Wing Commander: NICK LEASON

Lift Foils has a reputation for producing both high-quality eFoils and foils. CEO & Co-Founder Nick Leason has been front and center of this since day one. We got a little insight into his R&D processes for both sides of the business…

Hey Nick. So tell us how you first got into foil design. And did that come before designing eFoils, or vice versa?

I started my first hydrofoil design in 2009. I had learned how to foil with the original Carafino foil and fell in love with the sport. I had just graduated from university with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and hydrofoils had everything that was of interest to me; composites, aerodynamics, CNC manufacturing, CAD, surfing, sailing, etc. I was hooked and I started my journey learning how to build a hydrofoil from start to finish. Back in that day, there wasn’t too much to reference except for a Carafino and a Sky Ski. It took a couple years to even build something that would hold up and fly. Kitesurfing was our jam and that’s where we started with our hydrofoil designs. Then my quest for an eFoil started in 2015.

How do you first conceive a new foil range? Is that based on consumer feedback, or is it just something you personally want to see in the world?

I work closely with a tight group of friends that both work within the brand and also do some of the best riding I’ve ever seen. I trust them and we discuss what we want, what we’re missing and how we want to get there. Once I have enough information jotted down, I build out a list and start designing away. We build a large variety of wings and keep the ones that we like the best for the purposes that we are trying to cover.

You recently released a new range of foils, the Havocs, which are fully surf focused. Tell us about your design process for something like this range.

The Havocs are a good example of the process mentioned before and are vast in terms of their uses. That line came mostly from definition by Matt Elsasser and Benny Ferris. Awesome riders and very in tune with the industry. We took the existing wings that we love and discussed what we wanted to improve, for what kind of rider and why. It also took a few rounds to get it right. I was really happy with the results and appreciative to have some of the best guys at my side.

And when it comes to testing these, other than Matt and Benny, whose hands do you put them in? Who gives you the most trusted feedback other than those guys?

The wings ultimately go out to our team of closest ambassadors, after we get to ride them ourselves of course! All feedback is collected and most of the time it’s consistent across our riders. Each person will have their personal favorites depending on their size and discipline. I trust my team and I also trust my own feedback as well to challenge or validate what is being reflected to me.

What would your thoughts be on the evolution of foil design – are we arriving in a ‘do it all' world where carving, pumping and gliding are all achievable on one foil?

Ha. That would be awesome, but very unrealistic. You can definitely have one foil that is the most well rounded for you and hence your personal favorite, but physics and varying conditions along with different riders simply will not allow a “one-size-fits-all” foil.  A big wave foil is not going to be optimal for downwinding and vice versa. I do feel that we have some wings that cover 60-70% of my riding, but different missions require different tools. That’s one of the things I love about this sport.

You also recently signed the Florence brothers onto the team. Quite a coup given their profile in the surf world, and we were stoked to see it. When designing the Florence Collection of foils, did you seek their input into the design specifically? Or did you just investigate exactly what they were looking for and go from there?

The Florence brothers are so fired up on foiling that they are texting ideas in between championship heats. We definitely started off of a foundation that was in process, but John and Nathan are very active in what they are looking for. Not just with our brand, but all of their projects. They’re successful because they dig in deep to their projects. I’m very excited to have them on the team and very excited to see where they lead the ship. Lots of exciting things coming down the pipeline with them…

Moving to the eFoils, you’ve had a lot of success here too, with the Lift 4 most recently, and the entry-level Lift 3F. Does the innovation in the area of eFoiling outpace that of foil wings, which itself has been pretty breakneck?

An awesome wing can definitely change your world, but I would say that it’s easier to build a new wing than to build a whole new eFoil. There are a LOT of components that go into an eFoil and each one requires special attention with in-depth mechanical, electrical and software design. It’s challenging to say the least. That being said, I think eFoils have more room for growth with a goal for them to perform like a surf foil. The two disciplines are pushing each other forward. Wait until you see what we have in the works…

Can’t wait! So how does the process for coming up with a new incarnation of an eFoil work? Do you strip it all back and reconceive, or do you just build on what’s worked well and go from there?

It depends. I really believe in refinement and improvement. Fine tuning makes the ride better and better, but sometimes if you want to do something great and different, you need to blow it all up and start again. Keep the parts that you absolutely love and be bold to try something new.  What we have in the works is a great example of that and has surpassed my expectations much because we were bold enough to break the mold. Stay tuned!

We certainly will. So what’s been your top creation to date, Nick? What are you most proud of?

My family is my greatest creation and what I’m most proud of. I love them so much and they’re part of this journey with me. When I dig in to build toys, I build them for everyone across a family. Out in front of our house, it’s like “Lift City”. Three kids are mounted on an eFoil with a Blowfish, having a blast. The dads are out paddling and foiling on waves. The wives are riding their eFoils with folding props, riding waves too. The older kids are towing into waves off the back of the eFoil. Friends are sailing down the ocean and coming in from a 10-mile downwinder. You watch all that with a beer in your hand and your two-year-old says, “Look Papa, foils!” The job ain’t always easy, but that part feels pretty good. We’re changing surfing forever, for everyone.

With the Lift HQ based in Puerto Rico, you’re one of the slightly more far-flung brands in terms of location – what are the advantages and disadvantages of this?

I wouldn’t really say that we’re far flung. Puerto Rico has warm water and perfect weather all year round and the ocean offers us every discipline for foiling. It’s a perfect place to birth new foiling toys for every discipline. As a business, there are some logistical challenges in the supply chain, but for surfing inspiration and testing, it’s perfect.

I think that one day, people will recognize just how much influence PR has had on foiling, like Hawaii has had on surfing. When we have dealers and partners visit us, they absolutely love it, and furthermore, the workers that we have at our factory are salt of the earth. Those guys can build anything and outwork anybody. I couldn’t ask for a better crew.

Talk to us about your board designers. We were really impressed with the look of the Flying Cat – we’re pretty eager to get one of those on test.

When I was a teenager, I was big into windsurfing and Sean Ordoñez built me my magic board shipped from Maui. He was the man! I’ve had the privilege to work with Sean since I started this adventure in 2009. We’ve built a lot of boards throughout the days and much have been designed in house, but our latest lineup is a collaborative approach with Sean. The Flying Cat is all Sean Ordoñez and Matt Elsasser. The boards are unreal.

Finally Nick, you’re clearly a very, very busy guy. Do you get much time in the water yourself?

I’m lucky to live right on the water in a place that’s warm and inviting all year round. I definitely get out and turn to the ocean not only for sport, but also for workout and meditation. I can’t say that I spend as much time in the water as I would like these days, but I always come back and get rebalanced. Plus, my family loves the water too so it’s part of our daily living. A shaman once told me that the ocean has given me everything and I need to give thanks every time that I jump in. I stick to her advice.