When do you hydrofoil?

[OzBungy]

PS I am wingdinging at the moment. It's the new thing I'm trying to get good at, and in our current lockdown I don't have access to the beaches I normally use.

I am winging in stupidly gusty conditions at a beach where the launch point is dead offshore. It's quite nice not to have to worry about trying to fly a kite in conditions that could be demanding. I kind of expected it, but the wingding is remarkably resilient to yuck conditions.

There are some nasty storms forecast for this afternoon. Again, a foil and a wingding will be less exposed than trying to kite in those conditions.

[Foil]

We hydrofoil all year round here in Denmark.
Of course, if a lot below zero and ice in the water, no, but we havent had much of that the last many years.

If windy (for 7 m2 and smaller) and sideshore and good waves, mostly out on waveboards, as quite rare with "dream" conditions.
The sloppier conditions, way more fun on a kite hydrofoil or wingfoil

Sometimes nice to mix it up on the same days, and rig a two sizes smaller kite for wavefoiling
Meaning, if 7 m2 wind for the waveboard (meaning average 21-22 knots), a 4 m2 could work sweetspot on a hydrofoil.
Even though I use a 3 m2 Peak4 (foilkite) instead now, fits in this wind

Amazed to see so many, in fact all of you who has answered, riding in 30 to +40 knots winds?

Are you riding strapped and maxed out, and supershort lines, or simply prefer to be mega powered instead of the "surf" style power?

Here even when we ride on wave/surfboards, 30 knots is the upper limit for a 5 m2 tubekite, from then on possible but away from the good sweetspot.

Above 30 knots averege wind you can still just hold on and surf (for average weights), but overpowered, not as fun to ride DTL as you can not ride as freely anymore.
The sweetspot for a 5 m2 tube on a waveboard is around 26-27 knots average wind for most riders.
If you ride strapped waveboards you can go a bit higher, maybe into 30-32 knots average wind yes, but from then, you are powered more than good, and a 4 m2 tube would fit much better.


So amazed to see how many of you riding hydrofoils in way more wind (compared to kite size) than most ride wave/surfboards?

Or is it simply for the fun just being out on the upper limit, almost survival mode, and not because you can carve and surf on the hydrofoil?
Jump height would be max yes, but you will drop like a rock with a 5 m2, which is not always fun on hydrofoils

Many misjudge the wind a lot, when its windy, that could be another reason, even though a bit of an accusation, sorry

Peter

your right that jumping is compromised whilst on a 5mtr foil kite, its hard to get the jumping right and landing is a bit of a fast drop thing, so i tend to only boost very small when using my 5mtr, and for me as I have said when the winds are up there around 30 knts then the water state has to be friendly, so location choice has to be more sheltered from monster chop, which I can find if I travel a bit, but I do have limits I know I cant get over, tried to and been beaten back a few times,

[OzBungy]

...

your right that jumping is compromised whilst on a 5mtr foil kite, ....

Really? This jump was on a 5m. Foiling landing and ride away. You just need a bit of practice ... and a bit of luck. I was in good form on that day and a passing photographer caught some good shots.

[junebug]

My default is KBHF. I will dust off the 10m Rebel and TT when it hits 18kn+ and good conditions for a boosting session, but otherwise I’m foiling.

[cwood]

...

So amazed to see how many of you riding hydrofoils in way more wind (compared to kite size) than most ride wave/surfboards?

Or is it simply for the fun just being out on the upper limit, almost survival mode, and not because you can carve and surf on the hydrofoil?

...

I’m wondering about this too. I size down from 5m to 3.5m at 18kn. I can’t imagine riding a 5m in 30kn.

If we had those conditions where I live I’d be on a 2m or smaller if I could find one.

It's about the boost for our crew. Sometimes I opt for cruising....but not uncommon for someone to be on a 4m well powered and there are some of us on 8 or 10 jacked on speed wings.

[jyka]

Only when there isn't enough wind for a twintip. And that's 6-13 knots.
There is so much light wind ways available, I'll get enough foiling days. It's nice variation to kiting when you can do different things in different winds

[TomW]

Year round. 56N.

[LeoLeal]

Do you hydrofoil all year around in all weathers or just through the summer months in lighter winds.

I foil in 8-14 knots, all year round. If it's more than that I'll ride my SB. I only foil with Peak 4's too, no more LEI foiling for me.

Me too.

[bragnouff]

When do you hydrofoil?

When the conditions call for it, duh!

Typically that would be sub 18kts when I can't really have fun on a surfboard in waves. Although if there are no decent waves, I can happily foil in strong wind, which is fun in its own right. I'm still open to flat water TT sometimes, or to a low tide blast on a buggy. It's good to have all options covered.