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There are a bunch of small watercraft I really want to try. It’s hard to justify the expensive. The hydrofoil board with a prop and motor looks really cool. J

There are a bunch of small watercraft I really want to try. It’s hard to justify the expensive. The hydrofoil board with a prop and motor looks really cool. Just not sure what the learning curve is like and kind of worried about hitting something and flying off.

SkyPuncher 2y ago
Those e-foil look amazing, but the prices on them are insane. Like multiple times the price of an e-bike. I, frankly, don’t understand it. They aren’t particularly advanced devices.
- ljf 2y ago
  I spent a bit of time looking into building your own - from a parts point of view (buying new) you are still looking at £1000 to more like £2500 worth of batteries, controllers, motor and prop, plus the foil and the board you attach it all to. Then you need to make, seal it and make it 'sea worthy' - would be hundreds of hours of work for me. I'd happily buy a well made new one for £3000 if that was what they cost, but half that price is a new good solid paddle board - so I can see why you can't get the same plus all the electronics you need for £3k. We can hope in time the costs come down, but as a niche sport, it will be some time, if ever. Have you seen the cost (and service intervals!) of a new jet ski? All simple tech, but they don't come cheap and need a lot of looking after. I can still dream though.
- amenhotep 2y ago
  They're a toy being sold in small numbers to people who live near lakes or can fit driving to the lake with it into their life easily enough to want to buy it - good proxy for having a bit of disposable income to throw around. Market can bear a high price, not enough volume to make competition appealing => ££££
grayrest 2y ago
There's a DIY forum for building those[1] but I think tow boogies[2] are more practical as a project. The idea is a battery box, controller, and motor on a boogie board and shifting the weight of the person being towed allows for steering. [1] https://foil.zone/ https://foil.zone/ [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9z6BP8Y42U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9z6BP8Y42U Since the original article is about human power, I'll also link to this foil[3] which is for pump foiling long distance. I had run across the channel well before that and thought his goal for a half hour was goofy when people were getting 90s or 2 minutes so I was quite shocked when it actually got built. [3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfJbF0xkUOY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfJbF0xkUOY

SkyPuncher 2y ago

Those e-foil look amazing, but the prices on them are insane. Like multiple times the price of an e-bike. I, frankly, don’t understand it. They aren’t particularly advanced devices.

ljf 2y ago
I spent a bit of time looking into building your own - from a parts point of view (buying new) you are still looking at £1000 to more like £2500 worth of batteries, controllers, motor and prop, plus the foil and the board you attach it all to. Then you need to make, seal it and make it 'sea worthy' - would be hundreds of hours of work for me. I'd happily buy a well made new one for £3000 if that was what they cost, but half that price is a new good solid paddle board - so I can see why you can't get the same plus all the electronics you need for £3k. We can hope in time the costs come down, but as a niche sport, it will be some time, if ever. Have you seen the cost (and service intervals!) of a new jet ski? All simple tech, but they don't come cheap and need a lot of looking after. I can still dream though.
amenhotep 2y ago
They're a toy being sold in small numbers to people who live near lakes or can fit driving to the lake with it into their life easily enough to want to buy it - good proxy for having a bit of disposable income to throw around. Market can bear a high price, not enough volume to make competition appealing => ££££

grayrest 2y ago

There's a DIY forum for building those[1] but I think tow boogies[2] are more practical as a project. The idea is a battery box, controller, and motor on a boogie board and shifting the weight of the person being towed allows for steering. [1] https://foil.zone/ https://foil.zone/ [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9z6BP8Y42U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9z6BP8Y42U Since the original article is about human power, I'll also link to this foil[3] which is for pump foiling long distance. I had run across the channel well before that and thought his goal for a half hour was goofy when people were getting 90s or 2 minutes so I was quite shocked when it actually got built. [3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfJbF0xkUOY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfJbF0xkUOY