Winging it

Board and paddle sports are more popular than ever, and they gain thousands of new fans every year. A few decades ago, people would have heard of surfing, canoeing and kayaking, and that would have been it. These days the array of water sports, especially board sports, to choose from is almost daunting. Amongst the most exciting are those that exploit the hydrofoil principle.

A hydrofoil is a fin that acts like an underwater wing. The foil uses forward movement through the water to generate lift that raises the hull or board of the craft in question, in many cases, right up above the water.

There are a number of board sports that use hydrofoils, including foil surfing, kite surfing, some styles of windsurfing and wingfoiling. The last is a relatively new discipline in which the board's rider uses wind power via a wing whose shape is maintained by inflatable and rigid struts. Unlike the sail on a windsurfing board, a wingfoiling wing is entirely held by the rider and not directly attached to a mast or board.

The sensation of riding these boards is somewhere between surfing and flying, and for spectators, the sight can be exciting and dramatic, especially when high speeds and acrobatics (or should that be aerobatics) are part of the rider's repertoire.

The description above may go some way to explaining why James Heaven from Salcombe in South Devon is an avid wingfoiling enthusiast. It may also explain why he acquired the perfect plate for a lover of beach-based activities, 54 ND (Sand).

James is pictured here with his two dogs, Hebe, the brown cocker spaniel and Purdey, the liver and white springer spaniel. "They have quite a following on Instagram [currently 12.1k followers as The Springer Spaniels]," says James.

If you have a passion for a hobby or sport, then a personal number plate is the ideal way to share your joy. Regtransfers has thousands to choose from - find yours with a search.

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