Has anyone here actually registered their Foil Drive setup in Florida?
From what I’m reading, Florida considers anything with a motor a “vessel,” so technically it may need registration similar to an eFoil or PWC.
But I’m not sure how people are actually doing it since a Foil Drive is just a bolt-on assist motor on a foil board. I’m in Miami
Seems like the focus should be on the assist, as in, need to paddle to get enough speed before the motor kicks in; like an e-bike requiring pedal assist. The eFoil is not designed for unassisted use and relies on a powerful motor….
I was out the other day at OB SF on a tiny day with plenty of room and was dialing in a new foil (kookin it pretty bad.) Stopped to rest and drifted within ear shot of a lone surfer who yelled out, ‘do you have insurance!” Puzzled, I paddled over and said hi mentioning I was a life long surfer and had no intention of riding near him or anyone else (while thinking to myself of all the years I’ve had to put up with dick head surfers…and how I should paddle out on a longboard and take any set wave he wanted…) and realized that if we had to register as motorcraft we’d probably need to carry insurance too. So, again, always be nice and very lowkey, and explain this is the hardest activity you’ve ever done to anyone who asks about it!
Legally we are required to register efoils, and foil assist’s in most states. I only know of people actually registering efoils.
I have been asked to get out of the water by the Del Mar and Solana Beach Lifeguards a few times over the past year and half.
For California :
If you own a sailboat over eight feet long or a boat vessel with a motor (no matter the size), you must register it with DMV in order to legally operate it on California waterways.
In California, you are not legally required to have boat insurance to register a vessel with the DMV or to operate it on public waterways.
California State law mandates a 5 mph speed limit for any motorized vessel within 200 feet of a beach frequented by bathers or within 100 feet of any person in the water.
California Boater Card
By 2025, all persons who operate on California waters will be required to have one. The lifetime card fee is $10. The lost card replacement fee is $5. The card is issued by the California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW). Once DBW has received your application, proof of education and payment, you will receive a 90-day temporary boater card by email. You should receive your official boater card by mail within 30 days from the time the application was approved.
California age restrictions for operating a motorized vessel: According to California Harbors and Navigation Code Section 658.5, NO person under 16 years of age may operate a boat with a motor of more than 15 horsepower, except for a sailboat that does not exceed 30 feet in length or a dinghy used directly between a moored boat and the shore (or between two moored boats).
Life Jackets: Every person on board a PWC and anyone being towed behind a vessel
must wear a Coast Guard-approved Type I, II, III or V life jacket.
Solana Beach prohibits the operation of personal watercraft (PWC) and motorized vessels in a way that endangers others in the surf zone.
B. No person shall paddle, ride or use a surfboard, paddle board, sail board, boat, or any other hard surface flotation device in any area designated by the captain of lifeguards, or his designee, for the exclusive use of swimmers. This section shall not apply to any lifeguard or other emergency service personnel.
C. No person shall operate, launch or land a jet ski or other type of propeller powered or jet-powered vessel or boat within the surfline. This section shall not apply to any lifeguard or other emergency service personnel.
D. No person shall launch or land any boat or vessel of any nature at Fletcher Cove Park.
Practically speaking your only registration only matters if you’re around the people who care - fish and game ETC. if you go out at a boat ramp or ride in a waterway or if there’s regularly boats atound you it’s a watercraft - get your registration and PFD.
If your at the beach it’s a beach toy - lifeguards and beach cops might regulate it for other reasons but but they won’t care about the registration.
Wow. The EXACT same thing happened to me yesterday. I had the same thoughts “sheesh what does this guy want from me I’m 150 yards away from him”. We ended on a positive note after a civil discussion/ debate about a cf number and insurance. Anyhow He said that other foil drive types had been aggressive and come close to him and were verbally aggressive when he tried to talk to them. So we made an agreement that if we see each other that I come over and say hello to him and his crew. Fair enough. My gut tells me moving forward, to plan on spots that are even less desirable to surfers north of my local spot in the South Bay of Los Angeles.
Thanks SlidenGlide for the info. And good job Charlie for the peace offerings. As TME stated, you only need (reg) if around people who care. Generally people won’t care if you don’t pose a threat to peoples perceived safety, wildlife, peace and quiet, or cause the public to spend money. Foiling is also a challenge to surfers territorial ‘rights.” As they are an established user and closer to a swimmer in the priority of ocean rights, they win if the “public’ is involved in the discussion. A beach with a lifeguard is way too public for foiling especially with a motor. However if that is all that is availible, then a discussion with the lifeguards to both introduce your activity and educate them to your group’s safety plans and self regulation can go a long way to not getting banned.
At my spot, generally the surfers prefer us few foilers now that we’ve gone electric as we are no longer taking off near the lineup and are using the boost to go out in conditions that are even less surfable. But if there were suddenly 20 props spitting and buzzing, I could see that as huge red flag and cause people to take notice. Just like the lone grumpy local surfer took notice of me at OB. Put on that smile folks and be eager to appease!
100%. Great info and great advice.