Most people arrive not knowing what to expect. A couple of hours later, they’ve flown. And here’s exactly what that looks like.
Before you get on the water
You meet the Foilone team on the terrace at Hotel Nautilus. We move down to the harbour and have you sign a waiver. After the beaurocratic stuff is handled, you are fitted with a wetsuit, shoes, PFD (personal flotation device) and headset. Once you are all geared up, we move onto a safety briefing covering safety protocols, Pegasus controls, what to expect on the water, and the progression ahead.
No experience needed. No boating background required. The briefing is designed for first-time riders, and by the end of it you’ll know everything you need before going out on the lake.
Boat mode
Your coach takes the Pegasus out first, demonstrating displacement mode so you can see exactly what you’re about to do. Then it’s your turn.
Your coach stays alongside via live headset from the support RIB the entire time. You circle the support boat in displacement mode, the hull on the water at low speed, learning the steering and throttle. It’s more intuitive than it sounds. Within a few laps around the support boat, the controls start to feel more natural.
Wheelie mode
Your coach demonstrates again before you take over. Going in a straight line and adding a bit of speed, the bow (front of the boat) comes up, but the boat isn’t fully foiling yet.
This is where you learn lateral balance: how to read the Pegasus, how to correct, how to stay level. The extra reaction time (from back of the boat still being in the water) at this stage is deliberate. You’re building the instincts you’ll need when the hull leaves the water entirely.
Full flight
You watch your coach lift first. Then you go.
The hull rises. The drag disappears. And you gain more visibility in front as the boat levels. Most riders don’t expect how quiet it gets. Your coach talks you through, and gives tips on how to stay up, letting the sensation settle. This is where it clicks. The balance becomes instinctive. You’re not piloting a boat anymore. You’re flying.
Turning
You take a short break aboard the support boat while your coach walks you through the principles of turning, then demonstrates before handing it back to you.
You set off in a wide slalom: pick a direction, carve a broad arc one way, then the other. Once that feels controlled, you begin circling the support boat. You start with a big radius, the kind that gives you time to think. Then you tighten it. The Pegasus responds to confidence, not force, and by the end of this stage you’ll have felt the difference.
Earn Your Wings
Back at the dock, you’ll receive your Flight Certificate, your Pilot Cap, and the photos and video from your session. Proof that it happened. Proof that you flew.
The whole experience (EYW) runs about two hours, with 90 minutes on the water for the duo session and 45 minutes for solo. For added on-water time and further progression, we offer the Master Your Wings experience. It’s private. It’s paced around you. And it ends with a story that starts:
“You know that trip we took to Lake Como…”
100% OF NEW PILOTS HAVE EARNED THEIR WINGS
You arrive having never flown above water. Two hours later, you leave with a Flight Certificate, a Pilot Cap, and a story that starts: “You know that trip we took to Lake Como…”
Most experiences are beautiful. Earn Your Wings is unforgettable.
