WHANAU

WHANAU is a board-sports school in the centre of Seengen (Aargau), opposite Café Studler and a few minutes from the northern shore of Lake Hallwil. The name, borrowed from Māori, means family and community. It is the sole proprietorship of Manuel "Manu" Simmons, who has taught windsurfing since 2008 and trained with the VDWS and the Swiss Lifesaving Society (SLRG). In 2025 it took over from the ENIGMATICSURF school he set up in March 2019 on Lake Hallwil, which moved to Lake Greifensee in 2021-2022 and returned to Lake Hallwil in 2023. The team is made up of freelance instructors holding VDWS or J+S licences; the school says it has an emergency plan and a safety concept for lessons and rental.

The model is a hybrid between a school and a club. Lessons can be booked one at a time: SUP, pumpfoil, windsurfing and wingfoil. For wing, the basic lesson uses a large SUP or foil board so students can focus on steering the wing, then the advanced lesson works on flight stability, pumping and the foot changes that lead to the first tacks. Alternatively, the annual membership gives access to the equipment pool and ongoing coaching in one main discipline (SUP, wingfoil, windsurfing or pumpfoil; parawing is also listed), storage and care of one's own gear, free workshops, buying and travel advice and private lessons at a reduced rate. The school also presents itself as the first parawing school in Switzerland.

WHANAU is not limited to Lake Hallwil: its map lists eighteen spots where its instructors can run sessions, on about ten lakes (Hallwil, Sempach, Lucerne, Uri, Aegeri, Zug, Zurich, Greifensee, Constance and Biel) and on river waves. The offer also includes renting SUP, wing, windsurf and pumpfoil gear, surfing on artificial waves, wakesurfing, surfskating, trips and sessions for schools and companies. The website also mentions private kitesurfing lessons and a shuttle to spots in central Switzerland, but no kite lesson appears in the course list.

Visits in Seengen, Boniswilerstrasse 1, preferably by appointment.

Lessons for schools and institutions run from March to October, Monday to Thursday, in two-hour slots, subject to suitable weather. Other lessons and rentals are booked online, through the website form or by phone.

Free cancellation up to 7 days before the lesson; in rain, storms or unsafe conditions the school may postpone or cancel, and the amount is then refunded or credited. Payment by Twint, in advance or by invoice by arrangement.

Contact: +41 76 336 26 40 (also on WhatsApp for forecasts) or info@whanau.ch.