Learning to eFoil in Poole with Easy Riders – Our Experience

If you’ve ever watched someone eFoiling effortlessly above the water and thought, “That looks amazing,but how hard is it to actually learn?” – we wanted to find out exactly that.

So, we headed out with Easy Riders in Poole to learn how to eFoil properly, starting right from the basics and hopefully ending up flying above the water.

Our session was organised through Andy at Easy Riders, with Luke and Ricky taking us out on the water and doing the hands-on coaching.

We  filmed the whole experience too, from our first attempts lying on the board through to getting onto our knees, standing and eventually getting the foil to lift and glide above the water.

So, What Exactly Is an eFoil?

An eFoil is essentially an electric-powered hydrofoil board. A battery powers an electric motor beneath the water, while you control your speed using a handheld wireless controller.

At lower speeds, the board travels along the surface much like a normal board. But as you build speed and get your balance and weight distribution right, the hydrofoil underneath starts to generate lift.

That’s when the magic happens.

The board rises clear of the water and you’re suddenly gliding above the surface on the foil.

No wind and no waves required.

Having spent years around kitesurfing, wing foiling and watersports, we’d obviously seen plenty of eFoils in action. But watching someone else do it and actually learning to ride one yourself are two very different things!

Heading Out with Easy Riders

One of the things that immediately impressed us was the way Easy Riders ran the lesson.

Rather than trying to teach from the beach, Luke and Ricky came out on the water with us using a jet ski and powerboat.

That meant they could stay right alongside us while we were riding.

They were close enough to see exactly what we were doing, give us instructions while we were on the board and immediately point out anything we needed to change.

It also meant that whenever we needed a rest, we could pull alongside, have a breather and get some more instruction before heading off for another attempt.

For something like eFoiling, that hands-on approach makes a massive difference.

Stage One – Lying on the Board

Thankfully, they didn’t just hand us the controller and tell us to stand up!

The first stage was simply lying down on the board and getting used to the power.

We gradually applied power using the handheld controller and started moving through the water.

At this point, you’re not trying to get the board onto the foil. It’s about getting comfortable with the acceleration and understanding how the board responds.

One of the first things you realise is that smooth power control is important.

You don’t need huge inputs. Gradually feeding in the power makes the board much easier to control and gives you time to understand what it’s doing underneath you.

Stage Two – Getting onto Our Knees

Once we were comfortable lying down and controlling the speed, Luke and Ricky got us progressing onto our knees.

This is where things start getting more interesting.

Your centre of gravity is higher and you become much more aware of how your weight affects the board.

Moving your weight forwards, backwards or from side to side has an immediate effect, and you start developing a feel for how the board wants to behave.

We spent some time riding around like this, getting comfortable with the controller, our balance and changing direction.

And yes, there were a few trips into the water along the way!

But that’s all part of learning.

Stage Three – Time to Stand Up

Once we’d got the hang of controlling the board from our knees, it was time for the big step – getting onto our feet.

This was the point we’d been waiting for.

Rather than rushing to stand, the trick was to get our feet into the right position and gradually bring ourselves up while keeping everything as stable as possible.

Luke and Ricky were right alongside us, watching our stance and giving us instructions as we went.

At first, the goal wasn’t even to get the board flying.

It was simply to be able to stand comfortably, control the power and ride the board along the surface.

Once that starts feeling natural, you’re ready for the really good bit.

Stage Four – Getting the Foil to Fly

This is where eFoiling suddenly makes sense.

As you build enough speed, the foil underneath starts creating lift.

With the right amount of power and the right weight distribution, you suddenly feel the board beginning to rise.

And then you’re flying.

The board lifts clear of the surface and instead of riding through the water, you’re gliding above it.

It’s a brilliant feeling.

The resistance from the water disappears, everything becomes quieter and you’re suddenly travelling along with the foil underneath you doing all the work.

But this is also where you quickly discover that small movements make a big difference.

Once you’re up on the foil, you don’t need to throw your weight around. Small adjustments in your stance and weight distribution can change the height and direction of the board.

The trick is to stay relaxed and not try to force it.

Easier said than done when you’ve just got the thing flying for the first time!

Having the Instructors Right Next to You Makes a Huge Difference

This was probably one of the biggest things we took away from the day.

Having Luke and Ricky right alongside us on the jet ski and powerboat meant the coaching was immediate.

If our weight was too far back, our stance wasn’t quite right or we were applying the power incorrectly, they could tell us there and then.

You’d have a go, get some feedback and immediately try again.

When we needed a rest, we’d come alongside the boat, have a breather, talk through what we’d just done and get the next bit of instruction.

Then we’d head off and try again.

It’s a really good way to learn and also gives you a lot of confidence knowing that you’ve always got experienced instructors right there with you on the water.

Is eFoiling Difficult to Learn?

Before trying it, eFoiling looks like it should be incredibly difficult.

What surprised us was how achievable it becomes when it’s broken down into stages.

The progression is actually very logical:

1.Start lying on the board and learn the power control.
2.Progress onto your knees.
3.Get comfortable controlling your speed and direction.
4.Move into a standing position.
5.Ride confidently with the board still on the water.
6.Gradually build speed and allow the foil to lift.
7.Stay relaxed and use small movements to control your height.

Trying to skip straight to standing up and flying would make things considerably harder.

Learning it properly gives you time to understand each element before adding the next one.

And once you get that first proper glide on the foil, you immediately want another go.

Learning to eFoil with Easy Riders in Poole

A massive thanks to Andy and the team at Easy Riders, and particularly Luke and Ricky for taking us out and looking after us on the water.

If you’re around Poole, Bournemouth or Dorset and you’ve been thinking about trying an eFoil, we’d definitely recommend booking a lesson with Easy Riders.

Having the instructors out on the water alongside you, rather than trying to learn everything yourself, made the whole experience much easier, safer and more enjoyable.

You don’t need to turn up knowing how to eFoil. The whole point is to start at the beginning and progress at your own pace.

Learn to eFoil with Easy Riders in Poole

Would We eFoil Again?

Absolutely.

There’s something pretty special about the first time you get the board properly out of the water.

You start the session lying flat on a board, concentrating on simply using the controller and travelling in a straight line. Then you progress to your knees, get onto your feet and, before you know it, you’retrying to get the board up onto the foil.

And when it finally lifts and you start gliding above the water, it’s a brilliant feeling.

If you’ve watched people eFoiling around Poole Harbour and wondered whether you could do it yourself, we’d say give it a go.

Having proper instruction made a huge difference for us. The way Easy Riders run the session, with

Luke and Ricky right there alongside you on the water, means you’re constantly getting advice and encouragement as you progress.

Take it one stage at a time, listen to the instructors and don’t worry about falling in – that’s half the fun!

A huge thanks again to Andy, Luke, Ricky and everyone at Easy Riders for a brilliant experience.

If you fancy learning to eFoil in Poole yourself, we’d definitely recommend getting in touch with the Easy Riders team.

Learn to eFoil with Easy Riders in Poole

And check out our video above to see exactly how we got on.