My journey with the Foil Drive system has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows. Frustration and elation. I learned a lot along the way, and I hope this article will help you navigate the road to a successful Foil Drive system easier than mine.
- I originally bought the first edition of the Foil Drive system a year ago. Unlike most of my foil related purchases, I actually waited to see if guys were having success with the system. It seemed that the SUP guys were doing well on it and there was one guy who put it on the front of his larger prone board and was successful, so I pulled the trigger and ordered my system. I called up Dave Daum at King’s Paddle Sports and he was enthusiastic to make the prototype board for my foil drive. Things were in motion, and I was eager to put it all together. I waited until I had the system in hand to go to Dave and design the board around it. I wanted the box with the battery to be as close as possible to the foil mast and flush with the deck so the board would feel like a regular foil board once it was up on foil. I drove to Dave’s shop; we hashed out ideas and he set out to make the board. He shaped the board, and I went back to his shop to place the box in the foam blank to make sure everything was good. Everything seemed to be good, so I gave him the go ahead to glass it. I was getting really excited about the new things the system would make possible.
First Hurdle
I designed the board so that the wire would go directly from the box in the board to the foil tracks so that there would be no wire on the deck of the board. This required me to disconnect the three wires that were connected between the prop and the box. I had no idea how they were connected nor how hard it would be to adapt it to what I wanted. Lucky for me they connected all the wires with quick connections and just put heat shrink wrap over them to secure them. I cut off the heat shrink and then reapplied it to the edges of each end, so that when I reconnected them no metal would show. Then I could just put some electrical tape around the seam to secure it. First hurdle was cleared.
First Flight - Second Hurdle
I now had my board that was 4’8” x 19” and about 45 liters in volume. I put the whole thing together and went out into the waves to test it out in Huntington beach. I hopped on the board and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened! I would get off the board and pull the trigger and bam the prop would spin. The unit was going under water when I laid on the board and cut the signal off. I knew this would happen, but I was hoping that the unit would still be above water when I was on the board. I could stay on the side of the board and start the motor and the board would start to go and the water would drain from the box area, and I would get on the board and go. This obviously was dangerous and not conducive to getting into waves easily since it was a hit or miss if the box would drain enough to keep going. I was disappointed but thought I could either just get a bigger board that would float me much better or design an antenna extension for the unit. Hurdle two I tripped over.
Third Hurdle
I was practicing my side saddle starts and cruising around trying to get on the little waves when I started to have no power. I would pull the trigger and hear the motor spin but no power. I turned the board over to find the plastic props were gone and the hub had broken apart. Was I supposed to tighten those little screws that held the props on? Did I screw up somehow? Hurdle three I had run straight into and was lying on the ground.
I contacted Foil Drive and told them what had happened, and they sent me out another hub and prop. They were very nice about it. A month later I had the parts in hand. Hurdle three was behind me.
Second Flight
A few weeks later the prop arrived, and I put things together for my next test. While my prop was in transit, I modified the antenna of my Foil Drive. I spliced an extension wire to run to the front of the board so that I would not lose the signal when I was lying on the board. I was rather nervous about modifying the box for my Foil Drive, but not enough to not do it. I found a very thin copper wire coated in plastic and drilled a hole in the box to run it thru. I hooked it up to the little antenna in the box and then used JB weld in excessive amounts to seal the hole and wire. The unit was watertight, and I was off to test it again. I happened to be at San Onofre foiling and the conditions seemed good at Dreamland, so I went in and hooked up my Foil Drive. It was low tide and it was grassy and shallow for 50 yards out so I dragged the set-up out thru the waves and grass to the outside. When I finally had enough depth and no grass to get on the board, I pulled the trigger. Nooooooooo! F-word over and over again. It did the same thing where it cut out as soon as I was lying on the board. I had to do the same side saddle technique to get going and was not successful at all. Frustrated that my antenna was not working as I had planned, I looked in the box to see the battery level and to my horror there was water sloshing inside the box around the battery. I paddled into shore and headed to my van to open the box. Saltwater drained out of the battery as I disconnected it, and a yellowish fluid was leaking out. I sat it in the dirt away from everything and proceeded to rinse the box with fresh water and dry it out. One of the latches had popped off while I was in the water allowing the leak. Obviously, my fault, my bad. The battery started to smoke and then lit on fire; my Foil Drive dreams were going up in smoke. I was in a hurry and didn’t triple check to make sure the latch was all the way clicked in. It was an expressive lesson to learn, and I cursed at myself the entire way home because it was 100% my fault. Hurdles four and five had fallen on top of me and pinned me to the ground.
Ben & Paul Save The Day
I emailed the guys at Foil Drive. Right about that time they were coming out with the newer Assist Plus system. I pleaded my case and asked if I could return my original system for a little credit towards the new system and they agreed. I never asked how much, nor did I care since anything was better than nothing and I felt like an idiot anyway. I pleaded for them to attach an antenna extension and every time they said it would cost “X dollars more” I said great let’s do it, not a problem. They agreed. I mailed my old unit back to them with all the stuff. I patiently waited for my new unit to arrive. It must have been about two months later that I got the word it would be coming. I ordered the small and medium battery for my unit. I was extra excited when it arrived, but very cautious. Hurdle four and five seemed to be behind me now.
New Box - New Problem
I received the new box and proceeded to disconnect the wires like before. I was able to do it with ease since I had done it before. I ran the wire thru the hole in my board only to figure out that the port where the wire was coming out of the Foil Drive box had been moved over more towards the edge and my hole on my board was aligned for the old box. It caused a rather abrupt bend right where the wire comes out of the box and I was worried this would lead to a leak. I gouged out an area in my board to make the bend larger and JB welded the area like crazy. It seemed to be good, so I mentally prepared myself for another test run.
Third Time Is A Charm?
I was very focused for this test run. I triple checked everything to make sure that the box was sealed and that all the bolts were in place and wires were secured etc. I taped the wire to the antenna extension down and velcroid the remote antenna down. I had cut a small piece of plexy-glass to put over the box in my board so the deck was even the whole way through. I taped it down with duck tape. Everything seemed to be good. I set out to get some waves at Seal Beach Jetty. I motored out through the channel and felt elation since I was lying on the board and the antenna was working! I got out to the waves and turned around and quickly motored to catch a swell. I went to stand up and as soon as I did that I fell forward and over the front of the board as it stalled from me letting go of the trigger. I was holding it in my hand and when I was pushing up on the board the trigger was moving, and I lost power or proceeded to speed up. I really don’t like anything in my hands when I’m surfing or foiling and so I immediately started to think of a solution. I decided to put the controller in my mouth and bite down and try to move the trigger with my tongue. The hard plastic made it difficult and slippery to bite down on, but I was able to push the trigger and control it that way. I proceeded to try and get on a wave with this new technique and again had difficulties from lying to standing with the momentum of the board being inconsistent varying too much from changing power inputs from the motor or the wave. I felt like a beginner again. I kept at it and was able to get up and get on foil and as soon as I did it was like foiling with a heavy board. I was foiling! I was able to turn and pump and enjoy gliding on the wave. I was even able to pump for short periods of time. I waited until my battery got low and then motored back up the canal to the parking lot and got out to disassemble things. I was happy that my concept had been a success. The board and the Foil Drive had worked well together. It just seemed that I needed more time to get the technique down and a better way to bite down on the controller. I now had my whole quiver of foils to choose from to use with the system! I went to get the battery out-of-the-box and noticed that there was a little bit of condensation underneath the lid. I took the battery out and there was some water dripping from the battery and in the box again! Hurdle five had come back and ran me over.
It's Not My Fault This Time
I was crushed to say the least. I was wondering if I had just throne thousands of dollars in the trash. I went home and dried out the box and the battery. I got a bucket with fresh water and proceeded to dunk the box in it to see if I could figure out where it was leaking from. I knew that it was not because I had not latched the box properly this time. I watched as I saw a tiny trickle of water fill the bottom of the box as I held it underwater. I was not sure exactly where it was leaking from so I took it out and dried it off and was looking to see if I could figure out the source. I thought it was along one of the seams but as I held it up, I noticed some light coming through a pinhole in the bottom of the box. There was a hole in the bottom of the box! I contacted the guys at Foil Drive and told them of my story. Ben immediately apologized to me realizing that they had not put my box through the usual quality assurance, since he had pulled it out of the usual assembly line to put my custom antenna on it. He agreed to send me a replacement battery and I ordered a second small battery as well. I had faith that the system would be successful and leak free from here on out. I proceeded to JB Weld both the inside and outside of where the pinhole was to seal it. I tested the box for over 30 minutes underwater and no leaks. Having learned from my first ordeal I had ordered two batteries so that if one failed, I had a backup to get me thru until a new one arrived.
Trigger Fatigue
I knew that I would need to use my teeth to hold the hand controller and my tongue to control the trigger. I used a small patch of Surfco Grip to bite down on since it was soft but not too thick. I was able to bite on the hand controller easier and push the trigger with my tongue without spitting the controller out. I put a lanyard around my neck to allow the controller to drop out after I got on a wave. I set out to SBJ again to test the system out. I was able to keep the trigger in my mouth and my ability to control the trigger with my tongue improved with each wave. I was able to get up on multiple waves and pump for short distances. I learned two valuable lessons from this session. First do not hold the controller in my mouth until getting on the wave. My jaw was sore by the end of the session and my teeth felt mal aligned. Second lesson was that when I spit the controller out of my mouth, I needed to stuff the trigger into my wetsuit. If I did not do this, then when I would pump my board, the controller would fly up into my face and hit me. I was wearing a front zip wetsuit, so this was easy. Just something to think about if you have an old school back zip suit. My session ended with the box watertight and the system working properly. Now I just needed a good downwind type day to test it out. Proof of concept was achieved which made the money and time worth it.
The Gorge
This was my final hurdle. The whole point of the set-up was to make downwind foiling easier and less dangerous. I was dreaming of being able to downwind and fall or just rest and then be able to get right back up onto a swell in the middle of the ocean. There were not any good days for downwinding that I happened to be off at home. I committed to going to Hood River to the mecca of inland downwinding. I overpaid for airfare, rental car and a place to stay. I was committed to this endeavor, so I went alone and with only a basic knowledge of the Hood River scene.
I arrived in Portland and made the drive up to the river. This was the most consistent windy time of the year and when I arrived it was 100 degrees and no wind. We are talking glassy conditions. I was disappointed, but not defeated. I knew of the Sternwheeler and riding the wake behind it. I set up my system and motored to the middle of the river waiting for the Sternwheeler. I was early and had to use a lot of battery to keep what I thought was the spot to be. I was wrong and had to speed up to get to the Sternwheeler before it sped away. I made it and tried to get into the wave only to fall. I tried three more times on the wakes further back and then could only watch the boat left me behind. I was frustrated but I had a day to figure it out. Then next day the wind was not around again so I did the Sternwheeler. I placed myself in a better position and approached the wake in a different manner and was able to get up right away. I was cruising back and forth on the wake having a good time, but then realized how far from my car I was getting now. I was all by myself out there and no one to pick me up, the only option was to return to my car. I bailed and motored back to my car, but it still took me over 30 minutes! I was stoked that it worked! No jet ski assist required.
The next day the wind started to come up. It was not the epic Gorge wind, but enough to get some swells to downwind. I had picked up Eric Christain at the airport and Dave Kalama had arrived as well bringing my new Barracuda board for me to try. I now had some friends to share the experience. We all were at the Hatchery and I assembled my Foil Drive board and went into the water. I was trying to get on the swells and failing. I watched Dave, Eric, Jeremy and Tomo all do laps past me on their boards. I kept at it and was able to figure out the patterns of the swells and when I should speed up to get in. Once I was up, I could ride for a short distance before I would stall out or miss read a section. I was falling but learning and getting better. I realized that a bigger foil would have been the call when the conditions were small. I only had a Mike’s Lab 1100 with me, but that was not enough to make up for my lack of talent. I had two good days of practicing downwinding with my Foil Drive board there. I was getting up faster and using less battery each session. My concept was a success! I was happy and ready to use it other places. In just a few weeks I would be in Hawaii for the ultimate test.
Hawaii
The final testing ground for my system. I was eager to downwind in warm water and prove my system. I watched the weather and the wind seemed to be good for the weeks before my trip there. The day I arrived I hooked up with Jeff Chang for a Kiakoo downwind run. I was looking forward to no chip in, but just an easy motoring into a swell since I had worked until 3 am that morning, then got up early to board a plane to get to Hawaii all on only two hours sleep. We paddled out and the swell seemed big. I went out as far as the rest of our crew and turned downwind to get into a swell. There were swells everywhere, but none ever seemed to be steep enough for me to power into. Just like the Gorge I was lost in the swells. Ocean swells are much faster and I found that they would pass me by. It was tough conditions since even Jeff had a hard time getting up on foil. I managed it twice but quickly lost my line and fell. I motored 90% of the way. The good news is that my small battery had another 30% left at the end of it. The wind was supposed to lighten up more each day, so my Downwind dreams were crushed. I decided I would concentrate on getting into waves in the surf for the rest of the trip.
Better Than I Thought
I used my Foil Drive board with multiple wings. It worked with all of them depending on the wave size. Bigger swells I used my Cloud9 FS850 wing and could turn and even pump it. In small clean waves I used my Mike’s Lab 1300. I could get doubles and triples. My wave count was insane since I could get into the swell without it ever breaking. My fellow foilers cheered me on and I got a lot of questions. I was able to stay away from the crowds since I had no need to be anywhere near the peak nor at a popular break. I found that if I did some paddling out that the battery would last a lot longer. I had an almost two-hour session with around 40% left on my small battery. The set-up in Hawaii is great since the swells tend to pitch up for a longer period of time before they break. This allowed me to stay either outside or way to the side of surfers and fellow foilers and just power into the swell. I found that I was able to now forget about the hand controller in my mouth, since I was doing it more instinctually now.
Summing It Up
This was no cheap endeavor and took a lot of thought to get it to this point. The system is worth it to me. The ability to downwind with the safety factor alone is worth it. I would not go to Hawaii without it now. If the waves are small, I can power into them without them even having to break, then pump around just like normal. If the waves are bigger, I can get into a swell and not have to worry about taking some steep drop to get into a wave. I can do a downwinder knowing if I fall or get hurt, I can get to safety with the push of my tongue. I can go where no other foiler or surfer is to get into the waves! The system travels easy since I bought the small batteries and I take two with me. You can carry them on the plane. The whole system including my board and foil weights 20.5 lbs.
Take Away Notes
- Always triple check everything before you go out. I found that when people would come up to me to ask questions while I got ready, I would forget a step. Keep a mental list and go through it just before you get ready to walk to the water.
- Keep the foil Drive up as high as possible. This allows for a more natural feel once you are up. The motor is a bit heavy and you can feel it.
- Get an antenna extension. This is critical so that you can put the box inside the board below the deck.
- Get two small batteries instead of a medium. You can combine them if you want to, and they are travel friendly.
- For the Foil Drive Assist+ you need a 11 inch long by 5 inch wide by 3 3/8 inch deep box to put the Foil Drive Unit in along with a hole to the bottom at the left bottom side of the board box (Standing at the tail looking at the nose of the board).
- The board box lid can just be a thin piece of plexy-glass held down by some Duct Tape. I have never had an issue and you can keep a small role with you.
- You will need a 20 mm wrench to get the port off the box and Duct tape roll to hold down the wire, lid and antenna.
- Just wait for the prone version that is coming out soon. This may make all the modifications mute.
Is It Worth It?
In summary the foil drive has allowed me to foil when it would be hard to get into the waves. Rolling swells that are pitching up slightly are fine for getting into on the foil drive. It allows one to stay outside or to the side of the surf break. You can self-tow into larger waves. Downwind runs are a little safer with it. It is much cheaper than a traditional e-foil. It is travel friendly. I would highly recommend it.