Surfstation Alpnachersee

Surfstation Alpnachersee is a wingfoiling and pumpfoiling school in Alpnachstad, in the canton of Obwalden, on the shore of Lake Alpnach (Alpnachersee), an arm of Lake Lucerne less than an hour from Zurich. It belongs to Waverocker AG, the company of Tom, who ran a surf camp in Galicia from 2013 to 2021 before returning to Switzerland and taking up wingfoiling; the school has been teaching on the lake since 2022 and, since 2025, has also run the neighbouring campsite (Camping Alpnachersee) and its bistro. On fine days, a thermal breeze of roughly 8 to 15 knots usually sets in between 11 am and 4 pm, slightly stronger in spring and early summer.

Wingfoil lessons have no more than five students per instructor and boat, with coaching from the boat and by radio; the school uses large foil boards and wings with booms to get beginners flying quickly. The range goes from a one-day introduction (7 hours) to a three-day course and a five-day licence course, including refresher lessons for people coming from other board sports, improvement lessons (tacks, gybes, light-wind take-off) and boat-towed foiling sessions. Since 2025 the school has issued the VDWS wingfoil licence, valid at more than 600 centres, and all its instructors are VDWS-certified; it also hosts a VDWS instructor course (25 April to 2 May 2026), followed by a rescue course.

Other activities: pumpfoil lessons and rental with the Foil Scoot, SUP rental and an evening SUP outing with a campfire, wingfoil equipment rental with a tow upwind of about 2 km, a five-session Rider Pass and training weeks in Sardinia. School and test equipment comes from Ensis, Naish, JP, F-One, Neilpryde and Ozone; it can be tested before buying, and part of it is sold at the end of the season, along with some Axis gear.

2026 season: from 2 May to 21 September.

No fixed opening hours: lessons and rentals are booked online, and visitors should call before coming by (or ring the bell at the gate). Lessons run with at least two participants; the day before, an email confirms whether the weather allows them to go ahead.

On fine days the thermal breeze usually blows between 11 am and 4 pm. Contact preferably by WhatsApp or email, on +41 41 244 66 81.