I find it easier to practice at slower speed (even if it means a touchdown at first) – a somewhat larger kite (or a foilkite e.g. #ginkites #ozonekites #flysurfer) helps during the weightless phase (especially at lower windspeeds < 15kn). Foilkites have the advantage that they fly more upwind – this helps! I also prefer a kite with linear barpressure. When moving to smaller kites and/or many tubekites, a downloop immediately after the tack is often necessary, which makes the maneuver even harder at the beginning! Of course it also all depends on the wind speed – the more wind, the easier it will be at first, and the smaller the kite can be.
Summary Foiling Tack:
before maneuver: depower kite at 11h (or 1h) depending on side before turn
During foiling tack 3 things need to happen at almost the same time after turn into wind is initiated:
1. when turn is initiated pull on bar to become weightless (kite will move to 12h)
2. move back foot forward and
3. rotate body – body weight needs to be forward leaning centered above front foil!! kite moves from 11 to 12 and provides lift while rotating – after turn is complete make a power stroke or downloop to regain speed.
Common mistakes for foilingtechnique:
- Body weight is too far back – to avoid this, it helps to think more like standing upright during turn – body weight should be centered around front foil – when using a seat harness don’t sit in harness
- Incomplete turn – being not committed enough often results in too little momentum when initiating turn – when board points into the wind the body rotation and foot switch should happen almost at the same time
- not enough upwind (e.g. beam reach – Halber Wind Kurs)- when trying to initiate the maneuver at a heading that is not enough upwind, pointing the board exactly into the wind becomes more difficult – try to choose a heading that is ‚hart am Wind – close haul /reach course‘