Foil surfing

Fly above the water

A board with a large fin

A good dose of adrenaline

Surfing on a foil is like flying above the water. A surfboard with a large fin which takes the board up and out of the water. A real adrenaline rush!

Yannick Taputu, foil instructor

"It’s different from the usual surfing because it’s more gentle, especially on the legs".

Towed foil

A protective helmet and a life-vest are needed for the latest craze in watersports in Tahiti and Moorea. The principle of foil surfing is quite simple: a large carbon or aluminum fin, which the pros call a mast, is attached under the surfboard and, as you go faster, the board rises up and out of the water. It feels like you’re flying above the surface.

You don’t need to be an experienced surfer or kite surfer, you just need to be reasonably athletic. The best way to begin is by being towed by a boat as you hold onto a lateral pole. After a few ungainly falls, you should quickly get used to it and as the foil lifts up you’ll feel like you’re taking off. Up, up and away!