Tech Tips for Beginner Wing Surfers
Foiling is such a precise sport that you can get derailed by something as simple as not having your mast in the right position. With the Wingy Thingy that is even more evident because you have to fly the wing and ride the foil at the same time.
These are the most common mistakes and how to fix them.
1. The mast is in the wrong position.
The mast needs to be really far forward in the track. Like, really far forward. With most of the boards that we have tested, the mast is anywhere from all the way forward to 2cm back from the forward most position. If you aren’t sure then, start with the mast 1cm back from all the way forward and adjust it from there.
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2. Riding too small of a foil.
Get the biggest foil wing you can get your hands on to learn. You want to get on foil with as little forward speed as possible and a bigger front wing will help that a lot. As you progress, you will drop down the foil size to accommodate higher speeds, airs, and harder turns. When you are learning a big front wing is your friend.
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3. Strapless is cool brah!
Strapless is super fun and gives you the freedom to move around the board, but straps make it much easier to pump the board on to foil. When learning, you want the front strap pretty far forward and the back strap set so your foot is on top of or just behind the mast. Using both straps is essential because the back strap will really help you pump the board on to foil.
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4. Pump like you have never pumped before.
Pumping the hand wing is really tiring because your front arm is extended up over your head and your back arm is bent and sheeted in. We see a lot of people pumping like mad and totally gassing themselves. Wait for the gust and start with small slow pumps of the wing. As your speed increases, the power in the wing will increase. Once you feel like the wing can support you hanging on it, then pump really hard with the wing and start pumping the board. If the wing doesn’t feel powered, then don’t bother pumping and just wait for the next gust.
For more tips or gear tech, contact a REAL Pro or come and take a Wing Surfing Lesson HERE!
Questions? Call us at 252-987-6000 or email us at REALpro@realwatersports.com.