Mark Zuckerberg was the talk of the internet on the Fourth of July when he posted a video of him holding the American flag while surfing on what appears to be a hydrofoil.
Now, the Facebook CEO is ushering in what looks like a new water sports fad, reports CNBC. More people are now starting to get interested in hydrofoils, and they are trying to see what makes the water sport tick.
The hydrofoil that Mark Zuckerberg rides in the video looks like it’s gliding through the water, holding the rider up at the height of about one foot. To move (and keep the board afloat), it looks like Zuckerberg has to pump his legs to build some sort of momentum to push it forward.
Hydrofoiling might not be as recognizable as other water sports such as wakeboarding or surfing, but it seems to be garnering enough attention–at least judging by the engagement on Zuckerberg’s post. CNET reports that the video got over half a million likes on both Instagram and Facebook within the first hour of posting.
Describing what the experience is like, Zuckerberg said in a comment on the post, “There’s a wing under the water that I’m riding that pushes the board into the air. It’s a lot of fun.”
Despite looking like he’s having a blast, though, Mark Zuckerberg did get bashers (as any high-profile individual would), and the video itself got turned into numerous memes.
(Photo : Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
SUN VALLEY, IDAHO – JULY 08: CEO of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg walks to lunch following a session at the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference on July 08, 2021 in Sun Valley, Idaho. After a year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the world’s most wealthy and powerful businesspeople from the media, finance, and technology worlds will converge at the Sun Valley Resort for the exclusive week-long conference.
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Mark Zuckerberg’s New Hobby At A Glance
So, how does a hydrofoil work, exactly?
As Zuck himself explained, the hydrofoil looks like a surfboard but with wings at the bottom. There are two main types: a manual and a motorized one. Mark Zuckerberg was riding a manual one, which is evident by his pumping his legs up and down to make it move. As for the motorized version, there’s a propeller attached to the wing assembly that propels the board forward as for the motorized version. A rider can control the “engine” wirelessly using a phone or a dedicated handheld controller.
If you want a thorough and more scientific explanation, you can check this YouTube video out by the channel Water Lust:
Hydrofoil tech is also not restricted to this kind of application. Other devices such as drones, like some models from the company Parrot, use the tech to create mini drones that can glide across the water via a boat-like attachment.
Not A Cheap Hobby
Say what you want about his hobbies (and meme-worthy photos showing him with a face full of sunblock), but Mark Zuckerberg is still worth over $120 billion. And that certainly allows him to indulge in hydrofoiling because those boards are not cheap.
According to a report by The Sun, the board that Zuck uses costs upwards of $12,000. Even the cheapest ones still cost $2,000. So, for those interested in trying this water sport out, be prepared to fork over a lot of cash.
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Written by RJ Pierce
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