Kitesurfing: Why You Should Start Using Hydrofoil Boards
Hydrofoil is becoming more popular nowadays among kite surfers especially with here in Dubai due to the light wind conditions.
It started about a decade ago and was initially used for fast sailboats and waterskiing. Some even used it solely for kitesurfing racing but was not quite popular back then.
In 2014, the kite community thought that Hydrofoil boards have great potential. Since then, it slowly gained more fans in the succeeding years.
So what are the things that get everyone excited to shift to Hydrofoil boards?
Let’s take a look…
WHAT IS HYDROFOIL BOARD?
A hydrofoil board is a surfboard that can come in different shapes and sizes that has a hydrofoil that extends underneath the board into the water. The design allows the board to fly above the water while relying on the lift generated by the foil.
Hydrofoil reduces friction and as a result, it can attain high speeds. Compared to conventional designs, it can easily lift at lower speeds which helps the rider move on the surface of the water even faster.
HISTORY OF FOIL BOARDING
Laird Hamilton discovered the foilboard’s ability to catch the swell while was pulled by a jetski in one of his famous videos a few years ago.
The design of Hydrofoil boards has evolved in a short period of time. Thanks to technology and marketing research in different industries like boats, aviation, and boardsport fins. Because of this, learning to foil is quite easier and it continued to improve each year. Hence, it became more user-friendly for beginners.
In the beginning, foils were initially made from parts of wood and was like a home made foil. This made foiling feasible but next to impossible for novice kitesurfers. The kite hydrofoils were made solely for racing and they were manufactured by batches, usually by custom order.
The Hydrofoils were designed for professional racers so basically they are a bit difficult to control if you are an inexperienced rider.
Also, the price is extremely expensive and not ideal for mass production. But in the coming years, hydrofoils continued to gain popularity in the kiteboarding community.
More companies started making different foil designs that are more user-friendly. The first major company to come up with a more affordable hydrofoil system is Liquid Force. They named their invention the Foil Fish. This one is easier to maneuver and the price is half the price of its competitors. This changed the industry as hydrofoils are no longer used for racing only but is now accessible to ordinary riders who want to experience hydro foiling.
The fibreglass foil and the added weight of the aluminium made the gear more durable, which is an advantage. The system is a good investment for those who are serious about kitesurfing (and it’s more fun to use too!).
In recent years, the kitesurfing industry standardized the board and foils for compatibility. This made the gear more adaptable and the designs were modified and tweaked to adapt to different styles of riding. They were able to do this without increasing the price in the market.
WHY KITESURFING WITH HYDROFOIL BOARDS?
Kite surfing is really fun and exciting. You can do all kinds of tricks on the water. You can do high jumps, go fast, surf on waves, or go cruising effortlessly at a vast distance across the Dubai beaches.
So what makes kitesurfing even more exciting when you use hydrofoil?
Kitesurfing with a hydrofoil board has a lot of advantages and delivers a unique experience to the rider.
Here are some interesting facts…
- Hydrofoil board has better upwind ability compared to the race board.
- Less noise. What’s interesting here is that you will experience riding in silence. Yes, using a hydrofoil board reduces the noise and you won’t realize the noise that a kiteboard makes until you experience using a hydrofoil.
- You’ll be able to surf better than a directional. In fact, you’ll be able to surf a non-breaking ocean swell easily.
- You’ll be able to fly smaller kites which is more fun to maneuver.
- Light wind performance is unbelievable. Hydrofoil board will allow you to cruise in very flat water which is really hard to do when you’re using an ordinary board. No need to buy a bigger kite, you can easily ride comfortably using a medium size kite with less than 10 knots.
LIGHT WIND
The hydrofoil delivers unbelievable light wind performance. You can easily move with a 13m2 kite. You can ride as soon as the wind blows just enough to hold the kite stable. Compared to a twin tip, a hydrofoil can easily deliver an amazing ride even in lighter winds. Riders who love to explore the shorelines will definitely like hydrofoil as it is better for them to kitesurf in the lighter wind.
In case you are a complete beginner and looking to have kite surfing lessons in Dubai you can reach out to our kite school in Dubai and our team will assist you with all the required information to get you on board!
UPWIND
Hydrofoils are much more efficient compared to any other kiteboard(even better than a race board). This results in an amazing upwind performance. You’ll be surprised how you can easily go upwind with less effort. With that said, you can now easily decide where you’d like to kite, regardless of the location where you want to launch. You’ll no longer have to worry about the wind directions. Amazing, isn’t it?
SMOOTH RIDE
The hydrofoil boards could easily cut through the water. You no longer need to look for offshore wind just to have a smooth ride. What’s more amazing is that hydrofoils can fly over big chop with ease and the rider will still have a smoother ride compared to a twin-tip. It’s like flying above the water.
AMAZINGLY SILENT
The first time you use hydrofoils, you’ll be surprised. It’s so silent that you can actually hear the whitecaps breaking nearby. You’ll realize how noisy the other kiteboards are when you ride a hydrofoil. What makes this board unique is that it leaves no wake behind you. You’ll sometimes won’t even trace where you came from.
WHAT’S IN IT FOR THE RIDER?
Riding a hydrofoil is an amazing experience you don’t want to miss. Sure, it’s not that easy to learn compared to your regular boards. But as soon as you get the hang of it, it’s quite addictive that you no longer want to try any other boards.
Do you want to try it?
No need to go further. KITE N SURF Dubai offers Kitesurfing Hydrofoil Lessons. Experience the feeling of flying and gliding over the water. If you’ve already mastered the twintip or the surfboard and you’re looking for a new challenge, this is something you don’t want to miss. Our certified instructors will guide you until you can ride with confidence. In case you already know how to foil and looking to rent a hydrofoil board for kite surfing in Dubai you can reach out to our team on +971558006363 or by email to aloha@kitensurf.ae
