E-Boards are taking the watersports world by storm. ONBOARD talks to Wayne Brooks about what to look for when buying a new board
Wayne Brooks, founder of Jet Board Limited, former surfer and water lover, and known in the industry for his seemingly endless collection of jetboards, bought his first board in 2008. It was one of the very first invented: big, heavy and clumsy. He has come a long way since then, always with a smile after a session on one of his many boards.
But that hasn’t always been the case. Often, Wayne would receive a new board only to find out the promised specs are not reality, or that the board isn’t actually saltwater proof, or to discover it is malfunctioning after one ride. Many a time he has come out of the water feeling great only to discover the board will not charge, or the battery is unsafe.
Today, having mastered the art of choosing jetboards and matching people with their perfect board, he advises that before buying a board you ask yourself what you want out of your board. Most electric boards average at a 25-minute ride time, continuous full throttle with an 85kg rider on top. This is a good industry standard, and something you should be expecting, but remember that when you mix up the speeds the ride time increases.