fliteboard introduces the future of surf culture: electric hydrofoil watercraft

UPDATE (04.16.2020): since we first shared images of the innovative fliteboard, the byron bay startup has gone on to win the ‘best of the best’ red dot award in product design 2020. according to professor dr. peter zec, founder and CEO of the red dot award, ‘the jury awards this to an exceptional design. only design visionaries are able to achieve a perfect balance between quality of function, appeal, utility and responsibility.’ from june, fliteboard will be on display at the red dot design museum in essen, germany.

fliteboard is the future of watersports. emission free and environmentally friendly, the electric hydrofoil watercraft invites riders of all ages to experience the ‘sensation of flying’ over water with freedom in complete silence. complete with a brand new patent pending aluminum unibody structure, the product provides superior stability and safety for the users.

image by phil thurston

‘our goal is to help accelerate the shift towards more environmentally friendly powered marine craft. like the first tesla roadster, fliteboard captures attention and proves technology and concepts that can then be more widely adopted for other marine craft in the future,’ says fliteboard founder and CEO david trewern. ‘we also want our customers to have fun. fliteboarding feels like flying, providing a whisper quiet, virtually emission free ride whether cruising leisurely or racing at speeds of up to 45 km/h without leaving a wake or pollution trail.’

image by phil thurston

different from other eFoil systems, fliteboard comes in one unit; the motor is built-in to the flitebox and does not require users to detach and re-assemble. made out of aluminum, the flitebox sets itself apart with a more efficient motor cooling system; while other eFoil products require a separate water cooling system that may accidentally suck in sand particles and result in an overheated motor controller, the fliteboard heat sink is 100% reliable as its heat-conducting aluminum casing is always in-contact with the water flow. at a full charge, the fliteboard battery, flitecell provides users of 80kg up to 1 hour and 30 mins of ride time, at speeds as fast as 45km/h. the board also comes with a wireless waterproof flite controller, the smallest and smartest in the market, that can be charged magnetically.

image by phil thurston

‘riding a fliteboard provides that feeling of presence that busy people are often seeking; the feeling of really being in the moment and being part of nature,’ explains trewern. ‘it’s challenging and gets your heart rate up, but it’s easy to access. we’ve taught hundreds of people in under an hour, from kids to people in their 70s’.

image by phil thurston

the fliteboard comes in three different styles – fliteboard, fliteboard AIR, and fliteboard PRO, and provides a total of 208 different additional options for users to customize their boards. depending on experience levels, the user can choose the appropriate wing design; cruiser wings are for beginners and stable cruising, while flyer wings are for more experienced users to speed up to 40km/h. for aesthetic purposes, users can customize their boards with different high-end material finishes, which comprises of ash veneer, italian carbon innegra, carbon fibre weave, and hard anodized aircraft grade aluminum.

image by phil thurston

‘stunning design all round. every single aspect of [the fliteboard] has been meticulously thought out,’ quotes the good design awards jury. ‘this is without doubt a world-class sporting product and a brilliant example of a good idea turned into an excellent product through professional design.’

image by phil thurston