I have discovered the worst thing about kite foiling!!
The constant attack of the Fear of Missing Out!!!
It used to take a solid set of green arrows before I felt I was missing out but now that I am getting a little more proficient on the foil and the foiling bug is really starting to kick in any cheeky little yellow arrow is epic conditions I am missing out on!!
Here in Perth whilst consistent green arrows are mostly through the summer time it's yellow arrows most days from one direction or another all year round day in day out!!. I am self employed and this foil boarding game is bad for business!!!
Heaven forbid I upgrade my equipment and skills and red arrows become legit fun then I will wind up a homeless man pushing a shopping trolley full of kites and foil boards!!!
I hear you
. Did you get out this morning? Applecross jetty was great in the NE'er.
To think about it another way. You don't have to stress out about forecasts anymore. There will always be a wind for foiling.
So as a newby - Im wondering what kite I should be using to attempt my new foil experience - compared to what Im used to with a surfboard?? Im 93 kg and generally on one of those Axis New wave boards - in 12 knots with a Bandit 14m kite I can get going but only just hold gound (not much fun) . So Ive grabbed a 2nd hand Spotz 2 foil board - in 10 (true) knots do I throw up my 14m kite (that makes sense too me!!) or pump up the smaller 11m kite?? I hear foiling is like going back to the basics ? so Im expecting I should use a bigger kite to get things going until it actually happens and then drop a kite size?? And those sharp wings are scaring the ****e out of me!! LOL
Select to expand quoteLambie said..
So as a newby - Im wondering what kite I should be using to attempt my new foil experience - compared to what Im used to with a surfboard?? Im 93 kg and generally on one of those Axis New wave boards - in 12 knots with a Bandit 14m kite I can get going but only just hold gound (not much fun) . So Ive grabbed a 2nd hand Spotz 2 foil board - in 10 (true) knots do I throw up my 14m kite (that makes sense too me!!) or pump up the smaller 11m kite?? I hear foiling is like going back to the basics ? so Im expecting I should use a bigger kite to get things going until it actually happens and then drop a kite size?? And those sharp wings are scaring the ****e out of me!! LOL
You've chosen one of the tougher types of foils to learn on. You will be able to do it, it just might take a few days longer and be a bit scarier compared to a slower freeride foil. I would suggest NOT going out in 10kts with a tube kite when learning. You want ample power when learning in the early stages as you'll have your hands full with whats under your feet. You don't want to be worried about trying to keep the kite in the air as well. 15 - 18kts with a 7m - 9m kite will be a better option for you I think. Good luck and enjoy the ride - it's a lot of fun.
Yeah. 10 knots is a **** to learn in particularly when your lei doesn't relaunch!.
go 15 knots at least. one size down from what you would use on the sb for the first couple of sessions. Once you start getting more foiling runs then 4m smaller than sb.
Had quite a chuckle reading this.... today's forecast for newcastle NSW is all red arrows. And I looking very closely at the little hint of a potential 9 knot SE wind and thinking I might get a run (FOMO LOL).
Having said that, the foil gives me an extra 50 klicks of fun every week.
What's a laugh is when you rock up to everyone packing up in disgust and you pump up an 8m kite.
Yes the flip side of the fomo is being able to get out and have a great session regardless of the average conditions
Here in perth we get a lot of 12 to 15 knot days where it's not enough for a good twin tip session and there are either no waves or the wind isn't in a direction that's good for waves then in comes the foil and your flying!!! It is kind of funny eyeing off the readings all day waiting for those shifty little yellow arrows to show up
Lambie I am learning on a spots carbon race foil, I don't know if it's a 1 or 2 it was lent to me by a friend whilst he is away travelling. I'm sure there are better things to learn on but if it's all you've got its totally do able
I think what DukeSilver says is pretty spot on. 15-18 knts for me is the sweet zone not just for learning but for max fun foiling sessions in general.
When learning I found the kite size you would normally use makes it much easier as you know what power generation to expect.
Don't dive the kite hard like you would with a TT.... keep the kite very high (11-1) sighning until your standing bolt upright on the board integrating very small graduations of forward diving to get you truckin.
I learnt with a heavy 5 strut freeride kite which works fine but an agile, light ,drifting and forgiving kite like the Ultra I just bought makes it way easier
FOMO is why Im looking at foiling !! Thanks for the comments and Im getting that to learn to foil its best to just do whats normal !! Thanks for the feedback!!
I figured yesterdays ride belongs in FOMO.
In my never ending desire to achieve ultimate surf foil, I have landed on the Naish Surf Thrust (1200cm2) wing. Super slow with top speed of about 13 knots on my Cloud kites.
I paired it with a board/kite that is suitable for the yesterdays light wind conditions. That was the Naish Hover 150 (essentially a skimboard with some foil tracks) and 13.4m Cloud with 25m Race Lines (thanks Christian for recommendation).
I kicked off just after 4pm and kited till 6pm.... I did about 30 klicks.
I only discovered after my first 120 klicks on foil that I have the rear wing mounted the wrong way up. I haven't bothered to correct my mistake because I getting really nice slide on the turns and I saving most of my breaches.
Here is comparison of the wing size to a Spitfire XLW.
FOMO can catch you out.
Saturday tide running out wind dropping but don't want to miss out on that last run.
cruizin practice slaloming to build healside to toeside carves.
?? sandbar induced face plant.
stand up in 800 mm of water with a 900mm mast. Not sandbar just the never ending flat bottom of Corner inlet.
400m of body drag later I wished I had missed out on that.
Select to expand quoteRAL INN said..
FOMO can catch you out.
Saturday tide running out wind dropping but don't want to miss out on that last run.
cruizin practice slaloming to build healside to toeside carves.
?? sandbar induced face plant.
stand up in 800 mm of water with a 900mm mast. Not sandbar just the never ending flat bottom of Corner inlet.
400m of body drag later I wished I had missed out on that.
And still it's worth it.
This is why a foil is worth the investment as a relaxation device....
Kited from 1pm to 5pm and travelled 50km in sub 10knots on a 10.4m kite. Top speed was a relaxing 15 knots.
