It was just a month ago and I was packing to go on our winter getaway to Mauritius. The last time I went was 2019 just before COVID took out our 2020 trip. This trip was the resumption of the 2020 trip. WA winter can be cold and bleak and a two week break from the misery can be quite uplifting for the soul.

I spent a week deciding what gear to take. Last time I was fully into the kite racing, so performance foiling gear, foil kites and not much else. Problem is, I no longer kitefoil race and in all honesty, since I stopped racing I havent launched a kite in the last two years and
I had customers who expected me to teach them kite foil tacking and gybing

I've been on the wind wing downwind foiling pathway for the last couple of years which I love very much. It scratches my foiling, surfing and freedom itch in a big way, it also has a great vibe and a cool community. I don't really get the flat water wing foiling thing once you can ride without falling or touching down.

So back to the problem; what gear to take with me? I settled on taking SABfoil board, SABFoil 93 mast a few different front wings and two Flysurfer kites, a 10m Soul 2, and a 13m Sonic 3. I did chuck in a couple of FS Hybrids just to try them out (They weigh nothing).

It took me a few days to get the gear tuned and setup perfectly as I hadn't ridden any of it in years, and then another couple days before I was tacking and gybing consistently and smoothly again.

Anyways, enough with the preamble. Once I got back into the groove, I remembered why I loved it so much. The speed, the minimum wind needed, the jump height and just the easy unencumbered nature of it. I flat out loved it! I spent many happy hours each day blasting around the lagoon which is perfectly flat clear water.

Now, I love wing foiling and am well aware of the pro's and cons, but I don't understand why so many people have stopped kite foiling. We had winds from 7 knots up to around 20 knots. I was easily able to foil on the 13m in 7 knots and was having a blast jumping well over 10m in just 12 knots of wind. I could go high upwind and deep deep downwind with ease and speed.

So what has happened to all the kite foilers? Where have they gone, it has so much to offer.

DM

Me in light winds on the 10m Soul

"So what has happened to all the kite foilers? Where have they gone, it has so much to offer"
They're all in Darwin .... all ten of us

Mauritius looks amazing, never been.
Is it worth trying to get over there to ride the waves? Im imagining peak season it's a full house?

Select to expand quote

FunSupply said..
"So what has happened to all the kite foilers? Where have they gone, it has so much to offer"
They're all in Darwin .... all ten of us

Mauritius looks amazing, never been.
Is it worth trying to get over there to ride the waves? Im imagining peak season it's a full house?

Definitely worth it. The waves are amazing and there are several breaks to choose from. Here's a good overall spot guide wakeupstoked.com/kitesurf-mauritius/ although it doesn't specify all the different breaks at Le Morne.

It's busy but it's a huge lagoon and if you're out on the main breaks One Eye or Manawa it's still ok as on a point break you more or less always ride in the same triangle path. here's another guide describing the different breaks in Le Morne kiterr.com/kitespots/africa/kitesurfing-le-morne-mauritius/

Great write up and report. There were 3-4 of us out yesterday afternoon at Pinnaroo - that little 12 knot southerly :) Will come and hit you up for some demos soon - those Sonics look sweet.

Select to expand quote

FunSupply said..
"So what has happened to all the kite foilers? Where have they gone, it has so much to offer"
They're all in Darwin .... all ten of us

Mauritius looks amazing, never been.
Is it worth trying to get over there to ride the waves? Im imagining peak season it's a full house?

Hi guys,

Mauritius is a great spot to kite in our winter. If looking for waves, you're kind of only looking at LeMorne in the south West. The lagoon is huge but a little shallow over the coral bombies so need to be on your guard on longer masts. European school holidays is peak season and runs July through August. Once school holidays are over it's much better in terms of crowds.
Manawa is the perfect kite foiling wave but is usually very crowded with Euro kiters who generally seem clueless about right of way rules. One Eye is better as it is a wave of consequence with a fast breaking hollow wave over sharp reef, this tends to scare away the numpties and you only get guys and girls who know what they are doing an offer courtesy. I don't know whether I'd foil One Eye. It's such an epic wave on a surf board, that there's little reason to want to foil it. If you get a bit over zealous and get caught on the inside, you would ruin your foil and probably yourself.
There is amazing Kiting in the lagoon on the North coast around Anse La Rae. A bit deeper and more open with more space and almost no kiters compared to LeMorne which can host literally hundreds of kiters. Of course crystal clear waters and there are a few small waves in the north too.
Pointe D'Esny in the South East is flat water with lots of shallow bombies that are a trap for new players. I've been there three times and have munted a foil on every trip, and I know the reef and bombies well.
Mostly the weather is very pleasant, the water is clear, the i pool rooks mostly friendly and the creole food is amazing!

DM

Still at least 10 here in Brisbane Queens Beach North area. Most of us wing when over 18 knots to ride the swell then kite foil under that.
It's nice to mix it up from time to time, makes you appreciate each sport individually.

With a tiny board, good foil and small Flysurfer Peak or Hybrid kite I'm on the water ripping it up in 10 knots in minutes.
Can handle from under 10 knots to 30 knots with relatively inexpensive gear which I can carry to the beach under one arm

With a nice drifty kite I can foil upwind and ride any swell, waves or chop downwind using mainly the waves, foil and a little pumping then just pull on the bar for the kite when searching for the next bump.

The kitesurfers around my region who took the time to learn to foil love it, and when the wind is under 15 knots it's foil all the way. If the wind picks up many just change to a surfboard or twin tip with the same kite. Definitely getting their moneys worth out of their gear for a wide range of wind.

they were so gay
they all died of aids

Definitely still kite foiling, and that on LEI kites. Anything light or small swell. And any wind really for boosting.
Winging only really interesting from 15 knots upwards and yes a bit of bumps or waves ideally.
TT kiting is still a thing too, but can't be bothered under 25-30 knots.
Only downside to foiling is seaweed (easier to avoid) or grass which in summer down here is horrible. Jumping off kind of works but not if there is a lot of it.

Agree
kiting is still amazing
25 knot southerly 4-5 foot waves in Cronulla last Friday me and 3-4 kiters in the waves , 5 plus ex kiters winging up wind in the bay

Last Wednesday & Thursday, 15-25 knots on Jervis Bay, 2.5m Flysurfer Hybrid kite W800 SABfoil and 1m plus wind chop

Crank it upwind and ride the waves all the way back and repeat Tiny kites are so much fun on a foil

I think about that same question often Darren - why do more people not kite foil. Especially in a location where conditions are conducive. And the group we kite with often discuss this. I think the answer is in the accessibility. 5 years into my foiling journey, I love every minute on the water. But it was not an easy journey. A season of swimming in from dropped kites and gybes gone wrong. It is a bloody challenging sport to learn, skill wise. Not to mention the expensive gear. During my time foiling I have seen at least a dozen middle age blokes attempt the transition from TT to foil racing, and all have given up frustrated at how hard it is to learn.

It is a shame though, because when you get it, wow it is worth the effort.