Wingfoil: how to master your waterstart

As you progress in Wing Foiling , mastering your waterstart becomes essential. Indeed, when the foil board 's volume decreases, it sinks, and the technique for launching is different.

The waterstart may seem complicated at first, but after reading this article, it will hold no more secrets for you.

The prerequisites for a waterstart in Wing Foil

• Ensure sufficient water depth to submerge the foil. Paddle on your board, like surfing, to move away from the shore.
• Being well-rigged or over-rigged at the start makes for an easier waterstart
• Having a good level in wing foiling: mastering basic maneuvers (jibe, tack, being comfortable in both directions) and knowing how to pump.

Small boards (less than 45 liters)

It's for this type of wing foil board that mastering waterstarts is essential. Boards of this volume are ideal for surf foiling or wing freestyle. These boards are best suited for experienced riders with a good skill level.

Boards of intermediate volumes (between 55 and 70 liters)

Most of the time, with the volume of these boards, you don't need to do a waterstart. Since one liter equals one kilogram, you can start directly on your knees if the volume of your board is equal to your weight (within 10 liters or kilograms).

Small boards

Intermediate boards

Reminder: How to go wing foiling with a board of intermediate volume?

First, get on the board and position yourself on your knees, sitting on your heels. This way, you'll be slightly behind the board's center of gravity. Then, take hold of your wing, and once you've gained some speed, you can stand up, starting with your front foot.

The technique for successfully performing a waterstart on a wing foil with straps is quite simple. Start by sitting astride your board, as you would in surfing, then position your wing correctly (handles facing down). You can use your wing for balance.

Next, push your board into the water with both hands to lower it so you can insert your feet into the straps. Once your feet are properly positioned in the straps, you can grab your kite by the handles and start pumping. This will generate speed and help you lift the board out of the water. During this step, be careful to keep your board nose-up, meaning the nose of the board should be pointing upwards.

Once the board is on the surface of the water, you're in the same situation as with a larger board. You have to keep pumping to bring the foil out of the water and off you go!

For this waterstart technique, the starting position is the same as for the strap-on technique. First, sit on your board as you would when surfing and position your wing correctly. Then, kneel on your wing foil board. To help you get into this kneeling position, you can hold the board with your front hand for better balance. Be careful to keep the wing leash firmly in your hand to prevent it from flipping over. Once you've reached your kneeling balance point, you can stabilize the board with your back leg. The nose of your board should be pointing slightly upwards.

When you feel comfortable, take the wing with both hands to catch some wind and generate a little speed to increase your stability. This will make it easier to transition from a kneeling to a standing position. You can gradually lift your front foot as soon as you start moving forward. Once you feel confident, you can also lift your back foot and continue moving forward little by little.

The important thing is to have good support in your wing and start moving forward. The board will gradually lift out of the water thanks to the power generated by the wing. Make sure the nose of the board is slightly pointed upwards. Once the board reaches the surface, you can start pumping to get it airborne.

• Use your wing as a support buoy to help you balance more easily.
• When you do a strapless waterstart on a wing foil, avoid being perpendicular to the wind. It's better to position yourself slightly upwind.
• Be careful of weakening winds. The waterstart technique only works if there's enough wind to get you out of the water. Remember to stop before the water gets too deep.
• It will be easier for you to learn how to perform your waterstart on a body of water with little chop.

If you still have questions about this, or for any other inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact us !