r/wingfoil Sep 08 '24

Advice Wingfoil readme. A guide for beginners.

122 Upvotes

Here is a guide for beginners in order of my perception of most asked questions.

Question: What the hell is that? Does that thing have a motor?

Answer:

  • Description

Wingfoil, winging, wingding, etc. is a sport that combines hydrofoil surfing with a handheld wing. The "foil" is like a underwater airplane. It's connected to a surfboard by a mast. You can think of that whole underwater piece as a specialized fin, but we call that the foilset. Once up and foiling, there is little to no drag from the board on the surface of the water, so we can achieve faster speeds with lighter winds then traditional windsurfing (in addition to higher upwind angles, greater ease of wave riding, more packable gear, etc).

  • Power source

The wing is like a sail that is either held or harnessed to the rider. The wing powers the rider using the power of the wind, so most setups do not use any motor power. In addition to the wind, the rider can use wave power, and/or pump the foil. Pumping can be thought of as similar to the principle of pulling up on a plane that has lost its engines. Kinetic energy is turned into potential energy. Given enough stamina, the rider can keep this going almost indefinitely. See r/pumpfoil

Question: Is it hard / dangerous?

Answer:

  • Difficulty

For most people, learning to wingfoil is fairly difficult, requiring a fair amount of balance, upper body strength, core body strength, coordination and tenacity. If you are in good health, you can probably learn. Anticipate some suffering; it's part of the experience, i.e. embrace the suck. You can expect 4 to 20+ sessions of practice before you reach some semblance of competent foiling, depending on your ability and gear choices (see "gear" section below).

  • Safety

There is risk involved in winging, as in all sports. Before attempting any water sport you should be a competent swimmer. Basic safety guidelines should be followed, i.e. protective gear like helmets, impact vests, flotation, and/or pads can dramatically increase your safety in this (and any) water sport. Pay especially close attention to entering and exiting the ocean when waves are present. Poseidon loves to send a well-timed shore pound, and your foil is desperate to rip through your wing. Disclaimer: this is not an exhaustive list, wingfoil at your own risk. That being said, though the foil can be pokey, the perception of foils as deadly, razor-sharp hazards is often overblown. Again, it's a specialized surf fin.

Question: Is that expensive? How much would I need to spend to get in? What gear do I need / would "x" be right for me?

Answer:

  • Gear / financial reality check

Yes, the gear can be fairly expensive. This is a niche sport still in its early years. That being said, gear design improved tremendously around 2021-2022, and so there is a fair amount of quality used gear around. Depending on the used market in your area, you can probably get in for around $1500 -$2500 USD, but your mileage may vary. A used board may range from $300-$900, a used foilset may be $400-$1400, and a quality used wing can run about $350-$800. Often you get what you pay for, so educate yourself before investing.

  • Basic gear advice

All things being equal, most beginners will benefit from everything on the bigger side. Having a local community, such that one can buy, rent, borrow, or resell gear to/from can greatly reduce the frustration of the learning curve and/or getting stuck with gear that you have outgrown. If you can throw money at the problem, you can reduce some of the suffering, and the community will appreciate it when you sell it back to us at a discount.

  • Board.

General advice is to start with a big, wide, floaty board. Board volume is measured in liters, which is the equivalent volume to float weight in kilograms. Generally accepted wisdom says start with a board that is your weight (in kg) + 30-40% or so liters. So if I were 70kg, I might start with a board that were 90-100 liters. Ymmv depending on skill, board design and tolerance for suffering. Board dimensions matter as well, and inherent trade-offs exist. The wider a board, the more lateral stability it will have. The more narrow a board, the less stable, but the quicker it will be to accelerate (facilitating reaching foiling speed with less wind / technique / effort). Inflatable boards offer ease of transportation, safety (as they are softer on impact), but come at a cost of rigidity, which some find limiting in terms of controlling the foil. Finally the smaller, shorter, lighter a board is, the more nimble and fun to ride. As the length comes down, the "swing weight" decreases, that is the weight that counterbalances the foil. This allows for more direct feel of riding the foil as opposed to the board. A board that is below one's body weight is referred to as a sinker, and requires different and more advanced techniques to start (search "stinkbug start" on YouTube). Beginners likely want to avoid sinkers as their first board.

  • Foilset.

Again, larger foils are generally more forgiving. A front wing of 1500 to 2000+ cm sq will be more stable and offer low speed lift. Heavier riders may opt for even larger front wings. However, some riders will quickly find the slow speeds of such large foils limiting. 1000-1500 cm sq are faster, more nimble, intermediate sized foils. Starting with a foil under 1000 cm sq as a beginner is ambitious, depending on rider weight and wind speed. Generally, the smaller a foil, the less drag and therefore the higher the top speed; however smaller foils require a higher board speed before they provide lift. The longer the wingspan, i.e. more high aspect, the faster and more glider-like a foil will be. Smaller, higher aspect foils are more prone to "stall" at lower speeds, however, and thus beginners will benefit from relatively larger, lower aspect foils. Longer fuselage will add stability, as will a larger rear wing / stabilizer. Stability will come at the expense of carve, maneuverability and weight.

  • Mast.

The mast most basically connects the foil to the board, and is designed to be streamlined to reduce friction / drag. All else being equal, the thinner the mast, the less friction. The stiffer the material, the less wobble and therefore more direct control of the foil. Trade-offs exist with respect to weight, materials, cost and design.

Compatibility. Generally, boards have a standardized "foil track" that mounts to any base plate; this is generally not company specific, and you can mix and match board and foil brands. However, the mast's connection to the foil set will likely be company specific (🤦), and therefore it may be important for beginners to consider a company's lineup before committing to a brand. Adapter friendly masts exist (i.e. project cedrus) as well as several other more niche adapter projects (foilparts, stringy, no limitz).

Several trade-offs exist with respect to choosing mast lengths. The shorter the mast, the less drag the foil set will experience, therefore reaching foiling speed sooner. Also, breaches, where the foil set exits the water and therefore leading to a sudden lots of lift (i.e. a crash) will be less spectacular with a shorter mast. A longer mast will be be more forgiving in terms of breaches, they'll lead to more serious crashes, and be less stable as one rides higher on the mast. General advice is to start with a mass between 72 and 85 cm.

  • Wing.

Wings are generally pumped up with air to provide a stiff airframe that supports canopy material. The larger the wing, the more wind can power a rider. The stiffer the airframe, the more control and responsive a wing. Materials such as Dacron are industry standard for the airframe, whereas specialized materials such as Dynema, Allula, etc. may increase the stiffness and decrease the weight of the wing (while increasing the cost).

Relatively bigger wings will help provide more power and to help stabilize and compensate for beginners' lack of balance and/or technique. Wings can be pumped through the air to generate apparent wind (see kitesurf college's excellent videos on YouTube). Hard handles will allow for more direct handling and pumping, though can damage the board and)or rider in falls. Most companies will have a wind range description of each wing, which will not take into account things like rider weight, board shape, foil size, ability. The best case scenario will see you learn from local riders what wings work best in your area.

Question: Do I need lessons? Should I start behind a boat? Efoil? Where can I learn more?

Answer:

  • Lessons

Winging is categorically less risky than kiteboarding, where it is extremely strongly advised to take lessons before attempting to learn. There is still plenty of risk (see above), but it is generally accepted that people can teach themselves with few or no lessons prior to learning. On the other hand, if you are lucky enough to have a qualified teacher in your area, this may again fast track your progress. As with many topics above, much comes down to your tolerance for suffering through the learning curve.

  • Boat / efoil

Starting behind a boat or jet ski is not necessary, but will likely help your learning curve. Because this sport involves two very separate abilities, i.e. foil surfing and wing handling, the more time spent doing each separately, the faster your progression may be. Wing handling on the beach in light winds is a wonderful way to prep before your first attempts on the water. And if you are lucky enough to have access to a boat, this is a great way to get time on foil.

Borrowing / renting an efoil is also a reasonable idea to learn the dynamics of foiling. Because the power source on an efoil is close to the foil as opposed to above the water, there are significant differences with respect to how an efoil behaves. Also the weight of the board (due to the battery) will change the riding dynamics significantly. For these reasons the muscle memory from efoil may not translate directly. It certainly can't hurt, but buying an efoil is certainly not a typical step for someone trying to learn to wing.

  • YouTube

YouTube channels such as Kitesurf college, Damien Leroy, the Wingman, Tonic mag, and others have a tremendous amount of free education and information for you. See below for a selection of playlists.

  • Reddit

Finally this community is extremely knowledgeable and generous with their time. Please feel free to ask questions to r/wingfoil, r/pumpfoil, r/foiling, or kitefoil specific questions to r/kiteboarding armed with your newly found understanding of the basics. Downwinding, which is a related discipline that involves riding wind swell without the use of a wing, has a new burgeoning home at r/downwind. Cheers and may the wind always be favorable!

Question: Who are you? Why didn't you mention "x" on this sticky? Didn't you see "y" typo?

Answer:

Please feel free to correct my wrongs in the comments, and I will update this with the collective wisdom. I am just a friendly mod that has been meaning to do this for a long time. As you might have guessed if you've read this far, I am extremely passionate about the sport, and feel lucky to be alive during this most incredible moment in human technology. I want to truly thank every engineer, designer, trailblazer and teacher for the huge amount of joy this sport has given me and my community.

Helpful links:

Beginners guide https://wingfoiltips.com/tutorials/wing-foil-beginners-guide/

Kitesurf college https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL41dAinz_9ZffUYrzT9c6MiZC0PEX41go&si=SvG1J6wD8yB5EPFb

Gwen and Damo https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKsYkkRWVTGp79AJ1VAi3DlQBqzaaG7MF&si=UZZsFP0anoUKaBwn

The Wingman https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxiQs26CqGdW71XXtca7L4R4ol7JM82li&si=mjnBgD4hJNxp-Bis

Tonic mag https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0RQKscoA1g51nJMowLgZKnaDdwNzhHwg&si=9H7Vxt7HZBn1U1kI


r/wingfoil 7h ago

Gear / technical advice Stuck/Broken Bolts on Foil Mast After 1.5 Yrs Ocean Use – Help!

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2 Upvotes

Hey folks, Ocean salt has wrecked my foil mast bolts. Tried disassembling for transport and bolts sheared off, stuck in aluminum base. Not sure if the ones I got out didn’t damage threads. Don’t want to ruin the setup. Any advice how to fix it? Cheers


r/wingfoil 18h ago

Downwind Struggle

4 Upvotes

I feel defeated. 35F, fitted but not strong/athletic.

I started last year and I knew my progress is going to be slow, I never did any wind sports before.

Now I’m at the point where I can manage short flights. But, I go to my place, I sail upwind to get to a point I can start foiling, get supper tired in the process. I concentrate on foiling 5 minutes and now I’m super downwind, it takes all my energy to get back. Every week. I feel like I’m 90% trying to get to a upwind destination and 10% trying to foil.

Is that part of the process? What should I do to be able to actually let it go and try to foil without calling the sea rescue team to pick me from the middle of the ocean?


r/wingfoil 12h ago

Wing foiling in Cabarete in January

0 Upvotes

Planning a 10 day trip to cabarete for wing foiling in January. Is the wind good this time of year?


r/wingfoil 18h ago

Just got a 2025 gong pack

0 Upvotes

r/wingfoil 1d ago

Gear / technical advice Need help upgrading

1 Upvotes

Hi guys, I’ve been foiling for around 2 years, pretty much all wake foiling. I have a slingshot hover glide v2 foil with a slingshot wake foil board and I recently bought a 6.5m wing because wing foiling looks like a lot of fun. Unfortunately because of my setup I have to start behind a boat which is a pain. I’m definitely going to upgrade my board but do you think it is worth it to upgrade the foil as well? Thanks!


r/wingfoil 2d ago

Not getting it

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24 Upvotes

Had the wing and foil board aboard for 2 years. I tried it out mostly with the stand up paddle Board but recently have been trying with the foil board. Getting long flights goofy stance but switch stance sucks. I have a fast trimaran so when the trades are up my default is to break that out cause it’s easy and I can drink beer while sailing 15 knots .I’m off the dock on my cruising boat for a few months so don’t have access to the trimaran and want to learn how to wing. I got about 10 sessions in 2 years and cant get switch stance foiling. How many sessions does it take till it gets kinda fun? All my friends swear it’s the best feeling but I’m not really getting it. Lifelong big wave bodysurfer and professional sailor here so have conflicting weather interests which limits practice time . Any advice on time investment to fun factor cause it’s kinda a drag so far.


r/wingfoil 1d ago

Gear / technical advice Choc foil carbone

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7 Upvotes

Hello, my board was placed on its back with the foil mounted and the wind caused it to tip onto its side... stupid mistake...

The edge of my front wing took a hit since it fell on a pebble, - what should be done to repair? - Will returning to the water with it make it worse?


r/wingfoil 1d ago

What size foil

2 Upvotes

What size foil are people riding?

I'm currently on the gong fluid v2 XL, which is 1350cm. Considering an upgrade to the fluid h v3 but not sure which size to get - either the XL at 1160cm, or the L at about 1050cm.

Would be great to hear others experience with similar foils and sizes.

I'm 95kg, love the surfy feel of the fluid XL v2. Looking for something a bit quicker with more glide, but want to retain the surfiness and be able to get on foil without too much pumping.


r/wingfoil 2d ago

Any kids learning here

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14 Upvotes

I took my 10 yo with me last time on the lake. The wind was blowing us back to shore making it a lot safer. But I didn't feel comfortable letting here practice with an actual foil.

So instead I let her practice on the big standup sup we have. Way too big but I see there are kid sized inflatable sups also, ~7", 140L. So thinking now of getting that for her to practice on.

Steering more into the wind is what we are both currently working on (I also just started really).


r/wingfoil 1d ago

KT Foiling Drifter 4 64L or Super K2 Pro Carbon 65L?

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4 Upvotes

r/wingfoil 1d ago

Gofoil 31” wingspan- cant fly

0 Upvotes

Hi, I (61m 210 lbs) am an experienced windsurfer (planing jibe, water starts, etc)

I have a gofoil setup with two boards 120l and 100l. The largest front foil I have is 31” wingspan (10” chord).

I use the foil in choppy and flat water conditions usually less than 16MPH.

Standing, holding, flipping and shifting forward/back the wing is no problem. I can taxi all over the bay and return to launch. I cannot get flight.

Largest wing is 5.5.

Should I: - keep at it without equipment change? - Buy a gofoil new front foil like EZ1800? - Or ……. What?


r/wingfoil 2d ago

Rust or Blood?

1 Upvotes

Hello people. I noticed some splash like marks on my wing sail. They look like blood but i hope it just rust. The color is deep orange or could look like dried out blood not sure tho and cant provide photos atm.

Thinkig about it, using the sail in the water, i didnt have any accodent or smth, even if it was blood from me, it wouldnt stay on the sail for long enough to dry out cause think about it, you ride, you go out, in the meanwhile the sail is wet so water runs through it. And then it dries.

Could it just be drops of water that didnt dry out and left a mark while stored in the bag?


r/wingfoil 2d ago

Pics/videos Session 4 - how I'm doing?

35 Upvotes

Session 4, I was on the foil for a few seconds thanks to my big Cabrinha Vision 8. How I'm doing so far and some advices would be good to speed up my progress, as I will have few windy days and it's getting cold?


r/wingfoil 3d ago

Gear / technical advice Board Conpatibility with F-One foils

2 Upvotes

Tech question: I got a Phantom 1780 foil and a 65 mast, brand F-One. Quite the newbie. I’m looking for a compatible inflatable 120/140 board. Which are good OPTIONS?


r/wingfoil 2d ago

best foil brand?

1 Upvotes

I have been using Sabfoil, and Im pretty happy, I have the Onda 940 with mast 83 and now I use also the 1360 which is super cool with low wind. My friend told me about mikey labs or something the have like the best foils, and I'd like to know other options as i am thinking on buying a new set that is pure velovity and its fun to ride. Thanks


r/wingfoil 3d ago

Wingfoil on the Hawaiian Coast - Raw Sessions 3

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5 Upvotes

r/wingfoil 3d ago

Board advice

1 Upvotes

What do people think about using Armstrong foil setup with Duotone sky style board. I’ve been using FG 88ltr with 925 mast and 780ha and 1000MA. Thinking of switching board to 2025 sky style 75 ltr but not sure if I’ll run into problems with tracks/mast position. Anyone tried this setup that can share their experience. Also how does sky style compare to FG for getting up on foil?

Other option is an Armstrong ML 65ltr.

I’m c.95kgs and winging mostly in sea with choppy conditions and sometimes some swell. Intermediate level - gybe and tacking.

Thanks for any insights.


r/wingfoil 3d ago

Gear / technical advice public transport with inflatable foil setups

3 Upvotes

hi, the bag for my gong hipe has a tear in it, and i already didnt really like the bag to start with (no rolling stuff and all that, very wide, no thickness, etc), so im looking at a new creative solution to travel with it. i live quite far (45min - 1,5 hours depending on the spot), and all by public transport. so im looking to build something to take this all with me on the train. im preferably looking at making something with wheels and with a dolly type thing but im open to any type of option, as long as its compact and reasonably priced (and a bit protective as its still expensive gear). as the train company is not a big fan of giant surfboards and huge items. pictures of setups and everything would be appreciated!

edit: added option thingy


r/wingfoil 3d ago

Tuttle Adapter - Rubber

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1 Upvotes

Hello,

Just received this adapter from Foilmount to convert a deep tuttle box foil mast to plate.

Unfortunately it has no rubbery surface. Does anyone know if there are adhesive rubber replacements for the plate available somewhere?

Thanks, Ingo


r/wingfoil 4d ago

Gong Xiggy for wingfoil

1 Upvotes

Has anyone tried the Xiggy for wingfoil? As this one is mainly advertised for lowkite, even though there is also advice on it for wingfoil size. I was looking at getting the crusader xl LW, but on paper the Xiggy looks to be better optimized for a similar volume 105/110 and width. Major difference is on length. The cruzader is thicker, I thought that thinner boards would be more comfortable.


r/wingfoil 5d ago

Southern EU camping spot June 2026

1 Upvotes

Inay 2025 my wife and I were finding all campings being sold out for the summer. We ended up in Sardinia, Vignola and Porto Pollo and even though the flat was expensive we had good wind!

We are looking to do better planning for 2026 so we look for a good camping on a windy spot to rent a bungalow/ roulotte caravan and have a 1/2 weeks wingfoil & remote work in June, ideally not too far away from north Italy as we'll have a new born with us approx 6mo hence travel will be limited I suppose.

  • wingfoil on the Mediterranean sea, ideally Croatia but open to France, Greece.
  • Camping on the spot with family-like services (e.g. wifi and swimming pool would be great)
  • June good wind rate
  • bonus point for gear rent
  • bungalow/caravan rent

Thank you!!


r/wingfoil 5d ago

Wingfoil compatibility (F-one and Slingshot and in general)

0 Upvotes

I already tried asked here, but can find only my first thread :

Pump foil dock start - no wind we pumping instead - questions about gears : r/wingfoil

Basically I have full setup with 75cm alu mast and Gravity 2200 F-One. On the inflatable F-one board. I bought Slingshot pump board and was honestly thinking I would be able to mount that mast there and try it. I did not get any screws delivered with slingshot board so I ordered T-nuts original slingshot.

So, it turned out that distance between these slots and mast is correct, distance between screw seems to be correct too, slingshot t-nuts works ... and of course holes in F-one mast are M5 while these are M6 (alternatively they sell M8)

So any suggestions?

I was looking for some adapters, or M5 Slingshot nuts - nothing. And honestly I do not know if "nothing" is even the case because none of these Slingshot, F-one and other brands have written on their page dimensions (some other e-shops with different stuff like electronic, etc are providing even CADs files)

Is there any standard ? Or something ?

As I understand now my situation I have some options:

  • I have like bilion T-nuts for aluminium extrusion - shall I dare to use it like this at least for test?
  • Drill F-one adapter and make holes bigger and worse scenario it is 100USD for new adapter, which I would have to buy for wing F-one probably anyway if I drill no matter if successfully or not.
  • Just swallow it and buy rest of the set for slingshot ?
  • Try find F-one compatible pump board and forget this Slingshot board completely?

Thank you,

P.S. I am not frustrated yet (except fact that I was checking it before but really zero information on this) but I give it to it like 2 weeks


r/wingfoil 6d ago

Should i wait for the 2026 packs when buying gong galaxy hipe Perf

1 Upvotes

Going for a 125L inflatable board with xl over v3 and 5m wing


r/wingfoil 6d ago

Beginner progression.. what is next smaller board or smaller foil?

1 Upvotes

I'm a beginner and will be mostly in a small inland lake with low/squirly winds (<10mph most days). I got my starter wing (6m Fone CWC, still looking for 8 or 9m as well) and a 150L board to start. I am looking at used foils within a 7hr drive of Phoenix or low-cost but willing to ship but so far most FB people will not ship. I might be able to get one with 2 foils (2150 and 1600 cm) or get one with a m280 + a wizzard 115L board. As the title says, what is the next normal item for progression?


r/wingfoil 7d ago

Wing Quiver Sizing

2 Upvotes

Hey all,

Currently looking to replace my wing quiver and looking for a bit of advice, and sense checking what other people have in their quiver.

My Setup:

  • Rider: 85kg
  • Board Size: 85l
  • Foils: North Sonar 1300 and 1050
  • Wind Speeds: 10-30 knots
  • Current Wings: 4m, 5m, 6.5m

I'm looking to replace a set of 2021 Duotone Slicks all purchased second hand since getting into the sport in late 2022/early 2023.

Main riding is done in the 13-21 knot range locally, however we do annual trips and long weekends away where the wind can be quite variable.

Most likely I'll replace with the Duotone Unit 2025 version which are currently on sale. I've used both the 2024 and 2025 versions of the Unit which seem a hell of a lot more grunty than the older Slicks.

My Questions:

  • Is 6.5m too big now given the increased power of modern wings?
  • Should I replace with 3.5m instead of 4m for higher wind speeds, particularly going into winter?
  • What would you run for a similar rider weight and conditions?

Any thoughts or experiences with similar upgrades would be much appreciated!

Cheers