Light Wind Hydrofoil technique

[UKSurf]

I have been trying to push the lower end of what I can do on a 12m LEI and I was wondering if anyone could advise me on the best way to get foiling when there was not enough power to really build up the speed while on the surface to take off on the foil. What I have been doing is trying to pop onto the foil (not a real take off at foiling speed just a thrust to pop onto it) then doing a down stroke to get going once out of the water. Do any more experienced kite foilers have any comment on this?

[slowboat]

The easiest thing you can try is longer lines. Try 27 m or even 30. The next easy thing is to shim your rear wing for more lift. If you are already on long lines, there are a ton of techniques that will help but it is hard to be specific because so much is dependent on one's particular equipment. You will learn the most by struggling to water start and failing. During 10-15 minutes of struggling, you will find things that work specifically for you. It may be infinity shaped kite swings, downloop in the opposite window, one hard dive and then a couple of quick downloops straight downwind, etc, etc. Also, doing some pumping at the right time can really help. And remember, tons of back foot pressure as you are working your kite.

[UKSurf]

The easiest thing you can try is longer lines. Try 27 m or even 30. The next easy thing is to shim your rear wing for more lift. If you are already on long lines, there are a ton of techniques that will help but it is hard to be specific because so much is dependent on one's particular equipment. You will learn the most by struggling to water start and failing. During 10-15 minutes of struggling, you will find things that work specifically for you. It may be infinity shaped kite swings, downloop in the opposite window, one hard dive and then a couple of quick downloops straight downwind, etc, etc. Also, doing some pumping at the right time can really help. And remember, tons of back foot pressure as you are working your kite.

Thanks for the advice what tends to happen is if I put too much back foot pressure on it "hops" onto the foil then stalls. I am using the liquid force rocket foil, and it tends to take off then stall unless you have sufficient speed

[elguapo]

The easiest thing you can try is longer lines. Try 27 m or even 30. The next easy thing is to shim your rear wing for more lift. If you are already on long lines, there are a ton of techniques that will help but it is hard to be specific because so much is dependent on one's particular equipment. You will learn the most by struggling to water start and failing. During 10-15 minutes of struggling, you will find things that work specifically for you. It may be infinity shaped kite swings, downloop in the opposite window, one hard dive and then a couple of quick downloops straight downwind, etc, etc. Also, doing some pumping at the right time can really help. And remember, tons of back foot pressure as you are working your kite.

hard to disagree with above post...

i'll add..
point your board downwind a bit to build more apparent wind and also it helps to get your butt out the water on the upstroke(prior to downstroke) and use the downstroke to get you moving onto the foil (hopefully)

[jumptheshark]

Where I kite, the launch is in a bit of a hole. It's super frustrating for novice to intermediate riders. You can see great wind right out front, but its 2-3 knots less at the launch and you have to get straight upwind by 300-500m to get the joy. When its a nice steady 10+ knots out there, it's usually only 8 at the launch. I often body drag/swim out to where its gusting 9. It's a tricky gamble as to when you try that first start. I can sometimes pull off a start in 8 and it's Soooooooo satisfying to get up and out into the wind so quickly, but its not a sure thing and a failed attempt puts you deep in the hole. I'm getting pretty good at feeling exactly what 9 knots feels like while dragging!

Every set up has an "ON switch" wind strength with a really narrow band of flukey achievable take off at its low end below which lives pure frustration.

I love Showboat's post. Says it all. That super narrow band can be a fun spot eventually, and the reward of getting going is as satisfying as your first flying tack. My success rates go up when I take the time to figure exactly where the bar has to be on the depower rope to max the power without stalling and I make an effort to keep the bar at that spot throughout the start. Super easy to oversheet and kill power while trying to pull yourself up. Foil and board and your technique on them all play a big role, but I think the most common mistake is likely oversheeting.

[cglazier]

Easy.. just loop your kite and you will be lifted up and foiling even in winds where a kite downstroke can’t get you out of the water.

Start with your kite high and pull hard on your back hand. Point your board slightly downwind.

In extremely light wind you may want to loop your kite more than once.

CG

[juanpasala]

Do a very wide downloop on your kite (to the side you re hoping to take off), Point your board downwind on the downstroke gaining speed, pop when the kite s climbing back up and edge when the kite flies to the edge of the wind window.

[UKSurf]

Easy.. just loop your kite and you will be lifted up and foiling even in winds where a kite downstroke can’t get you out of the water.

Start with your kite high and pull hard on your back hand. Point your board slightly downwind.

In extremely light wind you may want to loop your kite more than once.

CG

I think you are right I need to loop the kite not just try to work it up and down

[jumptheshark]

For sure! I thought looping was a given

[Peter_Frank]

Easy.. just loop your kite and you will be lifted up and foiling even in winds where a kite downstroke can’t get you out of the water.

Start with your kite high and pull hard on your back hand. Point your board slightly downwind.

In extremely light wind you may want to loop your kite more than once.

CG

I think you are right I need to loop the kite not just try to work it up and down

Indeed, looping is needed to give an easy waterstart up onto the board, and then another loop or a loop the other way, to get going.

BUT, sometimes it is better to dive the kite, works great if longer lines, and NOT loop it, as you get a lot more efficient stroke with more power because of the apparent wind and angle, and can get going a lot better this way, but only sometimes it is better as said

So IMO looping is not always the best way in light winds where your kite can not hang in the air really - you have to "feel" and find what works the best, and also kite dependent and line length dependent I would say.

I ride in this wind really often, like today we were out 5 hours in sometimes marginal wind, other times loads meaning 7 knots 8 in gusts maybe, with a 12 m2 strutless tubekite, a great day.

What matters is to get the feel for exactly where your hydrofoils "foil-point" is, so you know how to sqeeze it to the max, or should I say, to the "minimum", as if you stall, you are in deep shit if kite is flown down close to the surface.
If you dont stall, you can start extremely efficient this way, particularly if wind is dead onshore an low water

PF