The efoil is probably the water sport that turns the most heads on a beach. A board that seems to float 30 cm above the water — no wind, no sail, no waves, no noise. The first question is always the same: how is that possible? And the second: is it hard? Let’s explain it without marketing fluff.
Anatomy of an efoil
An efoil has four main parts: the board, the mast, the wing (foil) and the electric drive. The board is what you stand on. A 70-90 cm vertical mast hangs underneath. At the bottom of the mast sits the wing that generates lift. Inside the board or the foil fuselage is an electric motor powered by a lithium battery.
You control it with a wireless Bluetooth handheld remote. The trigger meters power: more throttle, more speed, more lift.
How the foil principle works
The wing under the water does the same thing as an aircraft wing, only inverted in fluid: as it moves through water it generates a lift force perpendicular to its motion. Once you’re going fast enough — about 18-22 km/h on most boards — the wing produces more upward force than the rider’s weight. The board lifts above the surface, leaving only the mast submerged.
You stop fighting the drag of the hull on the water and only deal with the thin mast. That’s why it flies on so little energy and why the sensation is so unusual: no slap, no chop. Just silent gliding.
Why it feels like flying
Most first-timers describe the same thing: when you lift off, your stomach lags behind. The board stops sending you the chop and moves through what feels like a frictionless fluid. The small altitude change (hull-borne to foil-borne) creates a tiny lift-like drop.
Once stable, what you feel is clean planing. Long carving turns, body-weight steering, no surface contact. Surf foil riders say it’s the closest thing to flying they have touched.
Differences from jet ski and electric surfboard
- Jet ski: combustion engine, you sit or stand on a hull that rides on the water. Loud, polluting, fast.
- Electric surface board (Lampuga, electric JetSurf): a jet ski in board form, hull still on the water, no foil. Much faster but with chop slap.
- eFoil: electric motor, foil underwater, you fly. 25-45 km/h depending on model, 60-100 min autonomy depending on use. Near-total silence.
Why Waydoo is a reference
The serious efoil market is dominated by a few brands: Lift (pioneer), Fliteboard, Takuma and Waydoo. Waydoo has positioned itself as the most balanced price/performance option for recreational and school use. Their Flyer One and Evo models combine decent autonomy, reasonable weight and a soft learning curve thanks to progressive power control. It’s the brand we work with for reliability and maintenance.
Sustainability and silence
An efoil emits no gases, raises no foam, doesn’t scare fish. Its acoustic footprint is so low it can be used where a jet ski would be unthinkable. The battery charges from the grid (ideally solar) and is replaced after a few hundred cycles. It is the most environmentally respectful option among motorised water sports.
In Mallorca, where coastal pressure is high and posidonia must be protected, the efoil aligns with responsible use of the sea.
Who is it for?
- Anyone in reasonable physical shape.
- Must know how to swim.
- Will fall four or five times in the first half hour — that’s part of it.
- Needs an instructor on the first session — it isn’t DIY-friendly gear.
Indicative minimum age: 14 with parental consent, better 16+. Maximum rider weight depends on model, usually 110-120 kg.
Wrap-up
The efoil combines three technologies that matured separately — lithium batteries, compact electric motors, foil hydrodynamics — and produces something new: silent flight over water. It’s not a gimmick, it’s a new category reshaping what we call water sports.
Want to try it in Mallorca? We run intro sessions with instructor and Waydoo gear. Book through contact or come to our centre in Port d’Alcudia. The first time you fly, you’ll get it.
Related: Mallorca wind guide and our lessons.
Ready to hit the water? Book your paddle surf lessons in Mallorca · paddle surf rental in Mallorca with El Niño Surf Center in Port de Pollença.