Lake Como, where to go

[happywizz]

Hi all,

What is the best foiling spot at lake Como?
Cheers, Fr

[Foil]

Just returned after 2 weeks of foiling on lake Como.
I have been a regular at Como for 18 years, even traveling there on a motorbike from the Uk with a Ttip, 14mtr kite, and all the gear, including my wife, and enough gear for a 2 week holiday.
There are many places to launch, but only a few that are suitable if you are taking along a partner who will want to be comfortable all day.

And with a foil the beach conditions for me need to be foil friendly for setting off and landing.
Being a big lake with winds that can disappear with little warning, then being on the leeward end of the lake is important.
This basically leaves me two spots to launch from, both on the lee shore, both at the most northerly end of this magnificent Huge lake.

My first choice is Collico, fenced off designated foil beach, no charge apart from the car park 6.5 euro/day.great facilities with 2 bars 2 restaurants of great quality, kite store on site,ice cream parlor,massive grassy banks for the sunbathers, and windsurfing guys.
the spot can get crowded when its windy enough for the Ttips, which it was every day. but there is enough room for everyone, and launching a foil is very easy as is landing back to shore.
I only needed one size of kite all holiday, my 9mtr, and the lake is so huge my race wings were used every day, but when the winds were very light I used the same kite but my large wave wings, this was a great combination as the wind came in every day at around 1pm, it stayed light for about an hour or so, and I basically had the lake to myself and a few other foilers, then the wind always increased to around 20 knots or more for the rest of the day.
there are sunbeds for hire if you want them, but the ground is short grass so I used a board bag to lie on in the morning whilst I waited for the wind, pauline has her own beach chair and cool box full of iced drinks for hydration and cold beers for apres sailing.

The other good spot is again a kite designated beach, with the same type of large car park, one cafe with nice bar, an outdoor swimming pool, speed boats for hire, you can try tandem paragliding in the morning, they take you up the hills and then jump off and land back on the same bit of grass you set up on, great to watch in the morning, this beach is good but has a couple of things that were not great for me, although the grassy land to set up was big enough and great to lie around on under the shade of the trees, you had to then carry your kit over the cycle track and down to the beach only around 12 stone steps down from the path/cycle path.
and launch from a less than perfect launching area which had been created by the water level which had dropped over the hot summer, I have been to this location before when the water at the launch spot was 2 or 3 foot deep at the little beach area below the cycle path, but the rules are you are not allowed to launch or land your kite from the grassy area, so someone has to assist your launch and land, or you learn how to drift launch, but this is only when the water level is normal.
for these reasons and the fact the viewing area from the beach is obstructed a bit by the massive kite /windsurfer hire centre, then Colico was my prefered choice, but both spots gave easy access to the massive sailing area, and both are on the lee shore, separated by about a good mile or 2 km.

[happywizz]

Thanks a lot for the detailed information!

[faklord]

Just returned after 2 weeks of foiling on lake Como.
I have been a regular at Como for 18 years, even traveling there on a motorbike from the Uk with a Ttip, 14mtr kite, and all the gear, including my wife, and enough gear for a 2 week holiday.
There are many places to launch, but only a few that are suitable if you are taking along a partner who will want to be comfortable all day.

And with a foil the beach conditions for me need to be foil friendly for setting off and landing.
Being a big lake with winds that can disappear with little warning, then being on the leeward end of the lake is important.
This basically leaves me two spots to launch from, both on the lee shore, both at the most northerly end of this magnificent Huge lake.

My first choice is Collico, fenced off designated foil beach, no charge apart from the car park 6.5 euro/day.great facilities with 2 bars 2 restaurants of great quality, kite store on site,ice cream parlor,massive grassy banks for the sunbathers, and windsurfing guys.
the spot can get crowded when its windy enough for the Ttips, which it was every day. but there is enough room for everyone, and launching a foil is very easy as is landing back to shore.
I only needed one size of kite all holiday, my 9mtr, and the lake is so huge my race wings were used every day, but when the winds were very light I used the same kite but my large wave wings, this was a great combination as the wind came in every day at around 1pm, it stayed light for about an hour or so, and I basically had the lake to myself and a few other foilers, then the wind always increased to around 20 knots or more for the rest of the day.
there are sunbeds for hire if you want them, but the ground is short grass so I used a board bag to lie on in the morning whilst I waited for the wind, pauline has her own beach chair and cool box full of iced drinks for hydration and cold beers for apres sailing.

The other good spot is again a kite designated beach, with the same type of large car park, one cafe with nice bar, an outdoor swimming pool, speed boats for hire, you can try tandem paragliding in the morning, they take you up the hills and then jump off and land back on the same bit of grass you set up on, great to watch in the morning, this beach is good but has a couple of things that were not great for me, although the grassy land to set up was big enough and great to lie around on under the shade of the trees, you had to then carry your kit over the cycle track and down to the beach only around 12 stone steps down from the path/cycle path.
and launch from a less than perfect launching area which had been created by the water level which had dropped over the hot summer, I have been to this location before when the water at the launch spot was 2 or 3 foot deep at the little beach area below the cycle path, but the rules are you are not allowed to launch or land your kite from the grassy area, so someone has to assist your launch and land, or you learn how to drift launch, but this is only when the water level is normal.
for these reasons and the fact the viewing area from the beach is obstructed a bit by the massive kite /windsurfer hire centre, then Colico was my prefered choice, but both spots gave easy access to the massive sailing area, and both are on the lee shore, separated by about a good mile or 2 km.

That’s a great detailed write up.
Is there any particular time of year you would recommend (for foiling).
Thanks

[Foil]

I have been both ends of the summer, and all months in between.
The wind seems most reliable when its hot during the day and cool at nights, but as foils don't require much wind you can choose any summer month,
however late summer, July and August and even September are my preferred times as the water has heated up nicely.
This year the water was so warm I drove off to decathlon around 40 km away to buy a thin summer shorty, it was too hot for my long leg short arm 3mm summer suit.
in early may the water can be cold, as the mountain melt water rushes in from the melting mountain snow and ice, certainly warm enough for a summer wet suit, but not a shorty.
we have already booked for next year, first two weeks in September, as it was too hot in late august this year, mind you I loved it but for Pauline left on the lakeside it was melting hot on many days.

[faklord]

I have been both ends of the summer, and all months in between.
The wind seems most reliable when its hot during the day and cool at nights, but as foils don't require much wind you can choose any summer month,
however late summer, July and August and even September are my preferred times as the water has heated up nicely.
This year the water was so warm I drove off to decathlon around 40 km away to buy a thin summer shorty, it was too hot for my long leg short arm 3mm summer suit.
in early may the water can be cold, as the mountain melt water rushes in from the melting mountain snow and ice, certainly warm enough for a summer wet suit, but not a shorty.
we have already booked for next year, first two weeks in September, as it was too hot in late august this year, mind you I loved it but for Pauline left on the lakeside it was melting hot on many days.

Thanks for that.
I’ll come and have a chat next time I see you at Newbrighton - I’m an occasional visitor but I’m sure I have spoken to you when chatting to Wayne...not sure yet but might visit this Sunday.
It sounds like como could be a good location for a hol with the wife, who generally isn’t too keen on most kitesurfing locations but loves a bit of sun and culture....

[faklord]

Foil. Sent you a PM

[Foil]

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