So I’m in the very early stages of my build and I’m struggling to work out the power requirement. How do you guys do it? How do you allow for the drag before you are foiling? I’m going to base it on @Silvio slim design and use the same motor, gearbox, prop. Is it a trial and error type exercise?
I would prefer to use a 18650 battery pack, but is it better to use lipos in the first instance due to cost?
It is. If possible, do your own guess starting from others experience, this forum is an awesome source of such experiences.
18650 are more “definitive” but somewhat expensive, as Virus once said “keep for granted that you’ll have to take water infiltration at the beginning” or something like that…and it’s real. Thin motor pod is nice but also “full size” 56mm inrunner it is.
Just start from something, don’t rush toward seatrial but consider any aspect twice (this is my suggestion, anything left as “temporary” or that doesn’t convince you, will badly fail trowing you back to days of curse&rebuild.
Have a good journey 'till the first flight over smooth waters!!
Let’s say it’s a common size for the inrunner motor used for efoil, like SSS 56104 or 56114, TP motors… others that I don’t remember the name.
The gearbox is one of the major problem to solve, expensive and not easy to source, coupling with motor and propeller require some care.
A geared motor hub usually can have you foil happily at less than 2000W, at 4000W you can find yourself uncomfortably on your knee holding the board at a speed not “foilable”. Someone has different numbers, heavy riders can go up in Amperes, kite foils wing can go faster with less power but requires higher speed hence current to lift off… If you found Silvio’s design and good, go with that, at least you’ve a base to start with, you know what to buy and you’re in. At the end of all we’re building all prototypes, with room for improvement