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Hydrofoil, Worth it for me?

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Flyboy
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Re: Hydrofoil, Worth it for me?

Postby Flyboy » Mon Mar 18, 2019 6:01 pm

jumptheshark wrote:
Mon Mar 18, 2019 5:11 pm
Will differ from strapped airs in the same way strapless surfboard airs do, only more so. Smaller, and less kite lift but no angling the board so the wind can hold it on your feet.

I hope to begin working on strapless back rolls and simple small grab airs in the near future. Eventually backloop kite loop transitions to toe side exit.
Smaller, less fun & way more difficult. I sometimes think this has a lot to do with skateboarding culture. Unbelievably difficult, technical tricks that involve a LOT of practice, a LOT of crashing ... while not feeling particularly good. I have seen a foil back roll kite loop successfully executed ... but by a pro who spends his entire life kiting.

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Re: Hydrofoil, Worth it for me?

Postby jumptheshark » Mon Mar 18, 2019 6:10 pm

Less fun is subjective.

I find strapless airs on surfboard super fun. Easily as rewarding as airs on TT.

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Re: Hydrofoil, Worth it for me?

Postby Flyboy » Mon Mar 18, 2019 6:45 pm

jumptheshark wrote:
Mon Mar 18, 2019 6:10 pm
Less fun is subjective.
Very true.

I have friends who run & seem to think it's "fun". :-?

Some people relish the challenge of difficulty more than others. You are an "aspirational kiter" - nothing wrong with that. Some people enjoy the sensation of kiting/foiling/jumping, whatever, with feeling the need to constantly raise the bar. The bar raisers tend to be people who have almost unlimited time on the water, where the average kiter has limited time & wants to enjoy it (although, of course, everyone kiting has had to be somewhat aspirational just to get to where they are).

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downunder
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Re: Hydrofoil, Worth it for me?

Postby downunder » Thu Mar 21, 2019 7:06 am

Heya,

I just coined a new expression:

"mowing the Air" !!!

Yeah, trademark by Downunder. God, can't wait to "mow the air" a bit :)

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Re: Hydrofoil, Worth it for me?

Postby TomW » Thu Mar 21, 2019 7:36 pm

Going to explode this year and next in Sweden.

I'm now foiling up towards the Tt and Surfboards at the the main launch, from my favourite launch that is 1km downwind. Riding small waves they can't reach upwind.
Now they see me and another 2-3 guys regularly. Sometimes we are ripping around at 30km/hr in 6ms from they as they look on from the beach. Marketing.
These guys take a lesson from our local dealer and they order a foil from him on the beach.

I'm getting questions after every session, but mostly from non- kiters. " is it difficult? " " what does that thing cost?" " what is it?" and " is it fun? ".
I need to have a one-liner for the last one that is family approved...

I'm into my 3rd year of this addiction. ( 17 years kiting). Foiling before work, a long lunch, cut out from work early, looking at wind app 4-5 times a day and scheming to get a session in.
It's insanely fun.
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Re: Hydrofoil, Worth it for me?

Postby Peter_Frank » Thu Mar 21, 2019 10:09 pm

Flyboy wrote:
Mon Mar 18, 2019 4:01 pm
jumptheshark wrote:
Mon Mar 18, 2019 3:51 pm
Strapless airs with a foil. It's gonna be a thing

I agree. It will be a thing with the do-it-because-it's-f*@*#*!-hard crowd. :thumb:

So true, just watch some of the good guys here:





8) Peter
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Re: Hydrofoil, Worth it for me?

Postby Big Wally » Sun Mar 31, 2019 3:26 pm

Any other advice/Wisdom?

BW

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Re: Hydrofoil, Worth it for me?

Postby Kiterisland1 » Sun Nov 07, 2021 8:42 pm

Original poster here. For some reason my kiterisland account won’t work so made a new one under kiterisland1. Anyway just an update.

I took all your advice in the end and got a hydrofoil. It’s insanely fun and has changed my view of kiting entirely. Also it was much easier than expected, by the 5th session was staying up on foil and doing gybes without foot switches. Now I am super happy to see 9-12kts on the forecast. I am not able to get out much at all, so on the days I’m free it’s nice to have such flexibility on what wind will work. And I don’t just mean “it will work” as in 17m kite and plowing slowly along on a massive tt in 9-12kts, no I mean hauling and flying in any direction. Yesterday in that wind I was able to get going 38km/hr. So crazy. Now need to change up the quiver as I don’t need big kites.
Anyways, thanks for the advice! If your on the fence about learning to foil like I was, like the guys were saying in here… just do it.
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