Lille: We tested electric surfing on the Deûle - 20 Minutes

  • The northern company Takuma has developed an electric surfboard.
  • The craft allows you to fly over water up to 35 km / h.
  • A beautiful toy that still costs almost 7,000 euros.

Brice from Lille. No one can say that Lille is not a surf spot. Of course, the Deûle is not famous for its waves, unless you catch the furrow of a barge. However, 20 Minutes did indeed ride a board on the canal, and it was neither a paddle nor an old palette. The Lille company Takuma invited us this Tuesday to test its e-foil (electric surfing) and we did not resist, even if it meant drinking cups of stale water.

Takuma is a company specializing in the design of ski equipment. She is partly based in Lille because a good part of the team is from the North. One of the founders, Cyril Coste, former junior world kitesurf champion, is from Dunkirk. Now living in Japan, he gave his box the name of his son: Takuma. It was also he who developed the e-foil, the first prototype of which came out two years ago.

Up to 35 km / h thanks to the 5 horsepower electric motor

“It is a board that includes a mast, a wing, a stabilizer and an electric motor of almost 5 horsepower. Including the battery, the whole thing weighs about 30 kilos, ”explains Thomas Bevilacqua, the other founder of Takuma. The engine is controlled using a small remote control that looks like it can be mistaken for a Nintendo Wii stick.

Without a combination despite the freshness of the water and the ambient air, Thomas gives us a demo. “The more speed you get, the more stable the surf. Then just put a little weight backwards to take off, ”he says. And to see it, indeed, it looks as simple as on paper. "We gave Vincent Cassel a try and he became addicted," he continues.

It's our turn and, given the color of the Deûle, we don't hesitate to put on a full suit. "We're going to start on our knees," says our instructor. Do not hesitate to pick up speed, especially to turn and gain stability. Without telling us, we take the hit pretty quickly. Rest to fly now. By leaning a little back, indeed, the surf is lifted. The feeling of sliding on the water is really there, even if, in our case, it does not last very long ...

An expensive purchase price but available for rental

The drama arrives when the boss of Takuma encourages us to adopt the standing position. After a little graceful take-off, we are on our legs for a few seconds before tasting the canal water. The other attempts will end in the same way. "In a few one-hour sessions, you get to master," says Thomas Bevilacqua. Is. This will not be our case this Tuesday. After about twenty minutes, we return to the platform. The machine may be electric, we come out of there tired and foam legs. A laborious initiation but still fun anyway.

Available for sale, Takuma's e-foil costs almost 7,000 euros, "half the price of our American competitors," said Thomas Bevilacqua. If the purchase remains inaccessible for most purses, one can also rent it. In the region, this is particularly possible in Berck-sur-Mer and Bray-Dunes.

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