Hi All

Im looking at getting a foil kite and eventually into foil boarding. Ive never flown a foil kite before but I keep reading that its for "advanced" riders.
Everyone has to start from the beginner stage at some point, so as a foil kite beginner what is the best way to learn to use foil kites?
How do they differ to LEIs in flight? Im trying to read up about the theory behind flying foil kites but there dont seem to be many people discussing the basics. Ive watched the ozone and LF vids, they discuss launching, landing, storing, self rescue, but they dont really discuss about the actual using them.

Any insight/tips/techniques from people who fly them would be really appreciated. cheers.

First, you need to ask yourself why you want to get a foil kite?

It's a good skill to have to be able to fly, launch, land etc. some foil kites. If you can put your hands on a 2-line trainer kite that would give you a good idea how they operate.

As far as advantages of having foil kites vs tubes kites...well there aren't that many. Yes they fly faster through the air, are lighter and have better upwind performance, but that means you only benefit of those advantages if you'd like to go into racing.

If you're just looking at cruising around and foiling for pleasure, then normal kites do the job fine, even for lighter winds.

Foil kites would give you an advantage in very low winds but that's provided you have a ton of experience with them and you're willing to swim long distance with a kite filling up with water.

Don't forget foil kites are more expensive and more fragile as well. They also ''depower'' a lot less as Kami mentioned and their safety systems will vary a lot (depending on brand, model, year) , some are safe, some unsafe, some non-existent.

Christian

cbulota said..
First, you need to ask yourself why you want to get a foil kite?

With all due respect Christiano, you don't seem to like foil kites and that's perhaps because you don't fly them or fly them often?

In my opinion, flying a foil kite is TRUE kite flying. You have to think a lot more and know what to do when wind conditions change.

You mention some good points, but foil kites have one great big advantage over LEI kites: NO BLADDERS! As any kiter will tell you, bladders when they fail or when punctured are a pain in the butt, both to repair and to have to fork out costs for spare kites to have handy when it happens. Ram air kites, as I like to call them or twin-skins simply inflate on launch and hold their own shape as long as they are been handled correctly.

yes they are not ideal for beginners but once you get past the mowing the lawn stage, 'foil' kites are a great investment for any kiter that wants big airs, floaty landings and all in a convinient package without the need for pumps and other attachments. And you can keep em inside a car on a hot day without valves delaminating!

I personally love Peter Lynn Arc kites as they don't have complex rigging. Just 4 pigtails and a standard 4-line bar and they also have auto zenith stability. Yeah dorky old school I know but I get out there in 10knots whilst everyone is sitting on the beach for more wind

cbulota said..

NorthernKitesAUS said..

With all due respect Christiano, you don't seem to like foil kites and that's perhaps because you don't fly them or fly them often?

I own a foil kite and been flying them for the last 6 years. If I had the budget I would buy more especially larger sizes for ultra light wind foiling. They serve their purpose for me mostly on the snow for lighter winds and for landkiting as well.

In the water, the cons of having a foil kite outweigh the pros if, as plummet said, you're not into racing or super light wind foiling.

Christian

What a load of tosh*.

Foils go great upwind, and who doesn't like to go upwind easily? Everyone, not just racers.
They're hardly fragile. Not as tough as tubes, but they're more complex so that's to be expected. Price you pay for performance...
If you can't kite without just whaling away at the bar, they're not for you. There's more finesse involved than just sheeting in and out.
But you can drive them to the edge of the window and hold on, over the limit.
They're also not for wave riding. You can do it, but it would be as painful as using an Apollo to do it.
They jump like mad. Hang time is exceptional.

So, they rock upwind, boost like crazy, float like a glider...bloody good free ride kites, in other words.

The cons between tube and foil balance out, it comes down to how willing you are to put up with the foibles of each...

*I assume we're talking about bridled foils, not arcs or some such...

R1 is a sweet kite. But it is a monster compared to a docile lei.

Get an 11/12m size that will be the ticket 6-12 knots. I use a 12m chrono V1, Its a but more brutal the the r1 which is more refined.

Key difference is the extra speed, lift and apparent wind these kites build. It is significantly more performance per m2. Power does not shut off as easily as letting out the bar. You need to control kite power output by limiting board speed. As an example I give my 12m chrono better light wind performans than a 17 zephur.

Don't go out on the hydrofoil when you first fly the R1. You will not be used to the insane speed. Go out on the TT first and get a handle of the jandle on a board that you can stomp the back foot and shut the power down by cranking upwind.

Leis tend to be set up out of the box so they don't back stall and can handle a full bar in. Do the same thing on a race foil like an r1 and you will probably back stall it and get bad performance.
So... if in doubt let the bar out.
However back stall and pivot turning are a good feature when you know how to use it.
Foils like more line tension that lei's. Where you can easily drift an lei with slack likes and snap it back before it hits the deck. If you do the same thing on a foil its game over with a sleeping bag in a twisted ball of spaghetti. Keep the lines tensioned. Don't drift it like a lei. back stall pivot loop it instead.