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Flyboarding in Kent

Testing out the water-based, adrenaline-fuelled craze of flyboarding. Having never heard of flyboarding before, Andrew Ditton jumps in at the deep end. Crudely put, flyboarding is balancing above the water, propelled by jets of water shooting out from under your feet. It sounded like an absolutely bonkers way to spend an hour - who wants a go?

By Andrew Ditton | 27 Oct 2018Testing out the water-based, adrenaline-fuelled craze of flyboarding

I regularly use my caravan as a base to try out different activities close to Club sites but had never heard of flyboarding before jumping, literally, in at the deep end.

Crudely put, flyboarding is balancing above the water, propelled by jets of water shooting out from under your feet. It sounded like an absolutely bonkers way to spend an hour, so I signed up! 

Where to go

There are loads of places to try your hand at this relatively new craze but I booked in for a session at Action Watersports in Lydd, midway between the Club sites of Daleacres and 
Fairlight Wood in Kent.

Go to Daleacres Club site

I opted to stay at the facility-free Leasam Farm CL near the charming town of Rye in East Sussex where sweeping views and a peaceful atmosphere can be enjoyed for the bargain fee of £6 per night.

What you need

On arriving at Action Watersports I received a warm welcome from owner Di who got me to sign my life away before handing over a wetsuit. The only thing you need to bring is a towel and a swimming costume
. You don’t need to be a strong swimmer, but you do need to be over 16. 

How it works

My instructor Olli explained how flyboarding works. Basically, I would be attached to a pair of boots with jet outlets beneath them. They are powered by a jet ski that Olli would be aboard, connected by a 15m-long hose. Olli would control the force of the water coming from the jets and I would alter the direction simply by moving my ankles. What could possibly go wrong?

Walking on water

I slid into the water and onto my front as instructed, taking up the ‘salmon’ position. As I pointed my body away from the banks, Olli gently opened the throttle on the jet ski and water surged from my feet, propelling me forward.
 It was an amazing sensation.

Getting airborne and ‘walking on water’ is not so easy. It involves bringing your feet beneath your body in the water, keeping still (but not rigid) and flexing your ankles, knees, and hips in harmony to keep the soles of your feet level; all the while trying not to overbalance.

Pure exhilaration

After quite a few failed attempts it finally clicked and I managed to spend an increasing amount of time vertical. By very slowly edging my toes forward I could propel myself along, arms still flapping madly, but at least I was making progress and having an obscene amount of fun.

The sensation I felt afterwards was one of pure exhilaration. I was exhausted but overall the feeling was of elation and achievement. Would I do it again? Definitely!

Alternative venues

  • Big Crazy, Chepstow (bigcrazyflyboarding.co.uk). Based at the National Diving and Activity Centre. Stay at: Tredegar House Country Park Club site

  • Wetjets,
 Dumfries &
Galloway 
(wetjets.co.uk). Set by a100-acre loch,Wetjets has been at the forefront of flyboarding in the UK since 2012.Stay at: Lidalia AS
  • 158performance, Tattershall, Lincolnshire (158performance.co.uk). Jet-skiing and flyboarding on a lake. Stay at: Wagtail Country Park AS

About the author

Andrew Ditton (and Dougal)

I have been caravanning since I was knee-high to a jockey wheel, originally in a 1969 Thomson Glenmore, and first joined the Club when I was 17. Nowadays you’ll find me with Dougal, my trusty dog, living the dream in a variety of caravans, van conversions, and motorhomes. We tour the length and breadth of Europe on a year-round basis, but my heart is very much in Scotland and especially the beautiful Western Isles. I love the Outer Hebrides so much, I even learned to speak the Gaelic.

Touring is all about freedom, adventure, discovery, and spontaneity. Club Sites are great when I need to relax in the knowledge that I'm going to have everything I need to hand in order to feel safe and comfortable. However, in the warmer months, my preference is to find a quiet and remote CL where I can get back to basics and back to nature.