The paper analyzes the methods and formulas for calculating the lift force coefficient Сy of a simple wing with washers from the point of view of the possibility of using it in preliminary design of wing-in-ground-effect crafts. 5 methods were identified that allow calculating the increase in the lift force coefficient from the action of the ground effect. Adequacy was checked by comparing the calculation results for each of the methods with the experimental data of the blowing of 3 variants of the wings in wind tunnels with washers at different aspect ratio, angles of attack and flight altitudes for the TsAGI-876 profile. Also done a numerical simulation of the flow around a rectangular wing with washers with various geometric and hydrodynamic characteristics was carried out. The analysis of the calculated, experimental and numerical results showed that the most expedient use in preliminary design P. A. Amplitov and the method of J. D. Anderson methods. At the same time, one of them is also capable of determining the values of the lift force coefficient in the zone of supercritical angles of attack with an error not exceeding 4-8% for cruising angles of attack of the wing of wing-in-ground-effect crafts.