Nobody has challenged us on patents. We expect they will eventually. But it’s doubtful they would effect us. We are well funded and can afford protracted legal battles if necessary. We had a legal team of 5 experienced patent lawyers survey the patent landscape for two months. They came up with two of concern. Both did not apply to our product. There’s a certain well known eFoil company in the US that has some patents but whoever did them didn’t know what they were doing or they were just grasping at straws to get something in their portfoilio. I would not fear the patent landscape for these products. For the two patent references above… I’ve sent them to legal and will let you know if there is concerns.
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@NJfoiler has most of that right. The Performance models are produced first in late spring. The non performance models will be produced later on during the summer.
Battery is swappable. As many batteries as you want. Just tap the controller to the battery and you are all set. There is a standard capacity and a higher capacity unit. Largest is 50 amp hours at nominal 52v. I believe that makes it the largest in production.
Foil is completely modular. The board has no electronics in it whatsoever. The battery has all the brains. So (like a surfboard) when you inevitably break the board, you can order up another one without messy repairs. Just throw the mast on your new board, throw in the battery and ride. This also makes everything much cheaper. Hope that helps explain things. 
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Not really… As you are looking for customers on a DiY forum, you could post a few pictures to clear up our doubts. 
So you’re saying that you have everything inside a unique removable box which contains the battery and the ESC ? Did you choose to position the ESC above the mast as this design:
Our ESC is in the motor pod. You can see the cooling fins in this photo. Battery contains all control logic boards. One wire bundle connects the mast to the battery.
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I just noticed it says “50% deposit due within 7 days” for the one that’s being produced first (performance). That’s a bit tough to swallow without any sort of delivery date.
Would we be able to get a refund if they still haven’t shipped by the time summer rolls around?
To be fair, he’s only posting in a topic someone else created and it doesn’t look like the topic creator is associated with the company.
Full refund at anytime. On the final checkout page there is a preorder agreement you can read over if you’d like.
Awesome, one more random question: Are you guys planning to have any sort of referral program?
When I was riding the Lift efoil around my area I got stopped every 30 seconds by somebody asking where they could buy one. Most people balked at the $12k price tag but I bet these would sell like hotcakes.
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For sure. Referral program should be up in a few weeks. If you follow us on Instagram or Facebook we’ll post updates about that as well as videos and photos to keep you up to date.
It’s very funny how much attention these get isn’t it? The reaction we typically get is “Oh, that’s cheaper than my JetSki.” Or they want a complete breakdown of how it works… speed, battery, controller etc. Super fun talking to people about something completely new.
Haha yeah I would’ve preferred a smaller audience for my first time riding one but I’m glad so many people are interested. Felt kinda bad having to shatter their dreams with that $12k price tag though, so I’m really glad you guys are bringing something way more reasonably priced to the market – hope everything works out.
I have one of the cheapest jet skis (SeaDoo Spark) and it’s definitely more than $7k once you add the most basic options + cover + dealer fees + delivery, etc. Then you have to pay for gas, maintenance, storage/winterization. If you take all those things into account even the Performance model is significantly cheaper. Plus you can get 2 of the Extended model for the price of 1 Lift, which is great because I think a lot of people would actually be willing to sink $12k into the sport if they didn’t have to ride alone.
4 questions then :
1 - Your ESC: is it VESC compatible ? Available on the shelf ?
2 - Is it possible to get some wireless telemetry ?
3- Your clever RX module that allows to perform such an easy remote attachment: where is it located ? I would say inside the main battery pack with its antenna… The RX module there can collect the voltage of the main battery (board battery) and sends it uplink to the remote (remote display)
4 - How many cables pulled in the mast ? I would say only two 10AWG (battery in board to ESC in pod) plus a thin bundle of two 16AWG for THR/PWM signal and ground (5V coming from an UBEC in battery case ) ?
-> in the mast 2 rather thin battery wires only instead of 3 thick 8AWG motor wires capable of handling higher peak currents (+1 optional PU tube for cooling) allows new possibilities towards thinner masts so higher speeds …
Lot’s of questions and I can only answer a few. Mostly because I’m not a hardware or electrical engineer.
- No idea. Custom built by our engineers.
- No idea. If you mean GPS, yes, the controller has it. Gives speed redoubts.
- All electronics other than the ESC are in the battery. We have more than just a RX module. We have a processor in the battery that’s running control and safety schemes. Our controller has interfaces with full color display – not just numbers on a calculator screen. It’s like comparing an iPhone (us) to a Nokia from 1999 (everyone else). Im not being hyperbolic either.
- No idea. A few.
Yes. No pumps. All cooling is done in the water. High reliability and much less expensive to produce. Now you are seeing how we are able to produce these at a price half of others. 100 other decisions like that were made. Everything with the end goal of reducing complexity and decreasing cost.
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About those patents… Yea those are garbage. They aren’t even selling what they have a patent for. Just a scare tactic.
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Would you mind asking to your electrical engineers … 
Q2: Telemetry is a set a data (tension, current, power, position, …) that are recorded along the ride to be analysed offline on your computer (see EagleTree data logger or slowly move your mouse on metr.at frame below. It is VESC (Q1) that makes all this possible 
)
Too bad we have to wait 9 months to experience this new thrill…
There are Americans on this forum? I 
The first patent (US9359044B2) looks like it covers a standard eFoil, but I don’t know much about patents so I could be overlooking some part that limits the scope of it.
where did you get it?Some answers already on pics on the website , this pod looks very well made and clever , I don’t solder this way the plugs… but all of this is very interesting, and I hope it will work out 
I’m glad to see other people who thought to put the motor controller in the pod. If you put the motor controller underwater, BMS, Rx and any other smarts can all live in the battery above the water. Minimize number of boards, keep costs down.
Congratulations on finding funding so you can work on something cool. 
so. happy. for. you.
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I like that the efoil is being made in the USA and is priced at a reasonable cost. I like the design of the board and since I come from the surfing world and making my own surfboard since way back when, the design of this board gives it a early lift as the e-motor pulls you along, the sides/rails looks like it gives you a faster release from any suction from the surface water making the board rise faster. Hope to see this board next year 2020. The only problem I have with e-foil in Calif it looks like it has to be registered with our DMV as a motor vehicle and subject to yearly registration and hull number ID on the e-foil.
I can’t comment on that but to me, it looks like, to cut costs down, it is the first board entirely hot-wire shaped.