1. Wingfoil Alvor 🚀 Ground Zero: Understanding Your Gear and Safety
Wingfoil Alvor – The journey into wingfoiling is exhilarating, but like any board sport, it demands respect for the gear and the environment. This foundational chapter covers everything you need to know before your feet even touch the board, setting you up for safe and rapid progression.
1.1. ⚙️ Wingfoil Alvor Deciphering the Gear: Volume is Your Friend
As a beginner, forget about high-performance carbon setups. Your primary goal is stability and ease of water starts.
- The Board (The Floater): You need high volume. A simple formula for beginner board volume is: (Your Body Weight in kg) + 30 to 60 Liters. For example, a 75 kg rider should look for a board between 105L and 135L. This excess volume provides stability, making it easier to stand up before you foil.
- Tip: Look for boards with a durable, soft deck for comfort and reduced injury during inevitable falls.
- The Wing (The Engine): Choose a size based on the most common wind conditions where you plan to ride. A 5.0m to 6.0m wing is a great all-around choice for average winds (12-20 knots). Ensure your wing has comfortable, stiff handles or a small boom, as this greatly improves your ability to generate power and control.
- The Hydrofoil (The Lift): This is the magic component. Beginners should prioritize a low aspect ratio front wing (short and wide). This design offers maximum stability and early lift at slow speeds, making the take-off much easier. The mast height should be medium (around 75-85 cm) to give you room for error once you start flying.
- The Leashes (The Lifeline): You need two leashes, and they are non-negotiable safety items.
- Board Leash: Usually coiled or straight. Attach it to your ankle or, preferably, to a winging waist belt for less drag and easier management.
- Wing Leash: Always coiled, attached to your wrist. If you let go of the wing, the leash ensures it doesn’t blow away—a critical safety feature.
1.2. 🌬️ Essential Safety Protocol and Site Selection
Safety starts on the shore. Familiarize yourself with these crucial steps:
- The “Never Let Go” Rule: Do not, under any circumstances, let go of the wing leash. Losing the wing means you lose your only way to navigate back to shore.
- Dealing with the Foil: The foil’s wings and mast edges can be sharp. Always handle the board from the sides, away from the foil. When carrying your gear, keep the foil pointed away from people.
- Wind Direction is Key: As a beginner, always aim for side-shore wind or side-onshore wind. This ensures that if you run into trouble, the wind will gently push you back towards the beach, not out to sea (offshore) or violently down the coastline (side-offshore).
- Finding Your Beginner Paradise (Location Insight): Look for spots with shallow water for easy standing and retrieval, and flat water without major waves or strong currents. For riders in Southern Portugal, the sheltered lagoon of Wingfoil Alvor offers a near-perfect training ground due to its expansive, flat, and often shallow waters—a great example of an ideal learning environment.
1.3. 🤸 Wingfoil Alvor Land-Based Wing Training (The Dry Run)
Before you put the board in the water, you must master the wing on dry land. This builds muscle memory for core control.
- Inflation and Carry: Practice inflating your wing to the recommended PSI. When carrying it, always keep the wingtip lifted slightly off the ground to avoid abrasion.
- The Neutral Position (Flagging): Hold the wing by the main front handle (or boom). Let it float freely above you. This is how you de-power (kill the engine) when you need to stand up or stop.
- Generating Power: To move, you must sheet in (pull the wing with your back hand) while pushing the front handle away from you. Practice walking back and forth, turning the wing’s leading edge into the wind to generate thrust.
- The Flip Drill: Drop the wing on the ground and practice flipping it over quickly using the handles. In the water, this skill is vital for recovering after a fall.
Price for wingfoil lessons and rentals
| Semi-Private Lesson (2 students x one instructor) | FROM 35€/hour |
| Private Lesson (1 student x one instructor) | FROM 60€/hour |
| Rent full wingfoil set | FROM 80€/day |