optimize waterstart for marginal winds

[Regis-de-giens]

We can gather here our tips and videos focussed on waterstart technics in very light winds ; Here is a video illustrating what I am doing today when beginning to think of giving up :

[Floating around]

Dam!!! That is impressive. Half the time I can’t even get up in 10 knots!

[Peter_Frank]

Amazing - I can most often not get my ass out of the water (okay, 26% heavier than you eventhough average weight) in wind below 5 knots....
Riding possible, but getting up, difficult no matter if a small sinking board (which starts later) or a bigger floaty or at least more surface area board.

Happy New Year

Peter

[knyfe]

Impressive. How do you not get overpowered once on the foil with a 18m? My lite wind kite is a 8cloud which is very handable. I also recall that Armin picked a 10m soul to demo lite wind water start with a huge foil and that rather looked like pumping the foil while keeping the kite in the air. I was surprised too that he did not pick anything larger than that but for him it was about control of the kite I guess. G

[plummet]

Yep. Loops is the way to ultralight wind.
Though I cannot be arsed these days sub 10 knots......

[Breze]

@ Knyfe, if you mean this vid, i think it is 15m Soul Armin was using

[Regis-de-giens]

Thanks to all;

About overpower, I really do not feel overpower in those winds, even being a light rider ; I was feeling overpowered during my 2-3 first years on hydrofoil, even with a 12m, but with experience I "accepted" to get as many pull as in a Twintype, and I am sure most rider have felt the same in their experience while progressing ; once you can accept to load the foil, with more accurate management of the balance on your feet even at high pressure, you can support a lot of pull ; for example now, I feel a lack of power with a 12m under 8 knot, I prefer the 18m, that I like up to 9-10 knots ; Pulsion and 1200 cm2 combo does not generate a huge riding speed which also help supporting the relative wind and increases wind range.

I wish you all an excellent end of the year (myself locked in house by Covid Omicron )

[azoele]

Regis,

that is sensational.
Truly impressive kite control in these conditions.

I tried to foil in 5 knots, but it is just a no-go, even with an ultralight foil kite (Kitech 15 UL, which weighs 2160gr on my scales). I might have succeeded (was using only 18m lines: with 24 meter I would have probably waterstarted), but that is very painful territory for me to ride. 6 real knots I can waterstart and foil with 18m lines.

Weight is unfortunately essential in these winds: I'm 110kg, and if I don't get on the board with a tiny bit of speed, it just sinks like a brick under me... I don't know how to pump a board which is sumberged by over 1 meter!

Also, strapped riding is immensely helpful, and something you should underline in the video (it would be good for some text explanation in it, because it is truly, in my opinion, an excellent educational video on what to do in this ultra light winds )
By holding the board against the kite, you kept line tension and could trick the kite into apparent wind through the fronts.

Have a friend, local rider, who does wonders in these winds: 5 knots and he's out forever.
But: he's 59Kg, rides a Peak 11m (I think with 22/24m lines), and large wings (Moses 790/1100).
Don't think he could scrape as low as you did show though.

Thanks for sharing!

[irwe]

I have seen Benoit (CA Owner) Hydrofoil with a Pulsion LW 18 m Long lines in sub 7 kts and if I didn't witness it I wouldn't have believed it. Benoit probably weighs ~ 20 kg more then Regis.

[bitxopalo]

Hi
Impressive control Regis!
I am a light rider, 65kg, not very skilled yet...

For the waterstart I am cheating a bit cos I use a 65L wingboard, so first stroke stand up, and then I loop the kite with back hand until the Foil rise, pulsion12 does it possible as low as 4knot (riding straight). But the "real" limit is 6knot for me, bellow that gybing is roussian roulette.

Gong curve L 1350cm2
Wind speed measured by hand at 2m height.

I owned a peak11m that stays easy at zenit with 4 knot, but I was not able to stand up, the pulsion is more tricky to manage while putting the feet on the board, but once the loop starts woooo double power than peak in those conditions