THE WEEKLY WASH - Is the future lithium fueled

Posted by Christopher Burke on February 13, 2025

This week i'm dedicating my newsletter to the Foil assist.
For those that don't know - a retrofit battery and propeller you can mount to a foil board to skip learning stages to riding small foils in waves.
Having recently become aware i've unknowingly become known as the most outspoken voice of dislike for the system, that isn't the case, I thought here might be a platform to express my genuinely more balanced feelings for this 'game changer'.
It's a bit of a wordy one, back to short hand next week.

FIRSTLY - THE FORECAST

Easterly winds are still in control for the foreseeable, with similar riding conditions predicted every day of the next 6.

With a mid-size, high period swell from the west pushing there's plenty of fun to be had for kite, wing, prone, DW and - foil driving.

Paddle sports will need to tuck in behind cliffs on N/W facing beaches.
For me, when theres energy in the air it's wise to use it, and all across the south could be super fun for kiting and winging. If you know of a local 'secret spot' near a castle I may see you there.

A new discipline is here to stay

It's now widely accepted that foil assists (otherwise known as foil driving or finger blasting) is a discipline of it's own. It's growing following is impressive and often beaches this way are busy with riders buzzing around whooping and cheering.
It's clear that it's the perfect gateway to 'prone foiling' for a lot of people. Allowing them to ride in no wind without having to learn to 'pop up' on a wave face and 'pump' back out to the break.
For many people It's makes sport when there wasn't any and fills a void for time efficient sessions.

Being stoked and maximum water time is why we do this and improving technique along the way it's a no-brainer for many.

The cost will make it unfeasible for some, but for those that can - doors (or wave spots) will open up.

Where's the downside?

When e-bikes came out they created a divide, those that power themselves up hill and those that charge up a battery.

That analogy crosses over with foil assists. Technology has given us the ability to bypass technique and fitness to receive reward - very apt for the modern world.

Everything comes at a compromise and in this case it's weight and drag. Even with the Gen 2 systems now in the market neatly packing the battery and propeller just under the board - it packs some pounds and resistance. Recently on session on the Cornish coast I was reminded that the green grass of maximum riding was lovely for a little when I borrowed a foil drive set up, but that full freedom to rip turns is significantly reduced, so after a few laps I was excited to take back my nimble steed.

It's a horse for a different course.
You wouldn't see someone charging the redbull downhill rampage on an e-bike, but then you wouldn't see someone out for a cruise with the familly on a dedicated downwhill shredder.

Different systems

Foil Drive started the movement, that 'commands respect' as Rich put in a review we did for foiling magazine and as they continually bring out new software and harware upgrades they have asserted themself as market leaders. The 'hoover' of vacum cleaners.

More are coming, Manta is out, other brands are preparing and UK company - Hybrid Foils just launched their Fusion which enters the market as a comparable home-grown system.

It's a techies wet dream and as competition grows we can expect prices to fall and participation increase - Foil drives are here to stay it seems.

Where's the issue?

Another analogy would be the ski lift.
Without that a ski/snowboarders would climb a mountain to gain a single ride back down.
High work for high reward.
Technique, respect and etiquette is earned and on the ride-down with endorphins pumping it's a glory moment as friends look out for your safety giving you the space you need to enjoy every bit of that reward.

Enter the ski lift and now you don't just get 1 run a day, you get 100. It's an epic flurry of shredding where a bum run can be thrown away and replaced with a much better one in just 10 minutes time. It's a vibe running laps with mates and if you cut someone up - it doesn't matter because they'll just shoot back for another one.

The 2 vibes are super different, both epic in their own way, but quite incompatible, because a rider who's riding down after climbing up is sure going to be miffed if his reward is ruined by someone else zipping past carelesly.

It's also wise to give a thought to a beginner boarder. Possibly over confident in his ability, slid off a chair lift into a black run and committed to gravity taking them down, possibly at the cost of anyone else in their path.

For me the future acceptance of foil driving lies in how it's riders carry themselves. Remembering etiquete, giving way to others and being aware of their level.
It's a shame to see ban's already popping up, community support and education is the obvious solution.

Where do I personally sit?

A few weeks ago I had a fun sesh co-habiting a break with paddle and lithium powered frothers and there was a great energy in the air. I loved it. Another day last week i had a fun sesh on a foil drive in prone-able conditions.
Here in the shop I'm often giving kit advice to people on 'FD' and be buzzing with them on their choices and sessions.
I'm keeping my finger on the pulse and a supporter of the positive FD energy. Maybe soon I'll have one of my own.

To finish where I started, I'm definitely not a hater of this new wave of tech, but I do like to think of myself as a purest and I enjoy working hard for unrestricted reward.
I'd be the guy climbing the hill all day for that glory run.
Just remember when we meet at the bar after - we've had a different day.
I'm stoked for you if what you did got you stoked.
I'll be drinking Rum.