Florida-based startup, Pelagion is set to debut a new dual-prop, electric powered hydrofoil unlike anything on the market. It’s called the HydroBlade.
Riders operate the jet ski-like watercraft standing up and steering with handlebars attached to a forward-mounted rudder. The craft promises to be much easier to ride than currently available electric hydrofoil surfboards.
Hydrofoils use an underwater wing-shaped foil to lift the craft and rider above the surface of the water, thereby reducing drag. The HydroBlade has dual motors and propellers that can reach a top speed of 43 mph (70km/h) – faster than electric foil surfboards, but not as fast as gas-powered jet skis.
Hydrofoiling significantly reduces the energy needed to propel a watercraft, enabling the electrification of a stand-up jet ski experience without compromising performance.
Each of the HydroBlade’s 8kW motors is powered by 5.5-kWh lithium batteries, weighing 64 lbs (29kg) each, with a runtime of about four hours. The removable batteries are mounted forward of the rider and are easily accessible for charging or exchange. They take about four hours to charge.
Measuring at 11.4 feet and weighing in at 232 lbs, the HydroBlade sports an impact-resistant ABS skin with a composite structure and secondary flotation inside the hull for safety.
A smartphone app provides a bluetooth-enabled dashboard on a handlebar mounting, showing speed, battery life and range at current speed.
Pelagion’s founder, Jamie Schlinkmann, was inspired to develop the HydroBlade out of love for his childhood experiences with a 1973 Kawasaki stand-up jet ski.
Pelagion expects to begin delivering HydroBlades to market in late-2023 and expect it to retail for around $20,000.
