Local entrepreneur brings eFoils to the Roaring Fork Valley

Aspen native, recent high school graduate, and new entrepreneur Kristian Cathers has turned an eFoil passion into a new business called Fun Club.

Kristian, who attended both Basalt and Aspen high schools, started Fun Club with his father, Paul Cathers.

For those unfamiliar with what an eFoil is, it is essentially a surfboard combined with a hydrofoil and a propeller powered by an electric battery. Lift is the original eFoil, according to its website.

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Most hydrofoil boards are mainly seen in the ocean and propelled by waves. On a hydrofoil, a person, and the board they ride on, are lifted out of the water by a post (which is called a sail), which is attached to horizontal fins, which provide the lift. eFoils have the same setup, but also contain an electrically-powered propeller, making them perfect for places like Ruedi Reservoir.

eFoils are controlled by a handheld control (that floats when accidentally dropped in the water) where speed is controlled by squeezing down on a trigger. Holding the trigger steady for a constant speed is half the battle, according to Kristian. 

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To steer an eFoil is a lot like snowboarding, the difference being that you want to lean forward to control any lift coming from the fins and propeller. Kristian and Paul said this can be tricky at first — although one would not think so after watching them glide through the water — but they said the control comes from shifting your weight. 

How these two got into eFoiling is about as 21st-century as it gets. Paul said he originally saw eFoils online — social media to be exact, according to Kristian — a few years ago. 

“I was intrigued by eFoils because they have a battery and do not need a wave,” Paul said. “With Kristian being off all summer and graduating, we decided to build a really cool business (which began as a summer job) and a website.”

He said that he grew up in Canada, and his main sport is hockey. Kristian does not play hockey, so eFoiling is their way to enjoy their time together.

“This (eFoil) has become our common thread,” said Paul. “We will throw the eFoils in the car and go camping, go to Lake Powell, or wherever we want.”

Both Paul and Kristian described the experience of riding an eFoil as flying through the air.

Paul said riding an eFoil is almost spiritual.

“There is this dead silence once you are above the water,” he said. “There is no sound.” 

As for how this turned into a business, Kristian said “we were out on the water every day, learning and perfecting our skills.”

“It was then that we realized people worldwide were making money by introducing others to the sport. My dad saw it as a great summer job, but for me, it never felt like work at all,” he said.

Kristian said that he began with informal lessons for friends, which led to opening up lessons to anyone interested. Eventually, this led to the creation of Fun Club.

Kristian now spends his days doing what he loves — teaching others how to ride the water on an eFoil. 

“Getting paid to surf is a dream come true,” he said. “The best part of my job is seeing people improve. When I first started, it took me days to get up on the board, but now, I can get people up within 30 minutes.”

He said that Fun Club is the very first business in the Roaring Fork Valley to offer eFoil lessons. They also have a motocross track and mountain bike track further downvalley.  

eFoils cost between $8,000-$14,000 and will travel up to 30 mph, with a battery life of around two hours. Kristian and Paul have been working with Lift eFoils and as an affiliate and can offer to sell discounted Lift eFoils to people locally.

Paul said they are planning to offer rentals in the future.

As this new local business continues to grow, Kristian’s enthusiasm for sharing the thrill of eFoiling remains at the heart of Fun Club. 

“Come fly over the water, and experience something you have never experienced before,” he said.

To learn more, visit Fun Club’s website at funclubaspen.com. The website offers a straightforward way to book lessons and connect with Kristian directly for prices and availability.