DON'T MISS OUT: THIS SUMMER, I'M STARTING TO PUMP FOIL!

Take off from a dock near you! Discover dockstarting.

At first glance, pump foiling or dockstarting can look like something reserved for balance masters.

Riders flying for several minutes with no engine, no sail and no wave.

Foilers who seem to defy the laws of gravity.

Watching from the dock, it's hard to imagine that everyone had to start somewhere.

Yet learning has never been easier.

The progress made in equipment over the past few years has completely transformed the learning curve. Foils now take off at very low speed and offer impressive stability, boards are lighter and easier to handle, and progression techniques are now widely documented.

The result: thousands of riders discover the unique feeling of flight every year on local waterways, often with no previous foiling experience. This summer, why not you?

How do you get started?

Contrary to popular belief, learning to pump foil doesn't require exceptional fitness or previous foil expertise.

The key ingredients are:

suitable equipment;
a dock sitting close to water level;
calm conditions;
motivation.

As with any technical sport, progression mostly comes down to method.

Learning to pump foil is a bit like learning to ride a bike: at first, every movement requires focus. Then, little by little, everything becomes automatic until flying starts to feel natural.

The first sessions are mainly about building confidence. Jumping onto a foil board can feel intimidating. Fortunately, it's only water. Bad falls are very rare. After the first few attempts, your falls get cleaner and cleaner, then come the first few-meter flights, before you naturally start linking longer and longer distances.

Every successful attempt makes you want to go again.

And every session brings a new breakthrough.

Pump foiler: Louis, GONG staff, riding the Donut HDCC.

Should you take lessons?

If you can, get help from an experienced friend. A few tips are often enough to understand the right movement, avoid common mistakes and save a huge amount of time.

An outside eye can instantly correct body position, jump timing or pumping rhythm.

The social side is also part of the dockstart experience. You can start as a pair and take turns using the same gear, giving each rider time to recover between attempts.

Of course, you can also learn on your own.

There are now plenty of resources available: video tutorials, technical guides, community feedback and more.

Just keep in mind that learning alone often involves a few avoidable mistakes: the wrong foil choice, an unsuitable dock or poor pumping rhythm.

Nothing impossible to overcome, but it can slow your progression.

For an introduction to dockstarting, choosing the right spot, the right gear and the technique for launching, check out our How To Dock Start.

Pump foilers: Ava, Liam and Malo, GONG team riders, riding the Kluber HDC, Alu V3 mast, Trail V3 front wing and stabilizer.

How do you choose your pump foil setup?

Gear choice is probably the biggest factor influencing progression.

A compact, stiff and lightweight board is essential for dockstarting. In our range, the Kluber HDC in fiberglass is the most accessible model.

A high-lift foil forgives your lack of speed and requires less pumping effort. The tolerance of a beginner foil like the Trail, for example, brings so much comfort that experienced pump foilers also use it for starts in more technical conditions, such as rock starts or beach starts where there is less room for a run-up.

A mast with the right length provides better control (avoid using your wing or kite foil mast, for example).

Today, the GONG range makes it easy to start in excellent conditions with equipment designed to make learning simple and fast. To avoid choosing the wrong gear and get the best value, the easiest option is to go for a complete pack (or just a complete foil setup if you already have a board).

Pump foiler: Liam, GONG team rider, with the complete Kluber HDC / Trail V3 pack.

Where should you start?

Spot choice is almost as important as gear choice.

To learn in the best possible conditions, look for:

a stable dock;
a low dock, close to the water;
enough depth under the foil;
calm water;
a surface free of weeds or leaves;
a clear, open environment.

For your first sessions, prioritize simplicity: a clear dock less than 30 cm above the water (so you don't have to bend your back too much), ideally facing an open area. For example, the end of a dock that lets you run straight toward your pumping zone, on the side that allows you to push the board on your right if you're regular, or on your left if you're goofy.

If you don't have access to a dock, we offer the BLISS, an inflatable dock you can share with your friends.

Pump foiler: Malo, GONG team rider, riding the Kluber HDC, HM mast and Sirus V3 foil.