The board is independent, self-propelled. Like a personal watercraft or a wakeboard… without a boat! It’s small enough to fit into a compact car and be handled by just about anyone, says E-Surf founder Audric Hartmann-Karsenti, who is on a promotional tour to publicize his product. And the entrepreneur, originally from Abitibi, knew how to surround himself well: last Tuesday, he was accompanied by snowboarder Sébastien Toutant to give a demonstration on the St. Lawrence.
The Race X is the first of a whole line to come, if E-Surf’s claims go from dream to reality. Already, the first step is well underway, since the board is on sale in many retailers of sporting goods and nautical vehicles in Quebec. Its price: $15,000. Its speed: up to 55 km/h, which means that the use of the board meets the same regulations as that of a personal watercraft, since it is a motorized sport too.
“It’s really for people who love water sports, who love board sports without necessarily wanting to be dragged by a boat,” says Audric Hartmann-Karsenti. It is also made for people who like to gather, share an experience, a moment. The surfboard is made in Montreal and made of carbon fiber. It is 175 cm long, 65 cm wide and weighs 20 kg, essentially the weight of the engine and the turbine. The battery doubles the weight. Autonomy depends… on the surfer! However, we can calculate about thirty minutes for three and a half hours of charging.
E-Surf was founded in 2020 by Audric Hartmann-Karsenti, a water sports enthusiast who was not too fond of gas-guzzling gasoline engines that are expensive, noisy and polluting. According to him, anyone who loves water sports can try their luck with the electric board. It’s a more accessible sport, he explains, because it requires less physical effort (since you don’t have to pull a rope). “It’s still quite easy to get up and when you pick up a bit of speed, the board becomes very stable on the water,” says Audric Hartmann-Karsenti. About ten minutes will be enough to get up if you have never done a plank, according to the designer. “Once you’re up on the board, you can change your challenge,” he said. If you want to go catch some waves, for example. » In the event of a fall, the board stops. ” This is very fun. People laugh, fall, get up, continues the entrepreneur. There is adrenaline. »
“We want to expand in Quebec, Canada and the United States,” explains the president of E-Surf, who is looking for investors to expand the range of its products. Still into electric water sports. “There is still a lot of innovation to be done,” says Audric Hartmann-Karsenti. There are plenty of electrical products on the roads, but not many on the water yet. We are working on several projects. »