Hi everyone, this is my first post in this forum after a loooong time reading every post on hydrofoil advice, gear,tips...
So I want now to give sth back based on my own experience learning to foil:
- Rider: 30 y/o; 105kg. riding TT since 2014
- Conditions: 12/13 knots on the first few sessions. now rinding mostly on 10 to 16 knots. If blowing much more, I still go out on the TT.
- Gear: after a lot of research, I got a Shinnster + Zeeko W&G with Carver wing.
The large area/low volume board seemed to make sense to make it easier to learn strapless (more on that later).
Zeeko Alu was very well regarded everywere I read, and seems carbon is unnecessary. I am happy with both choices!
Helmet (I never used before on the TT....but looking at the weigh and pointy/sharp edges of the foil...it felt necessary)
Either flying a north mono 12 (only the first few sessions) or NEO 10m (the 12 makes me feel overpowered very quickly, at just 13/14 knots)
- Mast Length: I found it so worth it to start with shorter masts (30cm).
Actually, I got a 96cm mast, and struggled my first times out....lots of walking in my spot to reach good depth, and hard to start with when not familiar to feeling of the foil. Decided to cut my mast in 2 (30 and 66cm pieces). starting at 30cm was effortless, very easy to get the feeling of the foil engaging. And when falling from 30cm, you just keep going. A couple of 1hr sessions later, I stepped up to 66 cm mast with no problem, and after a few hours of dolphin stage, I am now riding confortable on both tacks stable on the foil. Going to get a new 96 cm mast, but keeping the 66cm as I guess I will keep using it on low tide/shallow spots.
- Straps: I started with the idea of learning strapless to avoid ankle injuries. But when water starting (still on the 96 cm mast) I found it unnecesarily hard (even on the low volume board)...so continued with a single front strap, very loose, which made all it much easier. probably, it may not have been necessary on the 30 cm mast set up, but I kept it anyway... I can always release the board when falling. never been close to an injury so far.
So as I said, I am now riding confortable on both tacks. No toeside or jibing yet, but planing to start practicing some carves to toeside and touch down jibes soon. I have to say that thanks to the short masts maybe, I found the process easier than I thought/read about. No too many or too hard crashes, and in a few hours, everything just clicks in and it is so much fun to ride confortably with just 9/10 knots wind. (unprecedented for my 105kg!!). Upwind angles are amazing, and contraty to what I read, going back downwind did not turn out to be so hard/scary even at the begginning. (maybe the NEO's great drift helped here?)
Hope this is helpfull fore someone still deciding how to give HF a try, just go for it!
Tips for progression always welcome!
Z