How to protect Your Gear

After seeing my board and foil scrape the ground during a gust 💨, here are a few simple tips to help you keep your equipment in good shape. Although these tips are always useful, they become especially important when it’s really windy.

🪶 From least to most risky:

1. Check the tide and nautical chart to avoid hitting the bottom with your foil 🗺️.
2. Find a nice spot to rig up: ideally on grass, sheltered from the wind (you can park on the downwind side for a bit of protection).
3. Get your gear ready: wetsuit, booties, impact vest, etc.
4. Set up the foil on the board:
   • Position the board facing the wind and make sure it’s stable.
   • Mount the foil while keeping the protective covers on.
   • If the wind is really strong, it’s safer to lay the board on its side (with the front wing resting on the ground).
5. Inflate the wing, securing the leash to a fixed object (table, bench, tree, tow ball…), the pump, or — more risky — the board itself (leash to leash).
6. Store the pump and foil covers in the car 🚗 and close it.
7. Ideally, carry all your gear in one go: the foil downwind (pointing into the wind) and the wing on the opposite side.
8. In the water, move forward holding the stabilizer, then the back of the board facing the waves. Go deep enough to sink the foil into the water 🌬️, facing the wind, and swim far enough from shore to have room for take-off.