Foil wings are changing the way that watercraft operate. Foils are now exploding in water transport, from surfing to boating and everything in between.
Foils aren’t necessarily a new technology. I remember taking a Hydrofoil passenger ferry from Hong Kong to Macau every few weeks when I lived in Asia in the late 90s. By knifing through the water rather than riding on top of it, the foils are much faster, more efficient and also, as a byproduct, are much smoother (no seasickness!).
How does that translate to the latest eFoil surf technology from Lift foil surfboards? The company flew me out to their Puerto Rican HQ, factory, and testing grounds to find out…
As a background, Lift is a Puerto Rican-based maker of foil surfboards and electric foil (eFoil) surfboards. From my snowboarding background, they are kind of like Burton was in the 90’s. The company is pushing the industry forward, not just for recreational ease and innovation but also at the professional sporting level.
The Lift5 board is a huge step in the development of eFoil boards, making setup and riding an extremely quick operation. Instead of a complicated mess of wiring hookups and assembly, the Lift5 2.2kW battery (smaller, less expensive batteries will be offered) just snaps in. It is the same with the mast and the electric foil wing, a few quick snaps and the board is together.
That brings the setup time down quite a bit to just a few minutes tops and makes assembly of the surfboard near the water so much easier.
That’s something else to consider. These electric surfboards can take the place of the much bigger, noisier, petroleum-powered jet skis for many uses. At a 30mph top speed, these can be used for around an hour and can fit in the trunk of a car rather than a trailer, which needs a boat dock. It’s a true game-changer in the world of personal water transportation.
Blowfish Accessory
Then consider the specialized inflatable “Blowfish” accessory (above) that not only makes training on a Lift eFoil easier but also opens up the platform for specialized activities like fishing, diving, and multiple-passenger travel. What’s great is that once you are on the Foil, the inflatable ring is out of the water and only affects the efficiency of travel slightly. Otherwise, it can operate like a little dingy boat and can be used to bring people back and forth from shore to bigger boats docked out at sea. Versatility is key here.
LIFT5
The LIFT5 represents a complete reimagining of eFoil technology, built from the ground up to enhance performance, user experience, and reliability. With a focus on surf-inspired innovation, the LIFT5 introduces:
- All-New Design: A lighter, streamlined board featuring a double concave bottom for smooth touchdowns and sharper chine rails for crisp transitions.
- Simplified Setup: Tool-free assembly with Lift Connect System (LCS) for effortless attachment of wings, mast, and propulsion.
- Enhanced User Experience: Wireless connectivity, one-touch startup, and redesigned accessories like ergonomic board bags and a battery backpack.
- Unmatched Safety: A robust double-walled battery with real-time monitoring, tilt detection, and water ingress prevention for maximum reliability.
“The LIFT5 is not just a progression, it’s a revolution,” said Nick Leason, Co-founder and CEO of Lift Foils. “We have taken everything we’ve learned over years of engineering, testing, and riding, and built the most refined eFoil yet. The LIFT5 is not only the quietest eFoil available, but it’s the first of its kind to come standard with a click-in battery, toolless and wireless assembly, and touch-free, integrated in-line cooling – an evolution of the liquid cooling technology we first introduced with the world’s first commercially available eFoil.”
LIFTX
There’s one more thing in this announcement, and with a nod to Apple’s naming, Lift also introduced the LiftX, which is a lighter, more professional sports board with a key retractable propeller technology that allows the rider to go from electric propulsion to wave/wind/pumping propulsion seamlessly. It is a true hybrid board.
The Lift foil surfboard experience (LiftX and Lift5)
As a background, I’ve never hydrofoiled in my life outside of the aforementioned boats. I have done some very basic surfing and skateboarding and am an avid snowboarder.
Lift first let us try out the Lift4 foil boards on a river with very little waves. Initially, they were outfitted with the blowfish attachment, which made the learning process more fun. Getting up on the board was super easy for my 50-year-old body, and I was standing on the Lift4 within minutes. From there, I experiemented with the speed controls that go from 0-15. At about 6 or 7, my 200lb body would start to lift the board out of the water and foil.
That experience is incredible. The bumping of the waves and the sound disappear almost entirely. You are floating above the water magically.
Interestingly, because the foil is so much more efficient, once you get out of the water, you not only speed up considerably, but you also require a lot less power to go the same speed. I was told that foiling takes half the energy of just cruising like a traditional board (and that is why you can ride on foils for so much longer than an electric surfboard or boat).
Foiling did take some getting used to but I did get up and stay up for quite some time on the river.
The next day we went onto the ocean using the new Lift5 boards and without the Blowfish. There was a steeper learning curve to get used to the changing dynamics. That said, I was able to get foiling within an hour of jumping on the Lift5. The challenge for me wasn’t turning necessarily but keeping the board flat in the water. Too much forward-leaning, and you’d push the front into the water. Leaning back too much and the foil pops out of the water in front of you. A little time is all one needs to figure out these dynamics.
I never got 100% stable in the 2 hours of training but I was so close. I will say this: I really wanted to play on these more and more as time ended. The foiling experience compared to riding on the waves is singular and I would say akin to the experience when sailing when you turn off the motors and just begin using the wind power. Magical.
Electrek’s take
What an experience! Lift’s whole vibe of being a proud Puerto Rican company building and developing its industry-leading products on the island just feels so right. The fact that the company is pushing this nascent industry forward is huge.
Sure, there are some drawbacks to foiling. The big price points – these new products are expected to retail for north of $12,000 – but also safety is a big concern. At 30mph top speed, these things are knifing through the water and could be dangerous to snorkelers or other swimmers in the area. Wildlife could also be impacted.
That said, Lift5 and LiftX represent huge innovations in the eFoil industry and coupled with accessories like Blowfish and leading edge controllers, snap-together assembly, and long-range integrated batteries, will make this the next big leap in the eFoil surfboard industry.
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