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First time in a shallow estuary today.

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plummet
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First time in a shallow estuary today.

Postby plummet » Wed Jan 02, 2019 9:58 am

Twas amusing. It was mostly waist high with some shallower sections around knee high and a skinny deep channel.

I'm used to riding deep in the ocean to avoid venting a wing in the chop and swell this opposite. I had to ride high to avoid touch down.

Turns out I can shallow water start foil side on straight into foiling.

I got the handle of the jandle after a few runs then it was all on. It's quite freaky zooming fast over the shallows.

Mossy 757
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Re: First time in a shallow estuary today.

Postby Mossy 757 » Wed Jan 02, 2019 12:05 pm

I went out in a somewhat shallow spot yesterday, just zoomed back and forth between the buoys in the channel...good reason to practice lots of tacks. We have duck blinds here, so I got a little concerned getting too close...not that you could miss a big orange foil kite

plummet
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Re: First time in a shallow estuary today.

Postby plummet » Wed Jan 02, 2019 7:30 pm

Luckily for me there was 2 channels where I could foot switch and then ride the shallow in between.

However it is tourist location at the busiest time of year for powered water sports. There was at least 30+ jet skis and wake boarding buscuit towing boats ripping around the same spot. I was the only kite. That made it very interesting and often times no room for error.

OzBungy
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Re: First time in a shallow estuary today.

Postby OzBungy » Sun Jan 06, 2019 2:55 am

I often ride my foil through the wave zone, over sand bars and turn in the gutters on the inside. On more than one occasion I can feel the foil bouncing off the sand. It's a bit scary but works out well.

I do the same thing at the end of a session. It's a bit freaky to flick off and find myself in knee high water.

barz
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Re: First time in a shallow estuary today.

Postby barz » Wed Jan 09, 2019 11:18 am

@plummet : could you please describe a bit more this shallow water waterstart? I am in the same situation here and can't seem to get it right. Many thanks in advance.

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Re: First time in a shallow estuary today.

Postby plummet » Wed Jan 09, 2019 7:10 pm

I had the mast floating on the water surface for the launch. Threw a very powered loop or dive and focused on getting up one foil in that one dive or loop so by the time you are foiling the foil has never reached vertical. You need to be reasonably powered. You have to commit to the move with speed and power otherwise you will smash the wings which i did a few times!.

Practice in the deep first.

barz
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Re: First time in a shallow estuary today.

Postby barz » Fri Jan 11, 2019 1:01 am

I see. Do you try to go upwind as soon as possible or do you aim for a broad reach?
Thank you for your help!

plummet
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Re: First time in a shallow estuary today.

Postby plummet » Fri Jan 11, 2019 3:02 am

Once on the foil it doesn't matter. But probably water start crosswind.
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barz
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Re: First time in a shallow estuary today.

Postby barz » Wed Jan 16, 2019 1:24 am

I got to try this last Saturday. Being powered helps a lot. Thanks plummet.


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