I guess someone needs to explain this. Top mounted? Universal? Just a foil box? Clearly not a tuttle
Related:
I like that the battery mass looks like perfectly placed at the center of lift
I can tell you from use it is defiantly in the perfect spot
Why is banned?
I think it’s kind of crazy that foil-drive didn’t do something like this. I feel like they didn’t plan for the level of success they had, with tons of brands adapting their equipment with trench boards and custom masts for the bottom mount battery which, even with the trench, seems more tragic than magic. Hindsight being 20/20 they should have had a more seamless solution like this and published really tight specs for other brands to adhere to…but who is to say that would have had the traction to get the critical mass of adoption that the v2 had…anyways this is clearly the next step
1 Like
Not sure why AI hid that.
Isn’t this what Flitelab teased? Wonder what’s going on there?
I’ve thought is it absolutely nuts that foildrive didn’t develop a board insert type solution. Every board manufacturer would have happily purchased a board insert and built into boards if foildrive had developed it that way.
2 Likes
So it’s a box to put batteries? Like I can retrofit install one? Or it’s a speed controller and battery package? Those 3 cables in that picture about look super rough like it’s a prototype? What about controller signal through the board?
Can I put a parawing in the box?
Yes parawing/spinaker deployment system.
Of note, is that FD can run their batteries hot as the metal box acts as a heat sync. And you don’t need a dedicated board to run the system. Maybe that’s why we haven’t seen a Flight lab system from their concept teaser yet? (too much stress on internal battery.)
1 Like
renamed the thread to general flesh removal related innovations because tbh i don’t care for someone’s hype reveal
I saw this which is along the same vein I guess, but more complicated. This effectively treats the foil drive unit as a drop in power unit, completely independent from the mast and just on a long cable.
I like the general idea of treating the FD unit as a part of a modular system this way (I guess this instance reduces the passive water cooling to a degree which may start to cause issues, they will get pissy about it I’m sure like the Manta backpack thing), but FD is an excellent controller, battery ESC unit in one ,waterproof, robust, reliable package, and has a huge used market. The motor is less interesting, and the masts are surprising in the idea that you’d take the largest riskiest investment and double it with a big motor mount. Resale on a mast that nobody wants is pretty brutal!
The obvious downside to this is that you are standing on a thing (that hatch) which is then attached to the board which is attached to the foil. No surprise that it is then using a SAB foil mast plate, to which the mast is attached to in that obscene SAB quick release thing. Wingers, make it stiff or don’t bother!
yes i was amazed at how much a heat sink on the towboogie with a bit of water splashing on it reduced the heat, I would avoid anything that does not have a direct metal to water path to ESC and or battery to passively cool these things!
Foildrive have always designed the kit to fit any board, no requirement to buy a specific board just ride what you have. I think that is why they are so popular as the kit grows with as you progress.
I started using a huge board, progressively getting smaller and lighter boards as I improved. I now smash out a new Foildrive board in a few days, under $200. Would have cost me a fortune having to buy specific boards that are difficult to build.
Good post.
Have been riding a 31l trench and mini pod for over a year. So it feels like FD has reached a plateau.
Looking for the next level of perf enhancement.
I did get a new sport battery but I do not see myself switching completely over to them. Not because of the run time but because the fussy battery swap. A non trench board is NOT an option for me.
That leads to one of the images you posted (F-One board). Looks like RIFT will launch a system with full battery in board integration allowing simple swap.
Can’t wait to hear more. Hopefully they are at AWSI.
I once chatted with Foildrive staff on a booth and asked a similar thing.
They took the decision to remain a pure foil assist company.
They will not develop any mast, foil, board, or anything that will compete with existing foil companies.
Instead, they have partnerships with brands.
They now have dozens of foil brands selling their own boards and masts labelled Foildrive, and advertising for the Foildrive products to a public that may never have been interested in foil assists in the first place.
I think it’s an intelligent branding strategy.
I also agree that it slows down the development of a perfectly integrated solution.