In Q4 2023 efoiling is still illegal in Switzerland (unlike Gambling, Prostitution, Pharmaceutical heroin for difficult to treat addicts, rental motorboats without license from age 16 and all the good stuff….).
The only Swiss politician that has tried to do something about it to my knowledge is Philippe Nantermod @nantermod . He presented the following question to the swiss parliament:
“E-foils, a type of e-surfboard, have become a popular sport in recent years and have been significantly developed.
However, Swiss legislation does not provide any regulations for "e-foils" and does not treat them as surfboards, boats or other water sports equipment. Incidentally, a Swiss company has been trying unsuccessfully for years to obtain clarity on the approvability of its product.
Given the advantages of these surfboards, particularly that they make little noise and do not pollute the environment, is the Federal Council open to the possibility of approving them in federal legislation? If so, would this be subject to certain size and weight restrictions or to the requirement of a driver's license? If not, for what reason?”
Unfortunately his fellow members pushed back mentioning the need for an extensive consultation, safety risks and fear of overcrowding lakes with recreational vessels. Because it’s obviously better to have a 250 HP Powerboat with 2 people aboard and dump 50 liters of fuel in the lake for towing 1 non motorized board than a efoil…
For the Swiss authorities efoils are like jet-skis…
This is really a frustrating situation since otherwise most of the Legislation in Switzerland is really based on common sense, individual freedom in the respect of the community and environmental sensibility.
Let us register and insure our efoils, give us dedicated areas (like for kiting, waterski, wakesurfing), if we have to get a sort of license/training it’s fine. Just let us be.
Keep pushing we will get there at some point.
Italy, France and Germany allow and regulate the use of efoils and to date no tragedies.
🙏🏴☠️🤙
https://www.parlament.ch/de/ratsbetrieb/suche-curia-vista/geschaeft?AffairId=20224313
#efoilingisnotacrime #switzerland #swissparliament