Foil Fun

Post general kiteboarding discussion topics here!
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lieutenantglorp
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Re: Foil Fun

Post by lieutenantglorp » Wed Apr 01, 2015 2:33 pm

ozchrisb wrote:Also have someone who can foil ride your setup and see if the foot straps are in a sane place. I've tried some that are just not setup for comfortable foiling.
I also experienced this on every low aspect wing I have tried. They have a ton of lift, even just above waterstart speed and the front strap doesn't adjust forward enough to have a comfortable stance width. You are forced to bring your back foot forward and ride what feels more like standing on the nose of a longboard until you get used to it.

Also what helped me overcome porpoising was to fly the kite slightly lower and neutralize the porpoising more by sheeting the bar.

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Re: Foil Fun

Post by usa4 » Thu Apr 02, 2015 7:42 am

I was foiling just upwind from you last week in LV and had my breakthrough after a few days there. It's not easy to get to that stage regardless of your kiting experience but something finally clicked and it became a whole lot more fun
Here's my quick recap of the week my progression - more at www.stevebodner.blogspot.com

The 1st few days here were basically an extension of the steep learning curve with many falls, tumbles launches and crashes. I had sore ribs, bruises on my thighs, butt and waist, cuts on my feet, swollen ankles, nicked brow and brim and a stiff neck from the whiplash of hitting the water at full speed with a helmet on. I’m still considering the impact vest. The kook helmet is mandatory. Even in warm water a wetsuit softens the blow.
Something began to happen by the 3rd day here- I got more comfortable and began to know what to expect. My rides were getting longer and I could easily lift off and begin to foil at will and touchdown when needed. By the last 2 days I began to get into the rhythm of keeping the foil up and steadily riding without getting launched every 10 seconds but sometimes still got randomly launched over the front of the board. By the end if the week I was able to get going upwind on both tacks more efficiently. The foil really wants to track and is almost effortless once you find the sweet spot. Downwind. It’s a different story. Somehow the mental block or muscle memory has not allowed me to fully send it. Perhaps it’s the side shore conditions or the steep northerly chop but for the life of me- I can’t go deep at all on starboard tack.
Foiling is attune to an epic powder day in the mountains. Oh my, that floating feeling of riding 2-3′ above the water is like flying. There’s no sound except for the occasional touchdown and splash of the hull against the water- reminding oneself of that other reality. Then with a slight pull if the bar, the board jumps up again. It’s absolutely the most amazing kind of sailing I’ve ever done.
Granted, I’m still a kook when it comes to making any type of transitions from tacks or gybes but I know quite well it’s all about the journey this time around.
25 gybes attempted. 9975 to go till perfection! What I can say after 6 more days of riding here is that I’ve rediscovered the joy, surprises and excitement that captured me for the past 25 years on the windsurfer.

Sb

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Re: Foil Fun

Post by 1/2inMexico » Thu Apr 02, 2015 8:42 am

Thanks, Yes, the last time I went out I tried no foot-straps. Although slightly more difficult get the board arranged and ready again for water-starts, it is noticeably better once I'm up and riding. It seems odd that all reviewers say the LF Foil Fish has the perfect footstrap placement when I'm stuck thinking they are are too far back.
And as soon as I'm again on a beach with a qualified foil rider I will ask him-her to take mine for a spin.

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Re: Foil Fun

Post by 1/2inMexico » Wed Apr 08, 2015 3:49 am

Thank You Steve! This captures exactly the world I'm feeling right now. Foiling has seriously re-kindled an almost obsessive love of time on the water.
Hey, I'm sitting here in central mountain town Mexico (Chapala) and trying to toss a coin on my route north to Tacoma WA. Either it's Denver and cycling, or California and search for foilable winds.
What's the Bay Area like in the last week of April for kite winds? 2 years ago I stayed at Sherman and it was a bust.
Thanks,
Kip in Tacoma

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Re: Foil Fun

Post by 1/2inMexico » Wed Apr 08, 2015 3:49 am

Thank You Steve! This captures exactly the world I'm feeling right now. Foiling has seriously re-kindled an almost obsessive love of time on the water.
Hey, I'm sitting here in central mountain town Mexico (Chapala) and trying to toss a coin on my route north to Tacoma WA. Either it's Denver and cycling, or California and search for foilable winds.
What's the Bay Area like in the last week of April for kite winds? 2 years ago I stayed at Sherman and it was a bust.
Thanks,
Kip in Tacoma

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Sonny
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Re: Foil Fun

Post by Sonny » Wed Apr 08, 2015 8:04 am

1/2inMexico wrote:Thank You Steve! This captures exactly the world I'm feeling right now. Foiling has seriously re-kindled an almost obsessive love of time on the water.
Hey, I'm sitting here in central mountain town Mexico (Chapala) and trying to toss a coin on my route north to Tacoma WA. Either it's Denver and cycling, or California and search for foilable winds.
What's the Bay Area like in the last week of April for kite winds? 2 years ago I stayed at Sherman and it was a bust.
Thanks,
Kip in Tacoma
April might be little early for Sherman but 3rd AVE generally blows in April.
Sonny
3rd AVE Kite Repair
sonny@kite3rd.com
http://www.kite3rd.com

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Re: Foil Fun

Post by NorCalNomad » Sat Apr 11, 2015 12:09 am

3rd has been great the last couple weeks. Man I need a foil...
Listing gear is bad, and you should feel bad.

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Re: Foil Fun

Post by 1/2inMexico » Sat Apr 11, 2015 2:17 am

NorCalNomad wrote:3rd has been great the last couple weeks. Man I need a foil...
Thanks! I'm in! Now to find a cheaper Motel 6 or somewhere to sleep. Or, any campgrounds around? Looks fairly urban. Driving north from Guadalajara MX starting 4/15. ETA4/19 or so.
Trying to perfect my LF FoilFish riding. Day 10.
Kip Wylie

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CdoG
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Foiled agaiN

Post by CdoG » Mon Jun 15, 2015 7:48 pm

got some rides today on my girlfriends sroka...foil
I found it a bit easier to ride down on the water then my mhl lift witch starts to lift right away
got home without band aids or consulting...
it was a nice day
alameda, 12m, light winds....

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Re: Foiled agaiN

Post by Loscocco » Mon Jun 15, 2015 11:59 pm

CdoG wrote:got some rides today on my girlfriends sroka...foil
I found it a bit easier to ride down on the water then my mhl lift witch starts to lift right away
got home without band aids or consulting...
it was a nice day
alameda, 12m, light winds....

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