Hydrofoil surfing

It would be fun at some crap waves around here. i can also see it becoming more of a problem than sups hogging waves.
Looks kind of fun though.

I want one.

$899 to buy a hydrofoil. pffft....
i'm off to the shed, i may not be back for a while.

So you think anyone/you can do what kai lennys doing ?

I wish...

No were near the water man..

I reckon you would need to start out on a sup or mal, downwinding on a sup looks like it would be good to get the hang of it and get the fitness to be doing what Kai is doing, fuck imagine how fit it would keep you between reals surfs, the leg strength you would get. Not that expensive either really.

Agreed how long did it take kai to practice? 1000 hours or more of doing it and youd be onto it. 1000 hours of anything and you're starting to get good imo. 10 000 hrs and expert level they say.

Does anyone know how hard this is ? Seeing this and Laird H doing it but they are a hard act to follow.

the hydrofoil is maybe two feet in length -- so it is like surfing a two foot boaord?

Yeah 2 foot, when you put it like that it sounds even better, perfect small wave craft:)

Thanks for posting Indo.

Hako - I've put in several hundred hours of foiling now, in everything from 2 to 20 foot waves. My first 20 hours or so however, were friggin torture. As in almost-made-me-cry-from-failure torture. But it was well worth persisting with, because the silent, frictionless glide really feels like flying. I've ridden big windy onshore open ocean swells way out to sea, outrun the ski and entered the magical cone of silence - not a sound. No whitewater noise, no JetSki, just frictionless silence. I've been using snowboard boots and bindings which are horrendous to wipe out, being locked into the board, especially in big surf. I've come off at high speed and felt my knees joints pull apart.. So I'm looking forward to converting to a strap free board.

Chook - the carve resistance of a foil feels very much like a rail carve on a board only more sensitive and smooth as silk. The elevated position makes it super sensitive to each movement of the upper body. Core strength becomes key.

imagine the drag factor when your paddling out and going for a wave

Ummmh! That's pretty amazing. Hate to say it but that does look like fun, but definitely no easy thing to pick up. The amount of legwork to keep it going is hard to imagine, but on the wave it seems to glide in the smallest bump. Freakish, sort of gives you an idea of the energy wave under the surface that the foil is hooking into, same as dolphins now that I think about it.

That would be one of the tougher all body work-outs you could do.

Just watched it again. Had to laugh at the moment towards the end where he has been on the wave for ages and goes past a SUP, who is probably thinking "that's unfair, he can pick the waves up 100's of metres before me."

Jamie Mitchell's thoughts on foils (plus extra special image):

"So lately i have been asked consistently about my thoughts on the so called "NEW" foil popularity and haven't really said much .. But, yesterday sadly i saw a photo that i new was coming sooner then later.. In my opinion Foils are for open ocean swells, Outer Bombies, and places where there are no people or very few people doing it together.. Foils are dangerous... Very dangerous, and do not belong in the surf zone with the masse's and general public.. Yes Kai and and a few talented kids can probably control the boards amazingly well, but you can't control other peoples actions and movements. I see more and more clips everyday of people trying the foils and i am so scared that someone will pay the ultimate price and die.. Look at this photo below.. If a foil hits you or you hit someone with the foil its going to end badly.. I sure hope the people and companies that are making money off these are doing their best to educate people about the dangers. i don't think this will be the 1st or last incident unfortunately... Im very happy that the gentleman in this photo will be ok.. Please think about your surroundings before you just jump in and start surfing those boards.."

Jesus that's evil

Nasty. There's no duck diving or Eskimo rolling if you're in the wrong spot and someone is coming at you on one of those things. What are the options; jump up on your board and leap into the air at the last moment? I haven't seen what the foil looks like - it is pixelated in the vids I saw - but obviously very sharp. Hopefully they're a passing fad, but then again I thought that about thrusters.

Wow, was that a crime? Best from all of us I'm sure! Well done brains each craft that rolls out of WOODY 2 of late is looking less and less useful but more and more sinister. Yet another step removed from intimate feeling of full wave dynamics. Most recent plans of electrifying surf reserves with chains of ISIS inspired blenders,truly diabolical brains.Stop and Think! If you can't surf without all this shit perhaps it's because you can't surf for shit. That photo painfully screams a 1000 words! Lay down your arms,return to the living kind and wed each ride shift each grain of sand folding seaweed tumbling rocks that roll breach into sky do fly just drop on by. Hooroo! ps. I'm with J.M. ....Please think about your surroundings.

Looks coowel Dude....for about 1 minute!

IMO BOOOORING ! No doubt Kai can surf but really ??? Do we now have to put up with guys looking for the
"wow factor" at others expence.I come to this conclusion after receiving a fractured jaw and some dental bills all courtesy of a FU(#W!T on a SUP at a famous south coastreef he shouldn"t have been attempting to surf.

Sorry to all the early adopters out there who may be keen to try these "alternative" wave riding styles but I for one will be actively trying to disuade you. From what I can see all you need is a fat / sloping wall to ride these freaks of hydronamics , so go forth to your local whatever but don't come near me or my family or friends. That poor guy in the pic is proof enough.