No need for waves with new electric surfboard Christophe Defrance, owner of Redwood paddle, a small business in Perpignan, carries out a final sea trial before he plans to market his innovation next month. An electric surfboard, it hovers above the water thanks to a hydrofoil, a submerged wing at the end of a rudder that allows the board to take off on the water and uses electricity rather than wave power to go forwards. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES