# On the effect of wind for pumping **URL:** \ **Category:** Prone Surf Foiling\ **Tags:** science\ **Created:** [April 20, 2026, 2:58pm UTC](https://forum.progressionproject.com/t/on-the-effect-of-wind-for-pumping/15131 "2026-04-20T14:58:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![anto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@anto](https://forum.progressionproject.com/u/anto)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 2:58pm UTC](https://forum.progressionproject.com/t/on-the-effect-of-wind-for-pumping/15131/1 "2026-04-20T14:58:53Z")
I was pumping completely perpendicular to the wind the other day and was thinking, is it equivalent to pumping in no wind, or is there more drag? ---
**Author:** ![Velocicraptor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Velocicraptor](https://forum.progressionproject.com/u/Velocicraptor)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 4:51pm UTC](https://forum.progressionproject.com/t/on-the-effect-of-wind-for-pumping/15131/2 "2026-04-20T16:51:20Z")
All things equal maintaining your line with side wind is going to take more power than if there were no wind. your apparent wind will be coming at an angle and you are going to exert force to maintain that line and not get blown downwind. Same concept as when cycling pelotons form an echelon (diagonal paceline) when going into a side wind. ---
**Author:** ![anto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@anto](https://forum.progressionproject.com/u/anto)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 7:55pm UTC](https://forum.progressionproject.com/t/on-the-effect-of-wind-for-pumping/15131/3 "2026-04-20T19:55:16Z")
I do understand that, but if you were going in the x direction at a speed v\_x, and the wind was going in the y direction at a speed w\_y, your apparent wind would be the vectorial sum of both, and the wind you are going “against” would only be at v\_x speed. If w\_y was 0 (no wind scenario), you would still be going “against” a wind of v\_x speed. Am I missing something? ---
**Author:** ![Velocicraptor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Velocicraptor](https://forum.progressionproject.com/u/Velocicraptor)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 8:11pm UTC](https://forum.progressionproject.com/t/on-the-effect-of-wind-for-pumping/15131/4 "2026-04-20T20:11:34Z")
Yes, but there is additional input necessary to hold your line against the wind from the y direction. Your apparent HEADWIND speed would be the same in both scenarios, but in addition to overcoming that headwind you would have to exert force to counteract the side wind. If you look at power output you are expending additional watts to hold your line in a side wind. The equivalent wattage output with a side wind would be bearing off very slightly. ---
**Author:** ![anto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@anto](https://forum.progressionproject.com/u/anto)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 8:18pm UTC](https://forum.progressionproject.com/t/on-the-effect-of-wind-for-pumping/15131/5 "2026-04-20T20:18:13Z")
Thanks! It’s clear now. Also I didn’t take into account that wind drag is proportional to v^2 and therefore it wouldn’t be just the components v\_x + w\_y but (v\_x + w\_y)^2, so a pretty big difference (2\*_v\_x_\*w\_y)! ---
**Author:** ![Velocicraptor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Velocicraptor](https://forum.progressionproject.com/u/Velocicraptor)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 8:28pm UTC](https://forum.progressionproject.com/t/on-the-effect-of-wind-for-pumping/15131/6 "2026-04-20T20:28:21Z")
I may not do formulas, but I understand apparent wind / yaw. haha. I spent many years racing bicycles and the move to open up a gap in a side wind is riding the curb on the farthest downwind side of the road to maximize the paceline’s exposure to the sidewind (“guttering” the field). Not an exact analog to this concept, but still applicable. ---
**Author:** ![jondrums](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ea924/32.png) [@jondrums](https://forum.progressionproject.com/u/jondrums)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 8:35pm UTC](https://forum.progressionproject.com/t/on-the-effect-of-wind-for-pumping/15131/7 "2026-04-20T20:35:29Z")
> [@anto](#): > > Am I missing something? yeah, I think so. Drag force is relative to velocity squared. So although the headwind is the same, the total drag is increased. I’m not exactly sure how that plays out, but I’ve experienced it and a side wind definitely has an impact. I’ve also noticed a big difference in the condition of the top foot or so of water being impacted by wind. Pumping in glassy conditions is totally different than a tail wind that perfectly matches my speed. Same aerodynamic drag, but different conditions in the water ---
**Author:** ![Dontsink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@Dontsink](https://forum.progressionproject.com/u/Dontsink)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 8:38am UTC](https://forum.progressionproject.com/t/on-the-effect-of-wind-for-pumping/15131/8 "2026-04-22T08:38:37Z")
A tailwind that matches your speed means there is zero aerodynamic drag ,in glassy (no wind) you have the aero drag created by your speed (apparent wind). ---
**Author:** ![jondrums](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ea924/32.png) [@jondrums](https://forum.progressionproject.com/u/jondrums)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2026, 6:41pm UTC](https://forum.progressionproject.com/t/on-the-effect-of-wind-for-pumping/15131/9 "2026-04-22T18:41:46Z")
you are absolutely correct, I didn’t write that correctly. I was trying to make the point that aerodynamic drag is one factor and the other is condition of the water we’re going through. Wind effects both differently. My best pumping is always in glassy conditions as far as I can tell. Maybe a close second is just the right offshore wind close to shore where it hasn’t developed any wind bump. ---
**Author:** ![Matt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@Matt](https://forum.progressionproject.com/u/Matt)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2026, 5:07pm UTC](https://forum.progressionproject.com/t/on-the-effect-of-wind-for-pumping/15131/10 "2026-06-21T17:07:19Z")
this is interesting, I was pumping across the wind this week thinking about this, it’s suprisingly substantial ![CleanShot 2026-04-21 at 11.18.51](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/progressionproject/original/2X/4/4788e3b34613bc32b8670010953545ca9891083b.png) ---
**Author:** ![WingsurferQLD](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.progressionproject.com/wingsurferqld/32/14561_2.png) [@WingsurferQLD](https://forum.progressionproject.com/u/WingsurferQLD)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2026, 8:02am UTC](https://forum.progressionproject.com/t/on-the-effect-of-wind-for-pumping/15131/11 "2026-06-22T08:02:27Z")
I’ve been thinking about this too, but for wing foiling. When I am flagged out, and riding a wind bump, there seems to be a considerable impact of wing drag, despite their being a tail wind (because you are essential riding downwind), and comparing that with no drag (i.e using a stowed parawing). Interested to see the performance improvement once I can finally parawing and stow.