When you’re a beginner in efoil or wingfoil, you don’t have much choice:
1- start on the small board you want to keep and face some difficulties : you save money but not time (learning time in 6, 12, 18 months)
2- start on a big board and decrease the volume step by step: saves learning time (days or weeks) but not money (losses due to resale)
After Waydoo, LIFT have just released a board volume assist (BVA) called the Blowfish: Lift Foils | eFoil Electric Surfboard | Premium Surf & Hydrofoils, an interesting item that adds volume to an existing board, like training wheels do for kids on a bicycle.
Advantage list:
- Removable,
- Transforms board hard edges into soft ones,
- Inflatable so packs really small when deflated (travelling)
- The Blowfish can be fitted on a non LIFT board, resold without loosing too much (second hand market coming), lent,… while keeping the initial board
- You can go fishing with a kid, …
X-ref:
'Hootie and the Blowfish Build!
Next step: How to make a DiY board volume assist (BVA) from an an old inflatable kite / wing ?
If you have ever repaired a kite or wing, you realize it is a bit expensive for what it is especially if only used for a couple of days or weeks…
Why hasn’t it been done in cheaper kite/wing materials Dacron + bladders ?
If you’re cautious during use and don’t leave it in the sun, you can even use the kite original spi as BVA bottom skin.
Answer: sure, it is not as durable but they also don’t want you to cross-link and use this path.
