Ravik One Electric Surfboard Set Out to Start a Revolution and Succeeded

Back in 2012, a Swedish wakeboarder, Philip Werner, decided he was fed up with all the gear he needed just to enjoy his favorite pastime activity. This led him to build a windsurf board with a small turbine and lithium battery pack. Five years down the line, the age of electric surfboards had begun, and so did Awake Boards.

With the goal of offering industry-leading electric watersports gear, the least expensive and defining of the three boards this company offers is the Ravik One, an electric surfboard made to offer riders an experience rarely found. Folks, you can now ride a surfboard without any waves; think about that for a second.

Just to make things clear, the One is currently being offered for €10,900 ($12,775 at current exchange rates) on the manufacturer’s website, and while that seems like a whole bunch of cash for something like this, that price is there for a good reason.

First off, each Awake board is completed using composites like carbon fiber and even Kevlar, the same used in bulletproof vests and clothing. This yields a stiff, light, and strong board that is then shaped with a “rocker” design in order to offer the ability to easily maneuver the board however your riding style dictates.

Further shaping of the board also focuses on a “hydrodynamic design” meant to offer riders a high-speed experience. How fast of an experience will you be getting for this cash? Well, this sucker can blast off with a top speed of 56 kph (34.8 mph). Just picture that for a moment. You may need to develop some new leg muscles to get the hang of things at that speed.

But what’s responsible for this sort of speed? On the One you’ll find Awake’s patent-pending Linear Jet System that features minimal air suction in order to provide a consistent and continuous ride through choppy waters. Wonder how powerful this little trinket may be? You already know the top speed, but how about an acceleration on 0-50 kph (31 mph) in just 4 seconds?

Maybe you’ve grasped what that may feel like while on the One, but one thing is for sure, you will be experiencing a thrust like that of being towed behind a boat: proper wakeboarding style. Although, your body positioning will be something you need to play around with if you’ve never ridden something like this.

Powering everything, a battery system with several protective features is found dead center the board; you’ll be standing on it the entire time. Two battery options exist, with a maximum ride time of 60 minutes with the XR battery. However, this battery option adds another €2,900 (€3,399 at current exchange rates) to your final price. Is it worth it? I think so. A recharge time of up to 2 hours is all you’ll have to sacrifice to get up and going again.

To control everything, a wireless handheld controller offers three-speed settings but also three levels of thrust. Personally, I’m looking forward to only one level of thrust and speed, the fastest. Overall, the board will weigh 38 kg (83.8 lbs) or 42 kg (92.5 lbs) depending on the battery option chosen, so to just throw this sucker under your arm is a viable means of transportation to the nearest watering hole, but you may need to have worked out in the meantime.

Sure, it’s going to cost you as much as some small cars, but at the end of the day, the Ravik One is the sort of toy that’s bound to bring you countless hours of joy, even if you aren’t a world champion wakeboarder.