Making Wing Foiling Accessible: OTC Team Rider James Hardy Leads First Sit-Down Camp
The Official Test Centre (OTC) Team Rider and watersports instructor James Hardy is helping to make wing foiling more accessible through a new series of sit-down wing foiling camps delivered through RYA Sailability.
The first camp gave participants with disabilities or limited mobility the opportunity to experience the sport, develop their skills and even begin engaging the foil.
In this week's blog James explains how this revolutionary concept came about and what's next for this exciting new development in the world of winging.
By Emma Maguire.
Explaining how sit-down wing foiling has developed, James said:
“Sit-down wing foiling is something that has emerged through the work of a few individuals in the UK and across the world who can’t wing foil standing up. Some are kneeling, some are sitting and some have retrofitted seats to equipment to make it work for them.”
The first camp proved to be a positive experience for everyone involved.
“It was a great success. Everyone enjoyed themselves and took loads from it, and the buzz and excitement for more was great to see.”
From complete beginners to engaging the foil
The camp introduced participants to the fundamentals of the sport before gradually progressing them towards using a foil board.
“The progression was great to watch. Mother Nature did us a solid and pretty much laid on the perfect weekend in terms of wind and tide.”
James and the coaching team began by getting everyone onto the water together before moving on to equipment adapted to meet individual needs.
“We started with everyone windsurfing on a Mega SUP to get the idea of handling the equipment. That was followed by wingsurfing on individual boards with foam seating to suit their needs, and then trying a board with a foil the next day.”
Why accessibility matters
For James, the reason for making watersports more accessible is simple.
“Why not? Why shouldn’t watersports be accessible to all?”
He explained that participation does not have to be about reaching an elite level or performing advanced moves.
“Not everyone will become this superstar freestyle foiler, but that’s not what it’s about. It’s about allowing everyone, wherever possible, to give it a go and get on the water in a way that suits them.”
Adapting each session to the individual
The camp demonstrated that making watersports accessible does not necessarily require completely specialist equipment. Some elements could be delivered normally, while others needed to be changed.
“There were some bits we had to adapt and some bits we didn’t. The equipment was nothing specialist.”
The coaching was guided by the needs and abilities of each participant rather than following a rigid approach.
“Coaching-wise, it was all about being led by the person or individual. There were some parts of the syllabus that weren’t going to work when teaching someone sitting down, so we either took them out or tweaked them to make them work for the group.”
For anyone who believes wing foiling is something they could never experience because of a disability or limited mobility, James has a straightforward message:
“Just give it a go. There are definitely ways to get you out there and at least give you a little flavour of it.”
Seeing someone engage the foil for the first time is always a rewarding moment for an instructor, but the reactions during an accessible session can make it particularly special.
“It feels pretty damn good! It’s the same feeling when anyone gets onto the foil for the first time. I suppose the difference is the reaction from the individual that really tops it off, as they may not have thought it was possible.”
Finding the right seating solution
One of the main challenges encountered during the camp was finding suitable seating and securing it safely to the board.
“The seating seemed to be the hurdle we were trying to make work a lot of the time, as well as attaching it.”
Every participant has different requirements, meaning a single seating design is unlikely to suit everyone.
“The seating needs to be so personal that it’s not one size fits all. Attaching it to the board so it didn’t slip was also a challenge we had to work out along the way. Some options worked and some didn’t.”
Equipment, safety boats and an experienced support team were essential throughout the sessions.
“They were really important. We had some extra equipment, such as a transfer board in the RIB, if it was needed. Having two of us in the safety and coaching boat definitely helped and made us more effective on the water.”
Building on the first camp
The initial camp allowed James and the team to demonstrate that sit-down wing foiling is possible while learning how future sessions can be developed.
“Firstly, we learned that it’s very much possible and there is an appetite for it. It’s still teaching winging, but with some adaptations to make it work.”
Another camp is being considered for October, giving the group an opportunity to return to the water and continue progressing.
“It will be very much the same, really. Hopefully, we can progress this group forward, develop their skills and satisfy their desire for more wing foil action.”
The project remains in its early stages, but James hopes accessible wing foiling will eventually become a recognised and regularly participated-in part of the sport.
“At the moment, it’s a project to see where and how it can all work. In the future, I think it would be cool to see it become something that is widely participated in.”
Developing accessible watersports in Weymouth and Portland
With Weymouth and Portland’s established watersports heritage and varied local conditions, James believes the area is an ideal location for developing opportunities like these.
“It has a strong watersports heritage for a reason—it’s a great place to do it. It makes sense that it’s the ideal place to get this off the ground.”
The sit-down wing foiling camp was delivered through RYA Sailability as part of work exploring how the sport can be made more accessible.
“It’s an RYA Sailability project and it’s still in the early stages. If you want to know more, getting in touch with the RYA Sailability department would be the first port of call.”
For anyone who has always wanted to get onto the water but thought their disability or mobility would prevent them, James offers an encouraging final thought:
“There is more than likely a workaround to get you out there and experiencing it.”
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