Curious about the new sport that’s become so popular on windy beaches? Want to know the best way to get started and try out wing foiling? In this post, we’ll share our personal experience of starting wing foiling, our progression, and tips we’ve learned in the form of a little wing foiling for beginners guide. Hope to see you out on the water!
What is Wing Foiling?
I know it might seem a bit obvious, but since people quite often ask us the name of this sport, I’ve decided to include a very short explanation of its name: Wingfoil. People often ask, “Windfoil?” No, it’s “Wing Foil—wing, not wind!”
The main difference from other watersports is the type of sail you hold. Instead of a sail attached to your board (that’s windsurfing!), or a big kite high in the sky with strings (that’s kitesurfing!), in wing foiling, you hold a lightweight, inflatable wing directly in your hands. So, the main reason it’s named wing is because of the type of sail, which is actually a wing! Then comes the second part of the name: foil. The foil is a special fin-like structure that sits under your board. As you pick up speed, the foil lifts the board out of the water, allowing you to glide smoothly and silently above the surface. Foils can also be used for gliding with windsurfing and kitesurfing boards.
Why is This Sport so Cool?
Having previously windsurfed, what we appreciate most about wing foiling, compared to windsurfing, is the increased freedom it offers, especially due to the wing not being attached to the board. This translates into greater freedom of movement and maneuverability, creating a different style of sailing that feels more akin to skateboarding or snowboarding. The tricks you can learn are virtually endless and continue to grow as the sport evolves.
Another incredibly cool aspect is the unique flying sensation you experience. This also means you don’t have to worry as much about losing ground downwind, which often happens with windsurfing. This is possible because when you’re gliding, you can easily sail across the wind.
How Difficult is it to Learn Wing Foiling?
Coming from a windsurfing background, it’s easy for us to say that learning wing foiling is simple. But, actually, people also widely recognize that learning wing foiling is much easier and faster than windsurfing, and the equipment setup is also simpler.
Depending on your previous experience with board sports (like surfing, windsurfing, or even snowboarding), you might be able to get up on the board and sail without gliding within the first two sessions. This is also strongly affected by the gear you start with. Learning to glide may take at least five sessions. Jibing, however, takes a bit longer. I’m personally still learning how to jibe after about 10 sessions, but it took my boyfriend much less time. Even though we started at the same time, he can already tack and jump! So, learning time is very person-specific, but it definitely takes less time than windsurfing.
Best Gear to Start Wing Foiling?
Board
We recommend starting with a large board, ideally weighing at least 20 kg more than your body weight. This will significantly help with balance and prevent struggling, especially in low wind conditions. We personally started with a 105-liter board, which was suitable for both of us (my 85 kg partner and 57 kg me).
Many beginners prefer inflatable boards, but we personally believe it’s much better to start with a solid board unless you are very concerned about injuring yourself with the equipment. In any case, always wearing a helmet offers better protection and safety (even an MTB helmet for your first rides, as we did).
Foil setup
Concerning the foil, opt for at least a 1500 cm2 front wing and a combined rear wing.
The mast length should be longer than 70cm. This longer mast provides more action space when you’re trying your first jibes and learning to glide, ensuring the board doesn’t immediately hit the water or the entire foil doesn’t come out of the water. With a reasonably long mast, you also won’t be bothered much by choppy water hitting the board. For beginners, we advise an aluminum mast over a carbon one, as it’s cheaper and more resistant.
Be aware that you need to buy all the foil parts (front wing, rear wing, fuselage, and mast) from the same company, as their attaching systems differ and are not compatible. There are also very thick and large foils often advised for beginners, but in our opinion, those are too heavy, resulting in a slow foil. Given the fast learning curve of this sport, such foils might only be suitable for a very few sessions. It’s better to have something that will work well for a longer period.
Wing
Regarding the size of the wing, ideally, the smaller the wing, the better it is for increased maneuverability and less weight. However, for a beginner, it might be difficult to learn to glide with smaller wings, as they often require a specific pumping technique to get going. Therefore, at the beginning, we advise a larger wing to learn gliding easily and grasp the basics. In our case, since we usually get 12 knots of wind in Lake Garda, we used a 5 square meter wing. With those conditions, 5 and 5.5 square meter wings are good sizes for beginners.
Renting vs. Used Gear?
Many people rent equipment, but given the high rental prices, we strongly advise doing what we did: buying used gear. Also, because so many people are starting this sport, large boards and beginner equipment are easy to sell later. Buying your own gear allows you to spend more hours on the water and wing without worrying, free from the fear of breaking rented equipment.
How to Mount the Equipment
Mounting the equipment is quite easy. First, fix the mast to the board, with the largest part facing the front of the board. If you’re a beginner, place it in the middle or in the rear part of the designated fixing area. This allows you to glide at a controlled speed and maintain your position. Especially when starting out, it’s quite normal to keep your weight back, and mounting the mast slightly back will provide more stability.
Then, attach the rest of the foil (the fuselage, front wing, and back wing). We always advise disassembling the equipment each time, especially if you’re wing foiling in saltwater. In that case, wash the equipment thoroughly every time. For the wing itself, it’s very easy: just pump it until it reaches the recommended pressure indicated on the wing.
How to Carry the Equipment
Wing foiling equipment is much more portable than windsurfing gear and normally fits in a regular car. When carrying it from the beach to the water, be careful not to let the foil touch the ground. Lift it using the designated handle or carry it on your back. Carry your wing by letting it fly in a neutral position relative to the wind, and hold it with the hand facing the wind direction. Use your other hand to lift the foil in the opposite direction of the wind.
Some Tips to Learn the First Basic Skills of Wing Foiling for Beginners
Starting
Get confident with maneuvering the wing before entering the water. It takes very little time. Notice what happens when you lift one hand or the other, and observe when the wing tip touches the ground. Forget about holding the wing like a windsurf sail; remember to keep your hands up, at least at the beginning. The first time we used the wing, I was afraid of crashing and hitting the foil, so we used a SUP board to get confident with maneuvering the wing. Looking back, this makes little sense, as the SUP also offered worse stability. Therefore, I advise starting directly with the foil.
Gliding
My biggest mistake when learning to glide was being impatient and focusing too much on actively trying to lift the board. This consistently resulted in my weight being too far back, which slowed down the board’s speed. However, if you simply focus on letting your board go fast while keeping your weight centered, gliding often comes naturally, without any pumping. For this to happen, you need good wind combined with a large enough wing.
Once you understand how to glide naturally without pumping, you can then start learning to pump to glide much faster. Honestly, pumping is still something I find difficult to do correctly. So I always hope for enough wind or choose a larger wing to ensure I can glide.
During your first glides, it might seem impossible to control the board. However, once you understand that keeping your weight forward makes the board go down, while keeping it back makes the board go up, everything becomes much more intuitive.
Jibing
My biggest mistake when learning to jibe is turning too quickly or keeping my weight too far back. When you’re starting out, try going downwind and gradually turning the board. For the common jibing technique, you’ll remove your back hand to switch your grip on the wing. Keep your feet in the same position, even if it means temporarily being in an uncomfortable “toe-side” stance after the turn. Transitioning your feet is quite difficult, so save that for later. If you can manage this and maintain your glide, you’ve already reached a really good intermediate wing foiling level.
Want to learn more? We will cover surfing and jumping in a dedicated future post!
We hope we’ve convinced you to embrace this cool sport! This guide on wing foiling for beginners should help you get started. Have a look at our wing foiling section and plan your next wingfoil holiday!
