Some sports have stayed the same since their inception, and that’s cool in its own way – that there are old school remnants of the ways our ancestors used to pass time or get their kicks.
Kitesurfing is not one of those sports though. From its inception in the 1800s to the development of modern kitesurfing in 1995, kitesurfing has constantly been evolving and adapting to new technologies and techniques. This has played out in many different ways, from more secure and comfortable harnesses to more aerodynamic kites.
Through pushing kitesurfing to its limits, foiling was found. Even though foil boards are not yet available through Salty Lemon, this is something we’re looking into. In the meantime, here is everything you need to know about foiling!
What is a Foil Board?
A typical board has a flat bottom, allowing you to skim across the surface of the water. The problem is that, for there to be enough wind to pull your kite, there’d also be waves. That’s not always a bad thing, but choppy water can be hard to navigate.
So, after looking closely at the dynamics of the board, the foil board was born. The major difference is that it has a wing underneath that is specifically designed to lift the board at a certain speed – if it sounds like a magic carpet ride, it’s because it basically is! This gives you some good clearance to rise over choppy water.
Another reason to pick out a foil board is that it reduces friction, meaning you don’t need the winds to be as strong to enjoy your session. This means you can foil in conditions that you wouldn’t have been able to with a traditional kitesurfing setup – including almost being able to ride upwind!
Kite Foiling and Wing Foiling
There are two different ways to make use of foils.
Firstly, kite foiling is the most similar to traditional kitesurfing, with the only difference being that it uses a foil board. This may be the most accessible to you since you’d likely already have a kite to try out a foil board.
Secondly, wing foiling is the most advanced evolution foiling. It uses a foil board and replaces the kite with a wing – a much smaller piece of equipment that the rider holds with their hands, as opposed to harnessing up to. The real advantage that a wing has over kites is how compact it is. A kites’ lines need to be over twenty meters long to get to the right height to generate the power to pull the rider. By leveraging the lower drag of the foil board, a kite generates the right amount of power while staying in the rider’s hands, opening the doors to all new kinds of possibilities.
What Wing Foiling Unlocks
Kitesurfing is done on large bodies of water, mostly oceans, simply because they need that much space to get the kite up and move around. Wings are different, since they don’t need as much space it means riders can get out on smaller bodies of water, like lakes. This makes it immensely more accessible, particularly to land-locked countries or people who live far away from the coast.
Harnesses are important for kitesurfing, to keep you connected to your kite. The downside is how limiting the harness is to the rider’s movement. For a sport that thrives on expressing yourself on the water and gliding through the air, that isn’t ideal. Wings have brought a huge boost to rider creativity. There is still a safety line that attaches the wing to the rider’s hand, but harnesses aren’t necessary for wing foiling. This, paired with the sport’s relative newness, means new jumps and tricks are being invented each weekend!
Should I Get Involved?
Foiling is the leading edge of watersports at the moment – so much research is getting put into the aerodynamics of the kites and wings, as well as the foil boards themselves. So, there may be some pioneers reading this that are itching to be a part of this formative period of the next big thing – then more power to you, get out there and foil it up! To everyone else, there are still drastic changes happening to the equipment that may make it worthwhile waiting it out for the time being. To buy any gear now, when it may look very different in a year, would be frustrating!
This is the value of renting with Salty Lemon. As the equipment and gear evolve, you don’t need to worry about buying new stuff – your subscription with us will always keep you up to date! We’re eagerly watching foil technology develop and we encourage you to keep an eye out for when they get added to our packages!
