Help with my foil starts

[skideeppow]

I'm down in Turgs, Longs bay and I'm just getting killed on my foil. The water is super shallow and I'm trying to ride my ghost whispers, 105 cm mast with a Moses 590. I keep hitting bottom Before I can get on foil.

I'm trying to find deeper water but having no luck.

Any tips how to get this thing on foil quickly? Foot position? I know better foolery can ride on this shallow water.

I'm 220 and riding my the 4 6 Alien air.
7m drifter, it's blowing around 20 mph. I had the kite depowered.

Thanks for any tips.

[Kitetwin-1]

yes it can be frustrating there,a 60cm mast is essential. Talk to the guys at Kite Provo and they will direct you to a spot about 3 km north east of long bay where you can foil with along mast

[3InletsWindsports]

Seeing as you have to get going on board first.
Then you need shorter mast or deeper water.

[skideeppow]

yes it can be frustrating there,a 60cm mast is essential. Talk to the guys at Kite Provo and they will direct you to a spot about 3 km north east of long bay where you can foil with along mast

Thanks will check that out

[skideeppow]

Seeing as you have to get going on board first.
Then you need shorter mast or deeper water.

Sure but I see guys hop up on foil real quick.

[OzBungy]

Almost every start I do is up onto the foil. I have a lower speed, surf foil and a bigger kite for more power helps.

I weigh 175 and would probably use a 10m surf kite in the conditions you describe.

For my foil I place the back foot in front of the foil so that it comes up and doesn't stall or buck on the rise. With plenty of power in the kite I can come up onto a banked foil most of the time.

I've also got 350 hours of foiling experience so that helps. Even with the right gear and plenty of experience, it's never certain that a start straight onto the foil will work.

I have recently been using a 70cm mast and getting stuck in the sand almost never happens now. Even better, I can ride into the inshore surf zone and play with the waves. Soooo much fun. It does take a little technique adjustment to avoid the wings popping out at speed or on hard turns.

[cwood]

Feel your pain. I'm about 190 lb and ride a Vorace mast and 558 wing. What I do in water not deep enough for a conventional start.....

Feet in both straps with mast about 30 degrees to the water surface. Nose of board pointed almost to beam reach. Arc the kite to 12 and then throw a fairly snappy kiteloop. (if you are with left hand to the front, send the kite clockwise and end it travelling your intended direction. The yank can put you onto the wing instantly and the pull toward downwind will take your mast vertical at the same time. The key is to immediately focus on keeping the wing under the water and handling the instant speed. To me it feels like the motion of a underarm baseball pitch of the kite.

[edt]

some places suck for foiling. find a new spot. Even when you are experienced it is no damn fun foiling in a place where you hit bottom. If you are lucky and hit bottom, you hope nothing breaks and you merely go cartwheeling head over heels. If you absolutely can not find a new spot body drag as far as it takes to get to deeper water.

[Kamikuza]

Not something I'd want to practice or learn in shallow water, but...what I do:

Assuming heading to the left.
Kite out to the right and low, board on its edge, feet in straps, square to the kite.
Send the kite back into the window, but up towards 12 then down into the power zone.
Sink your back foot to resist the kite and create line tension during the climb and use that to get over the board.
Dive the kite and there's your forward speed.

If you get it done fast and smoothly and keep the board angled, you should be able to get foiling in waist deep water.

But yeah, get a shorter mast is easier.

[ramin77]

Long bay is tough...especially by the kite beach on the north end. I would suggest going as far south as you can go...the water gets deeper the further south you go. There are a few public access beaches as you go south on long bay beach rd. Just past Windhaven Villas is a good one. I have foiled there quite frequently...its even possible at low tide on Moses Vorace with 101cm mast.