WhimsiFoil: new commercial brand from France

EFOIL.builders Products
#1

I came across this new efoil setup on http://www.whimsifoil.com
The prototypes are being developed in the south of France (Marseilles beaches, lakes along the Durance river…)

whimsifoil_sketch
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News coming (very) slowly on the usual channels:
https://www.facebook.com/whimsifoil/
https://twitter.com/WhimsiFoil


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyJwHNawv5dnXqVy6pLbMGQ

According to Pascal Raoust, co-inventor:
"The innovations specific to our project (and which we plan to patent) concern simultaneously:

  • the foil (material, geometry and implementation),
  • the ergonomics of the system (removable foil and foldable inflatable board for easy transport),
  • a submerged motorization without waterproof enclosure
  • a stabilizing device that we develop to promote the accessibility of the product to the greatest number."

Few remarks:

  • Keep it simple: if this foil works without anhedral wing or fancy curve + is stable and manoeuvrable, it’s good news for DiYers as front and rear wings cores can be easily obtained from EPS/XPS using hot wire cutting technique + carbon fiber.
  • Rear wing with positive lift = not patentable
  • Non waterproof underwater propulsion = outrunner motor with direct drive ?
#2

There they are: 6990€ during pre-order until June 30th.
Seems we have here a twin outrunner propulsion setup, patented they say.
Interesting setup though because out of the LIFT patent scope.

H001
H003

Looking forward to the 2020 carbon version:
Whimsi%20Carbon%20EN

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#3

If you going to go double, I just can’t see why you wouldn’t go for dual 53mm jets.
That price looks way to high for something that looks like a university experiment.

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#4

… or the latest prototype… It is indeed disturbing when you see Flying Rodeo or Pwrfoil offering for ex.

#5

They have a spare part catalog including an inflatable board for 450€ :

#6

Unless the jet nozzles are above the water line they have decreased efficiency due to the fact that the jet pressure has to fight the water pressure creating back pressure. Propeller is most efficient for when it’s fully submerged. Well unless it’s my setup then even the propeller isn’t efficient :joy:

#7

Many questions about my inflatable “whimsifoil”.
Its been a really great board, without any problems. I highly recomment it. Supereasy to carry double-folded. I have the L variant based on Pascal rec for my weight. Only neg aspect is that it is quite wind sensitive.
Will probably buy a M as well.
I welded box in 3mm alu with carbon coated bottom/top plates from divinycell.
Can’t really believe you guys running 5’ boards that can hardly carry their own weight, super impressive.

Pascal Roust at whimsifoil carries the sizes below. They should all have same hole dimensions.
He gives great customer support!

S : 170cm * 70cm 150L
M : 190cm * 75cm 180L
L : 200cm * 80cm 200L

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Regards,
Mattias

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#8

Thanks for the dimensions of the inner hole. What is the your (inflated) board thickness ? Seems greater than market average to me which explains the wind sensitivity.

#9

Hi Tim,

I agree that waterjets are not as efficient, they have a narrow efficiency window, but at design rpm they should match ducted prop. Especilly the thick home printed ones :slight_smile:
My foil one is based on Onean and has similar characterisitics to MHZ 64mm (also has 64mm pitch) and it works best at 14-17krpm. I’ve used MHZ 64mm on normal Esurf boards in the past, always with 15S and always in BLDC with industrial MGM controllers running it up to 12kW. Gave similar speed to Efoil at 1,5kW, so Esurf quite sucks honestly…

Unfortunately my foil is only 14S and with 270kv in VESC FOC i only reach about 12500rpm, so not optimum.

At speed there should actually be some negative back-pressure, so I’m not sure Jets have to be surface mounted.

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#10

The board thickness is 150mm exactly. Wind sensitivity comes more from the big surface below.
Down-wind I stand back and head wind i stand forward, not worse than that. I ride Ocean mainly.

#11

Sensitive subject: do you know the weight of S / M and L boards ?

#12

My wife’s weight is sensitive topic, the board not so much.
I have the 200L and its 6kg.
My alubox is also 6kg including vesc and small alu enclosure for vesc

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#13

They can work just fine underwater many people I believe have tinkered with this route. You will just be reducing the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet thus reducing the overall power output which would make it less efficient then if it was operating slightly above the water line where the only pressure present at the outlet should be atmospheric pressure

#14

Sorry to bring up this old thread.

My dad and I are also looking for an inflatable board (for when traveling), so the Whimsi board looked like a good option.

The only DIY boards available from them are the M size, so we contacted WhimsiFoil and asked them when the S version was available again.

WhisiFoil told us that no other 2020 size board would be available anymore, and that the new 2021 version was going to be available around May.

They also told us that they are going to sell the boxes (carbon/aluminium /G10) for the new boards.
The new 2021 board will cost more than the 2020 version (2020 version was 450 euro)

I’ve got pictures here, but I’m not sure if I can publish them at this moment

#15

Thank you, I hesitated for a while to buy this board but the shape was too rectangular and the space too small for the case made me go for the inflatable board MALA.

#16

Great info , I was looking to get one , so I might wait , could you send me via private message of the new board please ( just for my buying choice if I wait or not )

Thank you

#17

Good news ! I’m also interested in getting those pictures via private message =)

#18

They are going to release more rendering/photos/videos about the new products line on social media in the coming weeks.

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#19

The new board profile is better than the first model :smiley:

#20

Some more info.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CMmnSG8orav/?igshid=1oa5002rqaptr