So finally I’m pleased to say that we have had success! After many hours of trying my 10 year old son has cracked foiling! I started teaching him over one year ago on a landboard, the wingSUP and finally the foil this summer (check out my other blogs).
What really helped was learning with other (adults) and his competitive nature driving him to keep trying to learn faster than them!
Then real success came on holiday in July when we visited Stithian’s Lake in Cornwall. I booked him in a wingfoil lesson on day 1 of the holiday and with the help of an independent instructor (ie not dad) he got his first flights. Fortunately the weather was kind to us, and 10 days of sunny weather and some decent wind followed, allowing him get a lot of practice.
By day 4 of the holiday he was keeping up wind and foiling happily by himself across the lake! Such a nice feeling to be on the water foiling alongside your child and (hopefully) pass on a life long love of watersports to my son just as my dad did to me!
The gear used was a 3.5m2 Freewing Go (lovely well priced compact wing perfect for kids), F-one Gravity 1800 foil and an Axis 85L.