$15,000 to surf the lakes of Quebec

Water lovers with a few thousand dollars in their pockets rejoice. Quebec has just created an electric board that offers all the benefits of a boat “without the flaws”.

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Audric Hartmann-Carsenty is a 34-year-old athlete from Abetepe. Lakes knows them. Some, younger, sailed with friends, during their surfing days on a charter boat that was burning $500 in gasoline at the time to say so.

He studied mechanical engineering, but went into business after college. E-surf Sport is Audric Hartmann Karsenti’s second company, and it’s kind of a homecoming for this lifelong handyman.

Pierre Paul Poulin/Montreal Magazine/QMI Agency

“It’s fun, but it’s expensive, a boat. Worse, it pollutes our lakes,” thinks the hyperactive entrepreneur who has worked 110 hours a week since launching his second company, E-surf Sport, in 2021.

The adopted Montrealer has been enjoying the water every day this year, balancing on a chalkboard he designed himself. Minus the pollution, it goes back to childhood every time it reaches 55km/h on the river.

“I’m going to Verdun beach, it’s really fun,” says the 34-year-old mechanical engineer with a smile.

With the battery, which sits in the middle of the panel, the whole thing weighs 41 kilograms (90 pounds).

Screenshot from a promotional video for E-surf Sport

The best of the best

Race-X, designed by him in 2020, is the only product of his company. Made of carbon fiber, it contains an engine and axial turbines and weighs 20 kg. The lithium-ion battery – another 21 kilos – comes from Sony.

“We choose the best materials, and we don’t want anything cheap,” the engineer-contractor can’t repeat.

Her team of 10 makes the panels in a small industrial building in Rosemont, where desks and computers as well as tools and materials are piled high.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars poured into his pocket from the very beginning, enough to buy and maintain a nice big boat.

“12 months ago, I persuaded three partners to invest their time and money in the business. They believe in this, and they help me with accounting, marketing and a lot of business. But we still need investors,” he admits frankly.

Retailing at $14,950, the Race-X comes with a battery, charger, and wheeled carrying case. The board is so “compact,” the inventor insists, that you could easily fit two of them in a small car.

Screenshot from a promotional video for E-surf Sport

That would be $15,000 plus taxes, please

The goal: Sell the 100 Race-X by the end of summer at $14,950 with battery and charger.

It is a unique and innovative product. We developed everything here. We make it 100% here,” excites the inventor, who is eager to follow in the footsteps of Armand Bombardier.

Bike, motocross, mountain bike, car: Our roads are already electric. Audric Hartmann Karsenti, with his nearly 100-pound board, wants to electrify our water.

“When you do, you want to do more. It’s relaxing, and at the same time it’s a workout,” he says on 220.

The man, who left Abitibi in 2007 to study engineering in Quebec, says the boat can easily be maintained at $15,000 a year. Whether you have one or not, he’s taken it upon himself to put together a replacement—no gas—by the sweat of his brow.