# Has anyone tried a gas powered build?
**URL:** https://foil.zone/t/has-anyone-tried-a-gas-powered-build/7299
**Category:** Propulsion System (Motor, Gears)
**Created:** [April 2, 2020, 8:22pm UTC](https://foil.zone/t/has-anyone-tried-a-gas-powered-build/7299 "2020-04-02T20:22:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@RedRackham](https://foil.zone/u/RedRackham)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2020, 8:22pm UTC](https://foil.zone/t/has-anyone-tried-a-gas-powered-build/7299/1 "2020-04-02T20:22:44Z")
Just curious if anyone has considered a gas powered board. You can get a 13hp (about 10,000w) engine for about $350, and then you wouldn’t need to get: a battery ($400-1000), a motor ($200-1500), a charger ($???] or an ESC ($200+).
It would definitely be louder, and a different experience. It would likely stick out of your board, and waterproofing it could be interesting, but it could potentially be WAY cheaper…
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### Author:  [@sat\_be](https://foil.zone/u/sat_be)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2020, 9:41pm UTC](https://foil.zone/t/has-anyone-tried-a-gas-powered-build/7299/2 "2020-04-02T21:41:32Z")
Difficult to run underwater. You would need some sort of transmission from the board down to the propeller like kardan, chain or belt. That would end up in a heavy construction.
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### Author:  [@Jezza](https://foil.zone/u/Jezza)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2020, 10:00pm UTC](https://foil.zone/t/has-anyone-tried-a-gas-powered-build/7299/3 "2020-04-02T22:00:06Z")
It’s possible but would be a noisy as hell! I think that’s one of the beauties of the electric build. Everyone is amazed at how quiet they are.
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### Author:  [@SoEFoil](https://foil.zone/u/SoEFoil)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2020, 11:40pm UTC](https://foil.zone/t/has-anyone-tried-a-gas-powered-build/7299/4 "2020-04-02T23:40:42Z")
Then there is “water transmission”… the [Bruce Creation jetsurf convertible to jetfoil](https://efoil.builders/t/other-kind-of-approach-from-bruce-creations/7282?u=soefoil) : replacing the electric engine inside the board to vacuum water up along the mast from its bottom inlet and expelling it from the rear of the board. Not sure about the efficiency though.
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### Author:  [@MAC](https://foil.zone/u/MAC)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2020, 11:49pm UTC](https://foil.zone/t/has-anyone-tried-a-gas-powered-build/7299/5 "2020-04-02T23:49:07Z")
That would be in gfoil.builders.
I know. That was bad.
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### Author:  [@SoEFoil](https://foil.zone/u/SoEFoil)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2020, 11:53pm UTC](https://foil.zone/t/has-anyone-tried-a-gas-powered-build/7299/6 "2020-04-02T23:53:19Z")
World premiere: if the gas (petrol) version sees the light of day, it will be thanks to the electric version 😉
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### Author:  [@RedRackham](https://foil.zone/u/RedRackham)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2020, 1:53am UTC](https://foil.zone/t/has-anyone-tried-a-gas-powered-build/7299/7 "2020-04-03T01:53:54Z")
There are a lot of pros and cons that I see.
Pros:
- Higher torque
- Way cheaper
- Faster
- Simpler (your drive-terrain would consist of: the engine, a drive shaft, a 90 degree gear, and a propeller)
- Don’t have to worry about battery fires
Cons:
- Would weigh more
- The motor would have to stick out of your board (though a lot of people leave their electronics boxes out of the board anyway)
- Would be really noisy
- Would vibrate your board the whole time
- Board would need some reinforcements to mount the motor too
- You’d need some fancy valves that close when you crash to prevent the engine from being flooded
Honestly, in my opinion electric is definitely the way to go, but was just curious if anyone had tried to go that route!
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### Author:  [@palsi63](https://foil.zone/u/palsi63)
#### Post date: [April 3, 2020, 3:12pm UTC](https://foil.zone/t/has-anyone-tried-a-gas-powered-build/7299/8 "2020-04-03T15:12:42Z")
This little 2-stroke outboard had the cylinder under water 😉!
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### Author:  [@tsaikiran1](https://foil.zone/u/tsaikiran1)
#### Post date: [August 17, 2021, 3:15pm UTC](https://foil.zone/t/has-anyone-tried-a-gas-powered-build/7299/9 "2021-08-17T15:15:04Z")
I am considering to build one using a Honda grass cutter engine (which weighs less than 9kg). There are some issues to be addressed like:
1. Drive system: 3 choices - Belt driven OR flexi drive rod + gear combination (like we have in grass cutters) OR hard drive rod + gear. I think belt driven is best (Serpentine Belt) Ofcourse mast thickness will increase.
2. Exhaust - How will the it come out of inside chamber
3. Air intake - How to manage water seeping issue
4. Making it wireless - A bluetooth system with servo motors to pull trigger
The reason why i am looking for this is cost! and it matters! especially when u see lot of e-foil owners spending handsome money on parts post purchase. Despite being so pricey it still cant work for 5 years without making a dent in pocket.
I think this can work. Let me make it clear i am tax guy no formal degrees in science, engineering and i may sound illogical but i am okay with it. And i do care about environment. But honestly in my country we burn coal to generate electricity! Period!
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### Author:  [@tacktun](https://foil.zone/u/tacktun)
#### Post date: [August 17, 2021, 6:40pm UTC](https://foil.zone/t/has-anyone-tried-a-gas-powered-build/7299/10 "2021-08-17T18:40:49Z")
The grass cutter is a great idea.
How much power does it has?
Maybe a powerful chainsaw could work too.
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### Author:  [@XSailor](https://foil.zone/u/XSailor)
#### Post date: [August 17, 2021, 9:01pm UTC](https://foil.zone/t/has-anyone-tried-a-gas-powered-build/7299/11 "2021-08-17T21:01:19Z")
I would keep it simple. Use a lower gear of a small outboard motor 2-3 hp range, its very simple to attach a shaft and a motor to it. The lower gear can be integrated to the the mast. The shaft is very thin on those, can go inside the mast. Small outboards have usually roughly 1/2 gearing, that is actually required to make a small gas engine work. Torgue is also an issue on those.
Actually think this would work well on an e foil, no more leaks and all electric parts on top of water.
Have been doing some testing on gas engine on surfboard and have noted that also a 3.5 hp ( 75cc 2 stroke ) outboard is sensitive to lack of torque. My tohatsu 3.5 really struggle with the Yamaha clone propeller with 8 pitch , same problem as the 65161 type motors also have. The problem is the diameter, not the pitch as such.
The critical moment would be to get it to fly, you would need low pitch propeller otherwise engine might stall. My gut feeling is that a Honda GX 50 might do the job with the right propeller and gearing, not sure a gx35 would be enough.
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### Author:  [@Fredrik](https://foil.zone/u/Fredrik)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2021, 6:52pm UTC](https://foil.zone/t/has-anyone-tried-a-gas-powered-build/7299/12 "2021-08-19T18:52:55Z")
A Norwegian girl has foiled with a 4hp outboard engine
> **[De som venta på og se 4hk... - Christine Tybring-Torsk](https://www.facebook.com/1546384361/posts/10217973347235720/?d=n)**
>
> De som venta på og se 4hk isoporflak i fart her er video 🤣🤣 Baard Thane Lange
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### Author:  [@XSailor](https://foil.zone/u/XSailor)
#### Post date: [August 20, 2021, 9:46am UTC](https://foil.zone/t/has-anyone-tried-a-gas-powered-build/7299/13 "2021-08-20T09:46:42Z")
Simplicity at its best, brilliant! Thanks for posting. Of course not competing with an efoil, but very cleverly executed idea. Think Kotaro Horiuchi made a working foil powered by a 2hp honda 4 stroke, but that was a foiling boat so the lift of probably easier.
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### Author:  [@BigJilm](https://foil.zone/u/BigJilm)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2023, 2:11pm UTC](https://foil.zone/t/has-anyone-tried-a-gas-powered-build/7299/14 "2023-04-10T14:11:34Z")
I have designed and am currently making a 2 stroke powered foil board. I have made the lower unit/mast and all of the drive components. Currently my biggest design problem is a one way check valve for the exhaust that will not allow water in them the motor is not running. I really wish I could find someone with a jetsurf to better understand their exhaust valve design.
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### Author:  [@Gazman79](https://foil.zone/u/Gazman79)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2023, 6:24pm UTC](https://foil.zone/t/has-anyone-tried-a-gas-powered-build/7299/15 "2023-04-10T18:24:56Z")
This sounds interesting, do you have any pictures to share?
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### Author:  [@SoEFoil](https://foil.zone/u/SoEFoil)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2023, 6:54pm UTC](https://foil.zone/t/has-anyone-tried-a-gas-powered-build/7299/16 "2023-04-10T18:54:23Z")
With such a 40usd board, that would mean a gfoil at the cost of … the foil 🤣 🤣, plus the noise
ps: we hardly see the transmission type between motor and propellor… any guess ?
…
Everything looks home made… a nice proof of concept
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### Author:  [@BigJilm](https://foil.zone/u/BigJilm)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2023, 10:57pm UTC](https://foil.zone/t/has-anyone-tried-a-gas-powered-build/7299/17 "2023-04-10T22:57:34Z")
I will share photos as I get closer to having it complete
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### Author:  [@Krucifix](https://foil.zone/u/Krucifix)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2023, 11:47am UTC](https://foil.zone/t/has-anyone-tried-a-gas-powered-build/7299/18 "2023-04-21T11:47:23Z")
Hi, I had literally same idea, only with 4 strokes GX50.
I thought about forcing the exhaust through a mast. The mast would have to be custom made from aluminium tubes, which is not too difficult and definitely cheap. Biggest tube in middle would be for shaft and bearings, two behind it for exhaust. Somewhere in lower third would be dual exhaust ports. I also though about a one way check valve.
One idea was simple silicone membrane with slit in middle, like in plastic soda bottles on the bottom of the pipe. When the engine is off, the pressure inside of the exhaust tube is constant, therefore the water should have a hard time getting inside more than couple of inches. Advantage - it can be easilly tested, with a half-closed tube and silince membrane. Different silicone thicknesses can also be tested.
I plan to start my build later this summer, as I have no workplace now. I would be happy to talk more about it 🙂 GL
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### Author:  [@SoEFoil](https://foil.zone/u/SoEFoil)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2023, 3:23pm UTC](https://foil.zone/t/has-anyone-tried-a-gas-powered-build/7299/19 "2023-04-21T15:23:09Z")
What is the rpm of a 2 stroke power engine ?
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### Author:  [@BigJilm](https://foil.zone/u/BigJilm)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2023, 3:55pm UTC](https://foil.zone/t/has-anyone-tried-a-gas-powered-build/7299/20 "2023-04-21T15:55:33Z")
I like your idea with the slotted silicone! I’m aluminum casting my mast/ lower unit so can add any number of passages. Right now just a vertical drive shaft and water cooling passage. The exhaust through the mast would be neat I’ve thought about that too but you’d have to make the mast thicker creating more drag and possibly too much back pressure when fully submerged. Would also still need some sort of check valve in the in case the water line rises past the exhaust output point.
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