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BUILD AN EFOIL THAT RUNS ON DRILL BATTERIES

A flying hydrofoil board powered by the same 60 V DeWalt batteries you charge in your garage, for about 2,200 Canadian dollars in parts.

by Andrew W

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

WorkshopAutomation

Built with3D printing

difficulty
●●●●●
time
several weekends
license
CC BY
repo
repo FINISHED0 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Videos
1
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COMPAREE VERDICT

Andrew W's eFoil shows you can get up on foil for a fraction of the price of a Fliteboard, which starts at 6,995 US dollars, but this is a project for someone who already knows brushless motor controllers, lithium battery safety and waterproofing. He started from a prone foil board he built years ago and an AliExpress foil, added a Flipsky 6384 140 kV motor, an opto ESC with a Flipsky remote, and 60 V DeWalt FlexVolt batteries in a sealed latching box. The video explains the system and how he sealed the connectors (JB Weld and epoxy putty) and water-cooled the ESC, but it is not a step-by-step build guide. The Printables files are a newer V2 zip-tie motor mount made for the Axis 19 mm aluminium mast, not the exact pod from the video; for another mast you model your own insert from the included blank. The single biggest risk is the open folding propeller; he dropped his shrouded jet pump because of drag. With two 3 Ah batteries he gets about 15 to 20 minutes of riding. If you have built high-current water vehicles before, this is a proven parts approach and a big saving. If this is your first brushless project or your first time with lithium cells near water, start with something smaller.

GOOD TO KNOW

  • —3D printable motor mount, cone and mast wiring conduit are on Printables under CC BY, which allows commercial use with attribution.
  • —The Printables files are a newer V2 zip-tie mount for the Axis 19 mm mast, published after the video.
  • —No written wiring diagram or assembly guide; the video talks through the wiring and sealing.
  • —No custom firmware: an off-the-shelf opto ESC with a Flipsky remote.
  • —You need a foil board; Andrew used a prone board he built years earlier.
  • —An exposed folding propeller is genuinely dangerous and can cause severe injury.

Parts to buy

10 items

From our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.

  • Flipsky 6384 140 kV motorFind
  • Flipsky wireless remoteFind
  • Folding propellerFind
  • AliExpress hydrofoilFind
  • DeWalt 60 V FlexVolt batteriesFind
  • Sealed latching boxFind
  • XT90 connectorFind
  • FuseFind
  • Prone foil boardFind
  • WireFind

Can I build this?

PrintMotor mount, cone and mast wiring conduit (STL and STEP files on Printables)
BuyFlipsky 6384 140 kV motor, ESC rated for 60 V (Andrew used an opto ESC rated to 320 A), Flipsky wireless remote, folding propeller, AliExpress hydrofoil, DeWalt 60 V FlexVolt batteries (he runs two 3 Ah packs, with room for three), sealed latching box, XT90 connector, fuse, prone foil board, wire
Tools3D printer (or access to one), soldering iron, heat-shrink, JB Weld and epoxy putty, basic hand tools, multimeter
SkillsHigh: experience with brushless motor systems, lithium batteries and waterproofing electronics. Not a first electric project.
TimeSeveral weekends: printing the mount is quick, but sealing the box, wiring the system and learning to ride it take multiple sessions.
Cost$$$: about 2,200 Canadian dollars based on Andrew's on-screen total in the video (published 26 Apr 2025). A Fliteboard starts at 6,995 US dollars.
SafetySevere injury risk from the exposed propeller. Lithium battery hazard if the enclosure floods or cells are damaged. The 60 V system needs proper connectors, a fuse and insulation. Andrew tested the remote's failsafe and disconnects the battery before carrying the board; he plans to add a physical kill switch.

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

Videos

Building a Cheap eFoil that Works! | With 6384 FlipSky Motor 140kv25:06

Workshop footage, parts walkthrough and water tests, not a step-by-step tutorial.

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Gallery

Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Download the motor mount files from Printables (Newer V2 zip-tie mount for the Flipsky 6384/6374 and the Axis 19 mm mast; a blank mount is included to model your own mast insert. The author recommends TPU for the cone and a stiff filament for the mount.)
  2. 2.Source a Flipsky 6384 140 kV motor, an ESC and a wireless remote(Andrew used an opto ESC rated to 320 A with a Flipsky remote. Whatever you choose, check it is rated for 60 V.)
  3. 3.Watch the video for the overall approach and parts used (Shows the build, the parts walkthrough and water tests; you will need to work out the wiring and waterproofing from it.)
  4. 4.Plan your enclosure sealing strategy before any water testing(A flooded box at 60 V is a fire and drowning risk. Test the seal in a tub with the lid on and no electronics inside first.)

Resources

Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.

KNOWN ISSUES

  • Using an ESC that is not rated for the battery voltage. FlexVolt packs run at 60 V, so check the ESC's maximum voltage before ordering.
  • Underestimating the open propeller. Andrew removed his shrouded jet pump because of drag and rides an open folding prop in a full wetsuit, booties and gloves. Disconnect the battery before carrying the board, as he does.
  • Flooding the electronics box. He uses a sealed latching container, connectors set through the wall with JB Weld and epoxy putty, and a barb that feeds cooling water to the ESC. Test your own seals before going on the water.
  • Getting the weight balance wrong. Andrew says riding is a fine balance of moving your body forward or back, and he placed the batteries and ESC to keep the weight centred.
  • The first printed jet pump had too much drag and was replaced with a direct-mounted folding prop. Do not assume the pump design works; Andrew abandoned it.
  • Expecting the Printables mount to fit any mast. The V2 mount is made for the Axis 19 mm aluminium mast; for other masts you model your own insert from the included blank.
  • 15 to 20 minutes of ride time is what Andrew gets with two 3 Ah FlexVolt batteries. Beginners learning to foil may get less.

Is there a full wiring diagram?

Not as a drawing. In the video Andrew talks through the wiring: motor leads to the ESC, an XT90 plug from the battery harness to the ESC, a big fuse and a voltmeter in the harness, and a separate 5 V supply for the receiver because his opto ESC has no battery eliminator circuit. He says it is wired like an RC boat or car.

Can I use a different motor?

The Printables mount is made for the Flipsky 6384/6374 motor with a 30 x 30 mm bolt pattern. Another motor would need its own mount, and its kV and power rating need to suit a 60 V system.

Do I need a foiling background to ride this?

It helps. Andrew rode a prone foil board he had built years earlier and still needed several sessions to learn the throttle and weight balance. He also says his small, higher aspect ratio wing needs speed, which makes learning harder.

What about a propeller guard?

His first version used a 3D printed jet pump, which he called a very safe design, but it had too much drag. He removed it and runs an open folding prop, wearing a full wetsuit, booties and gloves. Without a shroud the prop is a real injury risk.

What ESC does it use?

An opto ESC rated to 320 A, driven by a Flipsky wireless remote. Because it is not a VESC, he gets no telemetry back to the remote; he mentions moving to a VESC later. He tested the remote's failsafe, which stops the motor if he falls off or the link is lost, and plans to add a physical kill switch.

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Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

Andrew's parts list totals about 2,200 Canadian dollars, against a Fliteboard starting at 6,995 US dollars — but you are also taking on all the engineering risk and the very real propeller hazard. Would you build this, or save for the commercial one?

CompareeTEAM1d ago

Practical notes from our verification: the 3D files are on Printables under CC BY (commercial use allowed with attribution), but they are a newer V2 mount for the Axis 19 mm mast, not the exact pod from the video. The ESC in the video is an opto ESC with a Flipsky remote, not a VESC. The biggest trap is the exposed propeller: Andrew dropped his shrouded jet pump because of drag, and an open folding prop at full throttle is a genuine hazard. He relies on the remote's failsafe and plans a physical kill switch. If you have never worked with high-current water vehicles, this project is unsafe to learn on.

Andrew W

Andrew built this eFoil using an old prone foil board he had made years earlier and off-the-shelf motor components, then replaced a printed jet pump design with a directly mounted folding propeller. The build and water tests are documented on his YouTube channel.

Star the project on GitHub

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