Cold and grey in New England. I suggested to my 15 year old daughter that she learn to foil. She was game.
Our fishing dinghy costs a small fraction of the 6' 6" Easy Foiler with GoFoil Maliko 200 rig. However with just a 5 HP mercury she was able to get up and start foiling.
When I learned to forward loop a windsurfer 20 years ago I told myself it would take just 20 attempts (e.g. terrible crashes). It was true. 20 it turns out was once again the magic number of crashes to learn to foil.
As I have been saying from Day #1: Foiling is Easy.
Get out there and do it!!!!!!!
For me to foil behind the boat required training another capable operator. My 3 kids took a boating course last summer but only one of them had interest in driving the boat - Macy age 13. There is driving a boat and then there is driving a boat with a "skier." Her skills were tested on her cousin, family friend and then I got to fly.
We have started pumping competitions. Here was my latest. I think I need a smaller board.
Then Macy says "I want to fly."
Macy has (near) ZERO experience behind a boat. She has water-skied ONCE in her whole life. She will NOT SUP with me and tells me that SUP is lame and only wants to learn to surf a prone board. BUT every time we go in the ocean it has been a disaster. So at this point she is NOT a surfer, NOT a SUP'er, NOT a water-skier, and only occasionally likes to ride a tube behind a boat.
Consistent with the FOILING IS EASY theme. I say "OK" let's do this.
3 Sessions later e.g. less than 1 cumulative hour and she says "Hand me that selfie stick."
This is now the 5th person to fly behind my 5 HP boat. My 20 year old nephew who was a very experience wakeboarder and water-skiier was able to get up and fly for more than a minute on his very first try.
I am starting to think that this sport may be THE EASIEST "EXTREME" SPORT TO LEARN that we have ever encountered.
Alternately all the whining by old guys in their 1st 3 sessions did nothing but create a false barriers to entry.
FOILING IS EASY!
Beasho, yeah but you are cheating...
... They are using straps, it is so much easier to learn to foil! :-)