How to WING FOIL - your first session FOILING

Hey guys, in this episode I'm going to explain how to wing foil. Before attempting to wing foil you should be able to do everything I've covered in my previous videos in this series. I've gone through absolutely everything from what gear you should buy, conditions, safety, whether or not you need lessons, how to fly the wing, how to wing sup, it makes all the difference being on the correct equipment in suitable conditions. Wing foiling is really fun but it's not easy. I would say you're looking at anywhere from five to ten hours before you get the hang of it depending on your experience. I'd also recommend having a go behind a two-point cable park or behind a boat because getting some experience and developing some muscle memory learning how to ride the foil without worrying about the wing really helps when you add the wing to the mix. It's much easier to foil with plenty of power. I'm talking about at least 20 to 25 knots of wind for an 80 kilo bloke using a five meter wing and a big beginner board and foil. One of the most common problems when learning to wing foil is not having enough power to create the speed required to get the foil flying. It's easy to kill the power winging. It's not like kiting when being overpowered is dangerous. When entering the water with wing foiling equipment the wing should be downwind and the board upwind. It's best to walk in as far as you can until you can't stand. Then let the wing flag out onto its leash and move into a prone position to paddle the board further out into deeper water. Paddling the board like a surfboard is a really important technique as it enables you to get back upwind or back to the beach. Hooking your legs around the leading edge also really helps to stop the wing from flying around. Flipping your wing is awkward and worth practicing on the beach before getting out onto the water. Shuffle your hands to the end of the wing and lever the wing over with the leading edge first. Try to use the wind to your advantage. If you're doing it correctly and the wind is assisting you it should be fairly easy. Now let's crack on with how to wing foil. Get yourself onto your knees and pull in the wing into a neutral position using the leash. You can lean on the wing in the water to help you balance. The board should be facing across the wind with the wing directly downwind. Kneel upright in the center of the board and tucking your toes really helps you balance. From the neutral position reach for the handles from front to back moving into the powered position. Pull in your rear hand to increase the power and get the board moving. The board will be easier to balance on once moving as the foil stabilizes the board. Now at this point if you're having trouble flying the wing and you're always catching a wingtip then you've probably not practiced enough on the beach or watch my in-depth video about how to fly a wing. Spend some time practicing on your knees especially if you're not very confident standing on a sup. To turn the board whilst kneeling twist your body against the force of the wing. Use the traction you can create from the power of the wing to turn the board in the direction you want to go. Now let's look at how to stand up. The foil stabilizes the board even at slow speeds so it will be much easier to balance when the board is moving through the water. It's also easier to balance with the wing in the powered position as you can lean on the power of the wing to help you balance. From a kneeling position with the board going across the wind lift your front foot up and forwards. Place it near the center of the board. Lift yourself up to standing using your front leg and place your back foot as you stand up. Try to have both feet roughly staggered over the center line of the board. Top tip just before you stand up shuffle your soon-to-be rear knee slightly towards the middle of the board. This will help you balance on one knee as you stand up. Always stand up using your front foot as it's much easier to balance. Once you're up on your feet it's good practice riding the board slowly without trying to foil. Get a feel for how to ride the board with the foil underneath. Even when you're not foiling it takes a bit of getting used to. If the foil starts popping up and foiling very easily take a step further forwards on the board. Steer by twisting the board rather than leaning side to side. Lean on the power of the wing to help you twist the board. The easiest way to turn around is just sitting down and paddling the board around or doing a jibe. To jibe steer the board downwind and when the board is facing directly downwind move the wing into the neutral position. Swap hands into the powered position facing the other direction. Pull in the wing and use the force to complete the turn. It's easiest to turn around with your strong foot forwards so change your feet either before or after the turn depending on your stance. A quick committed hop and a shuffle is what you need for the foot switch. Top tip it's easier to move your back foot first. Now you're ready to fly. The easiest way to get up on the foil is by letting the speed do the work. Ride across the wind as this is the angle you can create the most speed. Increase your speed by pulling in your back hand and increasing the angle of attack. If you have enough power at a certain speed you will lift up out the water. If you're coming straight up quickly and getting bucked off then move your weight further forwards. If you're not getting up on the foil but you have plenty of speed and power then try moving your weight further back. Try to limit your movements forward and back at the start as you can't react quick enough and you will end up doing a seesaw and face planting. Stay centered with a slight bend in the knees to help you balance and react. You may have to experiment with having your feet in different positions but you will probably have your rear foot over the top of the mast. Getting onto the foil and sustaining flight is the biggest hurdle to get over. It took my dad around two hours to get his first short glides and around six hours to master sustained flight. All I can say is just stick with it. You will fall a lot but you will get further with each attempt and it is so addictive when you do finally crack it. You just can't beat the feeling of flying. Here's my five top tips for getting up on the foil. Number one, power generates speed which creates lift. You need more power than you think to get up on the foil. Number two, point the board directly across the wind. This is the fastest point of sail. Number three, try not to fight the wing. Use it to your advantage. Lean on the wing to help you balance in the water and maneuver the board. Four, use a minimal open grip to avoid tiring out your forearms. Number five, use the correct equipment. A big foil 2000 surface area or bigger and a big board 120 litres or bigger is very important when learning. Trying to learn on gear that is too small massively slows down your progression at the start. Now let's look at pumping. You will find yourself pumping instinctively. It looks silly and it feels silly but it does work. It basically forces more airflow over the canopy creating more power. This helps a lot when trying to get the initial speed to get up on the foil. It takes a while to learn to do it effectively and it is bloody hard work but it's a very useful technique to practice. To pump, pull the wing towards you quickly. Think about scooping up the wind doing full extensions of your arms. Aggressively pulling on the wing and then pushing away slowly and then pulling in vigorously. The faster you can pull the wing towards you the more power you will create. Before we finish here's a few tips on how to steer the foil once flying. The foil is really locked in and very sensitive so only make very small movements. Turn the board by leaning on your toes or your heels. To slow down and stop reduce the power in the wing by letting out your rear hand and decreasing the angle of attack. Move the wing into the neutral position and bend down onto your knees. Persistence pays off. Most people are looking at a few hours of falling before getting the hang of it but it's worth all the hard work when you find yourself foiling down the face of a wave. Harnessing mother nature in one of the best most funnest ways possible. That is it for this episode. Thank you so much for watching. Let me know how you get on. Smash the like button if you enjoyed the episode and I'll see you in the next one.