Are Windsurfing Hydrofoil interchangable w/ Kiteboard foils?

[dllee]

Possibly, in this case...and mine [I have the same lightwind board and 7.7 as DvCali], learning to foil is NOT the goal. The goal is 7-15 mph fun.
So, it's possible a SUP or wave mast with a big front wing is the ideal choice...planing in 7-15 with the tail of the board IN the water and using the foil to create lift so planing is possible in such light winds with a 200lb. rider and eliminating all those crashs from learning to foil with a 90 cm mast.
The gain from foiling with the tail of the board engaged in the water is safety, early planing just like foilers, and increased up and downwind angles over windsurfing.

[dllee]

Remember, you can choose what you want to do.
If you choose to use a foil to boost lightwind performance over windsurfing, you still gain the lightwind advantage of pure foiling without the crashes and learning time.
The dragging of the tail of the board only slows the speeds 1-3 mph, and barely affects up and downwind angles.

[NOVAAN]

For me, I have learned to control the 24 inch mast pretty good. The nice thing is that if you can control the short mast with out a major crash or injury,
controlling the long is much easier. You get to learn the subtle weight shifts required in foiling without the nose dives of the long mast. Some for the things that we do to control a windsurfer will tend to end in a crash on a foil board. I don't think windsurfing. Foiling I'm learning, not reacting. Some one here posted that it was hard to go windsurfing after foiling for a long time.
I'm heading to SPI in April. Been doing this since I retired. Its a shallow water spot. I couldn't use a long mast there on the lite wind days. However the 24 inch mast, while not perfect will extend my time on the water a bunch.
I knew going into this foiling think, I wanted to take it slow and try not hurt myself. Takes way to long to recover these days. Heck if i were 30 I would say get the short board and the long mast. Its only water. The flight school mast package is about $180. To me, well worth the investment. And when your friends want to try your gear, you can put them on the 15 inch mast.
My lake (Lopez Lake) is dropping water fast. having the choice of 4 mast lengths will have me foiling long past when the rest pack it up for the year...

[NOVAAN]

Great thought about the short mast and using the foil to add a bit of lift to get you planning. And no real nose dives. That 15 inch mast would be perfect for that at SPI....

[dvCali]

[NOVAAN]

Cool shot...Guys on race foils and cambered sails are quickly overtaking reg, windsurfers in speed and angle of attack in racing. Kids in the Gorge are doing crazy things on foils in high winds. Lite wind foils have big guys up and flying in 10 mph winds. It is a great new addition to sailing. I like it a bunch and have fun learning. Right now going 20 mph in 12 mph winds is way fast enough. That said, I will always be a windsurfer first if the wind allows. Its been a life long passion and I can't wait for the next windy day to do it.

[dllee]

Actually tail down foiling is safe, easy, almost as fast as full foiling, with equal angles..at least upwind, and still fly as early as full foiling. You can extrapolate any possible advantages as you choose.
Speed? Not close. Antoine can go mid 30's on special foils. He's lower 40's on production slalom boards.
Foils DO rule on sub 15 breezes. But, how many of you own boards as wide as 80cm, the standard for foil boards?
DvCali and I are the same weight with Isonic 111's. Lower limit is around 16 gust with 7.3. A bit lower with 4 cam 7.7 underdowned. You don' get overpowered in that breeze.
Foil can take you down to 7-14, or 12 with good pumping technique.

[kmf]

I am learning on a 90 cm mast , a 75 cm width foil board and yea I have had some good crashes, but after 12 days on the foil I can keep it together and keep control of how high the foil is off the water. Seems to me the angst about tall masts is a bit overblown. You are going to end up on a mast 70 to 100 mm tall in a very short time anyway....and the taller mast gives one more time to correct a foil out mistake.

Just my 2 cents.

KMF

[dllee]

Are you close to 70, have windsurfed for 30 years, and sail where weed fins are needed and the average water depth is chest deep? That is Thombiz.

[kmf]

I am 69, windsurfed since 1988 need weedfins occasionally but the water is deep. I also have some experience actually learning to foil, so my 2 cents is worth something......

KMF

How bout you?