With the continued interest and increase of foiling opportunities at clubs around the country, Australian Sailing is working to develop programs and resources to support sailors and clubs to get involved with these new and exciting classes.

The first step on the foiling journey for any sailor, windsurfer or kiteboarder who wants to experience foiling, is to take part in a FoilLab delivered at a club, by a qualified club coach.

FoilLabs focus on the fundamental skills required to begin foiling and assist participants to understand what is happening with the foil below the surface of the water, and how to control it. A FoilLab is relevant no matter which foiling class a sailor chooses (WindFoil, KiteFoil, SailFoil, or WingFoil)

FoilLabs will be available for clubs to deliver from Spring. 2022, if your club is interested in learning more about how it can deliver FoilLABs, or as an existing Coach, you are keen to up skill, please complete the EOI form here.

To assist with preparing clubs to deliver FoilLabs, Australian Sailing is currently undertaking a series of FoilLab Coach courses in each State, course delivery has begun with the aim to have at least 20 coaches qualified and ready to deliver FoilLabs at their clubs' next season.

Once a sailor has participated in a FoilLab, and they have decided that they want to continue their foiling journey, the next decision is which class they may wish to pursue, existing foiling classes at your local club could determine this choice, as well as local opportunities for skill development.

In this article we will explore WindFoiling a little further.

WindFoiling shares many of the fundamental foiling principals with other foiling classes and is the sport of riding a windsurf board with a hydrofoil attached to it. WindFoiling allows a windsurfer to sail with their board above the water by riding the foil which remains submerged beneath the surface.

It might seem like WindFoiling, and Windsurfing are similar. They both rely on wind in their sails to get moving, and much of the equipment can be used for either sport. The skills acquired through windsurfing are transferable to WindFoiling, so it is important a sailor develops these basic skills first, if they wish to pursue a WindFoiling pathway.

Because a WindFoil uses a hydrofoil to lift them above the water, the actual experience of riding the board feels completely different. Suspending the board above the water creates a much smoother ride. It is easier on the body, allows for an exceptional degree of control, and creates a unique feeling of flying.

As is the case with other foiling classes, most of this is due to the huge reduction in drag that comes from lifting the board out of the water. Instead of having the entire mass of the board resisting the flow of the water, the highly efficient shape of the hydrofoil minimizes the surface area contacting the water.

From the perspective of the WindFoil, this creates two substantial advantages over traditional windsurfing and adds to the appeal of the class:

1. WindFoiling requires less wind: Traditional windsurfing requires a fair amount of wind power to get a good ride. Because hydrofoils eliminate so much drag, WindFoilers can get up to much higher speeds with far less wind than traditional windsurfers. Experienced WindFoilers can get flying with less than 10 knots of wind, although for beginners’ conditions of at least 12-15 knots of wind are ideal.
2. WindFoiling provides a smoother Ride: The smoothness of a WindFoil flight helps to minimize the impact on your body, making WindFoiling a much more gentle and relaxing experience than traditional windsurfing. meaning it is overall far less physically demanding.

Following a basic introduction to sailing and/or windsurfing via learn to sail or learn to windsurf classes at an accredited Discover Sailing Centre, progression to non-foiling windsurf classes such as, Raceboard, Techno, or Windsurfer LT classes, provide a more advanced education in windsurfing skills, knowledge, and racing. Any of these classes provide a suitable background for participants wishing to progress to the WindFoil. Freeride windsurfing can also develop creativity, proprioception, and handling skills valuable for high-speed racing on the foil. A diversified windsurfing experience is ideal for optimal skill development.

Once windsurfing skills are proficient, it is recommended that participants take part in a FoilLab to understand the basics of how a foil works, after that, they can then transition to a youth or stable WindFoil set up, to learn the fundamentals of WindFoiling. The WingFoil also provides a valuable, affordable, and fun introduction to foiling and body awareness on the foil which can easily be transitioned to WindFoiling.

Green Fleet or Intermediate Fleet coaching at your club and some club racing experiences on a stable foil are highly recommended if you plan to progress to a full race foil set-up at any stage.

Happy Foiling!

If you are interested in pursuing a high-performance pathway, you can discover more about the Australian Sailing WindFoil Performance Pathway strategy here.

The development of the Australian Sailing Foiling Program is proudly supported by the Queensland Government.