Author Topic: New ultralight foil motor for catching unbreaking waves  (Read 3580 times)

clay

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New ultralight foil motor for catching unbreaking waves
« on: February 17, 2020, 07:09:15 AM »
Curious if anyone else sees potential for using this to catch unbreaking waves? 

I know a handful of spots that on certain tides/swell the waves are ridable but uncatchable, only for towing in.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/boost-fin-electric-motorized-fin-for-any-board/x/15782621

https://youtu.be/ey6zcZY7SFY
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PonoBill

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Re: New ultralight foil motor for catching unbreaking waves
« Reply #1 on: February 17, 2020, 11:46:54 AM »
Pretty clever, fitting the battery and electronics inside the fin body. 20 pounds of thrust is quite respectable, but it must be for a short period of time. The claimed duration is silly. 20 pounds of thrust would require at least 300 watts, and the battery is listed as 90wh/200wh. Assuming 200wh, that's about 45 minute, which is probably fine. I think it would get you up on the foil. and the two-pound weight wouldn't be an issue. there are power fins currently available that would do the same thing but they require an external battery. There are super high energy density graphene LiPo batteries for RC models that would deliver the necessary punch with a similar weight. I've considered this often, especially for downwind foiling, but I've never pulled the trigger.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

surfcowboy

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Re: New ultralight foil motor for catching unbreaking waves
« Reply #2 on: February 17, 2020, 01:43:30 PM »
Stay tuned to this board. I’m sure some of us will be hacking this thing to hell and back lol

SUPdad

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Re: New ultralight foil motor for catching unbreaking waves
« Reply #3 on: February 17, 2020, 09:01:10 PM »
Interesting...surfing with one of those must be a drag. ;D
If it could be fitted to the top of the mast, it might be useful on a foil board?  Once up on the foil, it will be out of the water and no real penalty except for a little extra weight. I have my doubts about how much thrust that thing can produce though.

SUPdad

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Re: New ultralight foil motor for catching unbreaking waves
« Reply #4 on: February 17, 2020, 09:02:06 PM »
I also wonder how well the remote works with the fin entirely under water.

PonoBill

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Re: New ultralight foil motor for catching unbreaking waves
« Reply #5 on: February 18, 2020, 09:27:22 PM »
Actually, fitted as a fin behind the foil is simpler. The controller uses Bluetooth LE which does reasonably good error handling. It's a simple on/off message so even if the radio connection is flukey, it's relatively easy to filter out the errors. The controller is near the top of the fin, so the antenna is probably only a few cm below the surface. Since it obviously does work in the videos I'd say with some confidence that it works OK.

they claim 20 pounds of thrust. Given the motor and prop size I'd be a little skeptical of the number, but it's probably more than 10, and that's enough to get into a wave easily or push a foil to takeoff speed.

Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

SUPdad

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Re: New ultralight foil motor for catching unbreaking waves
« Reply #6 on: February 21, 2020, 10:31:55 AM »
So is anyone going to try it?  Only costs about $200. ;D I’m tempted but don’t have a fin box on my board and wouldn’t want to put one in.

frenchfoiler

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Re: New ultralight foil motor for catching unbreaking waves
« Reply #7 on: February 29, 2020, 04:58:04 PM »
Might be a good help for dw, catching can be hard sometimes.

clay

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Re: New ultralight foil motor for catching unbreaking waves
« Reply #8 on: March 01, 2020, 01:28:18 PM »
I put in my pre order before I started this thread.

I asked if they had any plans for a clamp style foil mast attachment, the response was a stick on mount similar to the foilmount.  I suspect I will rig up some way to attach to the mast plate to see if it has enough juice and go from there...
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SUPdad

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Re: New ultralight foil motor for catching unbreaking waves
« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2020, 10:00:00 AM »
Cool, impatiently waiting to hear how it works! ;D Do they have an anticipated delivery date?

 


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