Fish collisions

[dave1986]

I had the most bizarre session - I was out for around 90 minutes and I was hitting fish (whilst in deep water) around every minute - often knocking me off the foil. It got so bad that I ended up finishing my session early! The water is very silty and murky where I kite - The only reason I'm sure it was fish i was hitting is that several times I saw stunned fish jump out the water!

One time I hit a fish and was knocked off my board, then the stunned fish swam into my side whilst I was body-dragging back to my board.

Has anyone else experienced such frequent fish collisions?

[Michaelr123]

Completely different scenario, but I've personally had the same experience in muddy, shallow coves around the local lakes while carp are in spawning in the spring. Its pretty surprising and amazing how suddenly your board ejects you after hitting on I've always checked over my equipment afterwards but I've never found any damage. I can't imagine the fish fair too well after being hit by an aluminum or carbon fiber knife at 20mph!

[Matteo V]

Is anyone going to invent a hydrofoil"fish whistle"? Definetly take some time on R&D, but it would be patentable so you could recoup your costs. Sometimes when hydrofoiling, it is so bad that I go for the regular board, and stop hydrofoiling, even if the wind is marginal.

[Hugh2]

At Cape Hatteras when foiling in the sound one occasionally hits skates that are big enough to launch you off the board. Other times at our local lake there must be schools of small fish because you hit a whole series of them, thud, thud, thud. I've hit sharks in the ocean at Cape Hatteras with my surfboard, so would not be happy to hit one of them with my foil and get launched, although I imagine they would take off in a hurry. And in Cape Town I have often kited with dolphins, but have never foiled there so I have no idea how good they would be at avoiding the foil. Hitting a sunfish at Cape Town would be a show stopper indeed.

[Jyoder]

Can be frustrating foiling sometimes. Riding very slow and getting out to deep water helps. Some foils handle it better than others.

[windfreak74]

if youre in the sea and hitting fish all the time or scarring them to jump, just maybe you are being part of a feeding frenzy. there must be something down there bigger and faster trying to catch something!i would foil the heck out of the way!!
thats just me!

[JakeFarley]

Possibly mullet schooling/spawning...?? Dolphin will herd them to feed on them. I've seen thousands of mullet murking up the water during spawning season and have hit some on my surfboard. I avoid them as usually the men in grey suits are feeding on them too.

[SonnyRider]

Yeah, my local spot is a silty estuary and thorn back rays feed on the worms. Hitting them nearly always ends up in an ejection from the board, thankfully I ride strapless, so no twisted knees or ankles.

it's a PITA

[dave1986]

Yeah, my local spot is a silty estuary and thorn back rays feed on the worms. Hitting them nearly always ends up in an ejection from the board, thankfully I ride strapless, so no twisted knees or ankles.

it's a PITA

Just checked your profile and we ride at the same spot

[grigorib]

Was hitting stingrays in OBX, hitting fish on local lake. Some big ones send me flying off and it’s frustrating.