The story of Seatfoil
How an idea from 2020 became a seated electric hydrofoil, and why I’m telling this now
People sometimes ask me where Seatfoil came from. Recently, others have started telling that story for me, so I’d like to set out the history myself.
Where it started (2020–2021)
In October 2020 I started developing an electric hydrofoil vessel that you ride sitting down. I wanted something accessible: not sideway standing on a board, no hour(s) of practice, just the quiet feeling of flying over the water. I worked full time throughout 2021 and 2022: concept sketches, hull design, the foil configuration, seat position, controls, the first test rides, business development. In early 2021 I started trading under the name Seatfoil, registered my business under that name with the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce, and launched the website under the domain name seatfoil.com.
Early sketch 2020
Early prototype on the water 2021
Sketch 2021
Early CAD model 2021
On the water and in public (2022–2023)
In 2022 I showed the prototype at Hiswa te Water, and in 2023 at Boot Düsseldorf. That same year Seatfoil was nominated for the Foiling Award. These were the moments where the design was first shown to the public.
Hiswa te Water 2022
Hiswa te Water 2022, interview SBS6
Boot Dusseldorf 2023
Looking for a production partner (2022–2023)
By mid-2022 I had a working design but no capacity to produce at scale. In the summer of 2022, I met QConcepts Design & Engineering, a company that could. We explored working together: I would bring the design and know-how, they would handle production. Before I shared my technical documentation, we signed a confidentiality agreement in October 2022. In that agreement both parties confirmed that the intellectual property and know-how relating to Seatfoil belonged to me.
During that period a production model was built on the basis of my design. In spring 2023 the collaboration ended without the parties reaching agreement on how to wind it up.
Production model 2023
Seatfoil today
In 2026 QConcepts began marketing a seated electric hydrofoil under the name Seatfoil. On its website at seatfoiling.com, QConcepts presents itself as the originator and maker of the Seatfoil, stating that "Seatfoil is designed, engineered and built by QConcepts Design & Engineering in the Netherlands" and that "Seatfoil was created by QConcepts Design & Engineering in the Netherlands". That presentation does NOT match the history set out above. The Seatfoil name originates with me, and QConcepts' product builds on intellectual property and know-how that I developed and, during our cooperation, made available to QConcepts under confidentiality arrangements.
The matter is being handled through the appropriate channels, and I won’t comment on it further here.
I’m proud of what I created, thankful to the people that supported and I haven’t closed the book on Seatfoil. If you’d like to know more about the project or its history, feel free to get in touch.
Peter Kooren, founder of Seatfoil / The Blue Compass