First outing on new Moses foil board at St Kilda

Session 503. My first session on my new Moses foil board I bought from Ivan and Paul at The Zu Boardsports.

The wind was stronger than I wanted - over 20 knots. I was able to get out past the lineup of learners at St Kilda.

Getting up on the board was fairly easy. I was able to get going and keep the board on the water with no major dramas. I rose on the foil a few times, it felt stable and predictable.

The increase in speed is incredible, I wasn't able to slow it down and feel stable. The forward balance to control the height is incredibly sensitive.

Out past the shelter of the breakwater the swell was more difficult to manage. I wasn't able to get going on the right tack.  The board was very hard to get in position with the wind pushing me towards shore. I gave up trying and body dragged back to shore with the board flat on the water upwind of my body which was easy.

Then the walk of shame back to me gear, a rank beginner again but feeling happy to make some progress without incident or injury!

What I learnt this session:

• Strong wind and swell make learning to foil difficult - I think 15 knots would be better due to less swell.
• Practising body dragging with the board is good
• Small progressions are good

Next session I hope to:

• Get more stable when on the foil out of the water
• Turn (gybe) and ride toeside to get going in the opposite direction
• Hopefully hold ground and go upwind to flat water behind the breakwater, then its game on!

Moses foil board details:

• Board: T38 carbon, red, 3.3kg - hole mount
• Front wing: 633 kite / surf - good stability and support at slower speeds but still goes fast
• Rear stabiliser: 483 - used wave wing s giving a bit more "loose" feeling and shortening turn radius.
• Mast: M91 - good height for bigger bay waves and swell.

After some online research including this video and discussion with Ivan, I decided the freestyle surf 633 foil combined with the 483 rear stabiliser and the T30 carbon board would be best for continuing my learning and then for enjoyable freestyle kite foiling.  While a shorter 70cm mast would be easier for learning the 91cm mast will be better for handling bay swells in stronger winds.

More tips and information on kite foiling see Kitesurfing a foil board - Kitesurfing Handbook 

Kitesurfing Hampton with strong south westerly

Session 502. Nice late kitesurfing session at Hampton with some good bay waves.  Got a little crowded at times.  The surf and bay rollers further out were good. 

Here is a short video, you can see Jeff Steele in action too.

 

Kitesurfing Shoreham to Flinders, great surf at West Head

Session 500. A milestone and a cracking session too!  Mike, Stu W, Stu S and myself kited from Shoreham in the continuing easterly, not quite as strong as yesterday.  There weren't any good waves on the way to Flinders so we kept going past the pier and out to West Head.

A large grey seal was visible on the rocks as I tacked out.  The reef break was pumping with some big sets coming through.  There was plenty of water over the reef and the break was well defined so we caught some excellent waves.  I peeked around West Head to get a view of the rocky coastline to the west.

After several good waves we turned to head back, initially well powered.  Then a lull came, my kite hit the water but I was looking into a beach so I wasn't concerned about drifting in.  The wind changed and came in strong enabling me to relaunch and continue back.

Very tired but satisfied - this was one of my best kitesurfing tours - variety, surf, some wildlife and marvellous scenery.

Photos

Kitesurfing Shoreham to Flinders in a good easterly - superb!

Session 499.  On the water at Shoreham at 8:30 with a nice easterly. Kitesurfed the small swell at Little Noosa break just off Shoreham then headed south along the coast. The best swell was coming into the The Farm break with some good sets rolling into the beach.

Lots of reef around though, I hit one when turning and the board sank into the water.  I continued up towards the Flinders Pier for a look then headed back enjoying the large swells.

If you haven't kited in this area before take it easy and have a good look around for the first time until you suss out the reefs and bombies.

A great time was had by Stu S, Stu W, James and myself.  Ear to ear grins at the finish after a superb session. We stopped for a good coffee at the Merrricks General Store on the way home.

Foiling at St Kilda, getting better but still learning

Session 498. Another go at kitesurf foiling, still very much learning. I got going on the port tack and was able to keep the board either on the water or up on the foil with any major problems. I was focusing on controlling the board and not going too fast. 

It was more difficult on the starboard tack, as I recall this was the case fourteen years ago when learning to kitesurf. 

I edging the board which caused it to keep carving in, eventually my feet came out and my shins hit the defined edge of the Double Agent board (similar to a twin tip edge).  Ouch!  Some bruising was evident later. I headed back to the beach and walked back.

Once again I conclude that learning to use a foil board is not easy but I am making progress.

Modern freestyle boards are much easier to use and learn on, but I intend to persist with the Double Agent until I can cruise around and stay upwind. 

Late sea breeze at Hampton filled in nicely

Session 497. Got down to Hampton late in the afternoon with a SSE sea breeze, on the water with my Union 10 and Wainman Passport board I was a bit under powered.  After a couple of tacks I was considering coming in but the wind was building up to a nice 20 knots so I was nicely powered for the second half of the session.

The Wainman Passport is lighter than the Nugget and turns well.  I am going to use it more.

Kitesurfing Point Leo to Honeysuckle

Session 496. Great to be kiting again at Point Leo. The wind was around 20 knots blew away the heavy smoke from recent bushfires across Victoria, but there was no swell.

Several tacks got us up to the Pines with some flat water behind the reef. Enjoyed some nice small waves at Honeysuckle on the way back. The waves at Suicides at Point Leo were crashing onto the reef.

The channel behind Suicides.

Looking across to Phillip Island - a tour to there would be nice, but a serious undertaking with boat support required.

The wind was mostly good but there were a few holes in it. Some caution is indicated for shallow reefs close to shore.

A solid and very enjoyable 2 hour session covering 44km with Stu S, Stu W, James and Mike.

Epic kitesurfing downwinder Shallow Inlet to Darby Beach

Session 494. November 2019 kitesurfing weekend. A downwinder was planned from Shallow Inlet to Darby Beach on Wilsons Prom. I had previously kited most of the way down there and back in 2018.

Here is a video of the downwinder

We set up a car shuffle between Darby River and Shallow Inlet Caravan Park. I drove back and one of the last to launch.  The wind was solid 25 knots.  It was a slow trip with several kiters working their way down the inlet.  I tacked and waited for the others to catch up near the mouth.

Exiting the inlet mouth the wind was stronger and the waves were big. I followed a line between the first and second breaks, mainly concerned with not crashing. There would be no easy rescue here in event of a mishap, it would be a long walk out.

I made good progress dodging breakers and headed out the back a few times. Conditions were wild and woolly, I was nearly overpowered. I got caught by a few waves and lost my board then retrieved it from the surf.

The last time I was approaching the large rock spire and reefs not far from Darby Beach. The area looked dicey so I decided to sneak through a channel between the spire and the shore, hoping there was enough water.  I approached cautiously, finding enough water to get through with a big sigh of relief.

I finished in the waves close to shore approaching the big coastal hills of the Prom and pulled my safety to land the kite. The wind was still very strong.

No sign of any others coming for a while, then Mike appeared, very pleased to finish.  Stu Styles was next followed by Anthony, Stu Webb and James. I was worried that some of the other guys had followed and may have ended up on the remote beach.  I checked Whatsapp and got the message that they had reassessed at the mouth and decided to walk back, so all was good.

This was a cracking downwinder in "full conditions". I needed all my experience to make it.

Here is the visual animated route.

And the track log stats