Lake Michigan Foil Drive Tour with MACkiteboarding

Josh, Ben, and Caitlyn from Foil Drive are flying from Australia to tour the U.S., with their first stop being to see the MACkite crew. It's going to be quite a journey, with layovers in Los Angeles and Chicago before finally arriving in Michigan. Hopefully some coffee and a smoothie will help fuel the 25-hour trip...

Shortly after arriving at the MACkite shop, Ben and Josh find themselves in front of the camera for a live Q & A session with Tucker. They answer questions from chat and give out some great tips.

Next they take a stroll with longtime crew member Aaron. They get to see the demo room, where Aaron explains how the crew really does ride what they sell. He feels it's important to have firsthand experience so that they can make informed recommendations to riders. This also lets the crew post honest reviews for people researching their next piece of gear. Sometimes a brand may not like just how honest these reviews can be, but as a retailer, MACkite has to be authentic in order to maintain its reputation as a trustworthy source of advice.

Aaron also shares a brief overview of the shop's history since 1999, from its humble roots in a back corner of the downtown toy store, to its own location on the east side of town with a showroom and small warehouse, to the much larger building it occupies now. There is still a well-stocked showroom, but with so much of the business being online, the warehouse dominates most of the shop's space. He loves the stoke level that he and the rest of the team share.

After a good night's sleep, the Foil Drive crew is ready to check out Lake Michigan. It's cold, but the shop has outfitted Josh with a wetsuit, booties, gloves and, his personal favorite, a beanie. He notes that there are no waves, but with the Foil Drive, that's no problem.

With the battery plugged in and the remote paired, Josh is ready to head down to the water. He's on the mid-length 5'4" Amos Kruzer foilboard, which pairs perfectly with the Foil Drive. It's got added stability and is easier to get up on foil, with the bonus of not burning through the battery as quickly since the board is more hydrodynamic.

He is going to see how the 1130S from Code rides. In fresh water, and with the lake being so flat, he'll need the extra lift so he can cruise around eFoil-style and save his legs while pumping. He thinks he spotted some small swell on the other side of the pier, so he motors around the end of the channel to try his luck. With the assistance of the Foil Drive, he has a fun session and (mostly) manages to stay out of the water.

Once the battery is nearly depleted, he comes back around, where he meets up with MACkite foil expert Cole. Then Josh heads back in, where he and Ben have a chat up on the pier with a friendly local fisherman.

Reflecting on the session, Josh noted that, without the buoyancy of the salt in the water, there definitely wasn't as much lift as he was used to, but even without waves, he was still able to get a 45-minute session in with the Max Sport battery. He's keen to come back and ride again when the surf is up a bit.

Back at the car, Josh interviews Cole. While those were the smallest conditions Cole had foiled on the lake without a boat, he was stoked at how much fun he was able to have with the Foil Drive. While there are a lot of local surfers, kiteboarders and now wingers, there aren't many foilers yet. Cole thinks he may be the only prone foiler so far, but he's trying to get some of the other guys hooked. Cole was already a wake foiler and surfer, and for him the natural progression was to prone surf foiling.

Cole has had a little experience surfing in places like North Carolina and Hawaii and he admits that the lake is nothing compared to those spots, but he does appreciate that you don't have to wait for a set to roll through. The lake offers a constant onslaught of waves with a very tight period when conditions are good, so you can always pump out and get one out the back.

It was a really cool experience for the Foil Drive crew and they're stoked to come back.

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