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Hydrofoiling in 10 knots - Is it that hard?

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Peter_Frank
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Re: Hydrofoiling in 10 knots - Is it that hard?

Postby Peter_Frank » Sun Nov 10, 2019 12:01 am

edt wrote:
Sat Nov 09, 2019 11:50 pm
Peter_Frank wrote:
Sat Nov 09, 2019 11:33 pm
It doesnt matter if you can pull your transitions off or not, regarding how light you can go when marginal - with good kite flying technique you can ride even if you crash, no problems.

8) Peter
I ride in light enough wind that the kite won't stay in the air if I loose apparent wind even with a foil kite. Not sure of the exact wind speed it's light tho. Then I have to swim in.
True, but if you work or loop the kite, it can stay up in 2 knots only when standing on the beach, right?

As you are drifting a bit you need somewhat more wind on the water, but if you work or loop you kite, you can definitely keep it flying in less wind than you can hydrofoil :rollgrin:

My current 15 m2 foilkite weighs 2.0 kg only, and in 4 knots I need to work it yes and can not foil either really, but in 5 it can almost hang actually, and also where foiling can start most often (long lines, special wing, special board).
In 6 knots it hangs just fine :thumb:

That is not the point though, even a tad heavier kites, with good powerspike, can be flown in extremely light winds, as said less than where you can foil.

8) Peter

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Re: Hydrofoiling in 10 knots - Is it that hard?

Postby edt » Sun Nov 10, 2019 1:05 am

nah it falls down on the beach also even if you loop it. Once i'm going tho I can keep riding because of apparent wind. The lulls must go down to 0-1 knots ? Dunno. Anyway that's why I'm all about getting my transitions better.

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Re: Hydrofoiling in 10 knots - Is it that hard?

Postby Peter_Frank » Sun Nov 10, 2019 8:50 am

edt wrote:
Sun Nov 10, 2019 1:05 am
nah it falls down on the beach also even if you loop it. Once i'm going tho I can keep riding because of apparent wind. The lulls must go down to 0-1 knots ? Dunno. Anyway that's why I'm all about getting my transitions better.

Odd, these symptoms are the same as with heavier LEI kites :-?

But if you got a light marginal wind foil kite, it must be your conditions being extreme regarding lulls, that would explain.

We don't have extreme lulls like that around here, very rare. .

A lot more consistent when really low, as either high pressure weather or seabreeze wind.

The trick for surviving is IMO to have a kite you can keep in the air in less wind than you can foil, as otherwise too sensitive to rider errors, and you end up swimming often.

8) Peter

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Re: Hydrofoiling in 10 knots - Is it that hard?

Postby edt » Sun Nov 10, 2019 7:34 pm

The key is just go out no matter how low the wind is 8 knots, 6 knots or less because swimming is good exercise

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Re: Hydrofoiling in 10 knots - Is it that hard?

Postby junebug » Mon Nov 11, 2019 5:10 pm

This has already been said, but it is very difficult to answer the question the OP poses in the abstract. I can foil no problem in 8kn on my 10m Boxer 23m lines and Lift 150 with my 195lbs in certain conditions (low tide, current opposing wind, steady south winds) but in other conditions (high tide, current going with wind, north wind full of holes) I need at least 10kn on the same equipment. In some conditions 10kn is a piece of cake (borderline time to size down to 9m) and in others it is a real challenge.
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Re: Hydrofoiling in 10 knots - Is it that hard?

Postby stevez » Mon Nov 11, 2019 11:20 pm

For me 10 knots is definitely the cutoff. Below 10 knots it's both hard, and not all that much fun.

I can buy a knot or 2 with a big surf wing. But I don't find that chugging along on a big wing in 10 knots all that interesting. Especially if it's flat water, which it normally is as there is no windswell generated. If I'm in open ocean / decent size waves I don't like to risk it in marginal winds anyway.

The optimal setup for sub 10kn fun is a 12m foil kite, racy foil and a relatively decent size board. That's a whole quiver of expensive gear that I don't have (and fortunately don't need).

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Re: Hydrofoiling in 10 knots - Is it that hard?

Postby alowishus » Tue Nov 12, 2019 5:16 am

8-10 kn no probs on 9m ultra for me, flatwater i.e. estuary kind of water. Not ultra fun though tbh.
Ocean is a different story, minimum 11 kn average before it is worth it for me (at least what I consider "11 knots" :roll:), to combat currents, waves and chop.
I hate being underpowered on the ocean.

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Re: Hydrofoiling in 10 knots - Is it that hard?

Postby RadDrDuke » Fri Nov 15, 2019 3:39 am

10 knots is fine foiling conditions. Of course the lulls can absolutely destroy you if they drop too low in these conditions.
9m Ultra and Cloud 9 s24 (LF Impulse) and you are good to go. I ride those exact conditions at least twice a week.

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Re: Hydrofoiling in 10 knots - Is it that hard?

Postby deniska » Fri Nov 15, 2019 5:35 am

RadDrDuke wrote:
Fri Nov 15, 2019 3:39 am
10 knots is fine foiling conditions. Of course the lulls can absolutely destroy you if they drop too low in these conditions.
9m Ultra and Cloud 9 s24 (LF Impulse) and you are good to go. I ride those exact conditions at least twice a week.
Yes I think people claiming that they can't foil in 10 kts, either have very gusty wind (no fun if your lulls are below 3-4kts) or have their calibration off.
I doubt that temperature or humidity plays any noticeable role at those speeds.
This video seems like a fair representation (maybe plus one knot) of what can be expected at what wind.

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Re: Hydrofoiling in 10 knots - Is it that hard?

Postby marekmk » Sat Nov 16, 2019 11:46 am

I'm a so so foiler and I can get going with a 8m Ozone Alpha by looping the kite at least twice to get going


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