Foiling. What next?

[tomtom]

Many thanks for all insights.

[Foil]

TomTom,
I am coming to the end of month 10 since I started,
and I "hit the wall" a few months back as I tried my first flying gybes,
they seemed quite impossible, and I ended many days thinking I may never progress,
then it clicked, however, toeside runs became scary fast rides to doom,
then when I tried smaller kites but more speed at the turn point,( not easy and requires a leap of faith) and a go for it resolve, suddenly with a smaller kite I was able to hold my line upwind and even tighten my angle on each days practice, and within a week or two of hard practice, able to water start on toeside, carve around sizable waves and even sail straight over high pointed waves and drop down the steep back side with a big smile and then use the next big wave as a ramp to switch back to heelside with speed and confidence then switch back and repeat over and over,
I was in heaven yesterday on my 6mtr yet again, sailing in conditions and with so much confidence that seemed impossible only weeks back.
my aim now is to learn the foiling 360, and my target is this year sometime.
Age is not a barrier, I am 64 this year, but 4 days in the gym each week and now more flexible than I have been for years I can't see any foiling moves that I won't master in time with lots of practice.
I do believe the biggest barrier to progress is fear, especially after bad crashes with speed, the most off putting experience for me was the toeside death run on a tall mast with not enough skill or nerve to be able to carve around or enough nerve to just press down and point further downwind to outrun a pushing wave, that just seemed to scary hard to even think about.
main solution?
Time on the water and in challenging conditions.
If it does not challenge you, It will not change you.

[tomtom]

Many thanks C. Im 43, Fit, Feel as good as ever in my life. I have best gear possible /Onda/ what else to want. I just want to hear from you guys - because it is YOU who are "normal guys" pioneers of foiling. And i want to learn from your mistakes. About fear. I think it is probably good idea to use protection /at least at learning stage/ - I use just helmet - maybe impact west is thing to buy... It will be shame to stall progress with injury and consequent fear.

One maybe odd question - i have some strange subconscious fear about hydrofoil cutting my neck /your neck is exposed and just above water/ - ONDA is knife sharp at wing tip. It is possible?
Or it is just unrational fobia? Does it happen? There are many suitable neck protectors for paintball or hockey. Hockey ones are certified against cutting from skates and quite tidy...

[Foil]

I do try to cover up a little, happy now with my rugby skull cap helmet, the impact type that you see rugby players wearing sometimes in the scrum, and my old faithfull ION impact vest, tight fitting slightly floaty and warm, and can take the knocks, my wet suits are armoured on the shins and full foot cover thin sole booties, the lower leg protection I feel is needed, however on holiday I wear a shortie and stay mindful that my legs are vulnerable, not something I worry about with my full suit.
As for the neck, this has worried me twice when the board jack knifed up as I was falling fast into it, it happened so quickly but I had time to cover my face with my arms as the mast and fuselage hit me square on, the wings missed me both times, but once the bar and lines got caught, utter nightmare, looking back on this it was just bad body position through inexperience, first time it happened it hurt like hell when the edge of the board slammed into my shins, I was wearing my holiday shortie at the time.
your right though the rear stablizer wing on the Moses 633 wing set up is very long and very pointy, and before I went out yesterday I spent a few miniutes in the garage sharpening up all the sharp and pointy bits along with finely smoothing down the leading edges, which did make it feel so much smoother at speed through the water,

[TomW]

I'd recommend an impact vest. I got my wing in my side, got away with a little bruise.
I think the neck danger is there. What we need is a thin kevlar sleeve for the neck.
I'd like a super thin suit with some kevlar areas of protection.

[foilonfoil]

I'd recommend an impact vest. I got my wing in my side, got away with a little bruise.
I think the neck danger is there. What we need is a thin kevlar sleeve for the neck.
I'd like a super thin suit with some kevlar areas of protection.

Check out hockey neck guards.

[Jyoder]

I’m in a similar point where I can ride but can’t do transitions well yet. I’ve focusing on heel to toeside carving and back, and also toeside water starts. It helps to have steady wind and be nicely powered. I was having trouble trying to do a whole carve to toeside starting from riding upwind on heelside but I have found it much easier and more “baby steps” to ride downwind as deep as you can and still have kite power and then carve to toeside from there, then back, then again, etc eventually carving all the way and trying to ride upwind on toeside.

[tomtom]

many thanks for all tips.

[bigcane]

Into my 3rd year of foiling now. One thing that has made a huge difference is getting on a 110 mast. Basically I don’t have those painful high speed crashes anymore because the wing almost never ventilates. I rode a short mast again for a while on the weekend, is was pretty brutal, my ribs still hurt. Race foils are so stable and easy to ride these days, just a joy to ride even if you never want to race

[TomW]

Into my 3rd year of foiling now. One thing that has made a huge difference is getting on a 110 mast. Basically I don’t have those painful high speed crashes anymore because the wing almost never ventilates. I rode a short mast again for a while on the weekend, is was pretty brutal, my ribs still hurt. Race foils are so stable and easy to ride these days, just a joy to ride even if you never want to race

I've been on 91cm mast from beginning, and been contemplating getting a 101 cm mast. Costs a bundle, and then my 91cm will be hard to sell without fuse and wings. I see no need to have 91 and 101 mast.
So I'll have to sell the whole kit and get whole new kit...
Have to buy new kit then sell old after: cash flow and risky... Might not find buyer at decent price. Wish there was trade in plan....