eFoils Offer Marinas a New Way to Get Customers on the Water
Published on October 29, 2026
For marinas looking for new ways to engage customers and create additional revenue streams, electric hydrofoil boards, or eFoils, are offering a different way to get people on the water.
Flite, an eFoil manufacturer owned by Brunswick Corporation, has been expanding its presence in the recreational marine market through retail sales, schools and rental programs. Nick Stickler, president of Flite, said marinas are an important part of the sport’s continued growth, both as locations for customers to try eFoiling and as potential sales and rental outlets.
That opportunity is already being explored by marinas such as Yacht Hampton Boating Club and Marina in Hampton, New York, where owner Joe Ialacci added Flite eFoils as part of the marina’s recreational offerings. “We wanted to do something more cutting edge and outside the box,” Ialacci said. “So, we started marketing it with our boat and yacht rentals.”
What Is an eFoil?
An eFoil looks similar to a surfboard, but underneath the board is a mast, wings and an electric motor. Once the board reaches approximately 10 to 12 mph, the underwater wings generate lift, raising the board and rider above the surface.
The result is a quiet, no-wake ride that provides a different experience from traditional watercraft. “It’s a very peaceful, tranquil, no-wake and completely quiet” experience,” Stickler said. “So, it’s a very unique experience.”
Flite was founded in Australia after founder David Trewern, a kite foiler, began looking for a way to enjoy foiling even when there was no wind. The company began shipping products in 2018 before Brunswick acquired the company in 2023.
For marinas, eFoils can provide another activity for customers without requiring the same infrastructure associated with larger recreational watercraft.
Getting Started
While eFoiling can look intimidating to someone seeing it for the first time, Stickler said the sport is relatively approachable with proper instruction.
Unlike a traditional personal watercraft, where a rider can learn the basic controls relatively quickly, eFoiling requires some balance and technique. Stickler compares the learning process more closely to skiing or snowboarding. For that reason, it is recommended that new riders take a lesson before renting or purchasing equipment.
Stickler said approximately 95% of Flite’s lesson activity currently involves first-time riders, reflecting how new the sport remains for many consumers. Lessons can also make the first experience more enjoyable. Stickler said he initially attempted to learn without instruction and spent several hours figuring it out before taking a lesson. “With an instructor,” he said, “the process became significantly easier.”
At Yacht Hampton, first-time renters also begin with instruction. “The first lesson is always a class,” Ialacci said.
For rental operators, that makes instruction an important part of the business model. Flite generally recommends that operators do not rent equipment to someone who has never eFoiled before. “Most people coming in need a lesson right away,” Stickler said.
A Flexible Marina Amenity
For marina operators, one advantage of eFoils is that they do not require the same infrastructure associated with many other watercraft.
The equipment can be disassembled and stored in a relatively small space, eliminating the need for a trailer, ramp or dedicated storage area. Riders can launch from a dock or beach, or marinas can use a pontoon or other boat to take customers out on the water.
Ialacci said Yacht Hampton’s space requirements for the program are relatively simple. “Just a desk and room to store them outside or inside,” he said.
The marina does not need a specialized dock. According to Ialacci, the primary requirement is access to water. Stickler similarly said operators do not need a large waterfront footprint to establish a program. The primary consideration is finding an appropriate area for instruction and riding.
Flat, calm water is generally the easiest environment for new riders to learn. Marina operators also should consider boat traffic and avoid areas with heavy vessel movement.
Building a Rental Program
Flite has developed a commercial program aimed at making it easier for marinas and other businesses to establish eFoil schools and rental operations. The company’s commercial equipment is designed to be more durable for rental and instructional use and is offered at a lower price point than its retail products. Flite also provides operational and marketing guidance, instructor training and booking support.
Stickler said the program had expanded to more than 100 locations worldwide less than a year after its launch. Marinas can approach the business in several ways. One option is to partner with an existing Flite school, allowing the marina to provide the location and access to the water while the school handles the operation.
Another option is for the marina to establish its own program and retain the revenue generated through lessons and rentals. Flite has also partnered with Fair Harbor to provide a booking platform for participating schools. The company promotes participating locations through its website and other marketing efforts.
For Yacht Hampton, the eFoils complement the marina’s existing boat and yacht rental business. Ialacci said the eFoils have brought new customers to the marina and work well alongside its other rental offerings. “It’s a great thing to have with boat rentals,” he said.
Safety and Training
Safety and training are among the biggest considerations for marinas adding eFoils. Ialacci said one of the biggest challenges with first-time riders is making sure they understand how to safely fall from the board.
Flite also emphasizes the importance of proper instruction and recommends that marina operators have someone dedicated to the program who understands the equipment and can properly teach new riders. Stickler said having an instructor who is passionate about eFoiling can make a difference in the customer’s first experience.
For marina operators considering the activity, Ialacci recommended looking closely at insurance and establishing a training program before beginning rentals. “It’s more about training than renting,” he said.
Maintenance and Equipment
As with other marine equipment, proper care can extend the life of an eFoil. However, Stickler said the equipment does not require extensive routine maintenance. The company’s newer jet propulsion system is designed with an enclosed impeller. The system also has a recommended service interval of two years or 200 hours. For saltwater operations, equipment should be rinsed with fresh water after use to help prevent corrosion.
Flite provides an operations guide and maintenance checklist for operators, with routine care designed to be straightforward enough for staff to handle without a mechanic. At Yacht Hampton, Ialacci said the marina performs maintenance on its eFoils approximately once a year, at the end of the season.
He also said the equipment has held up well under rental use. Ialacci said the eFoils have proven durable enough for frequent rental use when properly cared for.
Bringing in a New Customer
One of the biggest opportunities for marinas may not be the rental revenue itself, but the ability to attract people who otherwise might not visit a marina.
Stickler said Flite has seen a surprisingly diverse group of people take up the sport. While younger and athletic consumers may initially be drawn to eFoiling, the company has also had customers in their 80s participate.
The relatively quiet and tranquil nature of eFoiling can make it appealing to a wider range of customers than traditional high-speed water sports. “It opens it up to a wide variety of people who are willing to be a little adventuresome and give it a try,” Stickler said.
For marinas, those customers can become more than eFoil renters. Customers may initially visit a facility because they want to try an eFoil but eventually become interested in other boating activities, services or amenities offered by the marina.
Stickler sees this as an opportunity to introduce people to the broader boating lifestyle. “I think it’s a great way to pull people in that otherwise may not have considered boating, but like the water,” he said.
Ialacci has seen a similar benefit at Yacht Hampton, saying the eFoils have helped bring new customers to the marina.
Extending the Marina Experience
Efoils can also serve as an amenity for existing marina customers. Boat owners and marina guests often spend time at their facilities even when they are not actively cruising. Offering an activity such as eFoiling gives customers another way to use the waterfront.
Stickler said this type of amenity can help marinas build a broader community around their waterfront. “It’s not just offering up a slip rental or slip ownership. You’re offering a community and a way that you engage,” he said.
For Yacht Hampton, Ialacci sees eFoils as another recreational option that can complement the marina’s existing business. He described the eFoils as a “good accessory” that can help change up the types of experiences offered to customers.
Creating a Successful Program
As awareness of eFoiling grows, Stickler expects more consumers to move from simply seeing the boards on the water to actively looking for places where they can try them. The company estimates that there are currently only several hundred locations worldwide where consumers can try eFoiling, compared with the widespread availability of other recreational watercraft. That limited availability could provide an opportunity for marinas that establish programs early.
For an industry increasingly focused on creating experiences and finding new ways to engage customers, eFoiling can provide another way for marinas to turn their waterfront into more than a place to keep a boat.
Stickler’s advice for marina operators is to experience the sport firsthand. “Go get a lesson,” he said. “Until you’ve kind of experienced how relatively easy it is, but how fun it is, and that unique feeling it gives you, it’s hard to really internalize what it is when you start flying above the water.”
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