Anyone tried windsurf foiling but did get on with it? I'm about to make big investment in the foiling kit and am aware it takes time on the water before becoming proficient so taster lesson not much good for me. I've only heard positive on forums but are there any one become proficient but didn't stick with it.

There will be, if not already, already many ex-kiters out there who went back to w'surfing.

Foiling's biggest advantage over ws is lightwind fun.
If you can handle the lightest wind days by windsurfing, you will fade out of foiling.
If you love the feel of power, you might favor ws.
If you never figure out how to foil, you might stop foiling.

I haven't heard of anyone giving up as yet. There are a few of the older foils that may give you a poor first time impression especially for heavier riders. They are easily identified by there resale price on here. If you are a reasonable sailor, with the right foil /board combo and the conditions are good you will be up and flying first go and more lkely than not be hooked.
Though some are still using it for a light wind option only, dont kid yourself. As you get better you will want to push it more and more in stronger winds.
You will crash and it will sometimes hurt a bit but didn't that happen when you learned to windsurf. 12 months in im still having the occasional stack and still come up laughing. Im still learning and its all part of the fun as you push the boundaries if your skill.
Enjoy

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Swindy said..
If you are a reasonable sailor, with the right foil /board combo and the conditions are good you will be up and flying first go and more lkely than not be hooked.

Exactly!!! Used my foil for the first time yesterday, and think I might be hooked now. First run, I turned a bit off the wind and applied a bit of back foot pressure and the foil slowly lifted...I was flying! Then I crashed LOL. Each run after, I managed slightly longer "flights".

I too didn't want to spend a lot of money and then not like foiling. I purchased a NP GlideWind 160 with the powerbox adapter and used it on a board I already had. I will use this combo a few more times and then probably start looking for a foil specfic board.

I'm 80 kilo, wind was 10 to 15 knots, board was 145 litres, sail was a 1990's 5.3m.

I was excited I thought this was a sex thread

Some reasons you may try foiling and then stop or give up:

1. You get foil gear that makes learning really hard. Some guys can foil an anything, but regular guys really benefit from recent improvements.
2. You hate crashing and learning new stuff.
3. You have severe balance problems (like inner ear issues).
4. You live somewhere where it is blowing like crazy every time you want to go windsurfing (if you do - where is that?).

I know real life examples of the first 2 issues, and know of someone with issue #3. #4 might apply if you live in Brazil or Egyt .

If none of the above applies, you'll probably love foiling. When you buy stuff, keep in mind that "mix & match" can create problems, since foils are often matched to boards from the same manufacturer.

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LeeD said..
If you can handle the lightest wind days by windsurfing, you will fade out of foiling.
If you love the feel of power, you might favor ws.

I disagree with the first statement, and the second statement is a definitive "might". My wife has no problems planing in 12 knots on slalom gear, and 10 knots on raceboards. She usually has tons of fun if she does either, but won't consider it unless we've had a couple of weeks without wind (which is rare), or other outstanding reasons (like getting private lessons from a former olympic raceboard coach, and upcoming races). But she loves foiling. She has had only about 30 sessions, but if anything, her enthusiasm is still increasing, not decreasing. And for plenty of guys here, 30 sessions is more than they sail in a year.

There's more to the second statement, since most foilers will learn on small sails and freeride foils. Learning you can have fun multi-hour sessions without ever needing to use the harness was a bit of an eye-opener for me. If you love power, that might get boring. But once you got the basics, you can go on to using faster foils and bigger sails. The PWA foilers who used 9.0s in 30 knots at the races in Spain certainly had plenty of power!

I sucked at WS, but was a quick learner. I wanted a light wind kit and decided on Foiling. I haven't looked back.

Some places to help your success:
1. Get the right foil!!! Get the biggest wing you can so you can fly early. Slingshot makes a great kit. I have the starboard kit and love it, but there wasn't much 2 years ago.
2. A dedicated foil board will help. Having the balance from the start makes a big difference rather than trying to modify an older board.
3. Windsurf your kit, when you feel the need for a flight, push the rear foot down.

Enjoy

Buncha bandwagon yahoos..,.
40 days in, Naish setup, it's ok, good for sub 15 winds, great if that's your wind.
Takes a bit of toll on the body with it's constant little adjustments.
Balance is paramount.