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Cut Liquid Force Mast to 1 ft and 2 ft for Foil Beginners

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seaquestrian
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Cut Liquid Force Mast to 1 ft and 2 ft for Foil Beginners

Postby seaquestrian » Fri Jul 03, 2015 7:34 pm

Greetings! This is my first post.

My wife, kids, and I all started kiteboarding in March of this year (2015) by taking lessons at Houston Kiteboarding. We had zero wakeboard, surfing, or kite experience. Today, I am now riding upwind, jumping, landing about 10%-15% of my jumps, and doing toe-side transitions on the twin tip.

Tomorrow is my birthday, 46, and I wanted to get a surfboard as a progression to my eventual goal of foiling. However, after much discussion with the experienced riders on the levee, most of whom thought this was a good idea to start with a surfboard, I took Phil Midler's advice and bought myself the Liquid Force Hydrofoil and Foil Fish last weekend from Houston Kiteboards. Phil convinced me that I probably didn't need to learn to ride the surfboard before foiling, although it was admittedly more of a hypothesis than an experienced opinion.

Here in Houston, since the Liquid Force aluminum masts came out, Phil has been cutting the full-length masts down to a 1 ft and 2 ft height for beginners, to help them gain some experience and confidence before graduating to the 3 ft mast that comes stock with the foil. The 1 ft mast also allows us to ride in the shallow water close to the shore of the main local riding area.

So, it took me about 20-30 minutes in my first foil session with the 1 ft mast before I could get up and ride for much distance, however, by the end of the first hour I was up and foiling for 100s of yards each way. I couldn't have been more psyched!

I had a repeat one-hour foil session, yesterday, in 10-15 mph after four hours of 15-20 mph wind in warm and smooth water on my twin tip, before I had completely worn myself out.

Anyway, thanks to Phil, Chris, Hana, and Rockney at Houston Kiteboarding for getting me from first-time kiteboarder to foiling in about 3 months! And thanks to my beautiful bride for driving down to learn to kiteboard with me.

Peace!

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Re: Cut Liquid Force Mast to 1 ft and 2 ft for Foil Beginner

Postby jespin4845 » Fri Jul 03, 2015 8:09 pm

Ive been foiling for about two months, completely addicted, riding every single day in south florida that im off...i jumped on my twin the other day and thought man this thing is inefficient...and im not too keen on jumping on a three foot mast

Anyone try to freestyle with a one foot mast?

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davesails7
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Re: Cut Liquid Force Mast to 1 ft and 2 ft for Foil Beginner

Postby davesails7 » Sat Jul 04, 2015 9:57 pm

Do you have any video of riding with a 1 foot mast? Trying to picture it in my head how that could work without ventilating all the time. Or do you just ride with it with the board in the water?

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seaquestrian
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Re: Cut Liquid Force Mast to 1 ft and 2 ft for Foil Beginner

Postby seaquestrian » Mon Jul 06, 2015 2:45 am

"Do you have any video of riding with a 1 foot mast? Trying to picture it in my head how that could work without ventilating all the time. Or do you just ride with it with the board in the water?"

I don't have any video, as I just bought the foil last week, but maybe someone else does. I will ask. I will try to upload a pic from today, my third day of foiling, so you can see my board with the 1 ft mast.

At first it ventilates (flies up out of the water?) and nose dives, just like I imagine it does on a full-length mast early in the learning curve, but without such catastrophic consequences for the beginner. Others and I have quickly learned to control this, and are able to ride with the board level and about 6 inches above the surface, although it does seem much higher, but only when I look down. What a cool feeling!!!!

All that I have really had to focus on to be successful is this advice from Chris Summers 1) bend the front leg, and 2) do not edge.

I am looking forward, now, to trying the new 18-inch mast next week before moving up to either the 24 inch or maybe even jumping up to the full--length mast, depending on how it goes.
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davesails7
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Re: Cut Liquid Force Mast to 1 ft and 2 ft for Foil Beginner

Postby davesails7 » Mon Jul 06, 2015 3:39 am

seaquestrian wrote: At first it ventilates (flies up out of the water?) and nose dives, just like I imagine it does on a full-length mast early in the learning curve, but without such catastrophic consequences
Cool. Makes sense. Can you ride upwind like this or just keeping it flat going downwind?

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seaquestrian
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Re: Cut Liquid Force Mast to 1 ft and 2 ft for Foil Beginner

Postby seaquestrian » Mon Jul 06, 2015 4:05 am

Upwind seems easier, for whatever reason, and downwind is more challenging, per some of the others that are ahead of me on the learning curve.

Like many things with foiling, it seems, ever day is opposite day.

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seaquestrian
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Re: Cut Liquid Force Mast to 1 ft and 2 ft for Foil Beginner

Postby seaquestrian » Sat Jul 11, 2015 3:47 pm

Yesterday was Day 4 on the foil, and I moved up to the 18" (half size) mast. The winds were between 10 and 14 and it was a perfect day for me to break out the foil. Because I was on a longer mast, I had to walk about 150M South from the main riding area of the Texas City levee to where the windsurfers put in, so I could get the depth I need.

Like the prior sessions, I was pretty bad for the first 10-20 minutes, but I eventually got it figured out. I ended up staying out for about two hours, which drained me physically. I believe the foil uses lateral muscles (love handles) for pitch control that I don't use much for anything else. However, the Houston Kiteboarding 18" mast, Liquid Force hydrofoil, and Foil Fish board was very kind to me. No cuts, bruises, or injuries...just a huge smile and much success.

The big break-through for the day was learning to keep my eyes forward, not looking at the kite, so that I can see the movement of the board relative to the water. This point was huge! If I am looking at the kite, and waiting to feel the board come out of the water, or hit the surface of the water, then I am late to correct it. When my eyes see it start to happen, then my brain can correct the pitch before the foil comes out of the water or the board hits the surface.

If any of the Liquid Force folks read this, then please supply a bigger and better hex wrench with the foil! The 5m hex drive in the bolt face is too big (loose) for the tiny hex drive (allegedly 5m) wrench that comes with the foil, so the bolts quickly strip when assembling and disassembling the foil. I have already stripped out two bolts and twisted the hex wrench into a pathetic spiral design. Phil Midler advises to swap out the LF bolts with high-quality stainless Phillips-head bolts, which is what he uses with the the short masts that he cuts and taps.

Today, I just picked up a full size t-handle 5m hex drive that seems to actually fit the bolts.

One or two more great days like yesterday, then I will surely be ready to move up to the 24" mast.

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seaquestrian
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Re: Cut Liquid Force Mast to 1 ft and 2 ft for Foil Beginner

Postby seaquestrian » Sun Jul 19, 2015 1:00 am

Here is a video showing me getting started with hydrofoiling on the 18" Liquid Force mast and gives more details on the concept.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzRG6n11t1w

That was filmed during the first 2-3 minutes of Day Five for me on the foil, and about Day 25-30 for any type of boarding, kiting, or foiling.

Four months ago I though foiling was how you keep the government from reading your mind by wrapping your head in aluminum.

If you want to buy a cut and tapped short mast for your Liquid Force foil you can order one here: http://www.americankiteboarding.com/pro ... Force_Mast

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Re: Cut Liquid Force Mast to 1 ft and 2 ft for Foil Beginner

Postby irwe » Sun Jul 19, 2015 12:09 pm

Video mentions short mast can only be made for the Liquid Force system. This is incorrect. A short mast can be made easily for any extruded aluminum mast system.
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Manta1.JPG
Manta1.JPG (82.39 KiB) Viewed 2369 times

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Kamikuza
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Re: Cut Liquid Force Mast to 1 ft and 2 ft for Foil Beginner

Postby Kamikuza » Sun Jul 19, 2015 4:55 pm

Interesting... This should make my beginner ghetto build even easier and cheaper!


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