Kitefoiling Tutorial (Beginner): Basic body and foot position

Kitefoiling is addictive and totally new sensation compared to riding a surface water board like a twintip. Before you learn to water start on a foilboard, you must understand the concept of hydrofoiling that is to know where and how to position your body and foot on the foilboard. which totally different from riding a surface water board.
The key importance of kitefoiling:
1. Keeping your body weight balance on the foil.
2. Keeping your center of gravity align with the foil mast.
Common beginner mistakes:
1. Too much back foot pressure
2. Lean too much windward
Caution:
Kitefoiling is dangerous, wear safety equipment especially a helmet and a life vest. Make sure you have somebody of kitefoiling (or at least kitesurfing) experience with you.

[@wallaceanjinho]

Thanks for your clear explanation. You explained better than my foil instructor. Hugs from Italy.

[@ozkite1]

Most informative beginner video with easy to follow and remember steps. Simplistic and useful! I will be heading out with new foilboard for first time, next time the wind is on and will use the tips suggested here! Thank you.

[@SuperStudland]

Thanks for that detailed instruction, can't wait to try kite foiling myself!

[@BrettWae]

Good information. Thanks for making this video! I know the effort involved and you did great!

[@blooskyy7]

Very helpful advice, thanks for sharing

[@fittoretire]

Fantastic. Just what's needed for a beginner.

[@protector6039]

Thanks a lot Daniel....very helpfull your tutorial....keep helping....

[@johnparitosh]

Nice and easy to understand with the model and demos...thanks for sharing

[@chrisdickinson4576]

Great Video! Thanks for the advice!

[@pictureworksexpress4399]

Great job, very helpful tips with excellent visuals .....THANKS!!!!

[@danleow]

Thanks mate appreciate your feedback

[@nandito4639]

Muchas gracias Dan, excelente tu explicación, un abrazo desde Buenos Aires, Argentina

[@danleowkite4511]

Thank you appreciate your feedback

[@fredvizzan2199]

Thank you for your brilliant explanation

[@Giovanni.Tedeschini]

Thanks for the video, I found it very helpful.

[@limemmohamed8529]

Thank you for the video, simple and clean :))

[@BlueskiesNL]

Thank you for the good explanation!

[@fedemon76]

Thank you very much for this video, simple and clear for me! I'm in the beginning of my foiling adventure, hope this will help. It is so strange to go back after many years of kiting, it seems the first time I take a board under my feet :-) Keep in touch and thanks again

[@danleow]

Appreciate your feedback. Yes me too when I first went on the foilboard, it was like "all over again?" haha!

[@drumtouch]

Same feeling here... I hope it worths the effort.

[@beng4244]

great video...thank you for the help!

[@clearwaterhydrofoils4313]

Love the 3D printed figure! Good info here

[@elchejuanfrancisco]

espectacular el mejor video

[@ericmnr]

Thanks for doing this video 👍

[@turboterry1776]

yeah simple and clear to understand great video :)

[@GeorgeChi1]

No BS video. Straightforward instructions.

[@zantekiteclub6490]

nice video ! Thanks for tips

[@jurgi1103]

Thanks for your video...good job!

[@danleowkite4511]

Thanks appreciate your feedback :)

[@enzodebredo]

many thanx! good advise!

[@danleowkite4511]

Glad could help :)

[@MartinDevoto66]

Great video! Any recommendations por an easy board and foil to learn?

[@andrealanier825]

Thank you Dan! You did a great job explaining the center of gravity and weight distribution- the blue man made things easier to understand. Thank you also for explaining why the falls happen the way they do! Just got my LF and love it so much.

[@danleowkite4511]

I am glad my video helped and appreciate your feedback. Happy foiling forever.... :)

[@FTheG]

thansk for your advice! I have a question: being a beginner, where shall i position the mast? as back as i can or forward, along the board slide?

[@TheBendalina]

Hi dan I have same board as you and have only tried one session. Do you recommend I keep three rear fins on when foiling at the start?

[@tinhlam9516]

thank you for the tips

[@danleowkite4511]

You're welcome :)

[@colagameplays7416]

Hi i just started foiling but i can only ride one way . When i want to waterstart to left i keep falling off

[@jimdoherty8041]

Well done!

[@sebastienjurkowski]

What kind of wind do you get in your spot? looking at windy it seems very little wind. I am in Kuala Lumpur and wondering if it is worth the drive to the east coast

[@AdamsHadEnough]

Hey Dan thanks for the video!

[@danleow]

You're welcome :)

[@proTheologist]

Top Video thanks Dan

[@onurkitesurfer215]

great video thanks. I bought a Nobile skimboard foil. Is this foil usefull for beginner. could you please check it for me ?

[@danbrazil1]

nice video, simple tips that really make a difference. I'm still trying to figure out how to go downwind... I am still aplying too much pressure on my back leg trying to balance on it... could you make a video on the proper body dynamics of riding downwind?

[@danleowkite4511]

+Daniel Cavalcante OK sounds like a good idea :) will make one real soon. Anyway, there are a lot more lift on front wing when going down wind so shift your body weight a little more forward and keep your body slightly more upright. As for the kite, just keep your kite floating downwind forward and power up a little if loosing speed. Shifting your weight around the board will help to balance better than just applying foot pressure on board.

[@oscarlaguna8348]

Great. thanks

[@pierrebzh100]

Hello. I don't understand how you can manage to put your weigh balance on the front wing and your center of gravity aligned with the mast. For me center of gravity and weigh balance are the same ?!

[@danleowkite4511]

Foiling is 3 dimension, the 'center of gravity' is refering on lateral (side) axis not longitudinal axis. The weight distribution is refering to longitudinal (front back) axis.

[@NilsDecker]

Thanks for the video. Do you have any recommendations how to get into the water behind the surf with your board? I find it extremely difficult as a beginner... waves smack me + board around. Do I put the board with the mast up? Or with the mast down and then do I position myself closer to the wind or the board closer to the wind? Thank you

[@danleow]

Nils Decker indeed learning to foil in waves is difficult, you can position your foil board like a Twintip with the mast up at first. As you get enough power diving the kite (not too much) roll yourself up from the water at the same time put the mast straight down keeping your board pointing broadreach (downwind)

[@julianamcassol]

helo Dan great video!! can you comment the difference between the liquidforce low aspect vs the tkf foilmedium aspect wing? i assume by the board tkf that you have both? thanks!!!

[@danleow]

The LF low profile wing is extremely good to foil at low speed (below) 10 knots but very unstable at high speed. The TKF med aspect wings flies better at high speed.

[@maartenvandel3455]

Good work!!

[@danleow]

+Maarten v Andel :)

[@sergemann5951]

Very imformative, thanks! I have the same LF board but ended buying Moses 633. I found I had to move about 2" forward to make it work. Why was that?

[@danleow]

Sage Mann Not all foils has same setup depending on the wing design and profile.

[@PbkiteboardingToronto]

Nice!

[@xganachex]

Thks man !

[@luisalvesdelima01]

Great video! thanks! I+m planning to learn how to foil this summer. Is it okay to learn in a location where winds are around 20knts or is it too much? how many hours of classes the average kitter takes to learn to use the foil board?

[@danleowkite4511]

20knots is too strong for learning. I have heard some people take couple of hours to get it. For my case, just a few days about 2 to 3 hours each session perday.

[@a1pestservice]

Thanks for the video. Would you recommend the LG hydrofoil and board for beginner or would you recommend something else. Cheers

[@danleowkite4511]

You mean LF hydrofoil? For learning, I would STRONGLY recommend any foil with LOW ASPECT wing and using a SHORT mast makes learning faster and less frustration. Once you have master surface riding, typically will take about few sessions then you can move on to longer mast.

[@wernerhess2236]

Hi Daniel, as a beginner is it better only using the front food strape? or front and back?

[@danleowkite4511]

It is better to use the front foot strap for two reasons. First is safety, as you fall your front foot will nose dive the board into the water. Second, because your front foot is fix at its front location it will help you to get your muscle memory to balance on front foot pressure. As for your back foot, try to keep it on the mast or slightly behind the mast.

[@nitaycharbit5241]

hi dan. wich size kite should i need to use with in around 6-8 knots with lf fish foil?

[@danleowkite4511]

I am about 70kg, so I would use nothing less than 12m inflatable kite. As long as the kite can sustain its flying in that light wind condition then should be good.

[@nitaycharbit5241]

danleow kite thank you vert much

[@drumtouch]

Good job man... that´s so important to people like me, learning how to foil. . After all the learning process, is it possible to have a stable flying !? thks

[@danleow]

Adriano Guimarães stable flying requires muscle memory reflex after learning to glide up, meaning need lots of practices.

[@drumtouch]

thank you !!

[@davidl3115]

very helpfull.

[@danleowkite4511]

I am glad it helped you... :)

[@dksurfer]

Hi Dan, I am able to foil mostly in a straight line, but I find that after a short while my back leg starts to get really tired. Do you know what could be causing my back leg to get so tired. I have about 20 hours of foiling experience over the last few month.

[@danleow]

Hey there, you could try moving your back foot slightly forward. Basically the front wing position is right between both foot.

[@dksurfer]

Thanks, I will try that!

[@jimmywalker1568]

can I start by sitting on the board with a inflated life ring Inside car tyre tube between board and foil moving freely up and down mast Disabled kite flyer here

[@danleow]

Hahaha! I suppose you can :)

[@jimmywalker1568]

Thanks staying next to Scottish sea lochs they can be cold all the year round dont fancy a white out

[@danleow]

I can't stand the cold sea... haha!

[@sergemann5951]

Try that with 633 wing see what happens

[@roovexer]

Dude ....try to speak faster and more fluidly next time

[@danleow]

+roovexer OK

[@Rick_Cavallaro]

+danleow Nonsense. You did just fine. Good info and well explained.