Learn Wingfoiling in Mallorca: Your Path to the First Flight Over Water

Wingfoiling fascinates more and more people, and perhaps you are also thinking about trying out this new water sport. The idea of gliding seemingly weightlessly over the water is the main reason many people get on the board. Here in the bay of Alcudia, we have been accompanying beginners on exactly this path for three years.

The most important facts in brief: Wingfoiling is easier to learn than kitesurfing, but requires a little more balance than windsurfing. On average, beginners need about 10 hours in the course to experience their first safe flights on the foil. We provide you with the complete beginner equipment so that you can concentrate fully on learning.

What makes Wingfoiling so special?

When wingfoiling, you stand on a board with a so-called hydrofoil mounted underneath it. In your hands, you hold a light, inflatable sail – the “Wing”.

The special moment occurs when you build up enough speed: The underwater wing generates lift and raises the entire board, including you, out of the water. The water resistance disappears almost completely, and you glide almost silently over the surface. Since you hold the wing directly in your hands, you have very direct, intuitive control over the wind pressure. If the wind gets too strong, you simply let go of the wing (it is secured to your wrist via a leash) and the pressure is immediately gone.

Many of our surf students without any prior knowledge make surprisingly fast progress. Those who are completely new to water sports do not bring any “wrong” movement patterns from other sports and can engage with the technique completely unbiased.

How is a course structured with us?

To make your start as easy and safe as possible, we work with a proven step-by-step plan. We don’t throw you straight into the deep water, but build up the skills systematically.

In practice, this means: We use special beginner equipment at the start. The boards have a lot of volume and buoyancy (usually 140-150 liters), so they are very stable in the water. The foils are designed to lift off gently even at low speeds.

We provide you with the complete setup: Wing, board with foil, as well as wetsuit, impact vest, and helmet. Safety is our top priority during your first flight attempts.

Your path to the first flight: The learning steps

From our experience – and confirmed by VDWS surveys – you need an average of about 10 course hours to experience your first controlled flight on the foil. Wingfoiling thus fits well between windsurfing (usually a bit faster) and kitesurfing (usually takes a bit longer) in terms of the learning curve.

We usually divide your course into three logical phases:

1. Wing handling without foil: Right at the beginning, you learn how to steer the wing properly. First briefly on the beach, then directly on the water. For this, we use a large, stable board without a foil (e.g., a SUP board). This allows you to fully concentrate on the sail and the wind.
2. Foil training behind the boat: We practice flying on the foil in special training sessions separately behind a motorboat. This usually takes place in the morning or exactly when there is little to no wind. You are constantly connected to your instructor via radio. You learn how the foil lifts out of the water and how to keep your balance – without having to worry about the wing at the same time.
3. Bringing it together: Only when you have reasonably mastered both – wing control and balance on the foil – do we bring the elements together. Now you use the wing to pick up speed on the foil board and lift off under your own (wind) power.

The patience with this step-by-step approach pays off extremely well: Those who don’t have to learn wing and foil at the same time experience much less frustration and ultimately lift off much faster and safer.

The ideal learning conditions with us

For the start, you need reliable conditions. Too strong wind or high waves make the beginning unnecessarily difficult, while too little wind is not enough to lift the foil out of the water.

We primarily teach in the bay of Alcudia, more precisely at Sa Marina beach. This has tangible advantages for you as a beginner: The water here is waist-deep, which makes getting back on the board after a fall extremely easy and ensures safety. In addition, the northeast wind in summer usually blows very constantly and predictably – ideal conditions to practice your first maneuvers.

Optimal conditions for wingfoiling include wind of 12–18 knots, shallow water and no strong currents. Mallorca meets these requirements for much of the season from April to October, making it a world-class destination for learning this sport.

The best time to learn in Mallorca is between May and October, with the water being so warm in the high summer months that you can sometimes hit the water wearing just a Lycra or shorty.

Your investment: Costs & Equipment

For a 10-hour beginner course, in which you learn all the basics up to your first flight, we charge 590 euros. This price includes:

• Supervision by experienced VDWS instructors
• The complete material (board, foil, wing)
• Safety equipment (vest, helmet) and wetsuit
• The final VDWS certificate (if desired)

So you don’t have to worry about buying your own equipment to get started.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Wingfoiling very exhausting?

It requires a certain basic fitness, but you don’t have to be a competitive athlete. In the beginning, when you fall into the water a lot and have to climb back onto the board, it is quite exhausting. However, as soon as you fly, the effort drops enormously because you no longer have to push the board through the water.

Do I need prior experience from other water sports?

No. Experience in windsurfing, kitesurfing, or stand-up paddling helps with balance or understanding the wind, but it is not a requirement. We will explain everything to you from scratch. The only important thing is that you can swim safely.

What happens if there is no wind?

Weak wind is often even an advantage for us: If it dies down – or in the morning when the thermals aren’t fully there yet – we use the time ideally for foil training behind the motorboat. If the conditions are absolutely unsuitable (e.g., during a storm), we will reschedule the lesson for your own safety.

Your next step

If you feel like trying out hovering over the water for yourself, we look forward to welcoming you to Mallorca. All you need is swimwear, sunscreen, plenty of drinking water, and a little stamina for your first attempts – we’ll take care of the rest.

Write to us or call directly: +34 696 264 729