The Superyacht's New Toy
In three short seasons, the eFoil has displaced the jet ski as the most-requested piece of equipment on serious charter inventories. We talked to the captains who made the switch.
he captain of a 58-metre charter sailing yacht — who, for the usual reasons, would prefer not to be named here — took delivery of his first two eFoils in summer 2023. By summer 2024, the yacht carried six. By summer 2025, the boats were specified into the build sheet of the next vessel in the management group. The story, with minor variations, is the same on perhaps half of the world's serious charter yachts above forty metres.
What chefs love about them
This is the unspoken benefit. Guests who eFoil at sunset come back happy, hungry, and ready to sit at a long table. Guests who jet-ski before dinner often come back loud, tired, and somewhat coated in spray. The eFoil sits gracefully inside the rhythm of a charter day; the jet ski has always disrupted it.
The future of yacht-toy storage
Naval architects are starting to design specifically for eFoil storage. The newest custom builds include charging-rack lockers in the forepeak — slim, ventilated, with battery-management integration. The eFoil's footprint is roughly one-third that of a comparable jet ski. The opportunity for capable yards is significant.
Why captains love them
Three reasons, consistently. First, they are quiet — guests can use them at any hour without disturbing neighbouring boats. Second, they are clean — no fuel, no exhaust, no oil drips on the swim platform. Third, they are simple to maintain — a battery rotation, a freshwater rinse, an annual service. None of the carburettor headaches of a jet ski.
