eppo said..
And it's not just the kiting. Sloppy wind (those days not enough to kite but enough to wreck the waves) affected waves yesterday but with some size ... the proning on a foil turned them into massive speed demons with some horror wipeouts. 2 sessions, 4 hours and I'm cooked but stoked.

Need some video

eppo said..
Trust me not worth videoing big K.


But here's the little tacker behind a boat today. No idea how to rotate it

Watching video of people eating it never gets tiring :D

Alysum said..Still looking for my next foil.... WHERE ARE THEY ?!

But you want to sell Laurie showed you pages of them.

HI Peeps,

I think the thing with foiling is that it doesn't look exciting, it may even appear boring if you watch free riders learning their craft mowing the lawn back and forth. Looks are deceiving, it's a ctually really fun and more addictive that kitesurfing itself.

I believe this fascination will hold you for a year or so max. To get more from your foiling, I believe you need to choose a speciality. Whether it be wave riding, foil freestyle or racing. The chosen discipline gives you purpose to your riding and makes you learn skills you won't necessarily learn if you remain freeriding.

My choice is kite foil racing, or downwinding on a SUP, with or without a wing. These specialities have certain technical requirements to allow you to do them well. Riding a wave or kiting at or above 30 knots in chop is a highly skilled practice, and you may think you have it dialled until you go up against a pro at that field when you are "awakened" to how much you really have to learn.

For me, foil racing is the most highly technical form of kiting I have ever done and I have reached high levels in all disciplines of kiting. It is more addictive, more adrenaline charged and more scary than almost anything else.

Conclusion: Foiling isn't a fad, it's not going away. It's an evolved form of kiting and is absolutely worthy of your time. You don't have to give up surfing or twin tipping (although you may well do just that), it is simply another really fun way to explore the ocean or the river and to test yourself by getting out of your comfort zone and learning something new.

DM




Check out Nico's tack and gybe at about 4 min mark. Mad skills! @ 1040 when the windward kiter has to tack from Starboard (Has right of way) to port (must give way) to the three others just behind but upwind. Guts and nerve as he hopes they all see him signaling and tack accordingly to avoid a high speed wreck of epic proportions. Everyone is on the edge going flat out. Also worth noting Johnny Heineken hit well over 40 knots in that chop on, I think tha last day.



Bearing in mind this video is two years old, the skill level of the day was crazy.

DukeSilver said..
Lawn mowing on a TT........well we all know what that involves.

Bouncie-bouncie-splash-spray-bouncie-bouncie damn I still can't get upwind...and my knees hurt.

DukeSilver said..
It boils down to the fact that whether you ride a TT or a foil, 95% - 100% of riding time involves just mowing the lawn (in between doing jumps or performing other tricks). Lawn mowing on a foil involves being up and flying above the water and charging up wind, down wind and everything in between. All the while feeling like you're snowboarding on endless soft powder. Lawn mowing on a TT........well we all know what that involves.

If I don't count carving and surfing waves and wind swells as "mowing the lawn" then I do significantly less mowing the lawn on a foil because I can get back to where I need to be so quickly and easily.

Now doing triangles in the surf on my surfboard seems like such hard work. I got on a steady diet of surfboard downwinders and foiling now I am spoilt!