Only the finest materials and finishes for Fliteboard
Fliteboard is known as the world’s leading range of electric hydrofoils. With a constant focus on innovation and a relentless pursuit of excellence, we have designed eFoils to suit everyone from beginners to advanced wave riders.
Every product is designed with modularity in mind so you can switch up your setup to suit different riders in your family or friend group. We’ve also expanded our use of materials in order to offer these incredible personal watercrafts at various price points. In this article, we will explore the materials and finishes that contribute to our title of the world’s most awarded eFoil producer.
Boards: carbon fibre, fibreglass, Soft Top and inflatable
Carbon fibre
Fliteboard, PRO and ULTRA L / L2 are made from our signature composite of carbon fibre and bulletproof grade Italian Carbon Innegra. This material provides superior strength for its weight. Boards are lighter to carry but can still withstand frequent use, wear and tear. Our range of carbon fibre boards are available in iconic ash timber, metallic or matte finishes, with colours varying by board. Experience new Series 5 edition Clay in Fliteboard and PRO.
HMPP carbon
Flite x Marc Newson is made with Japanese high modulus pre-preg (HMPP) carbon fibre to create a supremely light, stiff and strong performance eFoil system. This is available in a raw matte black finish, showcasing the beauty of the carbon weave.
Fibreglass
Fliteboard and PRO are available in fibreglass, which is slightly heavier than carbon fibre construction, but with the performance and durability that Fliteboard is known for. This material allows for a lower price point, and is available in a cool matte finish.
Soft Top
Fliteboard and PRO are also available in Soft Top, which is constructed from fibreglass and a thick EVA foam top layer for comfort, grip, safety and durability. They are the same weight as our fibreglass boards and are perfect for riders launching from boats and docks. Our Soft Top boards are available in one of our original brand colours, Saltbush.
Inflatable
Flite AIR combines a solid foam core riding platform with an inflatable drop stitch construction outer bladder that provides superior buoyancy. This combination of materials reduces production cost and improves durability, all without a noticeable weight increase from our fibreglass boards.
Flitescooter has a removable inflatable PVC coated drop stitch bladder and carbon core with a stylish mahogany finish that elevates the underside. This combination of materials allows for constant use and enjoyment. Flitescooter’s removable bladder can be replaced with the inflatable Fliteboard AIR XL bladder in order to ride it like a slightly smaller Fliteboard, without the handlebars.
eFoil systems: aluminium or HMPP carbon
All Flite eFoil systems are made from aero grade aluminium, precision machined in a 14hr process, or an unbroken sheet of the finest grade, Japanese HMPP carbon fibre. Both eFoils are designed for performance, delivering the premium experience that is synonymous with Fliteboard. Let’s take a look at how these two materials differ, and the benefits of each system.
Aluminium
Most of our eFoils are constructed with aluminium. As well as being strong, light, stiff and corrosion resistant after its anodisation process, aluminium is an efficient heat conductor. This turns the eFoil mast into an ingenious heat sink removing the need for any internal water cooling systems. It also reduces weight and risk of failure. The unibody fuselage is made from a single block of aero grade aluminium. The anodised result seamlessly connects fuselage motor and tail as one, for optimal performance and thermal management.
aluminium is stiffer than the forged carbon that some manufacturers use in their eFoils, providing a more stable ride at higher loads, for a more accessible price.
HMPP carbon
HMPP carbon is the highest quality carbon fibre available, pioneered in the aerospace and elite motorsport industries because of its incredible strength to weight ratio. You can purchase either MN Carbon Jet C eFoil or MN Carbon Wave C eFoil system in this incredible material. All of our MN eFoils boast a monocoque construction that seamlessly connects mast, fuselage and tail, without joints or bolts, for elite performance.
The properties of HMPP allow for a thinner and more streamlined mast for improved handling, ride time and hydrodynamic efficiency. Our HMPP carbon fibre is significantly lighter and thinner than our aluminium with a more premium price point. Although it is not an efficient heat conductor, all of our HMPP carbon fibre masts have an aluminium core to quickly and cleverly wick heat away from the electronics, again removing the need for any internal cooling systems.
Wings: carbon fibre
We have two wing ranges to choose from, depending on your eFoil. Pair our original flat interface wings with Series 4 eFoils and earlier (excluding MN and Performance eFoil Systems) and our new conical wings (compatible with all C eFoils and FLITELab*). All of our wings feature a carbon fibre construction for ultimate strength, lightness and stiffness. Learn more about wings here.
Flitecell: titanium
Flitecell is our market-leading battery, available in Nano, Sport and Explore. Flitecells feature Phase Change Material (PCM) that dramatically improves thermal management, safety and longevity. One of its functions is to absorb heat from cells; isolating and cooling faulty cells in particular, before a problem can spread.
Not all cells on the market offer the same safety profile. We use premium 21700 cells, and a specific brand and model of cell that offers the lowest impedance available and highest current rating. This means our cells stay cooler than other cells, and are used well below their maximum operating thresholds for discharging and charging. To house these premium cells, we use titanium because it has the highest strength-to-density ratio of any metal. It's strong, light and corrosion resistant, making it the perfect choice for our marine grade batteries.