The structure (construction) of a wing board
The wing board, or more precisely wing foil board, is the device on which you stand and which you use to control the direction of your ride or flight. It also establishes the connection with the hydrofoil.
The board is your steering wheel for the foil. Theoretically, you could also just mount a wooden board on the foil to fly over the water. But before you can fly over the water, you first have to take off on the water and a wooden board is not enough for that. 🙂 You can find out how to get started here.
The basic construction of a wingfoil board is identical to that of SUP or windsurf boards. The shape is determined by a polystyrene core to which hard foam sandwich panels are attached. Finally, the whole thing is laminated with fiberglass, carbon or Kevlar mats and resin. The proportion of materials is adjusted according to the desired properties (weight, robustness). Generally speaking, the lighter and more robust the board, the more expensive it is.
The second construction method is the so-called“Inflatables“. These boards are inflated like an air mattress (currently available from Gong, Naish, Indiana or F-One, for example). This type of construction is also familiar from some SUP boards. The mount for the foil is reinforced with a solid carbon plate. The advantage is the small pack size during transportation. However, the inflatebles do not quite reach the stiffness of a “normal” board. This is also the reason why most wingfoilers prefer a “normal” board.
The deck of all boards is equipped with a soft standing surface, the so-called pad.
There are also various fastening options for the foot straps on the deck. The topic of loops is explained in more detail below.
For transportation to the water, almost all boards now have an additional recessed grip on the underside of the board. On some boards, the trough on the top has already been eliminated. Tips and advice on how to carry the bulky combination of board with foil and wing to and in the water can be found here.
On the underside, the underwater hull, two rails (so-called US box) are embedded parallel to each other in the board for attaching the foil.
A small pin is installed on the deck at the end of the board for the leash.
How a wing board works
There is a firm and rigid connection between the board and the foil. Finally, the flight of the foil is controlled via the board. The foil is controlled under water by shifting your weight on the board. To best understand how the controls work, imagine the foil as an underwater airplane.
If the bow of the board is loaded, the pressure on the front of the foil automatically increases and the underwater aircraft begins to descend. If you put weight on the tail, the underwater aircraft rises upwards. The same applies to curve control. If the starboard edge of the board is loaded more, the starboard wing of the underwater aircraft sinks and it flies to starboard. The same applies to the port side, of course.
In addition to steering the foil, the board serves as a fixed platform in the take-off phase, as a runway so to speak, and to get ashore when there is too little wind.
Wing board types
There are three basic board concepts: Crossover/hybrid boards, pure wing-foil boards, SUP boards.
Crossover/ hybrid boards
In the beginning, all foil boards were suitable for both wing foiling and SUP foiling. A large proportion of the boards still do this today. On the newer special foil boards, the tail, nose and edges are beveled and rounded to make it easier to climb and to cushion a landing without tilting. The lengths were chosen so that you can still paddle reasonably straight ahead without going in circles all the time. Some manufacturers (e.g. Naish) even offer boards that are suitable for wing foiling, SUP foiling and windsurf foiling. You should always bear in mind that a crossover always involves compromises in order to meet the specific requirements of the individual disciplines.
Pure wing foil boards
In the meantime, a group has also been formed that has been specially designed for the needs of wing foiling. These pure wing boards are super compact. The reason for this is that a board becomes more agile as it becomes more compact. The small dimensions reduce the weight, centrifugal forces and susceptibility to wind. Sometimes the board only starts a few centimeters before the front footstraps. The most extreme boards are just over a meter long.
Like all modern foil boards, these also have beveled and rounded edges, stern and bow. There are now also special boards in this group for specific areas of use, such as wave and freestyle (e.g. Gong).
SUP boards
Some normal SUP boards also have the option of attaching a foil in addition to the fins. These boards often do not have beveled and rounded surfaces in the underwater hull and are also longer than a pure foil board. From experience we can say that most people who have had such a board have replaced it with a pure foil board from one of the two groups described above. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to boards and it makes sense to buy a special foil board.
Foot straps
Foot straps can be mounted on all foil boards. There are two different mounting options: a 3-loop setup (two loops at the front, one at the back) and a 2-loop setup (one loop in the middle, slightly slanted at the front, one at the back).
The 2-piece setup is often used by advanced wing-foilers. They no longer change their stance position, but move in one direction in the normal stance and in the other direction in the “switch stance”. This puts you more centrally on the front of the board, which benefits you in many maneuvers and in the waves.
You can find an article on how the position of the straps affects the riding behavior and what is best to start with here.
Foil fastening
In the meantime, the so-called US boxes have become established for attaching the foil to the board. These are two rails that are embedded parallel to each other in the board. They run alongside the direction of travel. Two sliding blocks (small metal plates with a thread) are inserted into each rail to secure the foil. The foil is then attached to the board with four screws.
You can find an article on how the position of the foil affects the riding behavior and which position is best at the beginning here.
The right wing board for beginners
Beginners should start with a larger board. The measure for this is not so much the length or width, but the board volume in liters. For real beginners, we recommend a board with a volume that is approx. 40 L above your own weight, e.g.: 80 KG body weight + 40 L = 120 L board volume. Experienced water sports enthusiasts can certainly choose less volume to get started with wingfoiling.
Board calculator
Still not quite sure? With our board calculator you can easily find the right board size for you.
Wing boards market overview
Are you looking for the right board for you? In our market overview: Wing Foil Boards you will find almost all the boards currently available on the market. Here you can narrow down by brand, size and type and choose the right board for you.
The right wing board for advanced users
For the reasons described above, advanced riders will tend to prefer a smaller board, possibly also a special board that is designed for waves or freestyle. Initially, body weight + 10 L is used as a guide. The board volume can also become smaller as the skill level increases. Even 10-30 liters under your own body weight are possible. However, you first have to pump yourself out of the water when you start.
Just like Luca with his approx. 75 kg on a 40 liter board in the following video: