By Dakin Jill
There has been an explosion of new water sports over the past few years and while some will be one-year fads, others like wing foiling are here to stay. This exciting new discipline incorporates kiting, windsurfing and foilboarding, bringing you a level of freedom that you normally associate with surfing and if you want to try your hand at wing foiling, you’re going to need three pieces of kit.
- Board
- Foil
- Windwing
Boards can range from 45l to 150l, while windwings start at 3m width and go up to 7m and foils range in shape and size depending on the performance you want. There are Australian suppliers of wing foiling gear at very affordable prices and they deliver to all parts of the country.
Boards
There are boards for beginners, intermediates and advanced level wing foilers; if you visit the store, there are demo boards that you can try, but if you know what you want, order online and get free delivery. It is important to buy a board that is suitable for beginner; Fanatic are one of the top brands, as is SABFOIL and the staff are very knowledgeable and can assist you with your choice of board.
Foils
Like boards, there are foils for beginner, intermediate and expert levels, with downwind, free ride and wave versions. The store offers advice and tuition, helping you to make the right choices when it comes to wind foiling and they have foils to suit every budget.
Easy to learn
Unlike kiting or windsurfing, wing foiling is very easy to pick up; all you need is a windwing and stand-up paddleboard and you’ll get the hang of it in a couple of hours. Start with second hand equipment, at least until you’ve mastered the basics, then you can acquire high-performance gear and get the most out of your wing foiling experience.
The importance of the right equipment
If, for example, a novice started using hi-end equipment, progress would be slow, if at all; talk to an instructor before you order any wing foiling equipment and they will point you in the right direction, recommending a board, windwing and foil that is suitable and for tuition, the wing foiling venue is the place to go. In no time, you will be confident on your board and it doesn’t take long before you can upgrade your equipment.
If you have yet to try this amazing new water sport, find a local venue and experience this unique way to ride the water. There are some great YouTube videos that show an insight into the sport, which is a great place to start learning about what is fast becoming a viral activity.
