Jack Galloway and his wife Lizzie take their mini-me all-action hero out on a SUP with a wing, find out how you can get your youngsters involved right here!

Here at Tonic Mag, we’ve been consistently preaching about wingsurfing and how accessible it is. So this summer our Features Editor Jack & his wife Lizzie put that to the test by taking their 18-month-old daughter Raffi out for a wing session. Read on to find out how it went and what you need to do to get your little ones shredding.

What kit do you need?

Here goes… getting your toddler kitted out for the beach is a mission in itself. As well as the usual stuff (changing mat, lunch, milk, spare clothes & water) we put Raffi in a swimming nappy, full-body rash vest, a throwback to the 70s velcro wetsuit & Crewsaver buoyancy aid. 

As you can imagine it’s no walk in the park getting a toddler in all that kit so the real game-changer for us this summer was an electric pump for the SUP, meaning that while the SUP pumped itself up to 15 PSI, we could get Raffi & the wing ready. We were using a Red 10’6 SUP and the F-ONE Swing 4.2m.

Where is best & what conditions do you need?

We took Raffi out in the popular kitesurf & paddleboard spot that is Poole Harbour, Dorset. This spot boasts at least 200m of waist-deep or shallower water which is essential for keeping your little one safe. The wind was cross onshore and around 12-18 knots, DO NOT head out in an offshore breeze. The next thing that will really help with toddler happiness is the temperature. Raffi’s first session was during a summer heatwave with a nice warm sea breeze, the last thing you want is a cold, miserable child so wait for the right day!

How to…

As Raffi spends far too much time at the beach with us she already knows all about pumping up kites, so as expected, she insisted on helping pump up the wing. This actually slows the process down, but it is much more fun.

Once on the water, we got Raffi sat up by the handle, with the buoyancy aid on she was relatively stable in this position. I imagine as she gets older she’ll be running all over the board making it much more tricky, so we’re making the most of this static stage. I’d definitely recommend starting on your knees with a toddler propped up between your legs but as confidence grows you’ll be stood up in no time.

Once stood up with your little one leaning against your legs just sheet in and off you go. Start on a broad reach and just see if you can point a bit higher into the wind as you gather speed. We found gybing was a bit shaky but not too difficult. If you have one of the new SUP daggerboards, you might even stay upwind. We definitely didn’t! Having two of us was pretty useful as one could carry the wing back upwind while the other prone paddled with Raffi onboard.

Don’t forget the GoPro!

Little people love having something to hold onto or chew, this is an ideal way of getting them to hold a GoPro. We got some really cool shots of Raffi holding the floating handle & filming herself so give it a try. Just watch out for when it gets thrown overboard! Doing stuff like this as a family is a pretty magical experience & a memory that you’re going to want to cherish for a long time, so don’t forget that camera! We really hope you enjoy this as much as we did, good luck!

A note from mum: I can’t say I’m a worrier, I have a much more ‘throw her in and see what happens’ approach (something the mother-in-law has nightmares about I’m sure!) so I can’t give you tips on how to persuade your better half that this is a good idea. However, if you have got worries, be that a partner, yourself or your kid(s), planning and confidence (fake or not!) is vital. If getting on the water is a new experience for your little human and they’re a bit unsure, showing you are confident will make a world of difference, positive talk and a playful approach will make it clear to them there is nothing to worry about.  

Don’t run before you can crawl - of course, you want your kid to be the next Kai Lenny but leave them wanting more - a short, fun session will give them positive memories, and they’ll be much keener to head down to the beach next time you can bring yourself to be that organised! Oh, and snacks, snacks are crucial.

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Toddler Wingsurfing
By Jack Galloway

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