Introduction
Falling in is a fact of life when Wing Foiling. Beginners fall a lot of course, but as you progress, learning to gybe, learning to tack, learning some other new skill, you will fall. Even when you are not pushing boundaries, an unexpectedly strong gust, a big wave or even a clump of floating weed can cause falls.
Most falls are innocuous, but boards are hard, and foils are both hard and sharp. In this article, we will look at how to avoid the most dangerous falls and how to keep you and your gear safe. These tips apply to the “average wingfoiler”. If you are jumping and attempting loops, I assume you already know how to keep yourself safe!
In a nutshell (tl;dr)
Falls are a fact of life for a wing foiler. Some key points to keep you safe:
- Wear Safety Gear: An impact vest and a helmet are must-haves for this sport, in my opinion.
- Keep away from your foil: Falling towards the foil is one of the most dangerous falls you can have. Actively take steps to avoid “the taco fall”.
- Keep the foil underwater: Flipping the board so the foil is upwards increases the danger of the foil hitting you or your wing. Try to avoid falls that launch the board into the air.
- Protect your wing: Keep your wing under control and away from the foil even when you crash.
- Learn when it’s time to bail out: Once a fall becomes almost inevitable, it is wise to bail out. Try to get away from the board and foil and take your wing with you.
- Downwind of the board is generally safer: Try to fall downwind of the board. If you are downwind of the board, your wing will blow away from danger.
Let’s look at some of these principles in more detail.
Wear safety gear.
The board is hard. The foil is both hard and sharp. If you hit your ribs or back on either you may end up with an injury that will keep you off the water. For us foilers over fifty, who take a longer time to heal, this is even more crucial.
If you hit your head, the consequences may be even more serious.
At minimum, you need:
- An impact vest which protects the ribs and back. The vest should also provide sufficient buoyancy to keep you afloat if injured.
- A helmet that protects your head.
There is a more detailed look at my safety gear recommendations here.
Fall away from the foil
The foil is sharp. Falling towards the foil is the most frightening and potentially hazardous fall.
Falling towards the foil is sometimes referred to as the “taco fall”. Most typically, the board is falling backwards towards heelside and the rider is falling forward over the toeside rail towards the foil.
The fall will tend to happen in one of two ways:
- You have tilted the board hard to heelside to go upwind and a big gust of wind pulls you forward over the toeside rail.
- You have leaned hard to heelside and the wind drops. In order not to fall backwards, you throw your weight towards toeside and overbalance forward.
A key principle to help you avoid the taco fall is to keep your body aligned with the mast. Allowing your weight to get pulled over the toeside of the board, in particular by hinging at the waist creates an extremely unstable platform. Stand upright and relaxed, keeping your torso over your hips and legs. Balance against the power of the wing managing gusts by sheeting out.
| Board tilted to heelside when a gust pulls you over the toeside rail. | Actively manage the power in the wing so that you can maintain the aligned upright stance. Sheet out as a gust hits and feather the wing (hold it more horizontal to the wind) if necessary. Anticipate gusts by looking for darker water with more ripples. Do not allow the wing to force you to bend forward, if you feel you will be overwhelmed bail out and fall backwards away from the foil. |
| A lull in the wind makes you feel like you will fall backwards. Trying to correct you overbalance forwards. | If you feel the power in the wing dropping, try sheeting in hard or even pumping the wing to help you balance as you bring your weight more to toeside flattening out the board. Throwing your weight to toeside, bending over, out of alignment with the mast is dangerous and will not work. If you can't save it safely fall backwards away from the foil. |
Keeping the foil underwater
The sharp foil is hazardous to you and your wing. Ideally, you want the foil under the water and the board the right way up after a fall.
The board is more likely to flip and land foil up if you accidentally launch it into the air as you fall. This typically happens when you fall off the back of the board as illustrated in the picture.
If you are falling backwards with the board rising nose up:
- Bail out backwards, pushing yourself back and up with the front foot.
- Avoid putting more pressure on the back foot; jumping from that foot launches the board higher.
- Hold the wing and use it to help lift you up and downwind of the board.
If the board does end up inverted:
- Keep hold of the wing and keep it low to the water and away from the foil.
- Get yourself and the wing downwind of the board.
- Get yourself between the board and the wing.
- Gently pull the board to you with the leash and stabilise it as soon as you can reach it. You do not want it to flip until you are ready.
- Right the board by pushing the mast away from you so that the foil goes back into the water the opposite side from you and your wing.
Protect your wing
- By holding the wing, I am in control of it if the foil does end up out of the water and can stop it from blowing onto the foil.
- Letting go of the wing in a fall puts more strain on the leash and increases the chances of a lost wing.
- I can use the wing to pull me away from, and downwind of the board in a fall.
There is one possible exception to this. If I am falling towards the wing and I’m likely to land on it, I will let go to lessen the strain on me and the wing. If I fall on or near it, I can grab it quickly and take control of it anyway.
Learn when it is time to bail out
The worst falls tend to happen when you are desperately trying to save it and avoid the fall. Knowing that you are going to fall and then falling in a controlled way is better than an uncontrolled fall, which launches the board into the air or brings you into contact with the foil.
- Recognise the point that you will not recover. In particular, when you get out of alignment with the mast, you are in a very unstable position.
- Bail out by jumping clear of the board downwind.
- Avoid putting pressure on the back foot as you jump clear. Try to leave a board that is level or nose down.
- Hold onto the wing and take it with you.
- Try not to fall in front of the board’s direction of travel.
- Try not to fall so far from the board that the leash recoils and yanks the board to you.
- If there is a chance the board may hit you, put one hand up to protect your face.
Downwind is safest
The best place to be after a fall is downwind and level or slightly behind the board (based on direction of travel). This is because:
- If you are parallel with the board’s direction of travel or behind it, the board cannot hit you.
- If you are downwind of the board, the wing will blow away from it rather than towards it. If the foil is above the surface, you are less likely to damage the wing.
- Should your board leash fail, the board will be blown towards you so that you can retrieve it.
Your aim, when bailing out, is to end up in this position.
Other Sources – Useful videos
Surprisingly, there are not that many videos on falling. This YouTube video from KiteSurf College is a pretty good one.
If nothing else, the first fall it shows should convince you to wear a helmet if you were in any doubt about that.
If you have found other videos useful, or if you have tips that can help others fall safely, please comment below.
Whilst falls are inevitable, don’t let that put you off. I have fallen thousands of times (see video opposite), and to date, the only thing I have injured is my wing (which is readily mended) and my pride.
Embrace the fall, let’s Go-Wingfoil.
If you have found other videos useful, or if you have tips that can help others fall safely, please comment below. If you found this article helpful and would like to buy me a coffee then thanks!