This tutorial explains small kite foil jumps in detail, and then explains how to jump a
little higher.
Note, it’s safest to first gain lots of jumping experience using a twintip board.
The kite control used to jump with a foil is similar to a twintip.
For a small jump you only need to steer up gently.
Pull in the bar as the kite reaches 12 to launch.
Due to your forwards momentum the kite will drift slightly over 12.
Keep the bar in and don’t steer.
The kite will prevent you from falling quickly.
Just before you touch down on the water, start steering the kite forwards.
Do this just as you land, so the kite is still at a high angle as you touch down.
If you dived the kite earlier than this it would reach a lower angle and give a harder
landing.
If we look closer, you’ll see there are significant differences between a foil and
twintip jump.
Ride upwind with medium to low speed.
You don’t need much speed for a small jump.
Steer with the back hand to get the kite climbing, and don’t bring in the bar yet.
Before it’s time to pull in the bar and launch, you need to first get the hydrofoil
climbing.
Pressure the back foot to get the foil climbing.
Once the front wing climbs towards the surface you can start pulling in the bar.
Once airborne, keep the bar in and straight, so the kite stays near 12 and provides lift.
As you descend, lift the back leg, so that the front wing will touch down first.
Start diving the kite, just before the front wing touches down.
Let the foil descend fully into the water to soften your landing and help you ride away.
Let’s look at that riding
the other way.
A key difference with a foil jump, compared
to a twintip jump, is how you time the board and bar during the launch.
On a twintip, you launch by popping and pulling in the bar in quick succession.
On a foil, however, if you start pulling in the bar about the same time you ascend the
foil, it won’t work.
The kite will pull well before the foil has a chance to climb.
The foil will actually hold on to the water and the kite’s lift is wasted.
On a foil you must get the board climbing first.
Then you only pull in the bar once the front wing is climbing to the surface.
If you get the timing right, you should feel the foil and kite working together to lift
you.
Another key difference between a twintip and foil is how you orientate the board during
landing.
On a twintip you keep the front foot higher during landing, so that the back of the board
touches down first.
This is an effective way to avoid nose dives.
On a foil, if you land with the back foot lower the stabiliser enters the water first.
A stabiliser landing encourages the foil to reverse and it makes you sink quickly.
On the other hand, a front wing landing helps you get moving forwards.
To achieve a front wing landing, you must tuck in or lift the back leg a little.
The front wing should be slightly lower than the stabiliser.
Another landing difference is that on a twintip you can comfortably land riding fully downwind.
This can make the landing forgiving, plus you can sharply carve around to the crosswind
direction required to ride away.
On a foil, you may have issues if you aim fully downwind on landing, especially in light
wind.
If you aim fully downwind, the mast and wings will keep you moving downwind, while the kite
pulls to the side.
To avoid this you should aim the foil only slightly downwind on landing.
To jump you need to be able to get in to and out of the tail strap.
This uses similar skills to a footswap
To get into the strap: raise the kite a little for support.
Give a small kick down with the back foot.
Lift and move your back foot.
At the same time, bring in the bar a little to support some of your weight.
Getting out of the tail strap is similar.
Steer the kite slightly higher.
Bump on the back foot.
Move the back foot, while bringing in the bar slightly.
Let’s look at that riding the other way.
When you start jumping higher than a couple of meters you will need different kite control.
To avoid landing heavily, use a double movement of the kite on landing.
Basically, you launch a larger jump.
Park the kite near 12 with the bar in for lift.
Adjust the kite closer to 12 if needed.
Keep the kite here until you’re descending and you’re about 3 meters from landing.
You then steer the kite back.
Just before you land, you then steer the kite forwards.
This will soften your landing by moving the kite to the landing sweet spot.
When landing, the most forgiving position for the kite is near 12 and slightly downwind
of you.
This area, or sweet spot, gives the most forgiving landings.
During a tiny jump, the kite doesn’t have time to move away from this sweet spot.
But on a larger jump, the kite creeps forwards, heading onto your upwind side.
The larger the jump, the further upwind of the sweet spot your kite can fly.
The double movement, however, lets you reposition the kite back in the sweet spot.
Let’s look a little closer at that larger jump.
Ride with more speed than the small jump.
Make sure to keep a firm upwind lean.
Steer the kite up more rapidly.
Before it’s time to launch get the foil climbing.
Use a firm bump on the back foot to get lots of lift from the foil.
As the foil climbs start pulling in the bar, so the foil and kite work together to lift
you.
During hang time, keep the bar in and the kite near 12. Adjust the kite to 12 if needed.
When you are a few meters from landing, steer the kite back to start the double movement.
Then, when you are just about to land, steer forwards.
The kite should be passing 12 just as you touch down.
Let’s look at that riding the other way.
Good luck learning kite foil jumps.
Access the playlist for all tutorials in order.