my learning progession on a hydrofoil

[meteo]

I see alot of interest in hydrofoiling with kites...

So I decided to buy a beginners combo... board and foil...

so here goes...

first thing I did was wacth tutoriol videos... I found two...
1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi6rLNtDB1g

2)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv651uNBi7Y

then got a few advice from my friends with foiling experience

then set out to try it...

Outing 1 - April 11 2015 - hours 0 to 0.5

9 to 11 kts form the North West... Using my Flysurfer 21m2, perfect to try my Hydrofoil and high tide as a bonus... Location Fred Howard Park
Well I did it.... Foiled almost on the first tack... not as difficult as I was told... kept the power of the kite at the minimum possible, all my weight on the front of the board and gained speed slowly... result ... foiling just enough, about 1 sec per foil... almost no crashes, as this is done at a very low speed
Kited for 30 minutes… Was dead tired, had to stop. My mind might have found it easy, but my body did not agree with me…
Today’s conclusion: I think I’m going to like this sport

here's a video, my wife took on my first tack

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHTXLXpqNjU

[meteo]

Outing 2 - April 13, 2015 – hours 0.5 to 2.5

17 to 19 kts from the SW, using my Ozone Edge11, location Fred Howard Park
Back to square one...
A disaster, I kept going for two hours, being bashed around constantly. Being beaten over and over... just could not keep the speed down, and got ejected all sorts of way... at one point the foil and I were flying in the air luckily for me in different directions... ouffff.
Today’s conclusion: You need low winds to learn foiling…

[meteo]

Outing 3 - April 15, 2015 – hours 2.5 to 4.0

14 to 17 kts, decided to use my Fly 21... Location Clearwater beach north.
I went out today for my third session on my liquid force Hydro foil... It's the only kite I know that is slow to steer and slow in power output. It gives you a gentle tug slow and easy to manage as it turns slowly into the power window... this session with the foil was much better than my last one... I was able to get stretches of more than 6 seconds on the foil... might not seem long, but I assure you it's long enough to get "hook" on the feeling of flying…
Today’s conclusion: Beginners need good winds and slow kites...
here's a video, my wife took:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH6T57FmJjU

[meteo]

Outing 4 - April 17, 2015 – hours 4.0 to 7.0
9 to 11 kts from the SW, Fly21, location Skyway bridge on the west side.

Well I can tell you that the LF hydrofoil has done the job for me... I can say now, that I can foil... It took me 5 hours (4 outings) to achieve my fist long tack on a foil. You can foil so slow, that a crash is not scary... and yet it can go fast enough to scare me... I haven't tried other foils, so can say it's the best, but I can say, It has done the job of getting me on a foil...
Today’s conclusion: LF Hydro foil rocks

[meteo]

Outing 5 - April 18, 2015 – hours 7.0 to 9.5

8 to 12 kts from the SW, location Fred Howard park. Did 1.5 hours with my Oz11 then switched to my Fly21

I was anxious to see if yesterday was a “flux” or did I really know how to foil… the wind was not strong but opted anyway for my Oz edge 11m2… Yes… on my first instant of my first tack, I was on a foil with my Oz11… got more than enough wind to ride, go upwind and have fun… but an inflatable kite is “faster” thus a bit more difficult to control the power output.. I do about 1 out of 5 tacks on a complete foiling stance. So I fall 4 times out of 5 tacks… and.. on one of the falls… I lost my kite… Well it never re-launch… I had to wait to be slowly pushed to the shore were Robert Jacquet helped me re-launch the kite… So I go back out telling myself no to go to far, the wind was getting lighter and since I was on a good foiling tack, took to long before turning back, and I lost my kite AGAIN… No way… I was completely discouraged… luckily for me, a watercraft gave my a slight tug upwind so that my kite re-launched… went back to the shore and took out my flysurfer 21m… SO MUCH BETTER…

Today’s conclusion… Do not go out with an “inflatable” kite, in less than 11 kts…

[meteo]

Outing 6 - April 20, 2015 – hours 9.5 to 11.5

The winds were too high; it was blowing from 15 to 19 kt from the SW… So I took out my Oz edge 9m. location Fred Howard Park.
Today I had a goal!!! Try a transition jibe from heel stance to Toeside… with the foil on the water. I think I achieved it…
I wasn’t even sure if I could manage foiling in these conditions… hummmm I was almost right… I was able to foil, but had a great deal of difficulty on controlling my speed. Once I’m on the foil, I let go of the power… but even then, I gain slowly speed, so the kite gains in power and eventually, I lose it… not all the time, but let’s say 80%.
Here’s what I notice, tired legs makes for bad foiling, strong winds makes for strong crashes, many crashes tires the rider.
But, it was not all bad… To achieve my goal, all I had to do, is “not” foil and do a jibe, and continue on a toeside stance.
I thought that “not” foiling would be easy… hummm, even with a lot of weight on the front of the foil, not that evident. But after 3 or 4 tries, I got it… turn and left in the opposing direction on a toeside stance… Since I am good on the Toeside stance… I tough it might be easy…. Hummm did not get to try it for long. The toe side stance has my foot very “deep” inside the footstrap and when I lost it… the foot did not come out… it scared me enough that I decided to wait for better conditions.
So today’s conclusion are, better to foil in light winds.
Oh yes forgot to tell you why I went out in stronger winds… on my 5 outing the winds were about 8 to 9 kt, I used my Oz edge 11, had more than enough power, but when I lost the kite, It did not re-launch, that days conclusion was… go out in stronger winds… go figure…

[meteo]

Outing 7 – April 24, 2015 – hours 11.5 to 13.0

Very light winds… 7 kts average, went below 6 and all the way up to maybe 9kt, from the NNW. Location Clear Water Beach North. Naturally I took out my Fly21… just barely stays up in the lulls, but ok on average.

Ohhhh… right from the start, I foiled… like two yards into the tack… Wowww I’m happy… today I was doing 4 out of 5 tacks without falling. But I still cannot jibe or tack… so I have to reduce my speed, put my butt into the water, turn the board around and come back… tried once to jibe, almost lost the kite… decided I did not feel like swimming back to the shore today.
But even in such light winds… it is soooo easy to go upwind; in fact it is still more difficult for me to go downwind than upwind… and to my surprise, on these long tacks event with only 7 kts of wind on average… I had to control my top speed, too fast for me.

Many kiters like to do “downwinders”… boy!!!! Would I like to do a “sidewinder”… come on… mother nature… give me some west winds at around 11kts…

Today’s conclusion: I am still improving at every outing… hopping soon to be able to turn on the board…

[foilonfoil]

Outing 7 – April 24, 2015 – hours 11.5 to 13.0
...But I still cannot jibe or tack… so I have to reduce my speed, put my butt into the water, turn the board around and come back…

Another foiler I met calls this "Ass Jibing" I'm still doing the same thing.

[Peter_Frank]

Nice to read about your progression

I assume you are not medium weight ?
As, when you start the very first few times you are typically better off being powered like you are used to (which is WAY too much for hydrofoiling when you can do it).

But in 15-19 knots I would use a 9m2 on my waveboard (not foilboard), and a 5 or 7m2 on my hydrofoil (7 in 15 knots and 5 in 19 knots).

Regarding the "slower turning", yes, it is good when learning

Later, you will appreciate really fast turning kites though, as you can handle and loop these whenever you want, when doing carves or jibes.
Or, let me phrase it opposite: There are no downsides with fast turning kites when you got the hang of it, and the advantage is you wont drop the kite as easy anymore, because if you do, you are in for a swim yes

Just noticed the sizes you choose, when you had learned to foil some - as these are normally only used by heavier riders and racers

PF

[davesails7]

Good read, I wish I would've recorded my progress as well

7 sessions in 14 days, nice!