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treitz
Since 07 Jun 2016
83 Posts
Hood River
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Mon Jun 24, 19 7:47 am |
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Good to see a foil thread here, as I've been wanting to ask some questions on it, but didn't feel like starting a new thread was the right approach.
Anyway...I've been kiting for 3 or 4 years now here in Hood River. I haven't gotten out as much as I would have liked, but I am confident in my kite flying skills, and can get on the board on demand. Still working on staying upwind and transitions. Twin tip only.
The reason I'm commenting here is because I'm trying to figure out when is the right time to try foiling. Riding a twin tip, though fun, just hasn't really captured me like I'd hoped it would. When I watch people foil, I think, that's the ticket! Watching people glide around effortlessly, flying upwind, it just looks SO fun.
I haven't tried a surf board yet either, but it's on my short list.
Anyway, I suspect you will all say "get comfortable on the twin tip, transitions, staying up wind, etc etc" THEN move to the foil (at least that's what I've read online)...but I'd thought I'd throw it out there to see what all you foil experts have to say, since we're on the topic.
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juandesooka
Since 21 Jan 2014
98 Posts
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Mon Jun 24, 19 7:51 am |
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Surfboard skills transfer a lot more directly than twintip, so I'd suggest you get onto the surfboard first. It's not like you couldn't learn to foil without riding a surfboard first, but it will be way easier.
And don't over think it, just go ride, surfboard riding should come pretty easy. You don't need anything fancy, any old one will do for the basics.
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treitz
Since 07 Jun 2016
83 Posts
Hood River
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Mon Jun 24, 19 7:53 am |
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juandesooka wrote: | Surfboard skills transfer a lot more directly than twintip, so I'd suggest you get onto the surfboard first. It's not like you couldn't learn to foil without riding a surfboard first, but it will be way easier.
And don't over think it, just go ride, surfboard riding should come pretty easy. You don't need anything fancy, any old one will do for the basics. |
Right on. I suspected that might be the case.
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voy-tech
Since 08 Apr 2014
372 Posts
Seattle
Obsessed
CGKA Member
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Mon Jun 24, 19 8:22 am |
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treitz wrote: | juandesooka wrote: | Surfboard skills transfer a lot more directly than twintip, so I'd suggest you get onto the surfboard first. It's not like you couldn't learn to foil without riding a surfboard first, but it will be way easier.
And don't over think it, just go ride, surfboard riding should come pretty easy. You don't need anything fancy, any old one will do for the basics. |
Right on. I suspected that might be the case. |
I was a TT exclusive for years, going back and forth between straps and boots (trying to kook out with some wakestyle tricks but failing miserably - still love the boots on big days as I feel more confident through big jumps).
Rode a surfboard for maybe 10 minutes in my life and didn't really enjoy it in the river chop. But then I went for the foil and with a big floaty board and the big wing (H4/Space Skate) I picked it up in 3 sessions. So surfboard skills are definitely not required to learn foiling and if you don't want to spend too much money I'd go straight for a dedicated foil board. Of course it's not all rosy - since I never picked up surfboard riding I'm struggling terribly with transitions on the foil now and wish I had some muscle memory from disciplines like surfing.
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Slappysan
Since 13 Jun 2012
309 Posts
Obsessed
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Mon Jun 24, 19 10:02 am |
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I've always been a surfboard first guy and still am. Save the foiling for light winds. But recently I picked up a 5m Peak 4 kite to go with my large surf foil and I must say it's giving the surfboard sessions some competition.
I also suffer from the opposite of what most others do it seems. Foiling actually aggravates my knees because of the amount of time you are riding bent knee. I do 5 hour sessions on my surfboard but can't on my foil.
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moondog
Since 15 Aug 2007
703 Posts
white salmon
Addicted
CGKA Member
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Mon Jun 24, 19 10:33 am |
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Kite skill is the most important. When you take up foiling you want to never have to think about the kite because there is so many new actions required below. I spent three years on a strapless surf board that made the difficult foiling transition easier for me. I would recommend spending time on a surfboard first since your first foil board will be similar.
By the way the winds will be much less this week and the water is 64 so it is a great week to take up foiling, Go get it!
_________________ moondog |
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mamann
Since 16 Jul 2007
76 Posts
Gorge East
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Mon Jun 24, 19 10:35 am |
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I've had the same issue with knee pain on the foil. It was due to not being properly balanced over the center of lift of the foil. Sometimes you have to drill extra holes in the mast plate to get the foil in the right spot.
If your back knee gives you trouble, move the foil forward(or move yourself back).
If you front leg is the issue, do the opposite.
Finding the sweet spot on your foil makes the difference between love and hate, and pain and no pain.
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oliver19
Since 25 Jun 2019
79 Posts
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Tue Jun 25, 19 1:10 am |
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Have been foiling exclusively since first taste 2 years ago of foiling down a very small swell. Personal limit for any kind of kiting is avg 30 MPH. Some knee discomfort after long sessions seems to be from keeping it flexed too long in one position.....not from the stress of absorbing shock as in surface riding. I have to remind myself to not be so lazy and switch feet every now and then when foiling.
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Slappysan
Since 13 Jun 2012
309 Posts
Obsessed
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Tue Jun 25, 19 9:41 am |
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mamann wrote: | I've had the same issue with knee pain on the foil. It was due to not being properly balanced over the center of lift of the foil. Sometimes you have to drill extra holes in the mast plate to get the foil in the right spot.
If your back knee gives you trouble, move the foil forward(or move yourself back).
If you front leg is the issue, do the opposite.
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I ride strapless so I don't think this is the issue for me. I have pretty bad knees to begin with. I think it's just the fact that we ride with a slight bend in our knees when foiling to make fine adjustments to our pitch vs. on a surfboard you can easily ride with locked knees (especially your front leg) for all the upwind tacks.
Now I can ride with locked knees on my foil but it's awkward as hell and I only do 20 second runs to try and give my knees a break.
One thing I was experimenting with last session is riding with both feet facing forwards side by side for periods of time. This allows easy pitch control via your ankles and easy roll control via your hips freeing up your knees from doing any work.
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Gman
Since 11 Feb 2006
4907 Posts
Portland
Unstrapped
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Tue Jun 25, 19 9:51 am |
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foiling is superfun
but finding i miss messing with strapless finless skimboard - really love Manzo wet sand to shoulder high and back
also fun to sneak up on the whales with foil - here at Pacific City
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skim slash 35sm.jpg |
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whale foil.jpg |
_________________ Go Deep!
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treitz
Since 07 Jun 2016
83 Posts
Hood River
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Tue Jun 25, 19 9:56 am |
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That whale picture is insane
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Windian
Since 28 Apr 2008
889 Posts
Newport, OR
NEWPORT OG
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Wed Jun 26, 19 8:03 am |
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Nice job Gman with capturing the whale shot. Ocean kiting can make you feel like you are immersed in a deep wilderness.
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