Getting started with wingfoiling: These are the most common mistakes when learning to wingfoil

Mistake 1: Failure to do the preparatory exercise

“Wingsurfing is easy” – we’d certainly agree with that statement. But only if you approach it systematically. Anyone with prior experience in other water sports such as surfing, windsurfing or kitesurfing is naturally well placed to learn wingsurfing quickly. Beginners who already have skills in wind foiling, SUP foiling or kite foiling will pick it up even faster. But whether you’re new to water sports or have relevant previous experience, it makes sense to take a bit of time before your first wingsurfing session to get to know your wing.

This way, you’ll get to know how the Wing works and get a feel for the power it generates. So, rather than rushing straight out onto the water and learning the hard way, take the time to do a few Preliminary exercises.

• Learning to wingsurf – the best warm-up exercises with the wing

Mistake 2: Unsuitable spots – a classic mistake when learning to wingsurf

Spots with calm water are ideal for learning to wingsurf! If choppy waves keep getting in the way during your first attempts, getting up becomes a real struggle.

Onshore conditions are often far from ideal, as you can quickly end up back on the shore and risk damaging the foil in shallow water. Spots with a fully offshore wind are also not particularly suitable: Firstly, because it’s often difficult to gauge the wind strength further out, and secondly, because there’s naturally a high risk of being blown off course. All things considered, the best spots are those with sideshore or side-onshore winds, wind speeds of between eight and 15 knots, and reasonably calm water.

Mistake 3: Lack of confidence

Whether it’s windfoiling, kitefoiling or wingfoiling – the sharp foil poses a significant risk of injury, regardless of your level in these sports.

A helmet is the simplest way to avoid serious injuries – unfortunately, many beginners choose not to wear one. Suitable water sports helmets are available from many manufacturers from as little as 35 euros.

• The perfect helmet for water sports enthusiasts – 10 models put to the test

Mistake 4: Incorrect material handling

It’s not uncommon for the first wing session to end before it’s even begun. The reason: the wing’s thin canopy material and the sharp foil don’t mix well.

One moment of inattention, one wrong move, and suddenly the foil is stuck in the wing; instead of having fun on the water, you’ll have to head straight to the nearest sailmaker. As a general rule when carrying your kit on land and in the water: the wing should always be on the leeward side, facing away from the wind, whilst the board with the foil should be on the windward side. This way, the foil and the wing won’t get in each other’s way.

• Here’s the best way to carry your board and wing to the water

Mistake 5: Boards that are too small

“Small is king” – this still seems to be the view held by (too) many newcomers to water sports. Beginner surfers paddle about in the lineup on mini-shortboards and don’t catch a single wave; beginner windsurfers and kiters fall off their boards every time they jibe; and novice wingsurfers drift all the way across the bay with no prospect of making any progress.

So here’s our tip: start on a large board! If you have no previous experience of foiling, you should start on a windsurf longboard or SUP in light winds and practise until you’ve got the hang of the wing. Only then should you switch to a smaller wingboard. If you already have experience with kite or wind foiling, you can also start on a medium-sized wingboard, but the board should definitely have 30 to 40 litres more volume than your body weight when you’re starting out.

• How to find the right board for learning to wingsurf

Conclusion:

If you avoid the five most common mistakes mentioned above, you’ll learn wingsurfing in no time. We recommend taking a course at a wingsurfing school, where you’ll be provided with the right equipment, do the necessary warm-up exercises and always receive the full safety kit as part of the course. You can find a list of over 100 wingsurfing schools in Germany and abroad here.