Foil repair: How to repair small tears and holes in the wing

As a wingsurfer, casually riding right up to the beach can quickly result in a damaged foil. The bent wing tips or the leading edge of the foil are often particularly affected by grounding. Fortunately, the damage is usually minor and can be repaired relatively easily even by a layman.

You can find out how to do this below:

This rear wing has been hit, the foil needs to be repaired, as chipped edges and damage have a negative effect on the performance of the foil.

First remove any loose fragments from the foil and sand the damaged area with fine sandpaper. If the surface is now smooth again and without holes, you can dispense with further steps. If this is not the case, a quick repair is often sufficient.

Instead of time-consuming laminating with resin, we recommend repairing minor damage with superglue and a suitable filler. As an alternative to the adhesive-filler set we use, we have also worked with Toolcraft superglue Ropid 100 and the Durax Kombi Filler repair powder. Both are available as a set for less than ten euros.

The low-viscosity superglue also seeps into small cracks. However, this also means that it can spread uncontrollably on the foil. If you want to be on the safe side, cover the damaged area with some tape. Drizzle the damaged area on the foil with glue and have the filler ready, as "superglue" usually lives up to its name and dries very quickly.

Allow the filling powder to trickle over the liquid adhesive. There is no need to observe a mixing ratio, as excess powder will not bind. If the hole is deeper, you should apply several layers of glue and powder alternately until the hole is filled.

Finally, you should sand the repair area clean again and remove any tape that may have been applied.

Most minor damage to the foil can be repaired in this way, the adhesive-filler mixture hardens well and holds permanently. And the best thing is: you can be back on the water with your foil after 15 minutes!

There are more repair workshops on the subject of foils HERE in the "How to Wingsurf" section