Freedom to Foil - Explaining the kite kerfluffle

by Erik Simonson on 7 Nov 2014 As members of the International Kiteboarding Association met in Palma, Spain this week, one of the subjects d' jour was the advancement of the foil kite vs the bladder kites and an initiative by a Polish representative to abolish the foil kites from formula class competition.

Citing the unsafe nature as reason to not allow the foil due to its lack of positive flotation.

Robbie Dean, Technical Director of Hydro Foil Tour and executive Board Member with IKA doesn't completely agree with that assessment:

'Foil kites have been around for decades, it's just recently that the design has allowed riders to ride more effectively than the Leading Edge Inflatable variety. The riders who have been using the foil kites for some time have resolved most of the safety issues, it's a bit of a non starter.'

'In fact if you look at the course racing scene in San Francisco , the sound of air pumps is becoming a thing of the past, many of the riders have embraced the foil kites and are sailing them comfortably. What you are seeing is just the natural evolution of the sport, and in two years, these may be obsolete as the next generation evolves, when even more advanced technology comes into play.'

But what is a foil kite exactly?

The term foil is shorten version of parafoil, a technology which has been around for quite some time and was one of the earliest designs used in kite boarding. Also referred to as Ram Air or Ram as the wind is rammed into the chambers to 'inflate' them and thus creating a wing.

The technology in kite sailing or kite boarding gave way to a bladder type of kite or Leading Edge Inflatable which have a hollow tube framing that is pumped full of air to give the kite its shape. Because these air tubes float so well, these kites are the most common for riding on Read more here.