Wingsurfing Light Wind Pumping Techniques

Light wind windsurfing / wingfoiling can be challenging, to say the least. Like kitesurfing, it takes a great deal of time to develop the skill set. The biggest challenge in light wind foiling is simply getting up onto foil. A well-practiced wing pumping technique, paired with foil pumping skills, is going to make all the difference. For this quick tutorial, we're going to cover the skills needed to pump maximum power into your wing. Right now, I find that with these techniques I can add about 3 knots to my bottom end of riding.

Pumping for the Waterstart

The key is to use a deep circular motion- clockwise motion on your left foot tack and a counter-clockwise pump on your right foot tack. What happens is you push the sail back into the wind as you bring it down. This keeps wind in the sail, helping it hold the proper shape for lift. Essentially, you are creating apparent wind. Now as you push forward, you'll be pulling harder on your back hand. This will amplify the apparent wind, creating more power and improving your angle of attack.

Advanced Technique

As you start to pump, you'll be letting out at the top of your upstroke. This is like sheeting out on a kite, if you are familiar with that. So it's an in and out motion paired with a circular motion. As you're pushing up and back you're less sheeted in, and as you pull down and through you're pulling in more.

Rhythm & Timing

You want to do this with a large "slower" rhythm. Once you get the board off the water, reducing all that drag, you can modify the technique. I find once I'm on foil and up to speed, the deep, grunty, pumping motion is ineffective. You'll want to use short, fast pumps. I honestly don't know why these work better, but using small bursts lets you feel out and find the optimal power zone and angle of attack. In light winds there is a fine line with over and under sheeting, so using short bursts gives you less room for error.

Hopefully you can use these techniques to improve your lightwind riding. If you have anything to add, feel free to leave a comment on the video and share with everyone as this new sport grows!

Written and produced by Tucker & Rygo

Tucker Vantol

MACkite's resident surf and "Hydrofoil Junkie." You can either catch him on the phones or on the water at dawn testing new gear. He is proficient at a myriad of sports, a shaper and passionate about getting his water time. When he discovered kiteboarding it took over as his predominate sport. The same could be said about hydrofoiling.