How to Wing Foil - 5 Tips for Beginners

Learn to wing foil with some key tips to know before you go. If you're getting ready to go out for your first time or if you've been once or twice, here are some things you should definitely know about going out wing foiling. Wing foiling is an incredible sport but learning can be a bit tricky. In this video, I share 5 things I wish I had a better understanding about before I went out on my first wing foil session.
Download the Ultimate Foil Resource for FREE: westcoastwingfoil.com/the-ult...
The best foil board on the planet: westcoastwingfoil.com/foil-bo...
Make sure to check out my video about all the gear you need for Wing Foiling in this video: • Wing Foil Gear You Nee...

[@Kitemax]

Many thanks for all these tips. I’m seriously thinking in start learning how to wingfoil and your viedeas are really helpful 😎

[@davidhmws]

What turned out to be critical to me getting up on foil was VERY FLAT WATER. This is easier said than done, because at the same time you'd like lots of wind. Lots of wind means don't have to think about pumping. Flat water slows down the transition to foil, the board gradually accelerates and you can elongate the phase when the board is speeding up and losing drag. Now you can reset and maintain balance, keep the board level, prepare to sheet out, and then make that last step on your own terms. Where I finally nailed it was a site with completely offshore wind, could safely touch bottom for most of the course, easily swim back upwind to shallow water if necessary. Before I found flat water, it was difficult to get the board to accelerate, would only rise up in a lot of wind, suddenly and before I could get my wits about me to control it.

[@westcoastwingfoil]

Thanks for sharing David. That makes a lot of sense. Typically the more wind I see the rougher the water can be so most people would still benefit from a bit more wind with slightly more choppy water. But if you can find the perfect environment with smooth water and more wind than that's definitely optimal for learning.

[@robmac3287]

Great advice and calling it how it is. This might work for some people, I live near Lake Washington and used two cars with a friend also learning, parked first car 5 miles downwind from our launch site, then drove to launch site. (You can also have a friend or partner pick you up down wind or Uber if you live close enough to walk home from your end point) Drove to our launch site and started there, had plenty of time on water learning until we reached our downwind site.

[@westcoastwingfoil]

Great approach! Having those long runouts is amazing when you're starting out. Saves a lot of energy hauling gear up wind every 10 minutes!

[@ginaanderson3559]

Awesom tips.Thank you so much for your thorough explanations. We are going to a foil camp in warm weather but do not want to bring much gear with us.They have everything there. What personal items do you think we would want to bring for foiling?

[@westcoastwingfoil]

Honestly you should be good to go! If you have your own wetsuit, helmet, and impact vest those are nice to bring but I'm sure they will have all that covered. Enjoy the trip!

[@martinomovies]

Great advice, especially with carrying the wing. Your foil is huge. Looks like a 2450. I found it to have lots of lift but it was slow and draggy. If you have a chance, try the Axis PNG foils which are great in low to medium winds. People are getting up in 7 knots with the 1310 PNG and it has tons of glide and a ridiculously low stall speed. Also easier on the arms and shoulders because there is so much less drag. 1300 is faster and more glide. 1150 is more maneuverable, easier to pump with your feet, but a bit slower. I bring this up because I used to ride the Naish 2450, 2000, and 1800 HA. But once I felt the glide of the Axis foils, I finally knew what gliding felt like.

[@westcoastwingfoil]

Thanks Jake! I agree on the drag but when I was learning it was not an issue. I just wanted all the lift support I could get. I actually switched to the moses 999 foil. It's around 1800cm2. It's higher aspect, way better glide, and much more responsive. I'm typically in lower wind environments so still want something with lift but definitely love havnig something cuts through the water at higher speeds. I'm also trying some dock starts on a smaller board I made and it seems to do pretty well behind the boat so pretty good versitle foil!

[@NeoVdV]

Suggestion ... video about starting to turn, in taxi mode but powered. Most video, if so, show turning when on your knees or when standing up but stationary turning the board with your feet a d then powering up again. Most jump to turns when already being able to be on foil. Also most only show the jibe but when beginner you don't want to loose ground each time when turning. Lucky I now manage to go upwind (most of the time) but when I fall and need to get back on the board, find balance, flip over the wing, and by doing so I loose too much ground.

[@lazer2997]

Yo! Very cool and helpful videos thanks! Question: Obviously you are in Vancouver, can you recommend any good local shops to get my starter wing foil setup? Cheers!

[@westcoastwingfoil]

Hey, thanks for the compliments! Glad the videos are helpful. North Shore Ski and Board is definitely the best. They can help you with the full set-up. Just try and do some research first so you have a general sense of board size, wing size, and foil size you are looking for. Basically all the info in this video and you should be in good shape: kzbin.info/www/bejne/baW0dXuvYrKEqdk

[@user-rp6kk1ep6k]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@D1uwant]

Looks like you might be in Vancouver?

[@westcoastwingfoil]

Yes I am! You too?

[@D1uwant]

@@westcoastwingfoil Yes. I'm just getting to the point where I'm starting to get on the foil. I need more time on the water, lol.

[@westcoastwingfoil]

@@D1uwant nice! That's what it's all about. Time on the water. Well, hope to see you out there. I'm mostly at jericho on windy days.

[@moosebump99]

@@westcoastwingfoil i'm in Vancouver too. Not exactly consistent wind here. What sources do you use to predict when we might get 15 knots?

[@westcoastwingfoil]

@@moosebump99 I find Big Wave Dave is the best model: windisgood.com/model-1.html but I'm also checking the jericho sailing club daily to see what's happening 😉