Ditto.. and I have no love of flat water either

Stoked to get the new toys in ... Low aspect ratio foil for easy learning. Interchangeable parts for faster foils down the track. Full carbon = lots of stiffies. Work of art.It's up for grabs!

kitethrills said..
Stoked to get the new toys in ... Low aspect ratio foil for easy learning. Interchangeable parts for faster foils down the track. Full carbon = lots of stiffies. Work of art.It's up for grabs!

That foil is made by MHLcustom, it is exactly the same as mine but with a Slingshot board. I have what is called the "Traveler Series" - shorter strut (750)

kiteboy dave said..
Sir V - it was your enthusiasm and beautiful surf shots that got my interest in a foil to begin with - my aim would be to end up in the surf (or out the back of it) too. Do you find you can stay in the same spot easily enough as opposed to doing a downwinder?

Kitethrills - I dropped by a few weeks ago but only Claudia was there, I'll come by again & try to catch you for a drool..

Great to know, I've been hoping more people take it on waves as I am the only one here atm.

I find it that if I follow the same lines of other Kite surfboard riders I always end up much further upwind , then I literally have to compensate and drift down to stay close to the crew, but not on top of course. The foil takes up to 25-30 degrees better lines upwind so you will always find much easier to maintain ground than anyone else, and on lower winds too.

I've been playing with a Solo 9M to test it. Example: 2 days ago a guy on a Fat Lady 17m couldn't even get going and I was riding on the Solo . He dumped his kite on the waves and wasn't happy I was still out eheheh. My kite eventually fell as well but it was because it dropped to 4-7 knots, no one flies in that no matter what they say.

So, yeah man - foiling is the goods. Me? Happier than ever, no intentions of looking back. And if you have the chance of trying a shorter strut, you won't believe the difference to play on waves, so much more control.

Going to Lombok and Sumbawa soon, wave photos to come (hopefully)

V

Cool Jason he definitely sounds enthusiastic.

Part 2 here
www.leepasty.co.uk/technique-blog/category/foil

That cloud rider guy has an interesting take on it, strapless all the way.

I found this diary too

www.iksurfmag.com/kitesurfing-news/2015/06/first-blood-foil-diary-part-1-by-rou-chater/

jeesus DM did you take out a second mortgage to get that abortion of a foil board in ?? :)

If anyone having corrosion issues due to steel bolts in aluminium (eg LF fish foil) - I have invested in a tube of Dura Lac from Whitworths chandlers.
its expensive and I will only need a few drops every few months so let me know if you need some. I'm usually on the river at Melville beach rd in s and sw and PW dog beach in e winds with Peter Lynn or ASV kites.
Cheers
( or PM me)

polykarb said..
Havent had anything bind or sieze yet, have had lots of use from my LFFF. I believe the bolts are also an alloy (have bent a set).

Looking forward to faster wings.... Maybe you WA Foilfishers can hook me up with a set?

Hey polyk......BOZi has a set of Pilot Pete foils on buy and sell for 500..... Well worth it imho ... need to mount rear foil on top of fuselage which means drill/self tap and stainless bolts ( which will need some dura lac or Tef el). Never could get above 16 knots with LF foils - doing 23+ easily in 12 knots wind with new foils.

daddycool said..

polykarb said..
Havent had anything bind or sieze yet, have had lots of use from my LFFF. I believe the bolts are also an alloy (have bent a set).

Looking forward to faster wings.... Maybe you WA Foilfishers can hook me up with a set?

Hey polyk......BOZi has a set of Pilot Pete foils on buy and sell for 500..... Well worth it imho ... need to mount rear foil on top of fuselage which means drill/self tap and stainless bolts ( which will need some dura lac or Tef el). Never could get above 16 knots with LF foils - doing 23+ easily in 12 knots wind with new foils.

$500 upgrade on a LF

That brings the rig at $2500. If I were you I'd sell it and get a decent foil instead...

Introducing shinnfoil ...

It floats, just. Its a Fastafoil Sencilio - full carbon, weighs around 2.3 kg - ie under 1kg when in water and the shinnster can carry 2kg before sinking. We shall see what thats like in practice, fingers crossed. I hesitated with the Moses foil, which actually floats by iitself, but wasnt happy with the idea of swimming around the foil upright like that.

Sencilio is an intermediary foil, good up to 24 knts - not sure the shinnfoil will be good in higher stress situations (it has some flex) but for lighter wind poodling about and travelling with my surfboard it suits my needs : I didnt want a third foil specific board in my baggage and I wanted to keep the shinnster for shallow waters and chasing my kids - its now a convertible.

. Fastafoil is compatible with Ketos wings so I can take it to the next level with a stiffer board once Im ready.

Done that

AndyHansen said..

kiteboy dave said..
Ouch

The advantage of learning with aleast the front straps, that is far less likely to happen.
As long as you keep your foot in the strap, the foils will always be safely away from you

Then you increase the chances of rolling your knee.... Far safer strapless IMO.

AndyHansen said..
havent heard of anybody rolling a knee learning to foil, cant think of any WA foilers that havent used front straps while learning

It actually happened to a guy in WA, torn ligament.

I will personally go strapless until I master gybing and tacking both sides.

When learning in light winds I found that the only advantage of the straps were to keep the board on its edge whilst diving the kite. Personal preference I guess but when you nose dive at fairly high speed I find that it hurts less to get ejected away from my board.

More chance the foil will try and kill you when you stack riding with out straps. With your front foot in a strap it normal directs it down when you fall off the front.