Foil Drive Assist, DIY

It all comes down to personal preference.

I like the motor low enough that I can get on the foil and use the efficiency of the efoil withought the board in the water, but high enough so that I can get the motor out the water and still foil without it once on a wave…

some update on the design of the box on top of the mast pros :

  • keep the vesc very cool , 31 degres all the way (I live in dubai so 31 degres is cool, without this option my speed control was above 75 degres)
  • make the connexcions very simple, added a bluetooth dongle so ,I can program without opening the box
  • I drown the whole inside in silicone paste to make it 200% waterproof

cons:

  • the enclosure is 1.4 kg with the silicone and vesc + cable is around 2 kgs so some significant kg added
  • obviouls the drag

now I can take off on flat water no problem ( I m 85 kgs on 45 kg board because i m running 12s on EML folding prop)…so some very good torque here

I will add a front deflector (as per SoEFoil) and update on perf…

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@Strongarm any update on this pod and set up?

Starting my build for an Armstrong mast and struggling to find any files for the 85a+ mast. Love the look of the strap set up.

Any update would be great.

Thanks

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Hey Tobi - I’m away this weekend, but will try post the files for my clamp tomorrow. What format would you like?

hello everyone. Can someone have a lot of influence on the speed reached before taking off, the fact of having the engine at a depth of 70cm or 25cm?

and… at what speed do you take off?

I do not go over 8 km/h, I think I lack some speed

I had this in mind but @Sarcomere did it first. The front deflector could be added to a folded aluminium sheet structure to add roll stiffness… the back can be hollow and will let you organise the cables freely. Ideally, the whole thing could be recessed into the board bottom… This open folded box with front deflector could be enlarged x9 to welcome a flat SK8 battery, an ESC, a receiver and become a DiY Vortex with waterproof elements… kind of removable gun case bellow any board fitted with US rails or a 90x165mm screw pattern.
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'Lightweight efoil build

The ESC could be the new MAKER-X GO-FOC 300A 100V compact size 124x78x38mm
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'🌴 Go-FOC DV6 / PRO <High Current Dual ESC > - #761 by Evwan - Vendor Corner (SERIOUS) - esk8.news: DIY Electric Skateboard Forums

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So literally re-inventing what Pwrfoil has done? He started with a box on top, then put the box on the bottom and then finally moved into the bottom of the board…

Hey guys I’m happy to share a video of my recent maiden ride off my faux drive assist plus.

I’m using a slingshot dwarf craft 3’6 with 19L. It’s a 6384 motor, battery is 8s3p molicel p42a and controller is a flydragon 150A. Prop is Fold by propeller king:

After my 6s setup wouldn’t get me started I’m quite happy that 8s is going that well. Total weight of the setup is 11.3 kg.
I’m riding on an Axis 1150 HA wing, which I am learning to foil pump on.

Here’s some pictures

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Super awesome! Pity the only way to get it flush is to cut into the board. I think I might build a simple dedicated board at some stage.

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I just modified my board to have the box in the middle. I can still paddle square stance fine and the swing weight is much improved. I can now pump the sup board and it feels almost as if it isn’t there which it what I was hoping for.

One disadvantage on my narrow board is that if I feel I am losing sideways balance, I can often recover it but with the battery in its new location I have less time to recover on the sideways roll. I’m sure I will get use to it as the more natural feel and weight distribution feels great.

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TOSH.JAH May I ask,
What is the esc you are using there? Is it the flycolor 150a hv???
Was thinking of buying it ???
Do you like it?
does it cut out at all?

Thanks

No, if designing/modifying the board, just mast plate and 10mm extra cable plate into a 15mm deep square hole.

But then you’d lose the ability to shift the mast backwards or forwards depending on application.

The easiest is just to make a 10mm acetal plate with bevellled edges to minimise drag. Or just drill a slot/holes into the board through to deck and then just run the cables.

Yes it is Flycolor Flydragon 150A HV version.
I like it, it’s quite simple ESC. Very easy to setup.
No cut out so far. Most important is cooling!

I’ve stripped it apart and cut a aluminium block to size which I glued with thermal glue to ESC and new bigger heatsink which is outside the enclosure. You can see details in my pictures.

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nice set up … i m running on 12S and I fly above water…I can catch a waves passing me …but Id did kill 3 or 4 propeler from propeler king…si moved to drive assist alumnium + nylon hub (same price as eml store). im on 47 litres board and gong foil …can you share with axis foil your are using and baord littre ? thanks

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Hey Vincent,
I am also planning on trying 12s, just to see how more power for the setup could be. How did you kill those propellers? Was it the sudden opening of the folding blades on full throttle?
With my setup it helped to limit starting power, so the motor wouldn’t kick as aggressively.
I’m using 19 liter board and 1150 high aspect wing from axis.

Hi Tosh, which setting did you adjust to limit the starting power?

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The propeller breaks up on tight turns after going up and down the wave … I believe 12s is too much for these propellers … 8s is safer !!!

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As I am using MGM controllers in most of my builds they have setting called “p19 max short time current”
I limited that one so the controller doesn’t output full power immediately.

Any photos of the broken props - I was just about to order some and I’m a bit worried now. I’m only running 8S so maybe it won’t be a problem.
Are the folding props breaking or the rigid ones?