So, About this Wing Thing...

Experience flying over the water and harnessing the power of the wind in a completely new way. 'Winging,' the new sport that’s popping up all over, has you holding a triangle-shaped, inflatable wing while it generates enough power to pull you on a hydrofoil board.

As the sport quickly progresses, it is opening up a whole slew of possibilities on the water. Accordingly, gear is being constantly refined and developed to be as efficient and user friendly as possible. The Next Level team is here to take you under our wing, to teach you and help you safely master all the new ways you can chase waves and cruise around.

Do I even need a Lesson? Can I just wing it?

Safety is always the number one priority, and you'll quickly see that there is a lot to learn when it comes to the process and how to manage yourself in the water with gear. We use boat support – on-the-fly coaching and there is no walking upwind nor swimming back. Learning the basics of a successful and safe session (how to rig, get out safely, self-rescue), provides you with the foundation for max progression during your lessons, letting you focus all of your energy getting better.

who can learn to wing?

Anyone! But, since it is the combination of winging and foiling, we highly suggest that you are comfortable on a foil first. That way, you won't have to learn two new sports and pieces of equipment at once. We can teach you how to foil both behind the boat and on the eFoil. Once able to ride a foil both regular and goofy (left foot forward and right foot forward), you'll have the proper muscle memory for the foil and can then add in the wing.

If you are already proficient on a foil, you're apt to pick the wing up faster. Winging also tends to be an easier crossover for those with a windsurfing background, as the wing operates similarly to the windsurfing sail. However, there tends to be more freedom in winging since it is not fixed to a pole, able to rotate on all axes. Though some with a specific background may learn faster then others, we can teach anyone that ones to learn!

What Kind of Equipment do I need?

We'll provide all necessary wings, foils, and boards for your lesson. Having the right equipment for this sport is critical: you need the proper low aspect/large foils, as well as the right size wing and board. This helps lessen the learning curve and makes it easier to get flying. The large foils allow you to fly at slower speeds with less power, making them more forgiving as you are starting out. A high-volume board allows for a more stable platform to stand on while you adjust the wing and build up board speed. Our fleet of Axis foils is comprised of various mast heights and wing sizes to make sure we have something for everyone. We have tested many different wing brands and foil styles and equipped our school with the best of the best teaching tools!


Learning to Wing

At Next Level Watersports, we have a proprietary method of teaching to get you up and riding the wing foil in the safest and most efficient way possible. Below is the step by step process you will go through during your wing lesson.

And, our first question will always be:

Do you know how to foil?

No, but ready to learn!

Yes! I am proficient at riding a hydrofoil in both directions (regular and goofy).

Great! Time to take a hydrofoil lesson. This will allow you to dial in the muscle memory and balance of a foil with no other distractions, eliminating the variable of the wing. Solely focusing on the foil will help you progress a lot faster once you add in the wing.

Learn the Wing on Land
Once confident on a foil, we will take it to the beach and teach you how to do the following:

 

  • Understand the wind window
  • Survey your riding spot
  • Rig
  • Safety and self-rescue
  • Flip the wing
  • Hold the wing properly
  • Generate and dump power
  • Water-start muscle memory work
  • Use the Wing & SUP Together
    Now that you’ve mastered that, let’s head to the water to make sure you know how to:

     

  • Carry the gear
  • Get on the board with the wing
  • Hoist the wing once on the board
  • Stand and start generating power
  • Generate speed
  • Understand line of riding upwind/downwind
  • Slow down
  • Crash properly to prevent injury
  • Use the Wing & Foil Together
    The moment you’ve been waiting for: putting it all together. Here you will use all you have learned thus far and master how to:

     

  • Carry the wing and foil together
  • Water-start and generate speed
  • Pump the wing and foil together
  • Adjust your line of riding upwind and downwind
  • Control foil height with the wing
  • Choose the right gear (foil type, board size, wing size) for the current conditions
  • Dial in speed control
  • Crash properly to prevent injury
  • Advanced Techniques
    You’re a legend! (We knew you would be.) Ready to turn it up a notch as we show you how to:

  • Drop the wing and pump the foil
  • Tack and jibe
  • Get into a wave and drop the wing
  • Jump

  • Back to Top