🚀 Beginner's guide
Getting started
foiling
Foiling looks daunting, but it can be learned. With the right coaching and the right kit, those first flights come sooner than you would think.
🚀 Beginner's guide
Foiling looks daunting, but it can be learned. With the right coaching and the right kit, those first flights come sooner than you would think.
Wing foil is the most popular way onto a foil. The wing is held in your hands – no lines, no harness – and it works from around 12–15 knots (roughly 14–17 mph) on almost any stretch of water. Ideal if you come from SUP or are starting from scratch.
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Surf foil is ridden on waves, with no outside power. It asks for at least an intermediate level in ordinary surfing. If you already surf regularly, it is the natural next step in your progression.
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Kite foil pairs a kite with a hydrofoil. You need solid kitesurfing skills before you add the foil. It is the fastest and most spectacular discipline, and one for experienced riders. Tow foil, behind a boat, is another way in.
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Volume: 40 to 70 litres above your body weight. A 75kg rider is looking at a board of 115 to 145 litres. Length: 6'0" to 7'6" to start. Boards any shorter than that demand near-perfect timing.
Mast: 75 to 85cm to begin with. Shorter is more forgiving and easier to control. Fuselage: 70 to 80cm is a good middle length. Short fuselages feel twitchy; long ones make turning hard work.
Area: 800 to 1,000cm² to start. Big front wings give more lift at low speed. Profile: a low-aspect wing (short and wide) with a thick section is the most stable and the easiest to learn on.
Front wing, mast, fuselage and board all interact. Our editorial gear guide explains how to size each part to your weight and discipline, so your setup helps you fly rather than fight it.
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A helmet is a must while you learn. Use an ankle leash (never a waist leash), neoprene boots to protect your feet from the foil's edges, and an impact vest to soften your falls. More detail in our foil safety guide.
A two to three-hour session with a qualified instructor speeds up your progress no end and heads off bad habits. Most wing foil and kite centres run intro courses. Look for RYA or British Kitesports accredited schools.
Never foil near swimmers, bodyboarders or other surfers. The foil creates a danger zone several metres across around the rider. Steer well clear of the RNLI red-and-yellow bathing area at all times.
Depending on the discipline: an intermediate level in surfing (surf foil), in kitesurfing (kite foil), or no experience but decent fitness (wing foil). Being a confident swimmer is essential across the board.
In shallow water, learn to feel the foil start to rise. Most beginners feel that first lift-off after three to five sessions. It is the most exciting moment of the whole learning curve.
You lift off, you fly, you manage your ride height. The most rewarding stage of all, and it typically arrives after five to ten sessions depending on your background.
Learning to turn without dropping the board back onto the water is the key to riding without interruption. Full command of it takes 15 to 30 sessions, depending on where you started.