cwood wrote: ↑Thu Apr 05, 2018 6:26 pm
A local guy who used to do a lot of long distance kiting on a TT looked into one of the bi directional foils as a way to be able to carry a foil in a backpack and be able to swap between depending on water depths on one of his mega treks. He tried for a long time to be able to mast the thing (and he is a good kiter) and eventually broke it....without ever mastering it. He now rides a Moses.
Well, I think nothing2seehere is spot on, and like you imply in above too cwood.
I understand the problems they face though. Its pretty difficult to get positive PR. You can't just pass them off to inexperienced foilers as they'd struggle just to ride, and any experience foiler would be comparing it to efficient designs so wouldn't see any benefits over the existing designs but would see the drawbacks.
It works actually pretty okay, the TT foil.
But as it is "chosen" by non directional riders with little experience maybe, they will struggle to learn.
And riders who CAN ride hydrofoils, would never use a TT foil because it, as you says, will not have the same perfect balance, nor be as efficient so only disadvantages yes.
BUT, it will work just fine indeed - the thing is just, that noone is ever gonna appreciate these because of above I would think
PF