Surf foil is a demanding discipline: you need to master the foil and understand the waves at the same time. To start, choose soft, small waves and a spot with few people. Start by paddling, do your takeoff while keeping the board in the water, then get up on the foil smoothly. First learn to ride the wave, then to turn, and finally to pump so you can reconnect with the next wave.
Is surf foil difficult to start with?
Yes, it is a difficult activity. You already need to master waves and understand how they work: positioning yourself on a wave is fundamental in surf foil. At the same time, you have to learn to control a foil, which is very sensitive to your weight distribution.
The goal of this path is to help you progress step by step, from your first start to the point where you chain waves by pumping.
What prerequisites do you need before starting surf foil?
There are two routes into surf foil:
- You are a surfer. You know waves and know how to position yourself: this is a real advantage, and you can start surf foil directly. On the condition that you accept to relearn.
- You come from another foil discipline. Pump foil, wing foil or SUP foil first teach you to master the foil. You will discover waves afterwards.
Being towed behind a boat helps you understand how the foil works. But it does not answer the main question: managing the wave and positioning on the wave, which you will still have to learn.
To understand the mechanics of the foil before you start, read our article on how a surf foil works.
Which spot and which waves are best for starting surf foil?
- Soft waves. The ideal is a peak that breaks, then softens into a simple wave: this makes things much easier.
- Small waves. Don't overestimate yourself: start in really small conditions, knee high, or even a little bigger depending on the spot and the type of wave.
- Few people in the water. When you are a beginner, if you lose the board, it may drift toward someone else. Stay away from surfers, beginners and children.
- Enough depth. Depending on the spot, the right tide varies: some work at low tide, others at high tide. At low tide, there is less depth. Know the spot well, or ask the locals.
Some spots are closed to foiling in summer when there are too many people. Don't hesitate to move to another spot, or look for wilder locations.
What equipment do you need to start surf foil?
To start, choose a slightly longer and more voluminous board that paddles easily, and a larger foil that generates lift at low speed. This way you can start on smaller, softer waves. More specialized equipment can come later.
| Your weight | SW board | Front wing for beginners |
|---|---|---|
| Under 65 kg | 4'4 | UHA 1100, or HA 1190 W |
| 65 to 80 kg | 5'0 or 5'6 | UHA 1100, UHA 1260 in small waves |
| 80 to 95 kg | 5'6 | UHA 1260 |
| Over 95 kg | 5'6 | UHA 1260 |
In all configurations: 70 cm mast and 180 stabilizer. All configurations, from beginner to advanced, are in our guide to choosing your surf foil.
How do you make your first start in surf foil?
- Lie down on the board and watch the wave come in.
- For your very first starts, go into the whitewater. It is less powerful, so it is easier, even if the water is a bit white.
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Paddle as fast as possible just before the wave arrives, to build some speed.
Paddle hard just before the wave arrives. - When you feel the wave pushing you, the board starts to glide and the foil starts generating lift. Keep the board in the water.
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Do your takeoff as you would in surfing: press down with both hands at the front and get up onto the board, keeping it in the water as long as possible to balance yourself.
Hands at the front, board in the water: start getting up. 
Bring your feet onto the board, which stays in the water. -
Once standing, press lightly on the back foot to lift the board. In flight, drag decreases and you keep moving forward.
Standing, a light press on the back foot: the board starts to lift.
Warning: if you are poorly positioned or press too far back from the start, the board will rise immediately and become very difficult to control.
What are the steps to progress in surf foil?
| Step | What you work on | Step validated when… |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Riding the wave | Stay on the wave without turning. Balance the pressure between front and back leg, keep your center of gravity well above the board | You take off and ride the wave steadily |
| 2. First turns | Press a bit more on the balls of the feet, then on the heels, very gently. Make small curves on the soft sections | You chain small bottom turns on the wave |
| 3. More committed turns | Increase the number of turns, then their intensity. Start pumping to regain speed on the wave | You keep your speed until the wave exits |
| 4. Reconnecting the next wave | Exit the wave with maximum speed, pump to climb back toward the next peak, anticipate the turn to get back on it | You chain two waves without falling back |
As soon as you are in flight, get out of the whitewater. Look for the soft sections, where the wave has not yet broken: the foam disturbs the water under your feet, the foil lifts much less and becomes harder to control.
How do you pump to reconnect with the next wave?
Before leaving the wave, gain as much speed as possible: the more you have at the start, the easier it will be to reach the next wave.
Pumping is not pressing on the front leg. It means lifting your legs to unload the foil, which then rises on its own. You tire less and climb back toward the peak.
When approaching the next wave, anticipate your turn: the wave moves toward you while you climb back toward it. Start turning before it arrives, so that the end of your curve, which points you back in its direction, lines up with its passage. The detailed technique is in our article on pumping in surf foil.
What mistakes should you avoid when starting surf foil?
If you are a surfer:
- Overestimating yourself. "I already ride big waves, so this will be easy": no. You have to relearn, and accept starting on very soft waves. Most problems with surfers come from this.
- Going to the peak. The surfer's reflex is to go where the wave breaks the most and offers the most power. In surf foil, you don't need that.
- Leaning out in turns. On the bottom turn, the surfer moves the body away from the board to pivot. In surf foil, this creates instability and makes you fall. Stay as upright as possible, well above the board, with very light pressure: much lighter than in surfing.
- Going into the crowd with your surfer friends: this is where accidents happen.
For all beginners:
- Choosing a spot that is too powerful. Stay in gentle conditions to progress, keep progressing, and only then move on to more demanding waves.
- Forgetting that a foil can keep flying on its own. A board that gets away from you can come back and hit someone: stay away from people.
- Taking equipment that is too small. A foil or board that is too small needs more power to get going, so you end up going to the peak, where you will fall more often. This is the mistake that most prevents people from flying, or that makes you get thrown off right from the start.
- Skipping steps. Move on to the next step only when the previous one is mastered.
How do you know if you are progressing well?
Analyze each session. Why did this start work? Often, it was a softer wave that gave you more time to get up on the board. Why did that one fail? Sometimes it is simply the wave, too powerful, that made you fall.
Understanding what works and what doesn't, depending on the conditions, is what will help you progress the fastest. The table of steps gives you the markers to move from one to the next.
How do you start surf foil safely?
Accidents in surf foil mostly come from a lack of knowledge about the foil, overestimating yourself, and poorly chosen spots. To start:
- soft waves;
- a place without surfers, beginners or children: isolate yourself;
- good knowledge of the spot's depth and tide.
Later, if you want to surf with your friends and everyone agrees, no problem. But waves are shared: avoiding crowded places means avoiding accidents. All the equipment is in our surf foil collection.
A word from Bruno Sroka
Surf foil has to be relearned, even when you are a surfer. Start on soft waves, away from the crowd, with equipment that lifts you: that is how you progress fast, and without accidents.
Bruno Sroka, triple world champion, quadruple European champion and triple French champion in kitesurfing. Kitesurfing crossing of Cape Horn (2008), English Channel record (2012), 444 km (240 nautical miles) France-Ireland crossing in 16 h 40 (2013). Former PE teacher, founder of SROKA Company, a Breton brand of foil, wing foil, SUP and parawing. Designer of the PushBar System® with Gaël Contal, SROKA ambassador and originator of the idea of sheet in / sheet out.
Frequently asked questions about starting surf foil
Can you start surf foil without knowing how to surf?
Yes, by first going through another foil discipline, such as pump foil, wing foil or SUP foil, to master the foil. You will then need to learn to position yourself on waves.
Can a surfer start surf foil directly?
Yes, they already know waves. But they must accept relearning: soft waves, very light pressure, body well above the board.
What wave size is best for starting surf foil?
Small, soft waves, knee high, or even a little bigger. The ideal is a peak that breaks, then softens into a simple wave.
How do you take off in surf foil?
Paddle, let the wave push you while keeping the board in the water, do your takeoff, then press lightly on the back foot once you are standing.
Which foil should you choose to start surf foil?
A foil that generates lift at low speed: UHA 1100 or 1260 depending on your weight and the waves, with a 70 cm mast and a 180 stabilizer, on a fairly voluminous board.
Why avoid whitewater once you are in flight?
The foam disturbs the water: the foil lifts much less and becomes hard to control. Look for soft sections where the wave has not broken.
Does being towed behind a boat help you start surf foil?
It helps you understand the foil, but not how to manage the wave and position yourself on it, which you will need to learn afterwards.
