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Old 02-19-2009, 08:34 AM
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ricki ricki is offline
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Default Video: Foil Lofting

Just came across this. It is of a guy with an unidentified kite, likely a foil from the controls, flying in a field. The lofting is interesting but likely painful from the kiters perspective. It looks like he was yanked right off the ground, without assisting by jumping as is more frequently the case. I believe he broke his leg. It has been years since I've flown handles but I recall it is pretty easy to put on the brakes. That is if you think of it. From his position, he must have been pretty well powered up, overpowered ultimately.

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Old 02-19-2009, 08:40 AM
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This guy is likely not on a foil but an LEI.

Decided to make this a double feature, just came across a clip of a kiteboarder dune jumping in Brazil. Looks like fun but then when things go wrong, painful. At least he didn't break his neck which is pretty amazing. Other folks haven't been as lucky.

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Last edited by ricki; 01-26-2010 at 10:47 AM.
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Old 01-23-2010, 02:31 PM
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You have got to be kidding me. This guy earns a Darwin Award.
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Old 01-23-2010, 04:10 PM
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While your assumption of it being a foil is most likely correct in the first video (obviously a two line kite), the title of the thread referencing this is a foil kite incident is without foundation. These are dumb asses making foolish mistakes but I don't think the thread title is fair based upon what is shown. The second butt head could be on any kite, and have the same results. Glad they were not hurt badly.
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Old 01-26-2010, 10:54 AM
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Sorry! Didn't mean to imply the second was on a foil. Just put a bold insert in to make it clearer.

I think you might be missing the point of the original post however. How many foil loftings do you know about? There is that amazing uplift lofting Malek had in the mountains in Morocco and a few others over the years. I think it is readily possible to be lofted on them as the clip obviously backs up. Still, don't you think it is curious that they seem to be somewhat rare on the water? Lower useage is a factor of course but to what degree?
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Old 02-04-2010, 07:24 AM
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No worries Rick. Yes I do find it curious that there are not more foils on the water. It's just my opinion but I think that there are three factors that play into the low numbers.

First is cost. The few models of foils that are super stable, with lots of depower, cost more than most LEI kites.

Second is that they are not marketed here in the US. When is the last time you saw a Flysurfer demo day at any beach in Florida? Or a school that teaches people how to ride on foil kites.

Third is that in the natural progression of this sport folks think it started on foils then progressed to LEI C kites, then to LEI bow kites, and the foils got left behind as an obsolete class.

To answer your question. It is absolutely possible to be lofted on a foil kite. I own both type of kites, and from my experience I think that if you put yourself in a situation that provides the conditions for a lofting, and the condition happens, you are going to be lofted weather you have a C kite, bow kite, or foil kite.

I think your point is that Riders need to be aware of their surroundings and understand that wind follows the contours of the solid objects it flows over. Walking up to the edge of a sand dune, treeline, Jetty, building, ridgeline with any power kite over your head is like playing with a loaded gun.

What riders think or have been told is total depower is not really total depower. You may walk up to that group of friends in front of the same sand dune, treeline, or building 100 times and have a talk, then on the 101st time, up you go.

Your 80% depower applied to the horizontal wind leaves you with 20% pulling you up, added to that lift factor is the fact that the depower designed into the kite has 0% effect at reducing the lift provided by the vertical wind caused by flow over the dune or object, and up you go.

There are things you can do to reduce your chances of lofting.

Don't stand on the beach with our kites overhead.

Avoid approaching the area upwind of bumps in the land, large or small.

In gusty conditions keep your kite out of the 12 o'clock position.

If you get caught out riding and the wind increases to the point you are over powered and you have to come in to land your kite, get off your board early (at least two line lengths before you hit the beach) as you are being pulled to the shoreline signal for a landing, keep your kite low at the edge of the window (not over head) and depowered into the hands of the person landing it.
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