Freefoiling

For me, freefoiling has always been the dream — being able to explore beautiful lakes, untethered from any specific launch site. I've done a lot of freefoiling over the last few years, and now it's time bring more people along on this adventure. Through this training guide you've build the foundation necessary for true exploration. Congratulations! You are ready — let's take the leap.

Prerequisites

To be honest, you could begin your freefoiling adventures shortly after achieving your 1-minute hat. Doing short hops along the shoreline can be a fun challenge that pushes your endurance and your comfort zone. Even if you're just hoping from dock to dock, getting to somewhere new is really rewarding.

If you want to start taking on some bigger adventures, it helps to be able to go for at least 5 minutes at a time, and to be comfortable with a rock start, or possibly a beach start, depending on your location.

Equipment

Here's a list of some of the extra gear you might consider bringing on a freefoiling excursion:

• Water shoes: Wearing Vibram 5 Finger shoes is probably the single biggest thing that unlocked comfortable freefoiling for me. They protect my soles and toes from all the things I smash into while wading through shallow water or climbing up on sharp rocks. And, in contrast to wetsuit booties, they actually improve my grip and feel on the board as well as the shore.
• Waterproof phone pouch: If you're going longer distances it's nice to bring your phone along just in case. You can call for help, pay for some food, or hail a ride back home.
• Lightweight tool: If you can't make it back to where you started and you need to pack up your foil, a lightweight, corrosion free, tool like one from Foilite is great to carry along.
• Hydration: Adding weight increases the required effort, so for shorter sessions I just pre-hydrate. For longer sessions I bring small collapsible water bottles in my pockets, a small hydration backpack, or a Life Straw water filter to drink straight from the lake.

Finding good lakes

Here's a few of the things I look for when seeking out new freefoiling locations:

• Submerged hazards: Some lakes are scattered with shallow rocks just below the surface, and it's best to avoid these.
• Weeds: Getting weeds caught on your foil is a drag. If you can find them, lakes with less weeds are definitely more enjoyable.
• Water clarity: Clear water helps you see the bottom, estimate depth, and avoid running aground. It also just makes for a more beautiful ride.
• Exit path: If you can find a lake with a path or road along the shoreline it adds a lot of safety and comfort. If you get stuck you can just walk out.
• Wind shelter: Smaller, narrow lakes are much better for reducing wind and waves.

Finding good launch spots

At first you'll spend a lot of time at each launch site, finding an ideal spot, and making several attempts. 

For a rock start, the main thing to look for is a spot that goes down deep enough so that you won't hit your foil. As long as it goes down deep, you can try as many times as you want without risk. After that, things to look for are a safe platform to stand on, an ideal 0.5 meter height off the water, and a steep edge on the rock, instead of a long slope that forces you to reach too far out.

For a beach start you're looking for something that drops down fast, and where the ground gives you something solid to push from. Loose pebbles and soft sand make it much harder to jump up to your board.

Sometimes it's helpful to take a few minutes to clear some rocks or weeds out of the way to before you launch. Good news: rocks feel 30-40% lighter underwater due to buoyancy.

Launch Variations

The hand position for the advanced rock start is the same as the beach start, which makes the difference between the two more of a continuum, rather than two distinct types of launches. If you're consistently using these two launches you'll find that your body is able to improvise in all sorts of unique scenarios. The launches in the video below all look the same, even though the features are quite different.

Of course it can be lots of fun to learn other types of starts, but for the purpose of freefoiling, the rock start and the beach start have got you covered.

Scratching Your Foil

You wont break your foil from running into a submerged rock, but you will scratch it. The good news is, we've measured the impact of scratches, and the increase in drag is practically imperceptible. If you take care, you can reduce the cosmetic damage, but it is something you'll have to be okay with if you're going to start freefoiling.

Planning Your First Freefoil

Finally, here's a few more tips for your first freefoil adventure:

• Start small: Start with just a short hop to a known launch site. There are a lot of things that are uncomfortable about leaving your dock, but once you do it a few times, the discomfort fades away and the world starts to open up.
• Go with a buddy: You're doing a dangerous sport over water. Please be safe and travel with a friend.
• Map it out: Take a paddleboard, or walk the shoreline, to plan out your route. Be aware of shallow areas and try to find some ideal spots to launch from. After a while you won't need to map it out, but it helps reduce risk at first.
• Travel close the shoreline: I usually travel between 10 to 50 meters from shore. There's more to see, less boat traffic, and less swimming if you fall.

Sharing Your Adventures

As you start to explore, share your story! Freefoiling is a new sport — there's not a lot of content out there and sharing your adventures could be a real motivation to others. Share what works, what scares you, what you overcame, and what you found on the other side of your comfort zone. Even if you don't post it publicly, send us a note. Making this dream real is what drives us, and we would love to hear from anyone that's taking the leap!

Other Resources and Inspiration

• Freefoil beginnings: I include this video for historical interest. I made it in 2023, as I was starting to explore the concept of freefoiling, to try to convince Devon (@wakethief) that this sport was actually possible. A few weeks later Devon was freefoiling, and the rest is history.
• Freefoiling Switzerland: Our first freefoiling trip, exploring the beautiful lakes in Switzerland and meeting up with fellow enthusiasts.
• Pump Foil Annecy: Yvon and Saugy make an amazing trip around Lake Annecy, launching from various features along the way.
• 3066 Alpine Foil Adventure: Foil surfers Steeve Fleury and Léonard Berner go on a 3-day mission to foil the pristine glacial lakes of the Valais Alps.