A TT sounds like a steady hiss, a directional sounds like a series of overlapping "flop" sounds. Something about the hard exterior covering a less dense foamy core, and the fact that the directionals float on top of the chop and slap the water instead of cutting through it, gives that hollow sound that drives me nuts.ChristoffM wrote:Wow, this became quite a lively topic. I think it is good that everyone has their own preferences. It means there are people developing each aspect of the sport. I'd hate for kiting to have only one type of riding towards which to aspire to.
What? Is there really a noticeable difference between a surfboard and twintip? You guys must experience riding a hydrofoil downwind some time. Imagine almost silence. No wind noise since you travel downwind almost as fast as the wind. No water splash noise. Only the softest of water spray that sounds like a small water stream in the mountains. In fact it is the only way I have ever experienced where one can actually hear the white water chop break! Not from the shore (since the water hits the shore loudly), not in a boat (since the water hitting the boat is also too noisy) or jumping while kiting on a normal board (since that is stil too noisy due to wind noise) have I heard the sound of wind driven chop breaking in the out in the water. But riding downwind on a hydrofoil makes the difference in sounds between a surfboard and twintip sound ridiculous. But now that you mentioned it I am curious to be more attentive to it next time on the surfboard.-I can understand the speed over chop, but the noise factor would drive me f-kin nuts.
And a hydrofoil board makes me think about kiting on a directional while wearing clown stilts, and making the tacks even harder yet. I saw an experienced rider cruizing around on one of those, and it looked like the most unnatural, awkward thing imaginable. I'd rather ride a cardboard box or a yard sale sign.