board rescue while foiling

[lieutenantglorp]

The other day I tried to pick up a twintip to bring it downwind to the newb who lost it. I was unable to waterstart with one hand like I can with other boards. I couldn't figure out a good way except to body drag with the twintip stacked on top of the foilboard. Anybody have success with this? I guess savings somebody's kite is out of the question.

[Peter_Frank]

So it was a beginner who could not bodydrag yet ?

And a LONG way apart from the board ?

Tricky indeed...

You could surf his/her board downwind, and then bodydrag to your board yourself.

I would do that - especially because you are skilled at upwind bodydragging, AND, because a hydrofoilboard travels extremely fast downwind - faster than any other board thats for sure, so you could also just wait for the board.

The foil makes a pumping motion just like a dolphin, so when the water is not completely flat (and it can not be if a TT is out), even the smallest non breaking waves drives the board downwind fast.

I have often experienced in marginal wind, to drop my kite in the water during a trick attempt or falling, and get away from my board.

Then I drag myself ashore by means of the kite, so I can relaunch the kite when it hits the shore.
But often, the board has travelled so fast, that it almost comes ashore first (not quite, but close)

We also know it when positioning the board for a strapless start, where it points dead downwind while you position yourself and the kite, and then if we dont have a firm grip on the board tail, it will "ride" several meters away from you, so you have to bodydrag with the kite, to catch up or it will ride away from you

Havent tried picking up boards when on a foilboard, so can not comment if a smarter way...
But it is the safest way IMO, to ride the lost board downwind, and then wait and/or bodydrag to your hydrofoil

Saving somebodys kite ?
THAT I would never do if windy, on any board - have seen too many "close calls" where it almost ended deadly because of linetangles and kites suddenly powering up, so they got caught in the lines
In light wind though, it is a different situation and not risky the same way

PF

[lodwik]

Have picked up twin tips & returned them to the newbie .
This only works for me if they have a handle in the centre of the twin tip & the wind is under 20mph .
once foiling fly the kite one handed , to get downwind through the board away from you & the foil .
First time I tried it took me a few time to get foiling .....
to start, I need both hands on the bar , so would never try this with a surfboard ,as I am not good enough ...

[Randahl]

Once I got a bad tangle in my kite and got separated from my foil by quite a distance. A fellow foiler went and retrieved my foilboard and carried it back to the beach while foiling on his board. That's some skill! Peter, your descriptions of how a foilboard adrift can move so fast ring true, I have more than once been busy fiddling with my kite thinking my board was right there only to turn and see it had moved downwind 20 yards in a matter of a few moments.

[Peter_Frank]

Once I got a bad tangle in my kite and got separated from my foil by quite a distance. A fellow foiler went and retrieved my foilboard and carried it back to the beach while foiling on his board. That's some skill! Peter, your descriptions of how a foilboard adrift can move so fast ring true, I have more than once been busy fiddling with my kite thinking my board was right there only to turn and see it had moved downwind 20 yards in a matter of a few moments.

DAMN !

That is some skill (at least for us still learning) - carrying a foil board while foiling yourself

I can jibe now, and ride toeside, and occasionally do 360's - but carrying another foilboard is still way out of where I would feel confident and safe, today

PF

[revhed]

how we do it
Fly close to the board in question, better if it is a foil board, next directional last TT
park your kite at zenith, push your foil board as hard down wind as you can
do the same with the other board and by caculating how far you can push boards and body drag between down and cross wind you can get pretty good.
We often do this when a learner puts the kite down and can not relaunch and swims to beach without foil board.
Bravo for the guy who can "foilfly with any board in hand!!
I think I could maybe do a foil waterstart with a TT with a center handle at my bar, but I bet I will never even try.
R H

[Randahl]

The good Samaritan foiler I mentioned happens to be a top-ten racer, so it figures.

[cglazier]

I was out foilboarding with a friend whose kite went down in light wind and he could not relaunch (those Chronos fill up with water pretty quickly). His foil board drifted far away from him. I was on a foilboard and I am not skilled enough to ride with his board in my hand.. How could I help? Hmm.. what would you do.

Solution: Ride to his drifting board, abandon my own, grab his board and ride it back to him so he could swim in with it, and then body drag back to my own board. Then after getting back on my own board I was also able to drag him in by body dragging while he held on.. it was faster than swimming for him.

Sounds simple, but it was not obvious.

CG

[johnm]

The other day I tried to pick up a twintip to bring it downwind to the newb who lost it

I've never tried a hydrofoil (would love to mind ) but picking up a twin tip you can lay it across the top of your depower line then reach over it to the bar like here:



rescuing another hydrofoil though - hmmm - maybe use the Langaree technique?

http://bcove.me/x9p5wspd

[Johhnn]

@johnm: But if you CRASH with the board like that? Ouch. Seems way too sketchy to me. Chance of crashing maybe low, but still...