Your First Foil Takeoff

About this trick

Getting the foil out of the water is the milestone every beginner works toward. You need enough board speed, the right weight distribution, and a powered wing — get those three right and the foil lifts naturally. Damien LeRoy walks you through the exact sequence so your first flight happens deliberately, not by accident.

Key tips

1. 1

   Speed is king — you need to be moving fast enough before you try to lift; don't shift your weight back too early

2. 2

   Back foot pressure triggers the lift — wait until you feel the board accelerating, then apply gentle back foot pressure

3. 3

   Keep your eyes on the horizon when you lift — looking down shifts your weight forward and crashes the foil

4. 4

   If the foil breaches (comes out of the water), sheet out the wing immediately and let it settle back down

Learn these first

Video by

Damien LeRoy

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