Strapped or strapless ?

[lieutenantglorp]

Can anybody recommend the proper placement?

One hook in front, hook pointing backwards?

Two hooks, both pointing in?

Or two, both pointing towards the rear?

Two strap: Two hooks pointing in
Three strap: Front 2 hooks pointing in from rail, back hook pointing in

Due to the anatomy of the human foot, the outside of the foot fits best under the hook.

[windmaker]

For easy waterstarts strapless this is what I use. I call it the mushroom... Works like a flip flop and is placed just in front of where the front foot is normally placed. Getting my toes around it helps to hold the board on the rail and make waterstarts easy even in waves., once I get going I just move my front foot back a little and ride strapless. No need for hooks.

[jplmain]

Wow! I like like that Windmaker. Me like to go fast but chicken because of straps but, can,t water start with out them. Will try soon thanks.

[Peter_Frank]

Really great idea Windmaker

A few times it could be nice if you start in shallow water heading out, to hold the board on its side so you can get up foiling without touching the bottom.
When you start strapless you have to point the board a bit downwind and put weight on the tail, which is very risky regarding hitting the bottom

You could just bodydrag further out of course, but if not needed ?

PF

[Johhnn]

@glorp: Thanks. It's what I thought.

@Windmaker: Thanks. I thought of that, but I wasn't sure I'd have the gripping power to hold the board in place. I guess I will try the hooks first, since they just came in the mail today. But I will definitely build up the "mushroom." I really like the minimalist approach.

[Arcsrule]

ANYONE have a link or source to buy the hooks?

[Johhnn]

I got them here: http://www.kiteboarding.com/products.asp?man=NSI

They shipped them first class and I had them in a couple of days. The screws they sent were too short. They need to be 1.5", not the 1" they sent me!

But, I'm going with the "mushroom" idea first. It gives more freedom on the deck to move my feet around.

Wind in the forecast today, so maybe I'll get out and be able to report back.

[Johhnn]

I got to try the "mushroom" today. It didn't work for me. I couldn't grip it well enough with my toes. The nice thing was I could just ignore it and try riding strapless. It went OK for me. I found the balance point where I could hold the board most easily (though still difficult) and then concentrate on getting the kite positioned properly. I had trouble getting up on the board and pointing it downwind flat. It kept wanting to be on it's side too much and I would just fall over it. Once I got up, I was able to make plenty of good long foiling runs with pretty good control of ride height and direction. Maybe a chance for more practice tomorrow. It worked well enough without straps that I will continue this way for now at least. I guess my newly purchased foot hooks will sit on the shelf for now.

[Peter_Frank]

I got to try the "mushroom" today. It didn't work for me. I couldn't grip it well enough with my toes. The nice thing was I could just ignore it and try riding strapless. It went OK for me. I found the balance point where I could hold the board most easily (though still difficult) and then concentrate on getting the kite positioned properly. I had trouble getting up on the board and pointing it downwind flat. It kept wanting to be on it's side too much and I would just fall over it. Once I got up, I was able to make plenty of good long foiling runs with pretty good control of ride height and direction. Maybe a chance for more practice tomorrow. It worked well enough without straps that I will continue this way for now at least. I guess my newly purchased foot hooks will sit on the shelf for now.

What size of kite ?

I have the opposite experience - that it will NOT keep itself on its side, when using big kites - as the downstroke powerburst takes so long, that the board/foil will drop to upright, where it is impossible to start strapless.
Too much on its side only seems to be a problem if powered so you get up quickly and with power (like if using smaller kites maybe less than 10m2, or if using a big size relative to the wind).
The good thing when on its side, is that you will learn extremely fast how to handle this - as you simply got too much power in the kite at the wrong moment, and this can be very easy compensated

If the board is pointed too much downwind, and flat, you WILL fall forward and over when trying to start.
So the difficulty is to keep the board on its side, and not too much downwind, when strapless.
Whereas strapped, you can do almost whatever you want

At least my experiences with a surfboard/hydrofoil.

PF

[windmaker]

I got to try the "mushroom" today. It didn't work for me. I couldn't grip it well enough with my toes. The nice thing was I could just ignore it and try riding strapless. It went OK for me. I found the balance point where I could hold the board most easily (though still difficult) and then concentrate on getting the kite positioned properly. I had trouble getting up on the board and pointing it downwind flat. It kept wanting to be on it's side too much and I would just fall over it. Once I got up, I was able to make plenty of good long foiling runs with pretty good control of ride height and direction. Maybe a chance for more practice tomorrow. It worked well enough without straps that I will continue this way for now at least. I guess my newly purchased foot hooks will sit on the shelf for now.

Well done, strapless is the way to go as you really get the feel of what the foil is doing and as you progress only gets better.

For sure the "mushroom" will not hold the board on it's side for ever especially if your board is very wide (mine is narrow 43cm) and/or your foil heavy (Taaroa Sword is light) but will give you a few extra seconds to set yourself up for waterstart.

As a strapless only rider, the mushroom for me, also acts as a marker on the board helping place my front foot properly from the start. In my case about 10cm behind it when riding.