Piloter une parawing, c'est doser la puissance avec deux leviers : la position de l'aile dans la wind window et la barre. Vous inclinez l'avant de la barre du côté où vous voulez aller, vous sheet in pour prendre de la puissance et vous sheet out pour en relâcher. Le reste, launch, transitions et virages, découle de ces gestes, en gardant toujours de la tension dans les lines.
Voici chaque commande et chaque geste, expliqués simplement.
At a glance
| Gesture | What it does |
|---|---|
| Steer | Tilt the front of the bar toward the desired direction |
| Control power | Wing position in the wind window, plus the bar |
| Sheet in | Increases power |
| Sheet out | Reduces power |
| Launch | Gets the wing flying |
| (Re)launch | Gets the wing flying again after a fall |
| Toe side | Riding with weight on the toes |
| Jibe | Changing tack downwind |
| Foil jibe | Completing the jibe while staying on the foil |
| Water start | Getting up on the foil from the water |
| Pumping | Creating lift through pumps |
How to steer the wing left and right
To steer a parawing, tilt the front of the bar toward the side you want to go. To send the wing to the right, tilt the front of the bar to the right; to go left, do the opposite. This works the same way on all current parawings. Keep the movement progressive and maintain tension in the lines: a sudden action deforms the airfoil and makes the wing lose pressure.
Bruno's tip. The first thing a beginner needs to fix is the front hand. Run the front lines between the index and middle fingers of your front hand: you feel the wing and steer it to the millimeter, instead of being pushed around by it.
How to control power
The power of a parawing depends first on the wing's position in the wind window. The closer the wing is to the zenith, the less it pulls; the more it is placed in front of you, the more power it generates. The zenith is therefore the neutral zone, where the wing pulls the least and where a maneuver is easiest to manage.
The lines of a parawing are short, about 1.3 to 1.8 m depending on the wing size. There is no need to swing the wing up and down in the wind window to pump power like on a kite with long lines: it doesn't work. Be careful not to confuse two different movements: swinging the wing across the window requires long lines and therefore makes no sense on a parawing; pumping on the wing, however, remains a useful movement, especially for takeoff, as explained in our article why can't I get up on a parawing.
To regain power once launched, park the wing a bit lower in the wind window, then work the bar. On the FYNIX, you pull the bar and the PushBar System® restores the wing's surface; on other systems, you tilt the bar back to re-tension the rear lines.
In light wind, getting going early depends not on a wing movement but on your technique and your equipment: the foil size, the board volume and the wing size.
How to sheet in
Sheeting in means pulling the bar toward you to increase the wing's angle of attack, and therefore its power. Do it progressively, without jerking. Sheeting in too far stalls the wing: look for the point where power is maximal without the airfoil giving way. On the FYNIX, sheeting in brings the bar back and the PushBar System® restores the wing's surface, for a progressive return of power. This is what you do to accelerate, get up on the foil or head upwind.
How to sheet out
Sheeting out means reducing the wing's power. There are two approaches. On most parawings, you release or tilt the bar to reduce the wing's angle of attack: power drops, but the range of the movement remains limited. On the FYNIX, you push the bar: the PushBar System® creates a central fold that reduces the wing's surface, and therefore its power, in a wider and more effective way, without changing the angle of attack at the leading edge. In both cases, sheeting out remains your control for dosing power and for safety, to be used carefully so as not to collapse the wing all at once.
The FYNIX is the first parawing with true dynamic sheet-in / sheet-out thanks to the PushBar System®: the lines slide inside the carbon bar and change the wing's geometry in real time. (PushBar System®: registered trademark, patent pending.)
How to launch
Launching means deploying the wing and getting it flying. Leading edge facing the wind, let the air inflate it and give it its shape, then guide it to one side of the window, where it pulls in a controlled way. Don't try to launch from the zenith: it is the zone where the wing pulls the least.
How to relaunch
Relaunching means getting the wing flying again after a fall or a collapse. Don't pull all at once. Orient the wing toward the edge of the window, gently tension the lines to restore its shape, then bring it back into the wind and sheet in progressively. Patience avoids collapsing it again right away.
How to get up from the water (water start)
A water start means getting onto the foil from the water. Position yourself on the board, sheet in progressively to build power, let the board accelerate, then stand up keeping your weight centered. Foil lift comes from speed: wait until you have it before loading the front foot. On a parawing, you ride fairly large boards, which makes weight distribution forgiving. On a very small board, front foot control becomes more sensitive. If you are still at this stage, our guide how to start with parawing covers the full progression.
How to pump
Pumping means giving vertical and forward pulses with the board and foil to create lift, get up or stay in the air when power is lacking. The movement comes from the legs and torso, wide and regular, never jerky. On a parawing, a few pumps help you get up on the foil, then the wing takes over.
How to stabilize the wing once launched
Once the foil is flying, don't look for maximum power but for steady pull. Bring the wing a bit higher, toward the edge of the window, and release tension to let it move forward, producing just what is needed. A wing left too low pulls constantly and tires you without adding anything to the glide.
How to ride toe side
Riding toe side means gliding facing the board, with weight on the toes instead of the heels. Your body faces the wing, your eyes look forward, your hips engaged to hold the rail. It is the key position for linking turns and transitions without changing feet.
How to jibe on a parawing
Jibing means changing direction by passing the wing and board downwind. The jibe is done downwind, when power is lowest and therefore easiest to manage. Keep speed to stay on the foil, and sheet in gently once the wing is relaunched on the other side.
How to foil jibe on a parawing
A foil jibe means completing the jibe while staying on the foil, without dropping back into the water. The key is entry speed: the faster you are, the more lift the foil keeps through the turn. Bring the wing across at the right tempo, stay light on your feet, ride toe side or switch feet, then sheet in to exit with power.
How to depower and stash the wing downwind
One of the great benefits of the parawing is being able to depower the wing once launched, to surf only the energy of the swell. When the foil is lifting and the swell pushes you, you depower the wing and gather it, taking care not to put the lines in the water, then redeploy it when you need power. We detail this technique in our downwind parawing guide.
Single-skin or double-skin: what changes in the handling?
Handling changes depending on the wing's construction. A double-skin is softer and less abrupt, but it generates less power at low speed. A single-skin, like the FYNIX, offers more power, with a bit more drag, and therefore a slightly lower top speed. In a fall, a double-skin can take water into its cells: you then have to empty it before relaunching. These differences apply to all parawings, whatever the brand.
The most common handling mistakes
- Poor front hand position. This is the most common mistake at the start: the front lines must run between the index and middle finger of the front hand. Held badly, you lose fine control of the wing.
- Pulling on the back of the bar. If you pull too far back, the wing moves backward in the window instead of forward.
- Sheeting in too far when the wing weakens. A wing that stalls is almost always overpowered by sheeting in: you pulled too much on the rear. The right reflex is not to sheet in further, but to give it back speed.
Frequently asked questions
How do I turn right or left on a parawing?
Tilt the front of the bar toward the side you want to go. To the right to go right, to the left to go left. This works the same way on all current parawings.
Do I need to swing the wing to get power?
No. The lines of a parawing are too short, about 1.3 to 1.8 m depending on size: swinging the wing across the window, like on a kite with long lines, doesn't work. Don't confuse this with pumping on the wing, which remains a useful movement, especially for takeoff. Once launched, power comes from the wing's position in the window and from the bar.
Is sheeting in the same as accelerating?
Sheeting in increases power, which lets you accelerate, but the foil also needs to be flying for your speed to climb.
Why is my wing moving backward?
You're pulling too far back on the bar. Rebalance your pull forward so the wing returns to its place in the window.
Does sheeting out make the wing collapse?
Not if it's dosed properly. Sheeting out too abruptly can lose tension and cause a collapse.
Where should I place the wing to start?
On one side of the window, where it pulls in a controlled way. The zenith is the zone where the wing pulls the least: keep it for managing a maneuver.
Does handling change depending on wing size?
Yes. The smaller the wing, the more responsive it is: be more precise with your foot pressure. A large wing is more forgiving.
Jibe or tack, what's the difference?
A jibe passes downwind, a tack passes upwind. Both change tack, but by opposite paths.
Why do I fall during a jibe?
Most often from lack of entry speed, or because the wing loses its power at the wrong moment of the turn.
Why can't I get up during a water start?
Most often from lack of speed or power: sheet in more and let the board accelerate before standing up.
About the author
Bruno Sroka, three-time world champion, four-time European champion and three-time French champion in kitesurfing. Kitesurfing crossing of Cape Horn (2008), English Channel record (2012), France-Ireland crossing of 444 km (240 nautical miles) 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 who came up with the idea of sheeting in and out.
To understand the physics: why it moves forward and why it stalls. Useful definitions: wind window, bridle, angle of attack. Choosing your gear: how to choose your parawing. After the session: caring for your parawing. Discover the parawing FYNIX.
