Wingfoil Courses and Events

TRAPANI - STAGNONE - EGADI ISLANDS

With our certified instructor Roberto Linares

 

What is theWingfoil

The Wing Foil is the latest arrivalor in the world of water sports, despite this it seems to attract a lot of people because it is fun and easy to learn. The Wing Foil is an inflatable wing that can be held in the hand and allows you to take advantage of the wind on board any board, preferably equipped with a hydrofoil. 

There is talk of a real novelty that seems to be the fusion of other disciplines, takes a bit from surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing and even sup, but does not replace anything, indeed it is an alternative capable of giving adrenaline and fun to wind lovers.

Like almost all water sports that involve the use of a board, wing foiling also originated in the Hawaiian Islands. The Wing Foil has the driving wing released from the board, thanks to this characteristic the sail can remain, if desired, completely foiled leaving complete freedom to the rider. The sensation of riding waves or small chops will be much more pleasant as you are pushed only by the force of the water, just like in surfing. Furthermore, the hydrodynamic efficiency of the foil, which in this sport is very generously sized, allows planing even at low speeds.

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Wing Sails have been known for decades. In the mid-80s, inspired by the flight of seagulls, Tom Magruder developed the so-called "Wind Weapon", a rigid sail that rotated freely on a windsurfing board. “If you look at a seagull – Magruder explained – this animal has the ability, through its own energy, to exploit the force of the wind and remain in flight indefinitely. With a specially designed wing, we could do it too”.

In the 2000s, his idea was taken up by a couple of companies specializing in watersports who developed some prototypes of inflatable wings to be held in the hand and which could be used with Stand Up Paddles. Meanwhile, some snowboarders began to use these portable wings to move freely on the snow, glide across frozen lakes and compete in the ice sailing world championships. With the advent of hydrofoils, these portable inflatable sails have finally reached a balance, also conquered the public of surfers and today represent a very interesting market share.

Wing Surf equipment is easy to assemble at the beach. There are no lines, no bars, no masts, no booms. All one has to do is inflate a light kite, grab a board and enter the water. Simplicity is the basic concept of Wing Surf. The size of a standard sail varies from 2 to 5 square meters and generates enough power to sail. In reality, if you use a board equipped with hydrofoil, a wind of 10-12 knots of wind is enough to start sailing. Wing Surfing doesn't need photonic winds, just a breeze, a fresh wind and you fly over the water.