Watch: Kai Lenny Takes Flight On "World's Best" Electric Surfboard
Kai Lenny’s multitude of talents on any and all ocean-going craft have been well documented. The consummate innovator, from the tow boards he rides at giant Pe’ahi, to record-setting channel crossing on his foil board, to sailboards, stand-up paddling and more, he can ride—and rip—on all of it.
Lenny’s most recent experimentation comes in the form of the ESurf, what he’s calling the best electric surfboard in the world. Going as far back as the 1960s, jet-propelled surfboards that don’t require a wave to ride have long been a pipe dream, but when the team from ESurf recently landed in Maui and let Lenny have a spin on their new boards, it appears a new era has arrived.
“I tried to find its limits and there was so much more I discovered it could do that I couldn't have imagined,’ Lenny explains. “It’s not the most traditional surfboard shape, but is designed to makes waves where there are none. A super cool experience and I'm stoked to gain another perspective on the water.”
As far as tech specs go, the board can reach a mind-blowing 40mph, which is crazy. At full throttle, Lenny was able to get 45 minutes of riding time from the battery. After that, it takes about two and half hours to charge.
The ESurf board weighs in at just under 20 pounds, while the the battery weights 33 pounds. The model Lenny is riding is 5’5” tall and 23.6” wide. Designed in Monaco, the setup will set you back a cool $25,000 ... but just think how much money you'll save on gas not driving around trying to find waves.
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With more than 25 years of writing about surfing, the ocean and action sports, Jake Howard continues to share stories, profiles and issues that shape the surfing world. One of the premier subject-matter experts in the field today, he's savvy in the ways of print, digital and social media, his breadth of work is expansive. Getting his start writing Surfline surf reports and recording the phone reports for 976-SURF in the late '90s, Jake served as the managing editor for Surfer Magazine in the early 2000s before moving on to launch RedBullSurfing.com and cover surfing for ESPN and the X Games. Over the years, Jake has also enjoyed time behind the edit desk at The Surfer's Journal, as well as the World Surf League, where he worked as the Senior Editor for a number of years. Beyond producing editorial content, Jake has served as a digital marketer and copywriter for iconic surf brands such as Quiksilver, Roxy and Rip Curl. Writing thousands of pages of copy for Surfline, he has deep SEO experience as well. The surf columnist for the San Clemente Times, Jake continues to dedicate himself to the culture and history of the sport through his involvement with the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center in San Clemente.