STORY AND PHOTOS BY NEIL ARMSTRONG

A new technology is redefining how people experience the ocean. At the push of a button, riders rise above the water, gliding along unbroken lines of ocean swell. What once felt like science fiction has become reality.

Over the past decade, electric foils, or efoils, and foil-assist units have evolved from garage experiments into a new category of high-end marine technology. Only a handful of electronics companies worldwide design and manufacture these systems, among them Taiwan-based IHR Factory, which has emerged as a leading player in the field.

Homare Imai, owner and head designer of IHR Factory, launched the company’s initial test unit eight years ago. The first prototype was crude compared to the sleek designs currently produced, but it proved to be an inspiration for what is fast becoming a globally recognized product.

The appeal of a hydrofoil — or simply a foil — lies in its efficiency. Made from carbon fiber, aluminum, or fiber glass and shaped like an airplane wing, it generates lift as speed increases, raising the board above the water’s surface. Compared with a traditional surfboard, riders can travel faster and with far less drag, catching swells before they break. Mounted beneath the board on a mast roughly 75 to 85 cm long, the foil responds to subtle shifts in body weight, allowing riders to control height and lift with small adjustments.

Ocean swells move quickly, breaking only when they reach shallow water and slow against the seabed. Catching those unbroken lines requires propulsion. Pair an efficient, hydrodynamic motor with a well-designed foil and riders can glide above the surface for as long as the swell — or the battery — holds out.

There are two main types of powered foils. Efoils place the motor near the bottom of the mast, just above the foil, allowing riders to remain lifted above the water for the duration of the battery’s charge, even in flat conditions, without waves or swell. Foil-assist systems, by contrast, mount the motor at the top of the mast. The added power helps riders reach the speed needed to catch swells and engage the foil, after which the ocean provides much of the momentum. In both cases, battery-powered motors are highly efficient, delivering the torque required to quickly accelerate and lift the board clear of the water.

Once up to speed, the rider can rely on the energy of the moving swell alone, with the motor lifted clear of the water. Momentum shifts from battery power to nature, allowing riders to glide along open ocean lines.

While the mechanics may sound straightforward, the learning curve is steep. Riders must learn to balance as the foil rises beneath them, a skill that takes time to master. “Like any new activity, you need to get used to the feeling and find your balance,” Homare says. “But it’s like riding a bicycle — once you’ve learned, you never forget.”

Work of passion

After working through multiple materials, prototypes, and battery configurations, the IHR team arrived at a cohesive system. Competing against a handful of companies worldwide producing efoils and powered foil-assist units, Homare and his engineers focused on a problem they noticed that others had overlooked: weight. Most competing systems house their batteries inside the board — a straightforward solution, but a heavy one. Added weight makes boards harder to transport and dulls their responsiveness on the water, limiting both performance and ease of use.

Homare’s “eureka” moment came with the decision to move the batteries off the board and onto a belt worn by the rider. Although the choice introduced a new set of design challenges, it sharply reduced the weight of the board itself. Confident in the concept and eager to move quickly, Homare built on proprietary technology already used by IHR’s flagship brand, BBTalkin’, which produces waterproof, dustproof Bluetooth communication devices. The products are used across water sports, particularly in coaching and instruction. Japan, the United States, and Australia are the company’s largest markets.

The Taiwan-designed foil-assist and efoil motors, tested extensively both locally and abroad, are distributed by the German-Austrian Boards & More Group. The conglomerate, which oversees a portfolio of water sports brands spanning wetsuits, kite and sail equipment, stand-up paddling, and surfboards, markets the Taiwanese-developed technology under its Duotone brand as it expands further into the foiling market.

As one of the world’s most influential water sports brands, Duotone has placed orders worth about US$1 million with Homare’s company for 2026, indicating growing demand for the technology. Research and development is already underway on a new generation of products slated for release in 2027.

“Since the commercial launch in November 2025, units have been selling well, particularly in Europe and Australia, and we anticipate the U.S. to be a large market once tariffs settle down,” says Homare. “It’s been a challenge introducing a new technology and concept, but we’ve had riders testing the product through its various iterations for over two years prior to release.”

Constantly refining connections, materials, and design, Homare says the project has been driven as much by passion as by commercial ambition. “Honestly, I’d be doing this for myself regardless — foiling with an assist motor is just too much fun,” he says.

A whole new world

Matahi Drollet, a Tahitian waterman and Duotone-sponsored athlete, is an enthusiastic user of Homare’s foil technology, particularly the foil-assist units. “I love the freedom that foiling gives you, and being able to use a small, electric-powered motor to get into fast-moving swells opens up a whole new way of experiencing the ocean,” he says.

Gliding across open water — whether ocean, lake, or bay — while elevated on a foil can feel uncannily like flying. The experience is immersive and unlike anything offered by traditional boards, allowing riders to cover wide stretches of water with minimal effort.

Renowned waterman Laird Hamilton describes the sensation in almost reverential terms. “The sensation of the way a foil feels is so magical,” he says. “It’s the most freedom I’ve ever felt in the water. It’s like leaving the ground and going into flight.”

Taiwan offers a wide range of surfable waves, many of them high-quality. Still, consistent world-class breaks are less common here than in sprawling surf destinations like Australia, the United States, New Zealand, Mexico, and the vast archipelagos of Indonesia and Hawaii. Surrounded by deep Pacific waters, however, Taiwan regularly receives steady ocean swells. While some never form ideal surfing waves because of seabed contours, many stretches of coastline are well suited to foiling, where unbroken swells can be ridden long before they crest near shore.

Even without much swell — as is common along Taiwan’s west coast — efoils can still be ridden to their full potential. Designed for flatwater conditions, they allow riders to control motor speed through a Bluetooth wrist controller, making it easier to maintain a steady pace and manage the foil’s lift. Larger front wings, often 1,100 cm2 or more, provide added stability and allow the foil to engage at lower speeds.

“When you remove the unpredictability factor of waves, beginners are far more comfortable about trying a new water activity,” says Homare.

As surf lineups grow increasingly crowded worldwide, foiling is emerging as an appealing alternative for riders seeking time on the water and a sense of discovery. With oceans covering most of the planet, the range of possible locations is vast.

As former world surfing champion Tom Carroll puts it: “A whole new world opens up — a whole new world of ocean action.”