Real Incidents, Lessons Learned & Safety Tips

eFoiling is one of the most exciting innovations in watersports. It combines advanced technology, hydrodynamics, and powerful electric propulsion to let riders fly silently above the water.

A hydrofoil is up to four times more efficient than a conventional planing hull. However, this remarkable efficiency also comes with unique risks. An eFoil combines a powerful electric motor, a lightweight board weighing around 30 kg (66 lbs), and carbon fiber wings that can be as sharp as a knife. When speed increases, the forces involved increase exponentially.

The risk of injury grows with speed, rider weight, and ride height. Heavier riders carry significantly more kinetic energy and should ride with extra caution. Experienced riders often push their limits, ride faster, jump wakes, or race—making advanced riding statistically more prone to accidents than beginner sessions.

Although eFoiling is generally a safe sport when practiced responsibly, accidents do happen – even to some of the world’s best riders and professional racers. Because the sport is still relatively young, many incidents are never widely documented or discussed, making it difficult for new riders to learn from the experiences of others.

At efoilmasters we are engineers and don’t like marketing bullshit, safety has always been our highest priority. Every lesson begins with a comprehensive safety briefing, and we strongly encourage the use of appropriate protective equipment. Fortunately, we have not experienced any serious accidents during our beginner lessons. The more serious incidents we have witnessed or heard about have almost always involved experienced riders riding at higher speeds or pushing their limits.

The purpose of this page is not to discourage anyone from eFoiling. Quite the opposite.

Our goal is to build a comprehensive collection of real eFoil accidents, racing incidents, equipment failures, and safety lessons available online. By learning from real-world experiences, we can all become safer riders and help this amazing sport continue to grow responsibly.

Below you will find documented eFoil accidents, explanations of what happened, why they happened, and how similar incidents can often be avoided.

Have your own eFoil accident or close call to share? We’d love to hear your story. Together, we can help make eFoiling safer for everyone.

Face & Head Injuries

Incident #1 – Head Injury from Foil Impact

One incident we witnessed ourselves involved an advanced beginner who weighed approximately 90 kg (198 lbs) and was 1.90 m (6’3″) tall. He wanted to progress from a larger beginner board to a smaller, sportier eFoil.

While riding from a kneeling position, he was attempting to lift the board and maintain a low, level flight above the water. For reasons that could not be fully determined, he fell forward in front of the board. Unfortunately, the eFoil continued travelling almost perfectly straight instead of changing direction. As a result, the mast and front wing struck him on the head underwater.

Although he was wearing a certified watersports helmet, he suffered a 7 cm (3 inch) laceration above his eye that required stitches. Without a helmet, the injury could have been significantly more severe.

This was an extremely unfortunate combination of circumstances, but it clearly demonstrates how quickly an accident can happen—even at relatively moderate speeds.

Lessons Learned

• Always wear a helmet when eFoiling, regardless of your experience level.
• Be especially cautious when transitioning to a smaller or more performance-oriented board, as handling characteristics can change dramatically.
• Progress gradually and spend time getting familiar with new equipment before pushing your limits.
• Remember that even experienced riders cannot predict every fall. The goal is to minimize the consequences when an accident occurs.

Safety Equipment Used: Helmet
Injury: 7 cm laceration above the eye requiring stitches.
Potential Severity Without Helmet: Likely much more serious head or facial trauma.

efoil board crashes

Cruising with Experienced riders: Regular vs. Goofy Stance

We witnessed this accident shortly before the eFoil World Cup at Lake Garda.

Two highly experienced eFoil riders – both race podium finishers – were cruising together on Fliteboards Ultara while filming with an Insta360 camera. One rider used a regular stance and the other a goofy stance.

Because of their riding positions, they unintentionally entered each other’s blind spots and simply did not see one another approaching.

Fortunately, the woman reacted extremely quickly and jumped off her board just before the collision. One of the boards was seriously damaged, but thankfully nobody was injured.

This incident shows that even very experienced riders can collide when cruising closely together. Always maintain enough distance, be aware of blind spots, and never assume the other rider has seen you. Out of luck this incident is on video.

The damage – and how to fix it 😉

how the accident it happened:

Technical Failures – Electronics Can Fail

Modern eFoils are incredibly reliable, but they are also complex machines. They rely on wireless communication between the remote and the board, battery management systems (BMS), motor controllers, sensors, and sophisticated software.

While today’s systems are generally very dependable, it is important to remember that water and electronics are never a perfect combination. Like any electric vehicle, an eFoil can experience technical failures caused by hardware defects, software issues, damaged components, water ingress, or communication problems.

We know of two incidents where riders found themselves in potentially life-threatening situations after their boards stopped working unexpectedly.

Incident #2 – Board Failure Offshore (France)

One rider was eFoiling off the coast of France on a Fliteboard Ultra during the evening. Without warning, the board shut down completely and could not be restarted.

As darkness approached, he was left stranded offshore. Fortunately, a passing fishing boat spotted him and brought him safely back to land.

Had nobody seen him, the outcome could have been very different.

Lesson: A 10-minute eFoil ride can easily become a 3–4 hour swim back to shore. Never ride farther from land than you are physically capable of swimming.

Incident #3 – Lost Connection in Rough Seas (Mallorca, Spain)

Another rider experienced a complete loss of communication between the remote and his SiFly board while riding in rough conditions near the rocky coastline of Mallorca. (The cause was maybe the known problem, that some sifly boards have oil in the ebox after some time through the cables, which disturb the bluetooth connection)

The board could not be restarted. Because of the waves, he was unable to climb out of the water while holding the eFoil. Eventually, he abandoned the board and climbed onto the rocks, suffering cuts and bruises to his hands and knees.

The unattended board was repeatedly thrown against the rocks by the waves, causing severe damage. It most likely sank and was never recovered.

Lessons Learned

• Electronic systems can fail, even on premium eFoils.
• Never ride farther from shore than you can safely swim.
• Avoid riding alone, especially at sunset or in remote locations.
• Always check battery level and equipment before heading out.
• Consider wearing a personal flotation device (PFD), especially offshore.
• Carry a waterproof phone, VHF radio, or emergency communication device whenever possible.
• In rough conditions, always think about your emergency exit before heading out.
• If your board stops working, stay calm, conserve energy, and make yourself visible to other water users.

Most technical failures end without injury- but they can quickly become dangerous if they occur far offshore, in rough weather, or shortly before darkness. Planning for the unexpected is an important part of safe eFoiling.

Life-Changing Injury – A Rare but Devastating Accident

This incident was shared with us by a professional Foil Drive rider. He had recently posted an Instagram video showing his own crash on a large wave, which resulted in several broken ribs and a stay in hospital. Professional riders rarely share accidents publicly, making his openness especially valuable.

However, he also told us about an even more serious accident involving a friend he had not seen for a long time.

During a fall, the rider landed in an extremely unfortunate position on the rear stabilizer („stab“) of his foil. The impact caused catastrophic internal injuries to his pelvic and rectal area.

Despite receiving emergency medical treatment, the injuries were permanent. Today, he is disabled for life. He requires a colostomy bag because parts of his bowel were so severely damaged that normal bowel function could not be restored.

This is an exceptionally rare accident, but it demonstrates the potentially severe consequences of falling onto any part of a hydrofoil.

Lessons Learned

• Never underestimate the sharp edges and rigid structure of a hydrofoil.
• Wear appropriate impact protection whenever possible.
• Avoid taking unnecessary risks, especially in large waves or challenging conditions.
• Understand that even highly experienced riders can suffer life-changing injuries through nothing more than an unfortunate fall.
• Respect the equipment at all times—every session carries some level of risk.

Fortunately, injuries of this severity are extremely uncommon. However, sharing real-world incidents like this helps riders understand why proper training, protective equipment, and responsible decision-making are so important.

Propeller Injuries – Never Reach Into the Propeller

One of the most serious types of eFoil injuries involves the propeller. While these accidents are rare, they can have devastating consequences.

Several incidents have occurred while riders or bystanders were handling the board on land or in shallow water. In some cases, people accidentally activated the motor or were testing the remote while someone else’s hand was close to the propeller.

We have heard of riders who suffered severe hand injuries, including the loss of fingers.

A common misconception is that a propeller guard completely eliminates this risk. While a prop guard can reduce the chance of direct contact with the spinning propeller, it can also create a dangerous pinch point. If a finger becomes trapped between the propeller and the guard while the motor is running, it can result in traumatic amputation.

Without a propeller guard, direct contact with the spinning blades can still cause deep cuts, fractures, or partial amputations. The exact injury depends on the propeller design, speed, and how the contact occurs.

We prefer riding without propguard because of that – event the board is more smooth and consumes less energy and just rides better.

Lessons Learned

• Never place your fingers or hands near the propeller, even if you believe the motor is off.
• Always assume the motor could start unexpectedly.
• Switch the board completely off before carrying, cleaning, or inspecting the propulsion system.
• Never test the remote while anyone is touching the propeller or motor.
• Keep children and spectators away from the propulsion unit.
• Treat every eFoil propeller with the same respect you would give a running boat propeller.

The safest propeller is one that is completely powered off. A propeller guard can reduce certain risks, but it should never be considered a guarantee against serious injury.

Foil Wing Cuts

Never fall against the wingtips – jump far away from the board. Wing cuts and stiches are most common.

Broken Bones

This happens often especially with carbon foils. Carbon is hard, if you fall hard on the board you can breack your ribs and bones…

Shoulder Dislocations Wake Jump Accidents Battery Fires & Thermal Runaway Remote Control Failures Collision with Boats Collision with Swimmers Racing Incidents Equipment Failure Safety Gear That Prevented Serious Injuries Lessons Learned