Hydrofoil

When a team of engineers discovered a 1988 prototype of a jet fighter-styled hydrofoil out the back of a warehouse, they thought the same thing you and I would, and they couldn't resist fixing it up, putting a new motor in and taking it for a blast.

Hydrofoiling devices are starting to become more common as electric propulsion systems continue to develop. This one's a board you can stand on and accelerate up and out of the water to cruise at a low-drag 28 mph (45 km/h) for up to 80 minutes.

The 2020 Foiler flying yacht has swapped out the hybrid propulsion system of the 2019 model for two 370-hp V8 diesel engines.

Jetskis are a bit like motorbikes for the water. Hydrofoil boards and boats allow users to cut through and rise above the waves. The WaveFlyer merges the two, and throws in electric propulsion for a cleaner and quieter ride.

​Raising boats out of the water on hydrofoils makes them much more comfortable and efficient – and this French design uses electric propulsion and an automatic self-stabilizing system to give you clean, quiet and sexy water transport.

The latest electric hydrofoil board comes from a rather unexpected source: Audi. The company's e-tron program makes a move off land, spawning a vehicle that floats riders through air as it zips across water at speeds up to 27 mph (43 km/h).

It was just a couple of years ago that we heard about Lift Foils' eFoil, a surfboard-like personal electric hydrofoil. And while it does look like a lot of fun, it also costs US$12,000. China's Waydoo is now about to provide some competition, though, with its $7,999 Flyer.

​Pre-sale registrations are now open for the Manta5, a Kiwi-built, 400-watt hydrofoiling e-bike that lets you ride effortlessly on water like a life-jacketed, 2,000-year-old Jewish carpenter on a fitness kick.

The Foiler from Enata Marine is an impressively styled blend of hybrid diesel-electric propulsion with a retractable hydrofoil system that, quite literally, elevates the luxury yacht while maintaining stability for riders who don’t want to spill their champagne.

A memorable year, 2017 saw high-flying hydrofoils make a step down from boats to boards and bikes and new water toy debuts ranging from personal submarines fit for James Bond to underwater propulsion systems slapped on like a smartwatch. Here are our favorite water toys of the year.

​​You could say that the the aquatic equivalent of the car is the motorboat, and the aquatic equivalent of the motorcycle is the Jet Ski – but what about the equivalent of the e-bike? That would be the Manta5, an electric-assist pedal-powered hydrofoil.

Puerto Rican-based Lift Foils is set to launch a 25 mph electric hydrofoil surfboard in September. The US$12,000 eFoil can be recharged from a household power outlet in 2.5 hours, or the $3,000 Lithium Ion battery can be swapped for continuous usage.