"You can fly without having visible wings," wrote Henning Mankell in his book "The Chronicler of the Winds". When he wrote the book in 1995, he was probably not thinking about foiling with an electric surfboard.
The hype surrounding foils is more present than ever. And motorboats such as the Candela C-8 show how it works and, above all, that it works. Foil technology has an astonishingly long history of development. As early as 1861, the Englishman Thomas William Moy built two fixed hydrofoils under a sloop that was pulled along a canal by a team of horses. The hull is said to have been lifted completely out of the water.
In the test: Electric foil board from the manufacturer Fliteboard
However, our test is not about foiling motorboats, but about so-called toys. We had the opportunity to try out electric foil boards from the manufacturer Fliteboard and feel what it's like to fly over the water. This much in advance: it is something very special.
Owner Sven Hamelmann of eFoil Riders sells these fun scooters, but also offers training and hire for holidays. He tells us in an interview:
So far we have got almost everyone on our course foiling. No matter whether they are 10 or 80 years old. That's also the great thing: anyone can learn. As long as you have a basic level of fitness, we can do it."
And really, the learning curve is steep. The first metres were foiled after just 15 minutes. Even if it was only on my knees at first.
As eFoils are categorised as small craft and not as personal watercraft, they can also be used freely outside of jet ski routes. With their approx. 5 hp, they are also licence-free, the only exception being the Rhine.
Foilboards without noise and waves
Unlike other fun vehicles such as jet skis, foilboards make no noise and generate no waves. Only the quiet hum of the electric motor can be heard. Jetskis are frowned upon by many people, but anyone who comes along on a foiling surfboard is usually met with sympathy. We quickly realised this during our test. There are people taking videos or pictures on every excursion boat that passes by. For bathers on the beach, the disturbance factor is zero, even if admittedly nobody went swimming in the Moselle near Traben-Trarbach in mid-October.
But now to the board: the "eFoil Board" from Fliteboard weighs between 28.5 and 34 kg including battery, depending on the version. That's not a flyweight, but it's easy to carry for a brief moment. Depending on the version, the battery weighs 11 or 14 kg and generates a motor runtime of between 60 and 90 minutes. It is available in various sizes. The Fliteboard Series 2.2 is suitable for beginners, while intermediate or advanced riders can use the Pro. Those who have completely mastered foiling and are looking for a more demanding board will be well served with the Ultra. The foil boards differ in size and buoyancy. It is possible to stand up on the beginner foil board.
The smaller, the more agile foil boards are
However, this does not work with the Pro or the Ultra without travelling through the water, they simply sink. So you could say: the smaller they are, the more agile they are. We used the Pro for our test, which was very suitable for us. In addition to the different sizes, you can choose from aluminium masts of different lengths: the shorter one, which is intended for flat water, is 60 cm long, while the standard mast is 75 cm high. Of course, you can also choose the most important part of eFoiling: the wing. This is available in many different versions. A test ride and the corresponding consultation are therefore highly recommended before making a purchase. Test rides are possible anywhere in Europe. Suitable locations can be found on the website.
The The maximum speed of the Fliteboards is around 55 km/h. To regulate the speed, we need the Bluetooth remote control. "When starting off, it's important to always give full throttle. You can then regulate the speed using various modes at the touch of a button. The higher the number, the faster you go," explains our trainer Leonie. When starting off, it's important to shift your weight forwards, towards the nose of the board. You first need some speed to get the board foiling. By shifting your weight backwards, the foil is then energised and lifts you out of the water," she adds, and it really works. After some initial difficulties, the board lifts itself out of the water. A few minutes and countless involuntary swims later, the first metres were foiled. Initially only kneeling - but once they understood the principle a little better and knew when the board lifts out of the water and how wobbly it is, they made their first attempts to stand up.
Practice makes perfect
After that, time literally flies by. With a bit of practice, we drive straight ahead safely and our trainer Leonie is visibly satisfied. Long bends follow quickly and after a while they are no longer a problem either. Once you have learnt how to do it, it feels very safe and even the start becomes easier and easier.
In conclusion, we can say that we found it easier than we initially thought and it's a lot of fun. The price of an eFoil board is listed at around 13,000 euros, but they are also handmade in Australia. You can see how our testers got on with it on our YouTube channel, BOOTE TV. You can find more information about the eFoil boards from Fliteboard on the Internet at www.efoil-riders.com.
