Regular readers of Boss Hunting should be familiar with Fliteboard and Marc Newson — both Aussie-born leaders of their respective industries, who have united for one of the most exciting collaborations of the year. The Byron Bay-based motorised hydrofoiling brand, and Australia’s most internationally renowned industrial designer, have come together for what is the lightest, stiffest, and strongest Fliteboard to date.
The collaboration boasts three models, each designed for a different level of rider weight and experience, the lightest of which weighs 19.5kgs. The weight-saving leaps forward Fliteboard have been able to achieve are thanks to a cutting-edge Japanese high modulus pre-preg (HMPP) carbon fibre, used in the board and mast for an incredibly hydrodynamic profile in the water.
What’s most impressive about the construction of the Flite x Marc Newson range is the direct integration of the underwater mast, which at just 16mm thick is incredibly strong and connects to the body of the board without joints or bolts. At the end of the mast, you’ll find HMPP carbon fibre wings and a titanium nose cone, which is home to your choice of two propulsion options.
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To get a better understanding of exactly what this collaboration offers, and what it was like for Fliteboard to work with Marc Newson, we spoke with founder David Trewern on the project.
What was it like working with Marc Newson on the design of this edition and what did he specifically bring to this project?
David Trewern: I followed Marc’s work when I was at design school in the early 90’s. In 2016, when Fliteboard was just an idea, Marc’s work was inspiration documented in my business plan. To collaborate with Marc on this project was really special.
Marc and I shared a desire to make the best performing and most exciting eFoil, we wanted the form to evoke an emotional response on par with the feeling of Fliteboarding. In the early stages of the project, there was a lot of discussion about the experience of owning and using a Fliteboard.
Ideas such as the wing being integrated into the fuselage with a detachable nose-cone came from Marc, along with the simplification of one construction material and finish, rethinking the handset form, integrating the handles, and creating a bespoke deck grip pattern that integrated into the other board’s features. Through the project, Marc iterated these core ideas and all subcomponents through hundreds of iterations.
We bounced the design back and forth refining engineering and construction, hydrodynamics and the final design form. No part of the final form was changed by even 1mm without it going back through Marc for input and final refinement.
I understand Marc is a Fliteboard customer — what was it like finding out Marc was a fan and that he enjoyed it enough to want to work with you on an edition?
DT: It made me smile to hear that Marc was already a fan of the work we had done and a soon-to-be Fliteboard customer. When Marc said he’d like to collaborate on a project together, I knew that we had to aim high and make the journey one that we would both enjoy – which would then lead to the best possible outcome. Â
What are the main differences folks should expect between this edition and a regular Fliteboard?
DT: The same spirit is there in both, but this special edition benefits from having no constraints on construction and performance, and even more focus on a united, emotive, sculptural form across the entire product.
We’ve used the best possible materials to reduce weight and enhance stiffness. These two qualities play such a big role in the experience of eFoiling, this lighter and stiffer setup gives the rider incredible responsiveness and control.
The hero of the Flite x Marc Newson range also sports our biggest accomplishment, the MN Wave eFoil. We made this specifically for unpowered wave and wake riding, it’s smaller and slimmer yet still outputs impressive power. It offers less underwater drag and improved long-term durability from its monocoque pre-preg carbon structure.
Do you expect this collaboration with Marc to be limited to this project, or does the future hold another all-Australian design partnership?
DT: I absolutely loved working with Marc, and we’re both incredibly proud of what we achieved over the three-year project. Marc is a busy man, and between designing for Ferrari, Louis Vuitton, and all his other collaborations and work, I’m not sure he’ll have the time to commit to another Flite eFoil project.
However, we have had many discussions about another related, ambitious project we are both really excited by. We will see where those discussions lead.
The Fliteboard x Marc Newson project begins at $28,999 for the MN60 Wave model, while the MN60 and MN86 arrive with an RRP of $32,999.
