I am currently working on my first Efoil project, and I am now at the stage of considering whether or not to add a drain from the 15mm suppressed area around the hatch seals. Obviously it is not optimal for excess water to be carried up and out of the water with the board, but granted the amount of water - is it worth the risk of drilling another hole in the fiberglass, with a greater risk of water leaking into the foam core??
The drainpipe in question is a 6mm OD aluminium pipe
What do you guys think, and perhaps any ideas for a better solution?
Unusual problem to begin with but any water sitting there likely wouldn’t stay there long. As
I foil and I think it’s true of most riders the board doesn’t stay in a flat plane. For example it tilts when you turn or when you rise and decend, 20-30kmh of board speed would also blow it off.
Calculate how much weight the water would add - I doubt it’s significant.
Putting any holes in the board comes with risk that you have identified.
Cut some ditches in the elevated ridge around the hatch. It is good practice to help standing water evacuate from the seal area, as the loading/unloading of the hatch and the heating/cooling of the compartment can act as a pump, sucking water into the box.
It’s not a big issue since the board will tilt during riding, but still good practice
if the hatch overlaps add dimensional mating features to the underside. or maybe you can fill that area with compressible eva foam. I wouldnt add drain hole
That really is a good idea! I probably wouldn’t have thought of doing that… I guess it might also serve a different purpose of keeping the splashing water from pressing through the seal?
