Ever since DIY stores and discounters regularly launched a major water sports offensive, it feels like every second person has a SUP in their basement - stand-up paddling has long been a popular sport. This is true as long as there is no wind, because when the breeze picks up, any relaxed paddle tour quickly turns into a drudgery.
Wingsurfing is the perfect complement to SUPing and not at all difficult to learn
So what could be more obvious than to upgrade the SUP with a wing? SUPing then becomes wing surfing! The good news for all paddlers is that almost any standard all-round or touring SUP with a length of between nine and twelve feet can be used to learn wingsurfing. The wing provides enough propulsion from 2-3 wind forces to cruise relaxed across the lake - a perfect addition to paddling that is not difficult to learn!
Learn to wingsurf on the SUP - with daggerboard or centre fin(s)
To be able to use a SUP to learn wingsurfing, it must have the option of mounting a centre fin to minimise lateral drift. WindSUPs have this option as standard because a second fin box is installed in the centre of the board. However, if you have a "normal" SUP without the centre fin option, you can retrofit the drift inhibitors. There are currently several options on the market for this:
- Add on Drift Stopper from Arrows (centre fins with tensioning strap system; price: 99 euros)
- Ezywing Fin Kit from Forward-Wip (large centre fins with tensioning strap system; price 129 euros)
- SUP Winder from Slingshot (stick-on fin box; price 119 euros)
- FitOcean Wing Fin (centre fin with tensioning strap system; price 59 euros)
Also in many wingsurf schools (HERE there's an overview of more than 200 schools in Germany and abroad) SUPs with such centre fins are used for learning to wingsurf - so the system has long since proven itself.
In the following video tutorial, you will find out what is important when choosing equipment, how to make a successful first launch, how to steer and turn the wing and what you need to bear in mind when it comes to safety.
There are many more tutorials on the Wingsurf.world YouTube channel. Click here!
