Hydrofoil/sportfishing

[Flyboy]

I figure Alex Soto deserves a spot for this video clipshot a couple of days ago in Cabarete:

[tkaraszewski]

The shark says, "WTF man, watch where you're going!"

[gmb13]

I have a had a few close calls with sharks in my Foiling career, but luckily I have always been able to avoid the collision or the shark has realized I was coming. The only time I hit a living creature in the water was a huge turtle, and that removed the foil (including the turtle box) from the board.

Video from a close encounter years ago with a large Hammerhead just off Flag Beach.




--
Gunnar

[grigorib]

Poor fish. It must have hurt like hell.

[junebug]

I used to ride a Lift 110. I probably hit a shark 1 out of every 3 sessions and sometimes multiple times a session. Now I ride a Lift 150. It is slower than the 110 and has a low-level hum at speed. I haven’t hit one in months. I don’t know if it’s because of the slower speed or the hum, or both, but I’m relieved. It’s pretty stressful hitting sharks.

[grigorib]

I used to ride a Lift 110. I probably hit a shark 1 out of every 3 sessions and sometimes multiple times a session. Now I ride a Lift 150. It is slower than the 110 and has a low-level hum at speed. I haven’t hit one in months. I don’t know if it’s because of the slower speed or the hum, or both, but I’m relieved. It’s pretty stressful hitting sharks.

They might have got bored with lower speeds of 150 and quit playing chase with you..

[Toby]

Thx for posting, that is great footage !

Guess the shark didn’t make it ?

[junebug]

Thx for posting, that is great footage !

Guess the shark didn’t make it ?

I don’t think hitting them kills them, even if you hit them at speed. I’ve hit scores of them, and I’ve never seen one go belly up.

I guess it is possible the impact is so severe that it ultimately leads to their death. I don’t know. I don’t stick around long enough to find out.

[Toby]

I read about sharks found on shore with big cuts...a hydrofoil rider reported it...and he even things it was him because he hit a shark at that beach shortly before.

Imagine it hits a swimmer...would he survive?

[Mossy 757]

Sharks are mostly cartilage so I'd be impressed if a foil actually killed one.

I don't know what I hit a few years ago, but I was in St. Pete/Tampa at regatta going upwind at full speed on my Sword2, hit something that sounded like a baseball being hit out of the park. When I got back to the beach (after the wobbliest ride of my life) I discovered my fuselage had split right in 2 and the front wing was hanging on by a thread. Think it might have been a turtle