Free rotating “true glide” prop for Lift

Hi everyone, I’d really like to make a true glide prop for my lift efoil. I have a folding prop, and while I love it, there are times when I’d like to be slightly powered on the wave and the folding prop won’t allow for this. I know Flite has a true glide prop, and someone suggesting trying to adapt it to my lift, I just wanted to see if anyone has created such a prop for their custom DIY efoil before? Thanks everyone, love your site!!

I have no issue keeping a tiny amount of throttle on a wave with the folding prop this is weird. Can you describe what’s happening exactly?

I have designed an adapter for the standard Flite prop to fit on the Lift motor but it is for the standard prop, not sure if it will fit the Truglide.


Thank you for the reply! So, when on a wave if you are traveling faster but not throttling fast, the prop will start to fold, but bc you still have power going to it, it will keep spinning even when partially folded which causes reverse thrust. It’s like a vortex and unless you release the trigger immediately, you fall. I’d just like to be able to “feather” throttle on the wave without this vortex happening. Thank you for sharing the design, very kind. Have you ridden a Flite prop on a Lift foil? I’m curious how it rides compared to the standard lift prop…

1 Like

Weird I never experienced this.
Yes I tested the Fliteboard prop on the Lift motor. I have the Lift motor on a custom board with Ozone foil so will be different than a full Lift setup. Looking at the logs It is faster than the factory lift prop but not as efficient. It is also not as fast as the 7inch Lift prop. I was reaching the same speed as the Lift folding prop but the efficiency and smoothness was nowhere close. Flite prop price is good though

What are you actually trying to achieve? What’s the point in maintaining a small amount of throttle? If you are going faster than the prop is driving you there isn’t much point in spinning the prop at all… Hence why flite just let theirs spin freely.

Do you guys surf in waves? The folding prop is great, but there are benefits to a 3 blade free spinning prop.

I mostly ride in waves and always use my foldy…

3 Likes

Yup wave, boat wake ect. I just let the throttle go. What wing are you using?

Such as?
I’m very interested to understand in what situation a free spinning prop would be an advantage…

There’s a delay to props deploying and a learning curve there on folding props. I’ve never ridden the true glide but I suspect its fairly instant although I would also suspect it has a bit more drag. Would love to hear from someone who has ridden both extensively

1 Like

Benefits are as follows (in my opinion)
1- more torque/thrust from 3 blade prop
2- larger waves without beaching as much due to the slightly increased drag from the prop
3- less delay when repowering
4- (and this is the most important for me) no vortex reverse trust that pulls the nose down if you’re not completely depowered while on a wave, or even just fast moving current.

I don’t believe the true glide prop to be superiors, just a different flavor or variety. The people at Flite could have chosen to make a folding prop, but didn’t for some important reasons.

I have the 170 and 120 HA wings, a 200 surf and an Armstrong adapter for a variety of Armstrong wings and tails.

2 Likes

Off-topic, can you tell us more about the Lift to Armstrong adapter?