Learn About Becoming A HUB
Why the WASZP Fleet Is Different
Across sailing, many classes follow a familiar arc. A fleet grows quickly in one region, attracts strong coaches and ambitious sailors, peaks, and then loses momentum as instructors, sailors and resources move toward the next opportunity. For clubs and schools, that can make long-term investment difficult. Programs become dependent on a few individuals, participation fluctuates and the knowledge required to keep the program successful can disappear surprisingly quickly.
The WASZP fleet has taken a different approach.
What makes the WASZP unique is not simply the boat. It is the ecosystem that has developed around it: sailors, clubs, local HUBs, the Class, development organizations, coaches and partners working within a connected structure.
At the center of that model is a simple idea: build strong local programs first.
Building From the Base
High-performance sailing can easily become concentrated around small groups of traveling athletes. That can create tremendous opportunities for those sailors, but it does not necessarily create sustainable local fleets.
The WASZP ecosystem starts at the other end.
HUBs are clubs, schools, sailing centers and community programs running repeatable local foiling programs. They create regular opportunities to sail, develop coaches, introduce new participants and give sailors a place to continue improving close to home.
Boats stay active. Coaches continue developing. New sailors enter the system. Local programs have the opportunity to become stronger from one season to the next.
For sailors who want more, the broader WASZP Class provides the next layer. Regional and national racing, High School and College competition, Race Teams and international events allow sailors to increase their level of competition while remaining connected to the local programs where they developed.
The strength of the competitive pathway begins with the strength of the local fleet underneath it.
The USFoil System Behind the HUBs
USFoil adds another important layer to that structure.
The organization has built a national development system around USFoil Endorsed Coaches, a common dinghy foiling curriculum, sailor certification through the USFoil Tracker and regular support for local programs.
See the Tracker and learn more at: https://tracker.usfoil.org
The objective is consistency.
A club should not have to reinvent dinghy foiling every time a coach changes. A sailor should not have to begin again every time they attend a clinic somewhere else. Program directors should have a stable reference for what their coaches are teaching and how sailors are progressing.
USFoil's long-term goal is a national community of Endorsed Coaches who share a common approach to sailor development and can deliver programs to a recognizable standard both on and off the water.
Those coaches then create certified sailors.
Through the USFoil Tracker, sailor development becomes visible and portable. Coaches have defined objectives, sailors have clear milestones, and clubs have a development structure that can remain in place across seasons and staff changes.
It Starts With Endorsed Coaches
The strength of any sailing program eventually comes back to the people standing in the coach boat.
USFoil's Dinghy Foiling Coach Endorsement creates a common foundation for coaches working across the country. Endorsed Coaches develop around a shared approach to instruction, safety, sailor progression and program delivery.
The objective is not to make every coach identical. Good coaches need the freedom to coach.
The objective is to establish a recognizable standard.
A sailor training at one HUB should be able to attend a clinic somewhere else and work with another USFoil Endorsed Coach without entering an entirely different system. Program directors should be able to bring a new Endorsed Coach into their program with confidence that the coach understands the same development philosophy and progression.
That consistency creates stability for clubs and predictability for sailors.
It also makes programs less dependent on one individual. Knowledge, standards and curriculum remain with the program as coaches develop, change roles or move on.
The long-term goal is a country full of Endorsed Coaches who think about dinghy foiling development in similar ways and execute programs to a consistent standard.
A Curriculum Clubs Can Build Around
Good coaching becomes much more powerful when it operates inside a strong structure.
The USFoil curriculum provides a repeatable progression for introducing sailors to dinghy foiling and developing their skills over time.
Coaches still coach. Sailors, venues and conditions are different everywhere. But they are working inside a common development framework rather than creating a new program session by session.
That makes an enormous difference as a program grows.
Program directors have a clearer idea of what should be happening. New coaches have a structure they can step into. Returning sailors know where they are in the progression and what comes next. Additional coaches can be developed without completely changing the experience.
For a club entering dinghy foiling, that dramatically shortens the learning curve.
The boats may be new.
The program does not have to be.
Endorsed Coaches Create Certified Sailors
The USFoil Tracker connects coaching and sailor development into one national system.
Through tracker.usfoil.org, sailors work through defined Dinghy Foiling Certification levels that provide recognizable milestones and a development record that can follow them between coaches, clinics and programs.
USFoil Endorsed Coaches verify that progression.
That relationship is central to the model.
The goal is not simply to produce certifications. It is to develop capable coaches who use a consistent curriculum and can certify sailors as those sailors demonstrate the appropriate skills.
Certification gives coaches defined objectives, sailors clear milestones and clubs a common way to measure development.
Develop more Endorsed Coaches and the network naturally develops more certified sailors.
That is how the system scales.
The HUB Network Keeps Programs Active
Launching a foiling program is one challenge. Keeping it active year after year is another.
USFoil stays engaged with HUB program leaders and coaches after the initial launch. Regular interaction helps programs maintain activity, develop additional coaches, solve problems and take advantage of what is being learned elsewhere in the network.
A programming idea that works at one HUB can quickly become useful to another. Better ways to structure clinics, manage groups, develop coaches, introduce sailors or run events can move throughout the network instead of remaining isolated inside individual clubs.
That continuing interaction is an important part of the HUB model.
The goal is not simply to create more places with foiling boats. It is to create a connected network of programs that can learn from each other and become stronger over time.
A successful HUB should be better in year three than it was in year one.
Why the Economics Matter
For clubs and schools, strong local programming also creates a better economic foundation.
A small travel program can serve a limited number of sailors and requires significant resources. A well-run local foiling program can serve a much broader group throughout the season while keeping boats, coaching and program revenue within the local organization.
That revenue can be reinvested into equipment, additional coaches, safety, events and expanded programming.
This is one of the most important advantages of the HUB model. A club is not making an investment that only works if it produces a handful of elite athletes. It is building a local program capable of serving recreational sailors, developing racers and introducing new participants year after year.
Clubs can build fleets appropriate to their own programming, with FOILFAST supporting access to WASZP boats, parts, service and equipment as the local program grows.
The result is an investment in an ongoing program rather than simply an investment in boats.
High School and College Sailing With a Bigger Stage
One of the most distinctive opportunities within the WASZP ecosystem is the growth of High School and College competition.
The WASZP Class offers scholastic qualifiers and championship events where sailors represent their schools while competing within the broader Class.
That creates something unusual for school sailing.
A sailor can compete for a high school or university while using the same boat, Class structure and racing platform found throughout the international WASZP fleet. Scholastic competition becomes part of a much larger sailing environment rather than an isolated program.
For clubs and schools, this provides another reason to develop local foiling programs. For sailors, it creates additional opportunities to compete without separating school sailing from the broader progression available within the Class.
A Fleet Sailors Can Grow With
The WASZP reaches across a remarkably wide range of sailors.
Multiple rig sizes on the same platform allow younger and lighter sailors to enter the fleet while the same boat supports older youth sailors, adults and Masters. A sailor can begin learning to foil, develop into a racer and remain involved with the fleet for years.
At the upper end, WASZP sailors are also moving into Olympic campaigns, professional sailing programs, offshore racing and other advanced foiling disciplines.
The WASZP is not a dead end.
A sailor can remain a lifelong WASZP sailor, move deeper into Class competition or use the skills developed in the boat to pursue opportunities elsewhere in high-performance sailing.
The local HUB provides the foundation underneath all of those possibilities.
Raising the Standard for Events
USFoil is applying the same emphasis on consistency to clinics, regattas and race-management support.
A USFoil-supported event should feel different.
Strong organization, clear communication, excellent race management, appropriate safety systems, thoughtful scheduling, professional presentation and effective use of modern technology should all contribute to the sailor experience.
The objective is bigger than running good races.
Over time, sailors should see USFoil associated with an event and have confidence in the experience they are going to receive.
USFoil is continuing to develop the standards, tools and race-management support needed to make that experience increasingly consistent across the country.
Just as the Coach Endorsement creates a recognizable standard for instruction, USFoil event support should create a recognizable standard on the racecourse.
How the USFoil HUB Pathway Works
The HUB pathway is intentionally progressive.
A club does not need an established foiling fleet, experienced foiling coaches or a large group of sailors before getting involved.
Programs can begin where they are and build from there.
Stage 1: Clinic and Program Introduction
For many organizations, the first step is a clinic or activation.
Sailors experience dinghy foiling in a structured environment while local coaches and program leaders get their first look at the USFoil curriculum, coaching approach and operating model.
This gives the organization an opportunity to evaluate sailor interest, venue suitability, staffing and what a permanent program could look like.
It also begins developing the people who may eventually run the program.
There is no requirement to become a HUB simply because a club hosts an introductory clinic. The first step is designed to let an organization experience the system before deciding what comes next.
Stage 2: Develop the Coaches
Once an organization decides it wants to build a program, coach development becomes the priority.
Local coaches begin working through the USFoil Dinghy Foiling Coach Endorsement pathway and become familiar with the curriculum, Tracker and development framework.
This is where the foundation of the future HUB is built.
Instead of making the program dependent on an outside coach repeatedly returning to deliver it, the goal is to develop the local coaching capability needed to make foiling part of the club's regular operation.
The strongest programs will ultimately develop multiple Endorsed Coaches, creating continuity and reducing dependence on any one individual.
Stage 3: Become a USFoil HUB
As the coaching and program structure comes together, the organization can become an official USFoil HUB.
Regular local programming begins around the USFoil curriculum. Endorsed Coaches work with sailors through the development pathway, and sailors begin earning Dinghy Foiling Certifications through the USFoil Tracker.
USFoil remains engaged with the program and its coaches as activity develops.
HUBs participate in the national program through a monthly program fee, supporting the continuing development of the network and the resources available to participating clubs and programs.
This is where a collection of boats and individual sailing sessions begins turning into a repeatable program.
Stage 4: Build a Sustainable Program
As the HUB develops, the emphasis shifts toward depth and consistency.
Additional coaches become endorsed. New sailors enter the program while experienced sailors continue progressing. Certifications create development milestones. Clinics, training sessions and local racing provide reasons for sailors to remain active.
The program begins building institutional knowledge rather than relying on one person to hold everything together.
This is an important point in the development of a HUB.
Dinghy foiling stops being a special project and becomes part of the club.
Stage 5: Expand the Experience
Strong HUBs can then expand in the directions that make sense for their sailors and community.
That may mean larger clinics, adult or Masters programming, scholastic participation, local racing, regional events or hosting higher-level training and competition.
USFoil can support that growth through its coaching network, program resources and developing event and race-management capabilities.
Sailors looking for additional competition can connect into the broader WASZP Class pathway while continuing to use the HUB as their local training base.
The objective is not to push every program toward the same destination.
It is to give every program the tools to keep getting better.
Where Does Your Program Fit Today?
A club with no foiling experience can start with a clinic.
A club that already owns WASZPs but has struggled to create regular programming may find that coach development, curriculum and program structure are the missing pieces.
A program already running regular foiling sessions may be ready to become a HUB and bring its coaches and sailors into the Endorsement and Certification systems.
An established foiling program may find the greatest value in developing additional Endorsed Coaches, strengthening consistency, connecting with other HUBs and improving the quality of its clinics and events.
There is no requirement for every HUB to develop at the same speed.
The common elements are good coaches, regular activity, structured sailor development and a commitment to building a program that lasts.
What Does Becoming a HUB Mean?
A USFoil HUB is a club, school, sailing center or community organization running a repeatable local dinghy foiling program within the USFoil development framework.
Becoming a HUB connects the organization to USFoil's Coach Endorsement pathway, curriculum, sailor certification system, ongoing program support and growing national network.
HUBs participate through a monthly program fee.
The relationship is designed to evolve as USFoil develops new resources, partnerships, technology and program capabilities. The objective is a long-term relationship focused on helping local programs remain active and continue improving.
Do We Need to Own Boats Before We Start?
No.
Organizations can begin with a clinic or introductory activation before determining what permanent fleet makes sense.
Once the program is ready to grow, FOILFAST can help evaluate new and used WASZP options, fleet configuration, parts and equipment support.
The goal is to build the fleet around the program rather than build the program around whatever boats happen to be available.
Do We Need an Experienced Foiling Coach?
No.
Developing coaches is one of the primary reasons the USFoil system exists.
A strong sailing coach who is interested in dinghy foiling can begin developing through clinics, practical experience, curriculum and the USFoil Dinghy Foiling Coach Endorsement pathway.
Over time, the goal is to develop enough local coaching depth that the program can operate consistently from within the club.
Do We Need Elite Sailors?
No.
A successful HUB is built around participation.
Sailors can learn to foil, develop their skills and enjoy regular local programming without ever needing to pursue national or international racing.
For sailors who want more, the broader WASZP Class provides a deep competitive pathway.
The local program works for both.
Can High School and College Sailors Participate?
Yes.
High School and College sailors can train and develop through HUB programs and the USFoil certification system while also taking advantage of scholastic competition organized through the WASZP Class.
That gives schools and clubs a way to introduce modern foiling into their programming while keeping sailors connected to a much larger Class ecosystem.
What Makes a Program Ready?
A program does not need to be perfect before becoming a HUB.
Strong candidates generally have an organization committed to regular dinghy foiling activity, a program leader responsible for keeping that activity moving, coaches willing to develop through the USFoil Endorsement pathway, a venue suitable for safe foiling and a desire to build the program over multiple seasons.
Existing boats are helpful but not essential at the beginning.
Existing foiling expertise is helpful but not essential either.
Commitment to developing the coaches and running the program consistently matters much more.
Why the Model Works
The most valuable asset in a sustainable foiling program is the knowledge inside the program.
Developed coaches create continuity. A common curriculum creates structure. Certification creates measurable progression. Regular interaction keeps programs active. A national network allows good ideas and experience to move quickly between locations.
Over time, those pieces reinforce each other.
More Endorsed Coaches create more opportunities for sailors. More active sailors support stronger local programs. Stronger programs develop more coaches. Every new HUB adds experience and knowledge to the network that the next HUB can use.
At the same time, the WASZP Class provides a much larger competitive world for sailors who decide they want it.
The result is a system capable of serving the sailor who simply wants to learn to foil, the club that wants a strong summer program, the school sailor who wants to represent a team, and the athlete who eventually wants to compete internationally.
Strong HUBs. Strong coaches. Certified sailors. Better events. A clear pathway forward.
That combination is what makes the USFoil HUB model different.
Ready to Get Started?
The easiest first step is to talk with USFoil about where your organization is today.
Some clubs will begin with an introductory clinic. Others may already have the boats and sailors and simply need coaching structure. Established programs may be ready to move directly into the HUB network.
USFoil can help determine the right starting point and build from there.
Learn more about the USFoil Certification Tracker at tracker.usfoil.org
Apply to become a USFoil HUB: https://usfoil.org/contact