Foilers vs Kiters proportion now

[deniska]

Low wind days, maybe one guy is NOT a hydrofoiler. He's fighting to get upwind
When the wind is better, there aren't many foils. At least 90% are twintips and surfboards.

Some low wind inland / lake areas, most of the kiters own a hydrofoil and use them on low wind days.
I have never been so excited to hydrofoiling, but it's still more fun than a big slow kite and door twintip. When the wind is more than 15 knots, I use switch to twintip.

that exactly.
I think most kiters treat hydrofoils as a low wind weapon and switch to surf/TT boards when winds hit 15kts.

[Windigo1]

Yep same here!

[pikovsg]

Where we are (Boston) a few foilers went past foiling only low wind and are riding and progressing in winds over 20 and waves. That created an atmosphere for a lot of other foilers to push it past 20 and also ride waves. We call it the “foil church”. An epic, almost religious experience.

[jumptheshark]

Again, I think its often conditions dependant.

At the beach in waves with wind anywhere over 17 knots...... Surfboard all day every day. But if its weird and semi offshore or flat/choppy or up and down with bits under 17/18 knots I'd way rather foil.

As people take their foiling to higher winds and tougher conditions, they get comfy enough there, its just more fun than other options.

Was at the beach a few weeks back when the best wind was early morning and most people showed up after 10, including me. The guys leaving had felt it drop and were feeling pretty stoked they got it. It was up and down between 15 and 20 the rest of the day but only really up for 15- 20 min at a time. Direction made for crazy sweep, so people could only have any fun during those windy bits. They were up and on it and off the water just as fast all day long. Foiling was absolutely the ticket. Uninterrupted sweetness all day in Big swell all the way up an 8 Km beach. A definite highlight reel session.

In wind over 15 knots, all the places I ride have ideal conditions for either tt or surfboard some of the time, ok conditions most of the time, and windy but terrible conditions some of the time.

Its added a lot of light wind sessions that I never used to get, but its also upped the quality of so many sessions I would have ridden on other boards. 12-20 is gold on a foil in even crap seas or wind quality. You can so easily just go to wherever its best, make the most of it and get back, no sweat.

[Don Lester]

Like others have stated.....the conditions at your spot will have a big effect on the numbers, but botton line is foiling is growing.
It kinda reminds me when kiteing first started. Kiteing vs.Windsurfing numbers in the beginning are now completely opposite.

[longwhitecloud]

not many foilers here

plenty of reasons not to bother
$2000 board and foil.
Pain in the ass/ impossible in shallow water
Pain in the ass to transport/ bolt together
Complete disconnection from waves

I also see it as a unique subgenre of kiting, its own thing ( above water glide)with its own unique advantages in certain locations under certain conditions. Going foiling in quality waves would be like wearing a stainless steel condom. Mind u these waves are rare in kiting!

[pikovsg]

TOTALLY DISAGREE on the disconnect from waves. Once you learn to foil, it’s ALL ABOUT WAVES! You don’t get the chop and the bump, but your wing absorbs the power of the waves and you certainly feel it. I’ve foiled waves as high as 11-14 feet on a kite and I’m completely addicted to it. If you have the right foil, you can even spray the lip. Going to try the surfboard again, but I doubt it will be better. There is nothing like foiling waves.

[jumptheshark]

Haha, plenty or reasons, plenty!

Like hearing a virgin talk about condoms!

Pain in the ass to transport?? Dude, Denial is more than just a river in Egypt!

You can get one cheap enough and get in on the fun, or you can be a "windsurfer"!

Take all the time you want to come around. It's not going to disappear.

[downunder]

I think lwc is from Southern Hemisphere. Or not.

You guys need to take this into account, we are different, we drive on the left hand side, our cyclones spin the opposite way and we are BIG in surfing. With a lot of top surfing spots. Go north and guess what? 12m tide...

Plus, we have $500 000 or more mortgages and everything is super expensive.

So yes, not a lot of disposable income I'm afraid. Why to bother?

[jumptheshark]

Realistically, cost is only an obstacle to the unmotivated or vain. There is enough of a used market that anyone keen with some patience and a piggy bank can get into it without a second mortgage. Cost me a grand three years ago. Be half of that now. Picked up a bigger wing last winter for under $300. Cheapest "new board" of my kiting career so far! Most free riders don't "need" carbon.

Transport and assembly are red herrings too.

We pump up kites so we can get out on the water. Doing up a couple bolts does not a session wreck!

People drive hours to kite, a couple min to rig is required no matter what gear your riding. I can't say there is any meaningful difference in time it takes me to rig for any type of kiting. The various stages of wetsuit season represent far more delay. Get a foil and you can save the time it takes to pump big kites! My 12m cloud takes about as much air as my 6-8 m three strut wave kites.