46 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {due west} a stand-up paddleboard) and eFoiling (powered by an electric motor). His favorite is wing foiling, although David doesn’t recommend it for beginners. “You’ve got too much going on,” he explains. “Start with an eFoil. Isolate a variable, then move to the next step.” Not just flashy, this groundbreaking equipment promises a smoother, faster ride. “It’s much softer on the body because you’re flying above the water, not slapping on it,” David notes. “Your knees, your back, your everything—there’s so much less duress on your system.” It’s also breaking records left and right. Take the St. Francis Yacht Club’s SF Classic, a race that welcomes kiteboarding, wingfoiling and windsurfing. “In years prior to foiling, the windsurfers and kiteboarders would take about 90 minutes to complete the course,” Maybe you’ve been out enjoying a day by the Bay and stopped dead in your tracks at the sight of someone on a board that’s seemingly levitating above the water. This magic carpet ride is possible thanks to a hydrofoil, a slender mast below the board which extends to an underwater wing that creates lift. First used on boats at the tail end of the 1800s, the advent of hydrofoils in board sports is relatively new and was popularized by big-wave surfer Kai Lenny in 2016. Since then, “foiling” has taken the water sport world by storm. Any water sport using a board can incorporate foiling, says David Wells, owner of Redwood Water Sports. That includes wing foiling (which involves a small handheld sail), kite foiling (with a parachuteshaped kite), SUP foiling (on SPORTS water wings words by JOHANNA HARLOW says David, himself a fierce competitor in the event. “When the hydrofoil kites entered the mix, Nico Parlier did the course in just over 38 minutes!” David’s shop, with windows overlooking the pristine Port of Redwood City, has been an invaluable resource to the water sports community. But he’s had to fight to keep it alive. “Retail is under siege by Amazon,” David notes, not to mention the endless other activities that compete for people’s time and attention. “But there is a secret sauce: It’s called community.” That means water sports stores help each other out, David says. “Don’t schedule on top of me. I’ll promote your activity. You promote my activity. It’s you and PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF: BRYAN MCDONALD
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