Hand Kite Foiling

juandesooka

OTF status
Jan 12, 2009
346
294
63
I had a stoking session on my wing-thing, 20-25kt, 4m ozone wasp, maliko 200. Pretty nice windswells forming up, was the first time I attempted to ride them one-handed. Slingshot in with some speed, then drop the wing behind and surf/pump to keep up. I could get maybe 10-15 second rides at times (though no video, maybe they were only 5 seconds haha). Felt like this is what it's all about, finally coming together, though a long way to go still in both functionality and style.

Also gear issues to figure out. The Maliko gives tons of lift, makes water starts easy and can easily stay up in lulls. But the lift is pretty unmanageable when dropping into decent swells. Some full-on faceplant garage sale wipeouts. I need to use a smaller / higher aspect wing in this situation ... but my initial attempts have been frustrating, works for some of the time, then wind lulls and I end up slogging in. This is going to require some time investment and persistence, as flat water riding isn't the goal here.

I have cut out the outline for v3 of my plywood GL copy, this time I am going to add in some curve at the wingtips to see if it helps with the skatey feel.
 
Feb 10, 2019
18
8
3
the GL210 requires a bit more speed or pumping to get out of the water versus the M200 - but I found that once up and foiling it is easier to stay on foil, much better for pumping, and of course has a much higher top end speedwise.
 

steamroller

Michael Peterson status
Dec 23, 2007
2,118
766
113
48U - Green River, WY
how in THEEee HELL do you guys keepfrom outru ning tthe wing while riding a wave WITH the wind?...i mustve outrun the wing 10 times today had it fall out of the sky hit the water and almost run it over...just lucky i didnt put a. hole in it ...yet
 

juandesooka

OTF status
Jan 12, 2009
346
294
63
how in THEEee HELL do you guys keepfrom outru ning tthe wing while riding a wave WITH the wind?...i mustve outrun the wing 10 times today had it fall out of the sky hit the water and almost run it over...just lucky i didnt put a. hole in it ...yet
you may be ahead of me ... I have limited experience with the wing in surf. What do you mean by outrun the wing....you drop into a wave and now you are going faster than the wind? I think the goal is to hold the wing with 1 hand and have it trail behind you. But short of that goal, I've found it easier to hold it above my head with both hands, so I can give little spurts of wind energy as needed, and I can power up on a cutback, etc.

Dropping into bigger waves, in higher wind, the problem I've been experiencing is over-foiling -- too much speed on the drop, and it just explodes. High speed faceplants, like you, lucky not to trash the wing. Chasing waves is going to be hard on the gear I think. [and now i am starting into figuring out the dilemma of whether to aim for a foil that allows the easiest water start but poor wave performance, or difficult water starts but better on waves ... I think big high aspect will be the answer]
 
Mar 20, 2019
126
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Got my first flights today with the wing. Haha I've had the wing since last fall, but didn't use it once all winter. When the wind was good, the swell was good too. Finally got some wind without swell to learn on. I think I might get addicted to this soon! Fck, now I want it to be windy....
 
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juandesooka

OTF status
Jan 12, 2009
346
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Rad BMB. If you don't do other wind sports, you'll find it's a ticket to another world of stoke. I started kiting 8 years ago and those first few years, it blew my mind, was like starting surfing again, frothing out over conditions that in retrospect were really not that great. ;-) On the wing, I am just now starting to get comfortable, yesterday was 20kt on the 4m and just felt so easy and dialed in ... trying to get that perfect trim and maximize speed, or go 1-handed and pump in the swells.

Now just need some surf to start progressing there. [but also still not very smooth on the foot switches and gybes, can't do tacks ... but much like kite surfing, if your focus is riding the surf, you don't really need the fancy footwork, just toeside/heelside carves, the rest is just mechanics of getting back upwind to the peak of the point, so who cares if it it's ugly]
 

Kaser1

Tom Curren status
May 3, 2004
10,271
262
83
Maine
Things are really starting to open up, going out farther, speeds getting faster, coast runs getting better, finding bumps to luff longer, etc..
103840891_10163587303085005_6189080402086151277_o.jpg105044542_10163587303255005_4653091835059800048_o.jpg



Screenshot 2020-06-22 09.05.27.png




Almost hit 23mph yesterday on a little speed run at the end of my session. Best I was doing before was about 20

Screenshot 2020-06-22 09.12.00.png
 
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steamroller

Michael Peterson status
Dec 23, 2007
2,118
766
113
48U - Green River, WY
sh!t almost 23mph!...you faceplant at that speed its gonna hurt!...splat!...

i finally got airborne this weekend at belmont shore socal on the maliko200 wing and 6m wasp...im regular foot so i can kikass ona. port tack but going starbord i have to fly toeside all twisted up...tried to switch stance couple of times...nope...
 

juandesooka

OTF status
Jan 12, 2009
346
294
63
going starbord i have to fly toeside all twisted up...tried to switch stance couple of times...nope...
Half dozen sessions trying, you'll have it dialed. At least for doing long tacks and resting your muscles and joints. I've never bothered to learn to do turns wrong foot forward foiling ... rather just stay in dominant surf stance.
 
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Hdip

Michael Peterson status
Apr 23, 2005
3,331
788
113
Malibu, CA
What was that weird raft group doing at the end of the video? A bunch of people on a raft using a kite to pull them around?

You on all Ozone Wasps now? Got rid of the f-one?
 
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Kaser1

Tom Curren status
May 3, 2004
10,271
262
83
Maine
What was that weird raft group doing at the end of the video? A bunch of people on a raft using a kite to pull them around?

You on all Ozone Wasps now? Got rid of the f-one?
Floatilla with a group of drunken sailors. It's a thing here on Maui. They launch up the coast with beers, girls in bikinis, guys, and kite pulling them all down the coast.

Yea sold the F One and on all Ozone now. F One got soft pretty quick (less than a year). It's a great wing design, but they need to build better to last longer. The Ozone's beefier construction, alittle heavier but I'll take it.