First steps in wingsurfing: Here’s how to learn to wingsurf on a SUP!

Ever since DIY stores and discount retailers have been regularly launching major water sports campaigns, it feels as though one in two people has a SUP in their basement – stand-up paddleboarding has long since become a national sport. And a SUP – whether a hardboard or an inflatable – is also the ideal board for taking your first attempts at wing foiling. This makes it really easy to practise handling the wing, before switching to a foil later on – or simply enjoying some light-wind fun wing foiling exclusively on the SUP!

​Wingsurfing is the perfect complement to stand-up paddleboarding and isn’t at all difficult to learn

​The good news for all paddlers is that almost every standard all-round or touring SUP with a length of between nine and twelve feet can be used for learning to wingsurf. To be able to use your SUP for wingsurfing, it must be possible to fit a centre fin, which minimises sideways drift. WindSUPs have this option as standard, as a second fin box has been fitted in the centre of the board. However, anyone who owns a ‘standard’ SUP without a centre fin option can retrofit the drift stoppers. There are currently several options available on the market for this:

• Drift Stopper add-on by Arrows (mid-cut trainers with a strap system; price: 99 euros)
• Ezywing Fin Kit by Forward-Wip (large centre fins with a strap system; price: 129 euros)
• SUP Winder by Slingshot (adhesive-backed Finnish box; price 119 euros)
• FitOcean Wing Fin (Centre fin with strap system; price 79 CHF)

In many wingsurfing schools, too (HERE you’ll find an overview of more than 200 schools in Germany and abroad) SUPs with this type of centre fin are used for learning to wing surf – so the system has long since proven its worth.

The ideal wing for learning to wingfoil on a SUP

​The wing simply needs to be inflated and is, in a sense, self-explanatory; provided it is the right size, it delivers enough lift from as little as 2–3 on the Beaufort scale to cruise leisurely across the lake. For your first attempts, a wing of around 5 square metres is sufficient, depending on your body weight. At this size, it provides enough lift to give you a taste of the thrill, whilst remaining easy to handle.

Before you head out onto the water, you should take a few minutes to get to know the wing a bit on land. We’ll show you how to do that here: Learning to wingsurf – the best warm-up exercises with the wing

Getting started with the wing on a SUP

The ideal conditions are wind force 2 to 4. It’s important that both the wing and the board are secured with a leash – that is, a line that attaches the wing to your arm and the board to one of your legs, so you don’t lose them on the water. There should be a bit of space downwind, then you’re ready to go.

The wing initially lies on the leeward side of the board, with the top side facing upwards and the handles consequently facing downwards (here we show how the wing can be turned round if it is the wrong way up). To begin with, hold it by the handle in the middle of the leading edge; this way, it will float almost weightlessly in the wind. Climb onto the board from the windward side and kneel down – roughly in the middle of the board – so that it floats stably. When you then lift the wing out of the water and grip the boom or the handles with your hands, you’ll already feel the wing becoming more stable and generating forward thrust. As soon as you feel confident, you can then carefully stand up.

Steering with the wing on the SUP

Once you’re up and running, the aim is to stay on course and head in the direction you want to go. There are two ways to steer the board:

1. Stress on the feet: If you apply pressure to the windward edge and shift your weight backwards, the board will turn into the wind; conversely, if you apply pressure to the leeward edge, you’ll fall forwards and out of the wind. However, as iSUPs in particular have rounded rails without distinct edge profiles, this manoeuvre isn’t as effective as it is with hardboards.
2. Shifting the wing’s centre of pressure: To ride straight ahead, you should ideally position your centre of gravity over the centre of the board, where the fin is located. The pressure point on the wing is roughly between your hands and also above the centre fin. If you shift this pressure point backwards, the board will luff; if you shift it forwards, it will bear away.

You can find more tips on steering, safety and your first manoeuvres in the video tutorial:

There are lots more tutorials on the Wingsurf.world YouTube channel. Have a look!