It is not until The fourth time I fall into the choppy, rolling waves at the entrance to San Francisco Bay, just below the Golden Gate Bridge, I realize I probably should have never gone that far on a motorized surfboard I’d never ridden before.
I’m flying at full speed, most of the time thirty centimeters above the waves, on an electric hydrofoil board made by the Canadian company HydrofoilJerry McArthur, Hydroflyer’s CEO, is at another of his company’s boards behind me. We started out in a calm lagoon inside Sausalito Bay, but I decided to walk out to the bridge, where the current and waves are stronger, just to see if the Hydroflyer could handle it. Turns out it can. The question is whether I had enough aquatic acumen.
It’s high tide, which means the currents coming in from the ocean are strong and the headwind is strong, making it difficult to approach under the bridge. (McArthur had warned me about these precarious conditions before we set out.) In a moment, I’m accelerating
I move forward as fast as I can, and both the board and I stay in the same place. I finally cross the threshold to the other side of the bridge, and then the wind throws me back into the water. This time, McArthur helps me get on the board before the waves crash me against one of the bridge pillars, and I can finally get going.
We head back to Sausalito Lagoon, sheltered from the wind. By the time we’re almost home, I’m so exhausted I’m having trouble standing on the board. The whole experience was an adrenaline rush, a magnificent scene that I probably would never have experienced without this expensive electric board. McArthur laughs and says his lawyers probably wouldn’t be too happy to know he took me that far in these conditions. Okay, I’ll make sure not to tell them.
Floating world
Hydrofoils are gaining popularity, especially among the wealthy. (Just ask Meta’s CEO.) Mark Zuckerbergwho is famous for his passion for hydrofoil. very seriously. They can also be seen on beaches and lakes. Around the world, there are already about 1,700 companies engaged in the hydrofoil business. Some are electric, powered by jet or propeller engines. Others are powered and steered solely by human motion. Both designs achieve the same goal of offering the user a new and fun way to get around on water. Hydrofoils are quieter and less obtrusive than jet skis, and can be an exciting substitute for windsurfing on days when there is no breeze.
Courtesy of Hydroflyer
Courtesy of Hydroflyer
Hydroflyer, a Canadian company, has been selling its efoil boards for about a year, and McArthur says the company has sold about 150 of them in total. The Hydroflyer is available in one version for now, called the Cruiser. Two more models are coming soon: the flashier Sport and the more beginner-oriented Inflatable. Prices for the Cruiser start at $15,990.
