March 14th: Return After Two Weeks — The Wall Between "Lifting" and "Sustained Flight"

March 14th. Today’s practice held a special significance. I was supposed to be on the water a week ago, on March 7th, but during my previous session, I had tweaked my lower back so badly it was practically a slipped disk. The pain didn't subside within a week, so I unfortunately had to sit that one out. Consequently, this was my first time back on the wing foil in two weeks.

Offshore Anxiety

The wind today was a northerly—meaning offshore (blowing from the land toward the sea). For a beginner, offshore winds can be a bit intimidating because of the risk of being swept out to sea. However, since this was a guided lesson with my instructor, I headed out with a bit more peace of mind.

The forecast predicted 6–7 m/s, eventually dropping to around 5 m/s. Personally, 5 m/s is my "sweet spot" for practicing. "The conditions might turn out just right," I thought with high hopes.

Stronger Than Expected

When I arrived at the beach, the wind was blowing harder than anticipated. It wasn't steady; it kept gusting and lulling. It felt like about 6 m/s. My instructor was tied up with another lesson, so I had to decide on my wing size alone. I didn't think the wind was that strong, so after some debating, I hauled two wings to the beach: 6㎡ and 5㎡. I considered bringing my 4㎡ as well, but carrying three was too much of a hassle, so I stuck with those two for the start.

An Immediate Misjudgment

When I finally met up with my instructor on the sand, his first words were: "The wind is strong today. Let’s go with the 4㎡." Shoot. "I'm sorry, I didn't bring the 4㎡ down..." He looked a bit surprised but said, "Well, let's try the 5㎡ then." I rigged the 5㎡ and launched. But the moment I hit the water, I knew. It was too much. With the 5㎡, I was completely overpowered. The wing was pulling so hard that control was nearly impossible. My instructor made the call immediately: "You need the 4㎡." I had to head back to shore.

Restarting with the 4㎡

Deflate, stow the gear, and rush back to grab the 4㎡. The round trip took about 10 to 15 minutes. It was a bit of a pain, but necessary. Once I rigged the 4㎡ and relaunched, the situation changed completely. The wind was still strong, but now I had full control. Most importantly, I could stay upwind. In wing foiling, the ability to return upwind is directly tied to safety. Being able to do this allowed me to practice with total confidence. I warmed up by tacking back and forth across the bay.

The Foiling Challenge

After a while, the instructor said, "Alright, let’s go for some foiling challenges." This was the real deal. I focused on two key points:

1. Wing Pressure: Learning from last time, I pumped it up to the maximum rated pressure. This kept the wing rigid and ensured no power was lost.

2. Body Positioning: My old windsurfing habits make me want to lean my body toward the leeward side. If I do that while lifting, the foil tilts and I drop immediately.

I put my YouTube "image training" into practice:

- Stand right in the center of the board.

- Don't lean out too far.

I’d lift... then drop. I’d pick up speed. Pump. And—whoosh—the board would lift. But I’d drop again. Rinse and repeat. This part hadn't changed much since the last session.

The Wind Shifts: Back to the 5㎡

Later, the wind settled down a bit. The instructor decided, "The wind is dropping; let’s switch back to the 5㎡." Back to shore again to rig the 5㎡. This specific wing is a newer model and incredibly easy to handle. In the lulls, I’d pump to accelerate and transition into foiling.

Finally: The "Free Lift" Stage

At this point, I felt a massive breakthrough. I could lift almost 100% of the time. If I wanted to foil, I could. I’d rise up smoothly and sustain the flight for about 5 seconds at a time. But after that, I’d still drop.

Just Like a Bicycle

I realized something during this phase. This is exactly like the moment a child first learns to ride a bike. The parent supports the back and starts running. They let go. The child stays upright for a few seconds. But eventually, they lose balance and wobble over. Next time, they turn the handlebars to compensate, but they turn too far and fall the other way.

From an engineering perspective, it’s a feedback control problem—much like a PI Controller. To maintain a steady state, the body has to apply the right amount of control in the right direction to compensate for the deviation from the target position. Staying balanced isn't about standing still; it's about constant, minute adjustments. With wing foiling, it’s even more complex because it’s 3D control: lateral, longitudinal, and wing angle.

The Biggest Hurdle

My instructor keeps telling me: "Once you lift, extend your arms." But the moment I'm airborne, my body instinctively tenses up. I end up "hugging" the wing. This adds unnecessary tension and throws off the balance. I only realized this after the lesson ended. My next goal is clear: Neutralize the wing the moment I lift. In other words: Pump → Lift → Relax.

To the Next Stage

Today’s session taught me that lifting itself is no longer the issue. The challenge now is what comes after: the control required to sustain the flight. Next time, my theme will be "Neutralizing the wing upon takeoff." Foiling—real, sustained foiling—is right there in front of me. It was a great comeback session that left me with a strong sense of progress.