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Foil Boards
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Post new topic   Reply to topic    Northwest Kiteboarding -> Gorge / Portland / Oregon Coast
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skipjack

Since 19 Sep 2014
5 Posts

Kook



PostFri Sep 19, 14 6:37 am    Foil Boards Reply with quote

For those riders out there that have ridden a foil board for a year or more my question is are you still having a blast with the new experience or are you just so so with the ride after getting through the learning curve? I'm very interested in buying one but for the money I better enjoy it for a long time. All responses would be appreciated along with the time period you have been riding a foil.

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sfbomber

Since 27 Jun 2012
112 Posts

Stoked



PostFri Sep 19, 14 6:50 am     Reply with quote

For me, it is not a fad, it is a game changer. If I had to explain what riding a hydrofoil is like in words, to me the closest sensation is snowboarding in deep powder. If you prefer to ride groomed snow, then stick with your traditional board.
For me the first 6 sessions were humbling, making you feel like a beginner again. My only regret is not trying a hydrofoil sooner. I've been on mine for a year.

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kenja

Since 19 Jun 2008
179 Posts

Stoked



PostFri Sep 19, 14 8:02 am     Reply with quote

As a casual observer, it seems like foil boards disconnect your board from the conditions on the surface of the water. In that regard, I suppose the powder day analogy is valid. That's great when it comes to eliminating chop, but it seems like it would also significantly take away some of the fun of riding/slashing swells, jumping, tricks and other aspects of kiting. 95% of the kiters I see out there on foils seem to be just taking lawn mowing to the next level. Until I see some pros out there coming up with some radical stuff or my knees go to hell, I'm going to stick to my twinny. Does anyone have videos showing the forefront of progression with foils that might change my mind?

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J.P.

Since 10 Mar 2005
638 Posts

Addicted



PostFri Sep 19, 14 8:37 am     Reply with quote

Jumping?!?

The boyz at Squamish are leading the foiling charge in the PacNW.
In 18-20mph the boyz are jumping 35'+ on10 meters in conditions where you might get 15-20' up on a big kite and TT.

Kite foils are indeed a game changer and I'm telling my friends a similar message like I told them in 1999, get out of Windsurfing and start kiting now.

The vast majority of those I told this to laughed at me and Windsurfed on, but by 2006 most have made the conversion.

These days my messages to my friends is: Ditch your lite wind, big kite shit and get into foiling NOW!!!!

Btw: $100 says the highest jumps in next year Huck fest will come from a foil, do you care to place a bet?

cheers!

_________________
John

UPWIND LAUNCH OF A SPORT

Last edited by J.P. on Fri Sep 19, 14 8:45 am; edited 1 time in total

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sfbomber

Since 27 Jun 2012
112 Posts

Stoked



PostFri Sep 19, 14 8:37 am     Reply with quote

The crossover for a dedicated twintip rider, to a hydrofoil is big, and I wouldn't advise.
For someone who already rides and likes directionals (surfboards, raceboards), hydrofoils would be an appreciated tool.

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J.P.

Since 10 Mar 2005
638 Posts

Addicted



PostFri Sep 19, 14 8:39 am     Reply with quote

Kenja,

What you are looking for can be found at:

http://www.kiteforum.com/viewforum.php?f=196

Make sure you check out:

Progression of the Bi-Directional Hydrofoil
http://www.kiteforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=196&t=2382996


cheers!

_________________
John

UPWIND LAUNCH OF A SPORT

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BeerKite

Since 29 Mar 2011
471 Posts

Obsessed



PostFri Sep 19, 14 8:53 am     Reply with quote

Popped my foil cherry yesterday and I am hooked. I dreamt about all last night and can't wait to get out and do it again. I know you were looking for "experienced" foilers but I have been kiting for almost 13 years and riding a foil is like nothing else our sport offers. If hovering over the water while being pulled by an invisible force sounds boring to you, than I'd stick to twin tippin. I'd personally rather spend the money on a foil than buy a giant kite to get similar light wind results.
Look for some stuff coming from Rebstock. He has been riding a foil in order to get in to riding it in swell and waves. I'm sure there will be video of it soon.
Talk to Stringy about too.

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lawnmower

Since 14 Dec 2007
153 Posts

Stoked



PostFri Sep 19, 14 9:19 am     Reply with quote

For me, lawn mowing is all I want to do. The question I have is for the ultimate lawn mowing experience on Stevenson evenings should I get a Airush Sector 54 or a foil. Just want to go upwind and cruise around. I'm not looking forward to the ass kicking I would get learning to ride a foil. From the proficient foilers I watch it seems that the foil has mind of its own about when it stops planing and drops the rider into the water.

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user124

Since 02 Aug 2012
390 Posts
Portland
Obsessed



PostFri Sep 19, 14 9:35 am     Reply with quote

What about injuries? I know kiteboarding can be a dangerous sport, but those foils look really sharp!

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J.P.

Since 10 Mar 2005
638 Posts

Addicted



PostFri Sep 19, 14 10:01 am     Reply with quote

@lawnmower

Get the foil!

_________________
John

UPWIND LAUNCH OF A SPORT

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stringy

Since 23 Jun 2006
1724 Posts
vancouver
XTreme Poster



PostFri Sep 19, 14 11:47 am     Reply with quote

I've only ridden really since june, but have spent considerable time on them.
back in february I decided to pursue making my own foil setup.
by march, I was ready to learn but found it extremely difficult to get up foiling. I was scared, humbled, frustrated, didn't think i would ever learn. I would finish my session with trembling hands.
I would test them side by side and experience failures with broken masts and lost wings.
by june, I finally designed a wing that made it possible to get up foiling without too much effort. once I experienced this, I was quickly able to progress. so this past summer I spent riding foils any chance I could, experimenting with different wings, masts, wing positions and boards.... I learned alot and helped coach my friends on how to foil, what to do and what not to do.
I've foiled on my 5m in nukin winds... but love the challenge of light wind kiting. last night I was at stevenson where it was almost impossible to fly your kite at the launch but once you got out to the wind, you could go upwind easily to bobs beach in about 3 tacks.
yeah it can suck to foil when its busy on the water. seems your upwind angle is much different than tradition board riders so it seems its always hard to get away from the pack. I like kiting in HR but really only when its on the lighter side. on a westerly its safe if the wind drops you can float back into the sandbar. the event site is open so you can launch in the deeper water now.
this summer I spent a lot of time at frenchmans in the couve. I could foil with my 10m when it was really 14m conditions. now I use the 13m cloud (strutless) when it's extremely light and once you can get up on the foil, you're going upwind.
the biggest issue (other than dropping so much money into the setup) is finding a deep enough spot to foil. I've found low water conditions in the gorge can be tricky to foil in...
sandbar, you have to walk all the way to deep water with your board.
stevenson, watch those rocks underwater
rooster, you just cant...
roosevelt is good but the underwater rocks are unpredictable near the point.

other than that, its a kick and never boring. I've been using mine to carve swell. apparently the traditional race foils are too keen on carving, but the wings I designed have made it possible to carve back and forth. I'll work on a video soon showing what you can do with the foil on river swell.
if you want to see a happy foiler up close and personal, go check out 2nd wind and talk to pepi.


one final note, LF is one the verge of releasing their new foil. I had an opportunity to help support their development process and I am very excited to see them release the foil fish soon.

http://liquidforcekites.com/product/foil/

_________________
www.jimstringfellow.com

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BeerKite

Since 29 Mar 2011
471 Posts

Obsessed



PostFri Sep 19, 14 12:22 pm     Reply with quote

Kiteboarding ruined my life and now foiling has just made it "worse"! Thanks for enabling me Stringy!

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skipjack

Since 19 Sep 2014
5 Posts

Kook



PostSat Sep 20, 14 4:27 am     Reply with quote

Thanks for all the input. The next question is which foil to buy? I see Slingshot is coming out with a foil. Has anyone seen it? From your responses it appears I would enjoy a foil because all I ride are surfboards strapped or strapless.

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hilton

Since 15 Aug 2008
787 Posts

Opinionated



PostSat Sep 20, 14 6:39 am    Twin tip foil boards Reply with quote

Is Liquid Force working on their foil wakeboard yet?

It seems like that market would be way bigger than kiteboarding for the days when the water isn't perfect glass.


Link

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bustingbladder

Since 12 Jul 2006
386 Posts
Seattle
Obsessed



PostSat Sep 20, 14 7:22 am     Reply with quote

Another super cool addition to your board quiver I think! But, I'll take you up on the $100 bet JP... LOL!

Be there or be square!

Gator

_________________
CABRINHA http://www.cabrinhakites.com/index.php?lang=en#
NP Surf http://www.npsurf.com/
Dakine http://dakine.com/
Transcend Apparel http://www.transcendapparel.com/
Urban Surf http://www.urbansurf.com/
Alohabrothers Racing Oahu, HI

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Pepi

Since 16 Jun 2006
1831 Posts
Pure Stoke Sports
Shop Owner

CGKA Member


PostSat Sep 20, 14 11:30 am     Reply with quote

Much like Micah, I have now become a Foil junky.

I actually froth at the mouth now when i see lightwind at the Event Site. 10-14 is epic riding with either my 9m or 12m Solo Kite.

Smoothest ride ever, and am now getting to the level of being able to carve up and down smaller swell and can do heelside to toeside transitions. The carving aspect is unreal, literally unreal. Again, like Micah said, the feel of floating/flying and now added in the sweetness of carving a surfboard, makes foiling funner than anything I have ever done o the water (side note - before owning 2nd Wind, I had worked in wakeboarding, snowboarding, windsurfing and kiteboarding businesses and this one new toy takes the trophy).

Am I jibing and tacking? No fucking way. Holy shit it is hard. I am still eating shit hugely on every other reach back and forth.
BUT! I am confident that it will come one day after I log more and more time on the foil.

Yes it is expensive, but it's a lot cheaper than buying a 12 or 14m kite, and it makes lightwind/flatwater insanely dynamic allowing you to jump, carve and speed in 10-12mph winds.

I would say the hardest aspect of foiling is the immediate shock you get when going out the first couple of times and realizing that you are now relearning another sport.
It will humble you and put you back in your learning phase of solid wipeouts.
But, that is also what will create that insane urge in you to want to ride more and accelerate your learning curve more and more.

These are my comments after riding for about 3 weeks and 6 sessions under my belt, so no, not a year of riding, but there is no way anyone could ever get board of this in a year.

_________________
Pure Stoke Sports
Hood River, OR
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hood-River-OR/2nd-Wind-Sports/35891485558?ref=mf
www.Purestokesports.com

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skipjack

Since 19 Sep 2014
5 Posts

Kook



PostSun Sep 21, 14 2:13 am     Reply with quote

Pepi, will you post pics of your boards for sale. I'm only interested in directionals.

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