With new consumer technologies, it's often the case that big corporations will join the party once smaller startups have tested the waters. Such is the case with major Canadian manufacturer Sea-Doo, which has just announced its upcoming Rise electric hydrofoil board.
Regular readers of New Atlas will know that electric hydrofoil boards (or eFoils) have been around for a few years now. They're offered by a variety of small-ish companies, such as Awake Boards, Lift Foils, Level HydroFoils, UniFoil, Fliteboard, Waydoo, eFoilFly and XFoil.
In pretty much all cases, they take the form of what is basically a surfboard with a streamlined mast extending down from the underside, in the rear. At the bottom of that mast is a foiling wing and a motor/propeller module.
The board starts out floating flush with the water's surface, but rises up out of the water as it gains speed. It ultimately ends up zipping along with the wing at the surface, the board itself completely free and clear of the water. Such a hydrodynamic setup allows for some pretty fast speeds, along with a generally exciting ride.
The Sea-Doo Rise is similar to its existing competitors, although the watercraft does offer a couple of features that cater to riders of varying skill levels.
For instance, unlike most eFoils, it has a fold-down retractable handlebar. Newbies can raise, extend and use that bar for added stability, while seasoned pros can leave it lying flat in its recessed compartment in the deck.
Additionally, if riders aren't comfortable with standing up and foiling, they can kneel or even lie down on the board, retracting the mast/wing and using the Rise as a non-foiling electric surfboard until they get their sea legs.
Sea-Doo is best known for its jet skis, and more recently for a jet-ski-inspired line of pontoon boats. The company has stated that full specs and pricing for the Rise should be announced later this month, with availability expected for next summer (Northern Hemisphere).
In the meantime, it can be seen in action in the video below.
Source: Sea-Doo
