Don't do it because it's your light wind alternative to windsurfing.
Windsurfing, with a wide slalom board and big sail, we can plane in just about the same winds as windsurf foiling, but need a bit more wind than kitefoiling with foil kites and foils.
Down to around 10 knots, 11 mph, we're just fine using windsurf boards with big sails. Big is a relative term, of course. For some, 5.0 is a big sail. For other's, a 7.5 is the middle of the quiver of 3.
I can foil hard upwind in conditions where I'd be barely planing off the wind on slalom gear all while using smaller sails.
Perhaps it would be different if I was a featherweight, but at 200 lbs the foil is a game changer.
I thought the Kona was powerbox? Did you have it modified?
I used the powerbox adapter sold by Windance. Have used it on my Firemove and now the Kona. It's pretty rock solid as long as it's bolted tight on your board.
200 lbs. SLW from any of the board companies, 8.5 meter sail tuned for light winds....not maximum downhaul, and touching the inside of the boom, is just fine at 12-15 mph breezes.
At 160 lbs., the combo might be a 125 liter, 70 cm wide board and 7 meter sail tuned for light winds.
Now if you're talking 7-12 mph breezes, perhaps kiting or power boating is the ball.
I guess I'd rather be heading upwind nicely rather than barely planing. It's hard to be fast on a foil, but it's easy to get places and that has appeal.
Plus I can be on a board that is quite a bit smaller than any of the SLW stuff.
Windsurf foiling does have angles similar to Formula, so getting upwind is easy.
I sail at Berkeley and never ever have problems getting upwind launching at the third, or lowest dock.
Even non planing, slogging get's me upwind really fast.
That's what I'm saying. Formula angles with freeride gear in conditions where that freeride gear will not plane upwind. That's far more appealing to me than slogging upwind in order to blast for a while.
You don't "need" a foil (or formula) for 10 - 15 mph conditions, but it a lot more fun.
Around here, Berkeley, at least 8 of the very best slalom and Formula sailors switched to foiling.
I haven't, choosing to drive to other sites rather than just staying at Berkeley higher tide sailing.
Most days, for guys of equal size, I"m on SMALLER sails and much smaller boards than the windsurf foil guys and girl. But that's in winds of around 18 averages. For winds lighter, foil trumps windsurfing (65 wide is my biggest board), but we don't get steady winds under around 18 averages.
Foils rule in 10-15, no doubt, but spending for another board or reinforcing the finbox of my F-162 is too much work or money.
I'm playing tennis when it's under 15 mph winds.
One month on the foil..it's not senior friendly.