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ONBOARD Magazine TENDERS & TOYS 2021

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ADRENALINE RUSH

With the help of Andreas Lakeberg we look at the electric surfboard market and

discover the best boards available whether you’re an experienced user or a novice

With the quantity of jet boards coming on to the

market it is important to understand the difference

in the terminology and also to understand the

usage of the board. Andreas and his team have

tested many of the available boards, testing reliability, robustness

and how they fit the needs of the rider in various conditions.

There are three mayor categories of electric surfboards called

eFoil, Jetboard and Electric SUP.

ELECTRIC SUPS

An E-SUP is a stand-up paddle surfboard with an electric motor,

which only allows low speeds of up to 10 km/h. You can get

complete electric SUP surfboards with integrated battery and jet

engine as well as conversion kits. Such a conversion kit replaces

your fin on the existing SUP and transforms it into an E-SUP.

Prices range between 1,000 and 3,000 EUR for such boards.

JETBOARDS

Electric jetboards reach speeds up to 60 km/h and are available

in multiple sizes. Larger boards make it easier for beginners

while smaller boards with less volume make the ride more agile

and allow sharper turns. The run time of the jetboards is usually

around 20-40 minutes with one battery charge and it takes

about 2-3 hours to charge them. Prices range between 8,000

and 30,000 EUR mainly, depending on the power.

EFOILS

Over the past two years the eFoils basically took over the market

of electric surfboards. The main reason is the much higher range

(up to 90 minutes) which is possible because the electric hydrofoils

need much less power once they start flying. The feeling of the

ride can be described as snowboarding in powder. While eFoiling

is not so much about the speed they can reach up to 45 km/h.

The eFoils are certainly an eye-catcher in any marina. They are

more silent than jetboards and don’t create waves. This is why

some regions face less regulations for eFoils. The prices range

between 12,000 and 16,000 EUR.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

Compared to petrol powered jetboards, the electric surfboards

are not only much more silent they are also basically maintenance

free. Just rinse them with fresh water and use some contact

spray - that’s it. You can charge the batteries on any 110-240

Volt power outlet.

Some yacht insurances may require fireproof transport and

storage boxes for the powerful lithium-ion batteries. Andreas

has worked with manufacturers of eSurfboards as well as

freight forwarders for dangerous goods to deliver a solution. A

combination of aluminum cases with fireproof cushions for each

battery type of the different electric surfboard vendors.

124 | TENDERS & TOYS | ONBOARD

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