Windsurfers glide above the ocean with technology’s help
Get ready to fly just above the sea.
That’s your mission during hydrofoiling.
Hydrofoil technology lifts windsurfing boards out of the water and into a path of least resistance. The result is a flying sensation.
When the wind is up, so are the hydrofoilers. News-Press Photo Editor Rafael Maldonado recently photographed them at Leadbetter Beach, where hydrofoiling attracts a large group of men and women on the weekends.
The hydrofoiling group at the popular Santa Barbara site has its own launching and landing spot east of the restrooms.
The activity has a long history, starting with the hydrofoil boats in the early 20th century and continuing with the military hydrofoil ships in various nations and hydrofoil water skis in the 1960s. During the rest of the century, the technology continued to evolve toward hydrofoil-based surfboards.
To learn more about the history, go to www.hydrofoil.org.
And to witness a spectacular sight, go to a local beach. Hydrofoiling is seen everywhere from Leadbetter Beach to the beaches around UCSB and beyond.
You can watch hydrofoiling wings fly far above the ocean as they lift windsurfers just above the sea and into adventure.
email: dmason@newspress.com
