically do kiting when the wind is enough but will do other sports when the wind isn't good enough.

Hydrofoil at first site does not look like a jumping machine. So people whose kiting bent is airtime will not be interested in hydrofoil. Also it does not lend its self to tricks so easily. Airstyle or wake style. So that rules out the Toby's of the work or the Wake stylers.

That leaves dudes that are addicted to kiting. The dudes hunting light wind kiting. The dudes that a looking for a new challenge.

Now I will have a hydrofoil. I want it for hunting light wind and boosting in 10-15 knots..... Yes. With speed comes height. I can see good jumping in light winds on a hydrofoil. Once you learn the ways.

[Randahl]

Don't know how the wind is at your spot but at mine it's hardly ever enough to make a twin tip really work. I no longer have tolerance for not being able to stay upwind so that means the TT stays in the car most days. If we had good wind I would probably be leaving the foil in the car a lot more.

[Peter_Frank]

Great discussion and interesting views

PF

[eree]

the reason why so many TT kiteboard riders around is paraphrasing famous man because it is easy, not because it is hard.
you have to start learning fb riding again.
riding foil board needs more space for maneuvering, it is much more sensitive to the water depth and weeds, overall high maintenance. i don't even think the higher price is the mater.

so why mow the lawn hard way when you can continue to do it effortlessly? why bother?
just to be able to participate in couple of race competitions?
after all most people are creatures of convenience

[Arcsrule]

My foil build is not finished yet, so i am not a hydrofoiler i guess. i'm another who tried a surf board and hated it. my ride has been the mako king, i like to jump....also like sunshine and warm water, so that limits me to our very weak and reliable sea breeze with a huge kite. I look forward to starting all over again

[Johhnn]

Hi Peter,
Old geezer here, well that's not quite right, but I can't claim being young. I only rode twin tips before I picked up an AlpineFoil at the beginning of last season. I felt at a disadvantage learning because I had no experience riding a surfboard. Still I was able to learn and it is fantastic! Zen...yes! When you can go out in the lightest of winds, turn downwind a little, ride in silence, hear birds and waves breaking around you, it's the best. Surreal.

I am the only hydrofoiler at my spot. Most are on twin tips. 3 are on surfboards. When the wind is strong, I go back to my twin tip. I had to get an 8 m and a 6 m early last year, when I realized how much less kite you need with the hydrofoil.

When I look over my log from last year, I find that most days it was relatively light wind. Max maybe 15 knots. We don't normally get waves where I ride.