Video: Never-Seen-Before Electric Boards Are Becoming a Hot New Trend in the Surfing Community

With social media, it doesn’t take long for an idea to turn into a trend and spread like wildfire. Lately, trending in the surfing world are electric surfboards. These electric boards do not require the surfer to paddle. Even the waves can be hit in a standing position. With the additional speed and thrill it brings with them, these boards have gained immense fame among thrill seekers.

Though they were invented several decades ago in Sydney, Australia, their demand has now reached the Asian coasts, in South China. A recent video by China Xinhua News, shows youthful Chinese surfers enjoying testing the new boards in the waters.

Rise of the e-surfing era

Initially, E-surfing was invented nearly a century ago to facilitate lifeguards in their rescue missions on the coasts of Sydney’s Bondi Beach. However, the idea couldn’t stay afloat for long and was shelved for another two and a half decades. After failing to succeed in 1935, it wasn’t until 1960 that a surfboard with a motor was developed. It was done by the watersport enthusiast, Hobart ‘Hobie’ Alter. Over the years there have been major modifications in the original innovation. Now, instead of motors these boards run on lithium-ion batteries and enable surfers to smoothly glide through the water at a thrilling speed. This video shared by China Xinhua News shows just how smooth it can be.

The video is from Shenzhen, a city in southeastern China. A China-based company makes these electric surfboards featured in the video. Hitting across the waterways in the Guangdong province, these boards can speed up to 45 km/hr. The batteries used in these boards can support a 3-hour-long ride. This brings us to the question of how the board functions.

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Mechanism of electric boards

As mentioned above, present-day electric surfboards run on lithium-ion batteries. Furthermore, they are controlled by handheld wireless remotes. These remotes activate the electric jet propulsion attached to the boards.

While it does not mean this invention will replace the OG boards, its target is to broaden market potential. While the original boards require a special skill set for surfers to catch the waves, the same isn’t expected of the surfers who ride these e-surfboards. All the riders would need to know is how to maintain their balance when the waves eventually hit.

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These e-surfboards have gradually caught the attention of watersports enthusiasts and are spreading across various countries and continents.