Touringboards 2023: Electric hardboard Tahe E-Breeze Performer 11'6" x 32.5" in test
Stephan Gölnitz
· 23.08.2023
Tahe (formerly Bic) is probably the last manufacturer to build hardboards in moulds in France. The foam core is covered on the outside by an impact-resistant ASA skin, with glass fibre being used underneath. This construction method is not as stiff as a carbon board, but is significantly cheaper. The electric motor and removable lithium-ion battery drive up the price of the E-Breeze. The 180-watt drive is started using the remote control on the paddle or wrist.
At level one, you can quickly reach a good four km/h without much effort and even against the wind. On the test day, the wind on Lake Garda was offshore, sometimes with gusts of force four to five, but even against the wind it was effortless. Speed level two accelerates to a good five km/h, level three then hardly provides any additional speed. The board conveys a hardboard feeling, but even against smaller waves you can feel slight vibrations in the hull - it is relatively thin and lacks the stiffening carbon fibre.
On a sightseeing tour along Torbole, the paddle swings easily through the water; with less paddling power than usual, the board moves faster, leaving you free to take in the surroundings, which makes the stable water position even easier. The motor and the hollowed-out underwater hull not only provide thrust, but also push the board in a straight line in one direction - the driving force is also applied in the centre of the board. What the board lacks is the undercover mode, the creep mode. The board vibrates noticeably under the soles, although not annoyingly, and the motor hums audibly. Our test ride ends after 40 minutes. Despite predominantly being used at level two and rarely at level one, there is only one bar out of four on the battery indicator. The manufacturer specifies a battery life of one to three hours.
Conclusion on the Tahe E-Breeze Performer 11'6" x 32.5":
The assistance is clearly noticeable and apparently efficient. However, the motor drive is also much more audible and noticeable than on an e-bike. It is important to bear in mind that electric drives may be subject to authorisation or even generally prohibited on many bodies of water.
Technical data and notes Tahe E-Breeze Performer 11'6" x 32.5":
- Price: 2399 Euro
- Length: 350 cm
- Width: 82.5 cm
- Weight: 17.5 kg
- Volume: 215 litres
Well-functioning electrical support.
Stephan Gölnitz
Deputy Editor in Chief surf
Stephan Gölnitz comes from Bochum and had Holland as his home windsurfing territory for many years before moving to Munich in 1996 for the job of test editor at surf magazine. The materials engineering graduate worked as a surf instructor on the Ijsselmeer during his studies and competed for several seasons for the Essen sailing team in the Surfbundesliga and the Funboard Cup. He completed a traineeship at surf-Magazin in the test department and since then has actively accompanied almost all tests on the boom and for more than 10 years also as a photographer. Stephan has covered many thousands of test kilometers, mainly on Lake Garda and in Langebaan, but also in Egypt and Tobago. He gets his hands on over 100 new sails and boards every year as his company car. Privately, he prefers to surf with a foil on Lake Walchensee or “unfortunately far too rarely” in the waves. SUP is Stephan's second passion, which he pursued for several years at numerous SUP races. Today, he prefers to paddle on river tours with family or friends - even for several days.
