How to get up foiling in low wind

[Soren Gabriel]

Foiling gives me so many extra days on the water but more wants more and I always end up in so little wind that I have to struggle hard to get up foiling. As my board has a lot of volume, I succeed to keep it “floating” by working the kite hard in sinus-curves and then after some time it might accelerate and end foiling.
What do you do to get started in low wind? What is your angle to the wind when starting? Do you loop your kite? Any trick would be welcome.

I am a 100 kg, riding a Zeeko Alu foil on a board with a lot of volume using a Cabrinha Velocity 14 m2 in low wind.

[Peter_Frank]

Longer lines, and looping the kite if marginal winds - bear away while looping the kite.

But to get foiling you HAVE to head more upwind to get more apparent wind, and try to avoid choking the kite, and you have to stop the looping also and not turn it too violently as it kills power (so in soft arcs), it is a very very fine balance and timing has to be spot on - and pump the hydrofoil with your legs can also help.

Was out today in 3 to 3½m/s with a 12m2 LEI, so this is precisely where above is critical

If a bit more wind, you might be able to get up planing just by looping the kite forward and down when bearing downwind, and head up while it has its max peak power - but important to depower the kite on its upstroke and if you are NOT foiling now, you are in trouble - as the kite loses power on the end of the upstroke
This is why it can be better to loop one time to get speed and almost foiling, and then dive the kite softly while you head up - and balance into foiling !

Because, when looping the kite (when not a powerful foilkite), you dont get as much apparent wind as when diving the kite and heading up - but sometimes it still gives you more power, eventhough there seems to be a "crossover" point where both can be used

At least my way of doing it....

Interesting to hear how others do it ?

PF

[Regis-de-giens]

I agree with longer lines as the best easier way to solve this problem : -)
My personal technique in very very light wind (with foilkite) : one front downloop to get on the board then one back downloop to foil :
- first a frontward downloop (i.e. pull on front hand), force to stay moveless inside the water and edge hard to make an anchor point which give speed and power to the kite.
- when kites made 360 degres, let him go straight toward the zenith while getting up on the foil (you are on the foil but sustained and with no speed). Having your ass near your feet all along will help in marginal wind.
- before the kite reaches the full zenith, pull on rear hand and start a downloop in the other direction (backward)
- pursue the loop with a large turning radius almost up to water surface (to increase the speed of the kite and have it low to get a laaaaarge window (you do not need lift since you are already on the board).
- with this large window you should be able to reach a high speed and certainly foil in one go and before the kite reaches the end of the window.

When 2 standard loops were not enough to get me up (in say 5 knot), i was almost too powered with this technique ...

[Hawaiis]

https://vimeo.com/108637969bigger kite

[cglazier]

Good tips above and a nice video by Hawaiis that shows a very real low wind situation.

Here is a tip to help you waterstart and get standing on your board. While lying in the water with your feet in the straps, bend your legs and squirm up onto your board rather than asking your kite to pull your straight body up. This technique is used by windsurfers waterstarting in light wind and is similar to the eskimo roll technique that kayakers use. As your kite pulls, bring your knees close to your chest and wriggle onto your board a bit sideways. It is hard to describe but in light wind you will have plenty of time to try it.

Then when standing on your board, keep your balance as you swoop your kite or loop it and hopefully you can get foiling. Sometimes you cannot, but as long as you are standing you are still going faster than if you were still in the water.

CG

[flyingcamel]

my kite doesnt have as much power through the turn or loop so i like to do big side to side horizontal passes through the middle of the window then turning the kite up for the next pass through so it more picks me up out of the water than me trying to plane against it with a large volume board. I also collapse my knees so my butt is by my ankles making the leverage to get me up is almost cut in half and once i am over the board then i stand, then i plow down wind for a few seconds for speed and then pop the board off the water and start upwind in the same motion

[cglazier]

... I also collapse my knees so my butt is by my ankles making the leverage to get me up is almost cut in half and once i am over the board then i stand, then i plow down wind for a few seconds for speed ...

exactly

[Slappysan]

The Zeeko foil is a medium aspect front wing, a lower aspect wing foil would allow you to start easier in low winds (but will not be as stable at high speed).

[foilonfoil]

Foiling gives me so many extra days on the water but more wants more and I always end up in so little wind that I have to struggle hard to get up foiling. As my board has a lot of volume, I succeed to keep it “floating” by working the kite hard in sinus-curves and then after some time it might accelerate and end foiling.
What do you do to get started in low wind? What is your angle to the wind when starting? Do you loop your kite? Any trick would be welcome.

I am a 100 kg, riding a Zeeko Alu foil on a board with a lot of volume using a Cabrinha Velocity 14 m2 in low wind.

100kg with a 14m is a little on the small side and you can do better with a bIgger kite... Edge 17M/19M have awesome light wind capabilities. Irrespective of the kite, down loops are a necessary skill to help with light wind board starts. Start the loop high away from the direction you want to travel and as the kite accelerates down and through to the direction you want to travel, it will give you enough power to pull you up onto your board and get quickly to foiling speed.

[Peter_Frank]

The Zeeko foil is a medium aspect front wing, a lower aspect wing foil would allow you to start easier in low winds (but will not be as stable at high speed).

I don't think this is correct

A lower AR wing will start later, given the same area

It will not be less stable at higher speed either.

The confusion must come from the fact that race wings have less area and a faster profile (less torque) thus more stable at high speed.

But it is NOT the lower AR that makes them start earlier, it gives a tad later start but easier to turn and stalls softer

PF