Short answer: we think so — in the right conditions, with the right approach — and this summer I'm going to find out properly. Downwind foiling is the fastest-growing corner of foiling worldwide, and every time I post a clip of it someone asks the same question: grand for Hawaii and Australia, but is Galway Bay actually doable? Here's the honest answer, the plan, and the gear I've put my own money into to test it.
The video that started it
If you're new to downwinding, watch this first. It's the best thing we've seen on what downwind foiling actually is — reading swell lines, linking bumps, gliding for kilometres without a kite, wing or paddle stroke:
(Can't see the video? Watch it on YouTube here.)
Now — a word on what you're watching. These lads are running 8–10km offshore in a remote corner of Australia, nearly two hours from the nearest hospital. They're experienced, they're in a crew, and they've planned for exactly that risk. It's brilliant to watch and it is not the template for how we'll do it here. Which brings me to the actual question.
Why Galway Bay might be quietly ideal
Here's the thing about downwinding in a bay rather than open ocean: the wind that ruins your kiting day is the wind that makes a downwind run. The steady 15–25 knot days we get through autumn and winter build proper wind swell across the bay — and unlike the Aussies, we're never that far from a landable shore. Runs can be planned inside the bay, with escape routes, in water we know intimately from years of teaching on it. That's the theory. Part two of this post will be the practice: real runs, real conditions, what worked and what didn't. I'll report back honestly — that's the whole point.
The board I bought to answer the question
To test it properly I've bought a KT Ginxu Dragonfly Surf 2 Carbon 148 — one of the most proven downwind SUP foil boards on the market. Why that one? Honest answer: I'm 112kg dry. Learning to paddle up onto foil is the hardest part of downwinding, and at my weight it takes serious volume under your feet. The 148-litre Ginxu gives me the stability and glide to learn the paddle-up properly instead of flailing at it.
A note on KT: we do sell KT boards and foils — we just don't list them online. Downwind boards are the most sizing-critical purchase in foiling, and we'd rather have the conversation about your weight, your level and your local water than have someone click the wrong volume into a basket. If a KT is right for you, message us and we'll sort it.
Our recommendation for most riders: Appletree
Buying advice and what I personally ride aren't always the same thing, so let me be straight about it. For downwind boards, our pick for most riders is the Appletree Skipper Downwind V2 — refined outline, more lift, more control than the original, and available from 7ft/94 litres up to 8ft/118 litres (from €2,099, in stock in Galway). Appletree build them in Portugal — an EU-made board from a family-run company, which matters to us as a family-run shop — and the build quality is the best we've handled.
My own plan says it all: learn on the big Ginxu while I'm carrying winter weight, get the paddle-up dialled, and then move onto the Skipper Downwind V2 as technique starts doing the work the litres are doing now. If you're under about 95kg you can likely start on the Skipper directly — ask us and we'll size you honestly.
The foil underneath it all: Code
The board gets you up; the foil is what glides. Everything above pairs with the Code Foils range we run as demo gear — high-aspect wings that are tried and tested in downwind racing, winning races and getting better with every generation. That glide through the lulls is exactly what bay downwinding needs, and it's the same reason Code works so well for wing foiling and parawinging here. We're the only Code Foils dealer in Ireland, and you can demo a setup with us before committing to a build.
Doing it safely — the bit that matters
The RNLI background in me won't let this post end without it. Downwinding, even in a bay, is committing: you start upwind and there's no going back the way you came. Our rules, non-negotiable: never downwind alone; someone on shore knows your route and your ETA; impact vest or flotation, leash, and a phone in a waterproof pouch on your body; start with short runs inside the bay before you even think about bigger water. The lads in the video earned their 10km offshore over years. We'll earn Galway Bay the same way — gradually.
Follow along
Part two lands once I've got real runs under my belt — routes, conditions, and an honest verdict on whether Galway Bay delivers. In the meantime, if downwinding, wing foiling or parawinging is calling you, WhatsApp us on 087 144 8888 with your weight and experience and we'll talk you through where to start — or call into us at the Barna shop and see the gear in the flesh. No pressure, just the chat.
Read next: Ozone Pocket Rocket parawing — first impressions · Appletree Midlength V2 vs AppleSlice V4 · Why we stock Code Foils
