What are the best weather conditions for Wing Foil ?

There are several weather factors to take into account in order to practice Wing Foil in the best conditions. We will see here what these factors are and what tools are available to analyse them.

Important weather factors for the Wing Foil

Wind speed and direction : wind is the main source of energy for wing foil, so it is important to know its speed and direction to choose the right spot
Wave height : the height of the waves varies according to the weather conditions. High waves can of course make wing foiling more difficult and even dangerous if you are not experienced enough.
Wave direction : the direction of the swell affects your stability and the quality of the waves for wing foiling. It is best to have a swell that arrives at the spot in a regular and stable manner.
Temperature : Temperature is an important factor for your wingfoil equipment. You have to be careful with the heat. If you leave your board in the sun, the pressure inside may rise and damage it. To avoid this, unscrew the decompression screw slightly when the board is going to be exposed to the heat for a long time. Be sure to screw it back in before going in the water !

The ideal conditions to start Wing Foil

Wind speed

For beginners in Wing Foil the recommended wind speed is between 13 and 15 knots. If you start wingfoiling at 13 knots it will be difficult to take off, especially if you are a big guy. However, this will allow you to get your bearings on the board and move forward on the water safely. Once you are comfortable with the kite and board hold, you can go for a little stronger wind. A wind speed of 15 knots is ideal to be able to fly.

Wind direction

In order to start wingfoiling in the best conditions, we advise you to choose a day when the wind is blowing in the same direction, consistently. This way you can concentrate on learning the basics of wing foil without being disturbed by changes in wind strength or direction. The wind direction also influences the quality of the water.

The different wind directions :

Offshore and Side off: An offshore wind, i.e. one that comes from the land towards the sea, should be avoided at all costs if you are a beginner. It is dangerous because, if you are in difficulty and do not know how to ride the wind, it will take you out to sea.
Onshore: a complete wind. Onshore is not ideal either (straight from the sea to the beach). It’s a safe wind but it’s a pain to start with. The start will be difficult and you will be pushed towards the beach all the time.
Sideshore and side on: These are the best wind directions to start with! Here the wind blows diagonally, from the sea to the beach (Side on) or from the side (Sideshore). These are the best orientations to start with. They are safe but also ideal to have fun and progress easily.

Wave height

To start Wing Foil, we advise you to choose the flattest water possible. The best option is to learn on a lake. Indeed, a flat body of water allows you to concentrate 100% on learning the basic techniques and manoeuvres without being thrown off balance by waves. It is important to know that on inland waters such as lakes, the wind is often more gusty.

How to predict the weather conditions for Wing Foil ?

Weather conditions are not an exact science, you have to keep in mind that the weather can change very quickly. However, to plan your Wingfoil, surf or kite sessions, many applications offer fairly reliable 1 or 2 day forecasts :

Wind forecasting websites and applications : if you are sailing at sea, there are websites such as Windguru or Météo Marine which will provide you with forecasts on wind, swell, tide, temperature. These sites, which are also available as an application, are very useful for estimating the weather conditions of a Wing Foil spot.
Live wind conditions : several sites offer free real-time readings to share the wind strength live. This is the case of Windy for example, which offers an interactive map. To quickly find the weather beacons that give live wind conditions, you can type in “live wind reading [Your City/Spot]”. Some of these sites such as Winds-up or Infosvent offer live readings but the free version only gives access to readings from the last few hours.
Wave forecast websites : for wave forecasts, you can use sites like Surf report or Surf forecast which are useful for Wing Foil and quite reliable.

Things to remember :

A wind speed of between 13 and 15 knots is ideal to start Wingfoil.
Sideshore and side on winds are preferred for safety and ease of learning.
Keep in mind that weather conditions are not 100% reliable and can change during the session.
If you are discovering a spot for the first time, whether you are a beginner or an expert, don’t hesitate to talk to the regulars to find out more about the particularities of the spot or the optimal conditions for Wing Foil.

Frequently asked questions about the weather conditions for Wing Foil

What is the minimum wind speed required for wingfoiling ? The minimum wind speed for wingfoiling is usually 7 or 8 knots. However, this depends on the skills of the individual. A beginner in Wing Foil will need a minimum of 13 knots to sail comfortably. Is there a maximum wind speed above which one should not wingfoil ? In general, it is not recommended to practice Wing Foil when the wind speed is higher than 30 knots, i.e. about 55 km/h. However, this can vary depending on height, weight and experience level. Can the air and water temperature influence the wing foil practice ? No, not especially, the air and water temperature mainly influences your sailing comfort. Can rain affect wing foiling ? No. Heavy rain can only degrade the visibility between the riders.