Yes, you can ride an eFoil board in waves. For 3–4 ft waves, maintain speeds of 12–18 mph to match wave energy. Use a 5 kWh battery for up to 2 hours, consuming 1.2 kWh per hour. Position 10–15 ft ahead of the wave’s crest and approach at a 30-degree angle for stability.
Wave Size Matters
Wave size is important for riding an eFoil board, and a knowledge of how performance will be affected is absolutely key. Small waves, about 1 to 3 feet, are considerable for most riders, allowing a gentle slope that makes balancing much easier. On these waves, eFoil boards can operate quite effectively at speeds of from 8 to 12 mph, which is suitable for beginners or those seeking a relaxed ride. In these conditions, the energy required to sustain the movement is much lower, with battery usage averaging 10–15% per hour for boards with a 2.5–4 kWh battery. In this case, riders can have longer sessions without overworking the motor or quickly depleting the battery.
Medium-sized waves, measuring from 4 up to 6 feet, make for a much more thrilling experience. It needs much faster speeds, ranging from 12 up to 18 mph, for catching and riding well. While experienced eFoil riders on a 5 kWh board may use up to 25% of their battery per hour in these conditions, this is because the motor must work harder to maintain speed with increased wave energy. At this wave size, control starts to be more difficult, and riders must time carefully to avoid the wave's breaking point. With bigger foil wings, featuring at least an area of 1500 cm², many riders feel an obvious gain in stability and maneuverability due to the better lift that reduces the chances of nosediving.
For advanced riders tackling large waves that exceed 6 feet, speed and power requirements go way up. Boards with motors rated at 6 kW or higher are often necessary to achieve the 20+ mph speeds needed to ride steep wave faces and avoid wipeouts. For example, in high-energy surf zones like Maui’s North Shore, eFoil riders frequently use boards with 6–8 kWh batteries to ensure sufficient range and performance. A single session of 1.5 hours under these conditions can deplete the battery by as much as 70%, so it is most important to start with a fully charged system. These conditions also require quick and precise weight distribution and rapid adjustments to maintain balance on a surface in nearly constant flux.
Wave Energy Utilization
Efoil boards are particularly good at leveraging wave energy, enabling riders to combine the motorized propulsion component with natural wave dynamics. With small waves of 1 to 3 feet, a common size, the board's motor power gives steady speed of about 8 to 12 mph, at 2.5 to 4 kW of power, which enables riders to use the wave's rolling energy to glide along smoothly. This combination tends to make the workload of the motor smaller, decreasing battery consumption by about 20%, compared with riding at the same speed and for the same time in flat water. For instance, a 2-hour session on a 4 kWh battery may only consume 40-50% of the charge in small wave conditions, leaving plenty of capacity for extended rides.
In medium wave conditions, ranging from 4 to 6 feet, the energy from the wave’s steeper faces can further enhance efficiency. Riders often accelerate to 12–18 mph to match the wave's speed, allowing the board to "float" more on the wave energy and rely less on the motor. In fact, this would lower energy consumption by 30–40% compared to flat water cruising, while the exact figure will depend upon the board's design and the rider's skill. A rider who is using a 6 kWh battery on a medium-sized wave might find he's able to keep a 3-hour session going, yet with around 20% of his battery life remaining. These latter conditions evidence the eFoil's capacity for combining the power of a motor with wave energy, enabling extended range.
For larger waves—over 6 feet—the motor has to work much harder to maintain higher speeds, often in excess of 20 miles per hour, especially on steep or faster-moving faces. But when aligned correctly with the wave, the board becomes significantly less dependent on its motor. Experienced riders in those conditions have reported that the battery efficiency, during the downhill part of the wave, increases by 25-30% as gravity and wave energy take over much of the propulsion. Conversely, climbing back out to the wave lineup against strong currents can consume upwards of 15% of the battery per trip. That requires some planning, especially in high-energy surf zones where battery usage can vary widely depending upon the behavior of the wave.
Enhanced Speed and Agility
With an eFoil board, it's unmatched-pesticulous in speed and agility to enable the rider to cut through different water conditions with much precision. Most eFoil boards operate between 10 and 25 mph, instantly adjusting the motor output for different riding scenarios. For instance, amateur riders barely go faster than 10 to 12 mph for stability purposes, while pro riders usually tend to push their boards to 20 mph or more to corner and maneuver dynamically. Since a 6 kW motor is able to supply enough thrust to provide high speeds, it will be suitable for advanced riders with the aim of full expression in difficult conditions, like medium waves or tight areas.
Speed is directly proportional to agility because the higher the speed, the quicker the change of direction and the smoother the transition. On flat water, it is possible to perform a turn with an eFoil board as small as a 5–6 feet radius at 15 mph for specific control during maneuvers. In contrast, wave handling is even more agile. Once on 4-foot waves, the riders usually reach 18–20 mph to stay in control on the wave face. This higher speed gives way to making quick changes, such as carving on the wave or making avoidance maneuvers. Larger foil wings with areas of 1600–1800 cm² are usually reported as giving more agility by riders since at low speeds, the gain in lift makes up for the drag produced during turns.
Agility also affects crosswind and chop management of the board. When traveling at 15 mph or faster, a high-quality eFoil with carbon fiber hydrofoil will actually cut through surface chop with very little drag, further increasing stability and reducing crash incidents. For instance, running in 2-foot choppy seas, an eFoil watercraft could take about 10-15% more battery per hour compared to running in flat water conditions, due to the capability of the motor to compensate for the excess drag. With added speed and agility, however, the eFoil can still work its way through nicety, showing that it can also adapt to less-than-ideal conditions.
Balance and Skill Level
Riding an eFoil board means having a great sense of balance and skill, which can be greatly different depending on the experience of the rider and the conditions of the water. For a novice, the first challenge is usually staying balanced at either a stationary position or at slow speeds. Research has found that the majority of new riders take an average of 30–60 minutes of practice in calm water for their first stable ride. The boards with bigger foil wings, such as 1800 cm² or more, are much more stable at lower speeds and thus are perfect for beginners. These wings permit the rider to hold the lift even at very low speeds of about 6-8 mph, allowing the rider a lot more time to react and make necessary adjustments.
The intermediate riders, who have mastered the basics, can make attempts at moderate speeds of 10–15 mph and attempt maneuvers like carving or slight directional shifts. At this level, the balance becomes more dynamic because one is required to respond to the changes in the water conditions like chop or small waves. The rider, for example, will have to shift weight forward and backward by up to 20% to maintain stability as the wave lifts the board while riding on 2-foot waves. Boards with midsize wings, in the range of 1500 cm², balance lift with agility; a wing size that offers enough air to give intermediate riders the confidence to build momentum without losing control.
Advanced riders ride at speeds of 20 mph or higher and in very difficult conditions, like 4-foot waves or strong crosswind. At this stage, weight distribution has to be very exact. A shift of 5–10% of body weight will make a huge difference in stability. Experienced riders usually migrate to smaller, high-aspect foil wings, normally in the range of 1200–1400 cm², for maximum speed and responsiveness. These smaller wings demand higher speeds to generate lift but reward the skilled rider with sharper turns and quicker transitions. In those moments, it's all about the rider's judgment of water conditions and changes in real-time to avoid any wipeouts or nosedives.
Wave Positioning
Wave positioning is one of the most critical skills of eFoil board riding, whereby the capability to prosperously position yourself will enable or limit the effective harnessing of wave energy. Proper positioning involves keeping yourself in alignment with the wave before it breaks, generally 10 to 20 feet forward of the wave's crest for small to medium waves. In this zone, the wave is a smooth, unbroken face that allows the eFoil to reach a consistent 10-15 mph speed with minimal power from the motor. Too far back, and the wave breaks over the rider; too far ahead, the wave's lifting effect is reduced, which means the motor has to work harder, using more energy.
Small waves, between 1 and 3 feet, are fairly forgiving in regard to positioning. Riders can approach waves at a 30- to 45-degree angle to maintain a steady speed and gradually merge with the wave's motion. The motor is working at 60–70% of maximum power and the power required is approximately 0.8 kWh per hour. Small waves positioning errors, such as being too high on the wave face, can cause a loss of lift or make the board nosedive. One piece of general advice for beginners is to keep their eyes and weight in the bottom third of the wave where water movement is smoother and easier to predict.
Medium waves, between 4 and 6 feet, are much faster and more powerful and thus require a very precise position. Such waves often travel at speeds of 15–20 mph; riders need to accelerate to match the momentum of the wave before attempting to ride. The positioning, about 15 feet from the peak of the wave, gives enough time to align with the energy of the wave while passing its breaking point. In these conditions, power consumption can rise to as much as 1.2 kWh per hour, since the motor has to work harder to achieve and sustain higher speeds and stability. The rider who times his approach perfectly can have significantly lower energy usage during the ride since wave energy contributes to propulsion.
Foil Depth Considerations
Foil depth is significant in both performance and safety for an eFoil board, as the hydrofoil must operate at an optimal depth to provide both lift and stability. Most eFoil boards are fitted with mast lengths ranging from 60 to 90 cm, where the depth of the foil contributes a lot to how well the board will handle different water conditions. In shallow waters, where the depth is less than 1 meter, a shorter mast of 60–70 cm is preferred in order not to strike the seabed. That works well with beginners who are practicing in controlled environments because there is minimal damage on the foil, and recovering it is much easier when the board touches the bottom.
While deeper water requires 80–90 cm masts, especially in choppy or wavy conditions, they are more effective. A longer mast keeps the board above surface-chop, thus offering even smoother rides and offering better stability. For example, for 2-foot chop, a board with a 90-cm mast can support a constant speed of 15 mph without experiencing much drag. But if the mast is much shorter, the board could often dip into the water and mess up the balance, increasing energy consumption by as much as 20%. In these conditions, the rider usually uses a motor output of 3–4 kW since that gives enough power to cope with the resistance due to surface turbulence.
In addition, there is an influence of depth on the turning radius of the board and, correspondingly, on maneuverability. With deeper foils in flat water without obstacles, the rider can make sharp turns at high speeds since the bigger depth reduces drag and allows making smoother carving. For example, with a 90 cm mast, a rider can manage turns as tight as 4–5 feet at 12–15 mph speeds. On the other hand, the short mast would be good for shallow and obstacle environment situations where fast corrections and tighter turns at slower speeds come into play. These differences suggest that choosing the right depth of the foil is a matter of riding location.
In wave conditions, the depth of the foil becomes even more important. Large waves, over 4 feet, often require deeper foils to maintain lift as the wave height fluctuates. A 90 cm mast allows the rider to be stable, even when the wave's surface varies by 2–3 feet. For smaller waves and beach break zones where water depths are less than 2 meters, a shorter mast is safer and more practical. Using a deep foil in shallow waters increases the risk of collisions with the seabed, which can result in significant damage to the foil and pose safety hazards to the rider.
Navigating Wave Breaks
Understanding wave breaks is an important skill for the eFoil riders since this zone is within the most turbulent and least predictable water. Wave breaks are where the energy of the wave starts to release, usually in shallower water or around reefs, that creates strong currents and foamy surfaces. Here, maintaining consistent speed against the breaking wave force—12 to 18 mph, depending on the wave size—is what ultimately allows riders to have a successful ride-out of this area. For smaller wave breaks, under 3 feet, a speed closer to 12 mph keeps transitions over the foam smooth and battery efficiency at approximately 0.8 kWh per hour.
In medium-sized wave breaks, 4–6 feet high, riders need to increase their speed to match the wave's forward motion, typically between 15 and 20 mph. This speed not only allows the eFoil to glide over the breaking wave but also helps maintain stability in choppy water caused by energy dissipation of such a wave. Usually, to provide this speed, it requires 4–5 kW of motor output, consuming approximately 1.2–1.5 kWh per hour depending on the intensity of the wave. Riders should aim to cross the break zone at a perpendicular angle, because attempting to navigate diagonally increases the risk of losing balance due to the wave's uneven force of motion.
With larger wave breaks of over 6 feet, safe navigation will be more technical. Advanced riders are supposed to time their approach upon the prediction of where and when the wave breaks so they wouldn't get caught right under the falling wave. That often requires speeds of 18–22 mph to outrun the energy of the breaking wave, and the motor has to be running at near 80–90% capacity. Battery consumption can top out over 1.5 kWh per hour in those conditions, so it requires a good amount of reserve in a rider's battery to take on the bigger waves. A large breaking wave could exert a force of over 500 pounds per square foot. Precision and timing will be critical to avoid wipeouts or equipment damage.