Slingshot Hover Glide and WF-2 Board

[RRC1962]

I wasn't sure if I wanted to venture into foiling so didn't want to spend a fortune on gear. I found this setup on sale so pulled the trigger. I'm practicing behind the boat and getting by butt handed to me, but getting better. I can get on foil but end up falling over to the side. Seems like it's a balance thing. I see a long learning curve here. Hopefully by the end of the summer I'll be able to foil with my kite. Summer wind here tends to average around 10-12. Some days less, some more but rarely over 20. The Hover Glide has the 84cm front wing and 48cm rear and I am around 240 soaking wet. I decided to try the foil for those sub 10kt days when I feel like flying a smaller kite.

Going to take a wing foiling class next week. It is a two stage deal. Stage 1 is riding the wing foil behind the instructors boat. Stage 2 is where I get my hands on a wing. If I take well to wing foiling, I may buy a more suitable winging board and swap the Hover Glide between boards

[Hugh2]

I still ride an original aluminum Slingshot Hoverglide foil, I think it might now be called the H5?? Anyway, it is a simple medium-aspect foil. I like it because it requires a bit of speed to get going. My larger friends prefer a larger foil to get up earlier (I am about 190 lbs). Using a short mast, even for one day to begin, makes all the difference. I found riding behind a boat really difficult, but if you are familiar with riding a surfboard/directional, then with a short 15" mast you learn quickly how to handle the big "fin" under the board, and you get short safe flights that give you confidence. It is worth buying or borrowing one, and if you buy then you can use it to teach others. Graduate quickly to the 24-inch mast and learn altitude control and begin transitions, but a 36-inch is easiest for learning to ride toeside because it is more forgiving in terms of altitude control. I still do not have foot-switch for gybing several years later, although I only foil occasionally, so either ride toeside (only on my strong side as I am regular footed, so with my right foot at the back), or since I have a largish board (either a Slingshot original board or a Slingshot converter board), I can briefly land and do a surfboard gybe then footswitch and go back the other way. Not elegant but it beats crashing and restarting.

[leeuwen]

I decided to try the foil for those sub 10kt days when I feel like flying a smaller kite.

Note that for learning to foil 10 knots or less is not a great experience and trying to learn on these days is probably the biggest mistake a beginner can make to hamper their progress (other then the wrong gear which I will get to in a bit).
I would highly recommend 12-20 knots range for learning.
Beginners are not efficient yet and will need way more power especially during board starts where kite power can compensate a bit for lack of technique.
Also seemingly super basic things like riding downwind are a lot harder in low wind where it becomes a tight balancing act in board speed, board heading, kite positioning and sheeting the kite.
Sub 10 kite relaunch will also be hard or impossible depending on the kite model.
If you need to swim in after each kite crash it will become a frustrating experience extremely quickly (and I assure you, the kite will crash).

Also I am not familiar with the specific foil but a single foil won’t work for both kite foiling and wing foiling.
So either get an additional foil for kiting or for winging depending on what you currently have.
(Mast and fuselage could be re-used but it depends on the brand)

[RRC1962]

Thanks guys. I'm pretty used to sub 10, but I'm on a 17m kite and huge board. I'd like to be able to get on foil and maintain some control behind the boat then move to the kite.

[Peter_Frank]

Thanks guys. I'm pretty used to sub 10, but I'm on a 17m kite and huge board. I'd like to be able to get on foil and maintain some control behind the boat then move to the kite.

i would just go directly with the kite.

The learning phase consists of three vital things, you havent even mentioned:

Handling the board in the water, dragging out, dragging upwind, avoiding the wings - trust me, this sounds easy, but it is NOT.
As you have to handle a board "fixed" in the water with a mast (and wings) while handling your kite.

Next step is to learn to waterstart.
You can not learn strapless, and it is almost impossible to tilt the board up using the straps.
So you have to learn to tilt the board with one hand, feet in strap(s) or hook(s), and get positioned balanced for the waterstart, and get up on the board, WITHOUT foiling nor too much power - really difficult.

Last but not least, you have to learn to "Taxi" on the water, keeping the board down on the surface and not foil.
Is this really difficult?
For some yes, for others not, but when you can taxi controlled, you have all the options for making super small "foil just shortly and then down again" attempts.


That is IMO the way to learn, using a boat might make you learn to balance a hydrofoil solely, but it is almost useless when you combine it with a kite, and you can learn the same a lot easier and gradually, using a kite and aiming for taxi'ing.

The problem each and everyone makes, with no exceptions, is they think "I am gonna go out and foil straight out for a small distance" right away
No matter how bad you are, or how good you are, this has not really happened for anyone...
And everyone think they are gonna be the first in the world to "just do it" ha haa

Go ride with a kite from day one, listen to others and go out in more wind when learning, and dont fly the kite low (also a classic beginner mistake)

Peter