Looking at the wind ranges for some wings (I’ve never tried winging myself), they say you can get going with a 6m wing in 8 knots. Pump a little and go, depending on board and foil.
But if they can start with a 6m hand-held wing in 8 knots, then it sounds like I should be able to start with a 2-3m kite in the same conditions!!! As long as I use a wingfoil board that would allow me to kneel and then stand up.
I don’t have a wingfoil board at the moment that would allow me to just go out and try. But maybe someone has looked into this already?
Perhaps the same trade-offs — larger board + foil + modified start technique (kneel, stand instead of the classic kitefoil waterstart) — works with kites, and would allow one to pair larger, floaty foilboards with small kites and/or shorter lines? If so, then it’s surely something that I’ve got to try myself.
I understood this question differently. Think that br44 asks for wing board with kitefoil. It’s interesting question, if the board is big enough to give you floatation and you mount kite foil will it be fun to use it with a 3m kite in low winds?
Yes. It can be done. You can climb up on the board and kneestart. With good wind and short lines this is easy, in light winds it is difficult to keep the kite flying and stand up.
Here is me on a 105 L SUPfoil board before the whole winging thing started.
Yes. It can be done. You can climb up on the board and kneestart. With good wind and short lines this is easy, in light winds it is difficult to keep the kite flying and stand up.
Here is me on a 105 L SUPfoil board before the whole winging thing started.
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Gunnar
Thanks, I had seen the video, helpful reminder. Very short lines though (no go in lighter winds).
Yes, I meant wing board + kite foil, or whichever foil you want to use. A smaller kite could not pull you out of the water, you’d have to climb on the board and do a “winging” start.
I actually tried this myself about 3 years ago with an inflatable SUP, and hated it. The main issue was insane drag from the SUP, it felt like riding a log. But with a foil, it could be very different.
A wing board + kite foil might allow one to never need kites bigger than say 6-8m, as long as said kites are also suitable for light winds.
Thanks, I had seen the video, helpful reminder. Very short lines though (no go in lighter winds).
Yes, I meant wing board + kite foil, or whichever foil you want to use. A smaller kite could not pull you out of the water, you’d have to climb on the board and do a “winging” start.
I actually tried this myself about 3 years ago with an inflatable SUP, and hated it. The main issue was insane drag from the SUP, it felt like riding a log. But with a foil, it could be very different.
A wing board + kite foil might allow one to never need kites bigger than say 6-8m, as long as said kites are also suitable for light winds.
I tried this, it doesn't really work. It's really difficult to fly a kite and get up standing on a stationary board. You might be able to get the board moving while kneeling as Gunnar suggests and then once it's moving it will be easier to stand up. But it's pretty tricky - I only tried this in very light wind and I couldn't manage it. I found the easiest and the only thing I was successful at was to put the board on its side and do a regular waterstart. It needed at least as much wind as I need to get going on my pocketboard, as you have to lever yourself over the really wide board. So I didn't really gain anything.
For the SUP with a kite foil and kite, I combined each step of climbing on the board, getting to one knee, standing, riding away, with sending the kite across the window.
While the kite is traversing the window it pretty much takes care of itself. I could do the move with both hands off the bar, then grab the end of the bar to turn the kite.
It's sort of fun to be up on the foil on a SUP. There's all that deck to walk around on and a big crane to swing around.
With a winging foil on a kite foiling board, any kite power strong enough to lift you out of the water makes the foil stand up on its tail. You have to stomp the nose down before you can ride away.
Is there any practical advantage in doing any of this? None it all. Is it fun? Yes. It's a series of problems to be solved and that is what most learning is in kiting and foiling.
i tried this with a 6M kite in light winds. blue planet 6'3" SUP foil board with lots of volume. wouldn't have been able to go at all with regular kite foilboard, as it was about 10 mph...too little for me at 200 lbs. to say it wasn't fun would be an understatement. very difficult to fly the kite and get on the board. and you're worrying about trashing the board with your harness hook. but once i did get up, it just felt awkward. i was immediately wishing i was on my normal kite foil board. after several attempts at this, i realized for me it was a no-go. plus carrying all that equipment was 10 times worse than carrying a regular windsurf rig, and 100 times worse than my normal kite foilboard .