It may be a first (I am not sure), but it is quite cool anyways!

www.facebook.com/groups/wingsurfers/permalink/1738413696335389/

Select to expand quote

hilly said..
www.facebook.com/groups/wingsurfers/permalink/1738413696335389/

Ah ah, in the Facebook comments you can see a post by Hell June with another wing dockstart video that he claims was made 1 year and a half before... so definitely not a first, even by him.
www.facebook.com/100014525910246/videos/988925578268297/

Saw a 16 year old last summer take 4 running steps and jump onto his 4'6" foilboard with plenty of speed to rise onto foil, but breeze was maybe 3-6, and even with severe pumping, he finally gave up after maybe 12 pumps. 4 meter wing.

My 13 yr old son was doing it off a pontoon last summer. I tried and failed as with all types of beach and dock starts.

Seen guys as old as 42 [Sunset Sail] jump onto their boards from a moving start from a dock. He does not primarily sail off docks, so is not in practice.
Practice....not worrying about looking silly....is the key to success.
Lots of windfoilers and windsurfers jump from running starts, but they control board from their boom.
Jump from END of dock.

On the subject of assisting dockstarts, an interesting solution with a flexible sliding "ramp" at the end of the video:



It reminds me of the launch ramps for indoor windsurfing events, with their slot for the fin. See for instance:



They even did foil sessions in the pool!