Jet Ski Powered Flyboard, FlyRide, and Hoverboard [Video]

If you are wondering what is hydroflying, you have come to the right place.  It is the new rage in extreme water sports that gives fierce competition to surfing and wakeboarding.

Hydroflying entails a device that is thrust into the air using the power of a PWC (personal watercraft). The pressure from the water hose propels you towards the sky, and it is almost as if you are flying. This is a new trend in extreme water sports and is quite popular due to the exhilarating experience it delivers.

People are always scared to try anything new. The same is the case with hydroflying.

Since it is relatively new, one can’t be sure whether it is for them or not. Today we are here to answer every possible question or query that you might have regarding hydroflying, so you know what to expect.

Flyboard ®

The Flyboard ® is a water sports device that is available to rent out at many jet-ski rental companies. Just like Jetovator, Flyboard ® is one of the latest inventions in the world of water sports and is used for an activity called “hydroflying”. Hydro means water and flying means to be up in the air.

The Flyboard ® device works by being attached to the feet of the water sportsman and then propels him into the air using the pressure against water.

It is basically a special board that is powered by a jet ski and provides the thrust under and over water for the user to be propelled up into the air. Moreover, wakeboard boots are used to connect the person to the Flyboard ®. Similarly, the experience can also be compared with using a snowboard but with the ability to fly; how cool is that?

It may sound like a very challenging thing to do but actually, it is quite simple. Many people master the art of hydroflying right after their very first experience. Because of the safety gear and the protection measures that are available, the whole ride is as enjoyable as it is thrilling.

Technical Information

As far as its history is concerned, the Flyboard ® was first invented by a french water-craft rider, Franky Zapata, who came up with the design and the device was presented to the public at the Jet Ski World Championship 2012.

Since its invention in 2012, the company has sold thousands of units and a hydroflying act was even used as a feature on Britain’s Got Talent in 2015. The Flyboard ® is a bolt-on device that is attached to a PWC (personal watercraft).

Following that, water is forced under pressure to the boots that the rider is wearing and it then thrust downwards which allows the rider to fly up into the air. More amazingly, the height of the leap upwards in the air can reach up to 15 meters. On the other hand, the device can also be used in the same way to dive headlong into the water; up to 2.5 meters deep.

The Flyboard ® is highly equipped with safety measures that allow the rider to rest in the water in between thrusts. Similarly, the use of a lifejacket and helmet is deemed necessary in order to ensure the prime safety of the rider in case of an incident involving direct impact to the head.

Zapata® is offering two versions currently:

Flyboard® Sport: No matter if you are just starting or want to feel that burst of adrenaline, the Flyboard ® Sport offers you a smooth learning opportunity. The presence of static footplate allows the beginners to get adjusted with the Sport model. Sport is a more economical choice and does not come with additional benefits. It costs 25% less than the Pro Series.

Flyboard® Pro: All athletes over the world prefer the Pro Series hydroflyer due to its fantastic performance benefits. Its rotating base plate makes the Flyboard® pivot on its axis by up to 20 degrees. This enhances the performance and ability to perform tricks to the next level.

The Flyboard ® is compatible with almost all of the Yamaha, Sea-Doo, Kawasaki, and Honda PWCs 10 years or younger. Installing the Flyboard ® can be done in less than an hour. All it takes is removing the braking system, turning and reduction nozzle, and then attaching a Universal Pump Interface with the help of an adapter kit.

And if you wish to switch back to the jet ski mode, not a thing to worry about. There is an accessory called the Quick Nozzle that allows you to switch back and forth from PWC mode to Flyboard ® mode within seconds!

FlyRide®

Introduction

You can now purchase the FlyRide®, a new flying water jet bike from Zapata®! It is the latest in the collection, and Fanky Zapata is the mastermind behind it. Read on below to know more:

What is Flyride?

The FlyRide® happens to be a water flying device. It looks like a jet ski and is thrown into the air using the waterjet technology so that the rider can fly over water.

The water jet device comes with an onboard computer paired with a stabilization technology called EZ-Fly. With the help of this technology, the device can self-balance itself much like self-hovering drones.

This way, riders are at an advantage to successfully fly even with little or no training.

How does it work?

Coming to the setup, you might be asking yourself how to make it work. It is simple.

Once you get the FlyRide® and connect it to your PWC connection kit, you will have to pair your existing EMK brain box with the FlyRide. The pairing works the same way as the pairing of a wireless remote system.

After pairing up, you can start the ski with the controls on the handlebars of the FlyRide®, and start flying in the air.

The handlebars operate like the jet ski. You have to shift your weight, and then turn the handlebars in the desired direction. The throttle is the trigger and is located on the right side of the handlebars. The trigger controls the throttle of the Jet Ski through the wireless remote system.

The more you squeeze the throttle, the more power is applied to the FlyRide®.

EZ-Flight Technology

The term EZ-Fly is from the latest Flyboard air® product from Zapata Racing. The EZ-Fly was tested for the first time a few months back. 10 brand new pilots and a Special Forces officer in Texas flew it successfully.

Franky Zapata has now placed this technology into a water flying device for the first time. And we are super excited to try it out! He has designed this product to make it easier for people to fly on the water. He also wanted to make the product available for special needs and the paralyzed people who are unable to partake in the other hydroflight activities.

Would the FlyRide® work with my existing Flyboard®, Hoverboard®, or Jetpack® kit? You can use FlyRide® with your existing hose and connection parts you will get with your Flyboard®, Hoverboard®, or Jetpack® kit. This is called the PWC connection kit and includes the U-Pipe, hose clamps, hose, fastening strap, and swivels/hose bearings.

Power requirements: For successful running, the FlyRide® requires your PWC to have at least 155 horsepower.

Minimum age requirement?: For recreational needs, the minimum age requirement for the Flyride® is 6 years old and 13+ for U.S. located businesses. It also relies on the type of insurance you carry for your rental operation.

Weight limit?: The maximum weight limit for the Flyride® is 440 lbs, depending on the power of the PWC.

What makes FlyRide® unique? The best thing about having this product is that you can expand your Flyboard®, Hoverboard®, and Jetpack® rental market by adding a more comfortable and thrilling flying experience to it.

Even though the hydroflyersk take about 5-15 minutes to get the hang of, you will always have a few clients who will feel intimidated or cannot swim, and you can introduce them to the fantastic water flying devices.

The Flyride® is an excellent addition to any existing jet ski rental

Do you have a jet ski rental operation? Are you looking to add FlyRide® to your existing rental equipment? The FlyRide® is the ideal product to make you stand out from the competition and bring additional revenue to your business.

Another benefit of the FlyRide® is that you can get views from above that you couldn’t get while riding on a standard jet ski rental. Just imagine how your customers are going to feel when they can bask in the scenic views from 20-30 ft. above.

If you have an established jet ski rental operation, then you could easily integrate FlyRide® to the inventory while making sure that you don’t end up losing the functionality of the jet ski. You just have to buy the quick nozzle accessory, which will let you switch from flying mode to jet ski mode in a few seconds.

Check out the video below to see it in action:

Hoverboard®

We know the Hoverboard® as jet ski powered board as well. The Hoverboard ® is made of carbon fiber, and the mechanics are much like snowboard, surfboard, wakeboard, or longboard. This board is designed in such a way that it moves in a forward motion reaching a speed of up to 25 MPH and heights of 30 ft.

So far, the learning curve has been almost identical to the Flyboard®. The first time riders were able to learn within 3-7 minutes. The Hoverboard ® comes with a pair of kiteboarding foot straps that are attached to the board and let the rider adjust their straps according to their comfort and safety.

Most PWCs of 10 years or younger are adaptable with the hoverboard. It shares the same compatibilities as the Flyboard ®. You can install a Hoverboard® within an hour. You just have to remove the braking system, reduction, and turning nozzle, and attach the Universal Pump Interface to the PWC with the help of an adapter kit.

And if you wish to switch back to jet ski mode, you can get an accessory called Quick Nozzle that allows you to go back to jet ski mode from Hoverboard ® mode in seconds.

Note: Zapata has discontinued hoverboard, and is no longer available. People who own hoverboard can still find manuals, tutorials, support, and even replacement parts on the internet.

Best PWC for Hydroflyers

Upon the official recommendation of Zapata®, their range of hydroflyers is compatible with Yamaha, Seadoo, Kawasaki, and Honda PWCs 10 years or younger.

Flyboard® and Jetpack®: You can power Flyboards® and Jetpacks® even with the 90 HP Sea-Doo Sparks 2UP, and 3UP models. (Zapata recommends the Spark models 90HP) apart from more powerful sit-down models.

FlyRide® and Hoverboard®: These units require your PWC to possess 155 horsepower to operate successfully. Don’t miss out to discover these models here!

You can power a hydroflyer, even if you have a 90 HP watercraft at hand, you would be glad to know that the weight capacity and height you can reach is based on the PWC’s horsepower.

For operating a hydroflyer, 300 HP is quite enough. The maximum allowed horsepower specs are 300-350 HP depending on the model. This means that if you have a modified PWC with you that is upgraded above 300 HP, you might not be allowed to use these items!

Flyboard Air®

Though not powered by water, we cannot forget to mention the newest invention by Zapata, Flyboard Air®. This is a jet-powered personal aerial vessel, which we also know as a jet-powered Flyboard®. They are capable of VTOL as well as extraordinary mobility.

Zapata® technology happens to be the easiest, safest, lightest, and maneuverable personal aviation system to ever take form.

Apart from Flyboard Air, Zapata is working on many new exciting things!

Final Thoughts

Zapata Racing® is hands down the market leader when it comes to hydroflyers.

Zapata® offers an impressive variety like Flyboard®, Jetpack®, or FlyRide®. The water-powered hoverboard is not available anymore. You might find a few in the second-hand market. Apart from creating original inventions, they also better their hydroflyers every year and introduce lighter and maneuverable units in the market.

If you are interested in experiencing hydroflying, what you will need is a jet ski and then the additional hydroflyer unit. However, these are not the cheapest jet ski fun accessories which is why they are also available for rent.

There are many jet ski rental companies what offer rental services for a jet ski and a Flyboard®, Hoverboard® or Jetpack® which can enable you to enjoy the experience without having to invest a large sum. This is a very cost effective way to revel in the life changing  experience of flying over water.

Along with the required equipment and gear, you can get a short raining from the rental staff, regarding the basics of operating the hydroflyer. And, if you want to get one for yourself, there are several dealers and distributors you could contact!

Picture Credit: Zapata