How to start Wing Foil?

In which conditions can you Wing Foil?

We recommend to learn Wing Foiling in average wind conditions on a spot that is not exposed to the swell (between 15 and 20 knots of wind). It is easier to begin with a sidewind (sideshore) to avoid to get pushed aways from the coast (offshore wind) or to be sent back all the time to the shore (onshore wind).

It is advised to carefully select the spot to avoid floating seaweeds or any other floating object that can stop and/or damage your foil while flying. We also recommend to select a spot that is shaped like a bay. This ways if you get too far away from your starting point you can still easily come back walking with your gear. Finally, it is better to learn with a specific water depth : shallow enough so your feet can touch the bottom to easily get on the board but deep enough for the hydrofoil to not touch the bottom. It is possible once you are a confirmed wing foiler of a standard bodytype – let’s say 80 kg – to practice Wing Foiling from 8-10 knots to 35+ knots.

What is Wing Foil?

The Wing Foil is the latest in board sports. This involves handling a two-handed wing with a hydrofoil mounted on a short SUP board. It is a practice halfway between WindfoilKite Foil and SUP Foil. In this article you will find all the information you may need to know: How to start Wing Foil?

The advantage of the WingFoil is that you can move with maximum freedom on the water using the energy of the wind and the swell. The wing provides manoeuvrability and facilitates the launch of the foil by using a constant force (the wind). A distinction is therefore made between Downwind SUP Foil, which uses only the energy of the swell. It is therefor possible thanks to the lightness and mobility of a Wing to switch ways to ride in the same session : going upwind using the wind and the best axis of your wing to reach the fastest speed for example and then going downwind and surf the wind swells like if you were Downwind SUP Foiling. It is a very playful medium that makes the practitioner refocus on his sensations, without comparison to others.

The hydrofoil allows to take-off over the water and to fly over the surface. Wing Foiling is practiced on a short but wide and thick stand up paddle board to allow its rider to be stable and easily stand up on the board. Starting WingFoil allows you to feel new sensations, to move easily and freely on any type of water with a relatively simple and easy to set up equipment. It can be practiced in any wind direction but will be more interesting downwind with a crosswind. It is also possible to practice the Wing-Foil in the waves and to use the lift of the kite to go upwind and surf.