Thanks for the input - I’m going to start with just seeing if my 8s pack at full voltage seems to change the behavior, and maybe order a small capacity 12s test setup (I’m using a 6s balance charger, so will just do another series pack - no BMS).
Here are the VESC screen shots, I don’t see anything out of whack, but I also don’t know all the fields.
Note that this isn’t for a full efoil, but an “assist” class device - but one I was hoping to have enough power to get up on foil without a paddle (just not need to use the motor to stay there, for surf/downwind). I posted more details about the build in a “builds” topic: