Pro surfer minces fingers in motorised foil accident

Richard Snowden (Rick Snowden)
Swellnet Dispatch

Carribean-born pro surfer, William Aliotti, is counting his Christmas blessings after learning he’ll keep the two fingers he mangled in a grizzly electric hydrofoil mishap.

Willy, who now lives in Hossegor, had been back home in Saint Martin riding the supercharged alt-water vehicle when he fell from his perch and had his digits chewed up by the propeller system.

His middle and ring fingers were sucked straight into the unprotected blade resulting in this gruesome display (don't click if you're squeamish - really)

Thankfully, doctors were able to stitch the mess back together and Willy had himself a fine tale to share with his pals.

“Good news !! I got to keep my fingers ... it’s going to take a fews weeks to heal.. the surgery went pretty well as you can see. This is pretty much a recap of what happened during this last 3 days and how I did it ... thank you for all the message, friends from Saint Martin and my queen @sdefrutos and mum to be there for me anytime #ibeback #fingerless #thankyou #electricfoil”

Willy's fingers, post-surgery

The rise in popularity of foiling has dramatically raised the stakes for riders and waterbound bystanders alike, with more and more inexperienced and reckless humans having a swing.

I’m yet to ride a non-powered hydrofoil, let alone one with a blender strapped to the bottom. I'm sure it’s a hoot, but without sounding overly geriatric, perhaps some additional regulation could be in order, starting with some mesh for that unprotected undercarriage?

Be safe out there crew.

Comments

indo-dreaming Saturday, 28 Dec 2019 at 01:51 pm new

Foils of all type's scare the hell out of me.

Just glad to hear it was his fingers and not someone else's in the water.

wozz Saturday, 28 Dec 2019 at 07:52 pm new

Sux to be him but there’s an old saying don’t stick your fingers where you wouldn’t stick your dick.

Feralkook Sunday, 29 Dec 2019 at 10:40 am new

Some good old "Common Dog" goes a long way.

truebluebasher Saturday, 28 Dec 2019 at 02:02 pm new

Xmas Toyz 4 da Boyz = Disaster Area.

Note some Twin Propulsion Blade units & yet to see any safety mounts.
Riders are even doubling kidz (Kidz would lose a whole foot or hand easily)

NSW Motor Powered Hydrofoil boards (Requirements)
https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/maritime/safety-rules/rules-regulations/emer…

General Rundown for yer white hot weaponized crissie pressie
Jet Foil boards are classed PWC Personal Water-Craft
Can't operate yer whitehorsepowerboard in PWC / Jetski exclusion zones
Grey area with Police Jet Ski patrol a real concern in prohibited Cyclonic lock-downs.

Day operation only + recommended fluro life vest (Police warning like Skate/scooter)
Over 4kw engine >18.5 km/hr (Vessel > needs driver's licence + safety gear)
18.5 km/hr > Jetfoils require 50mm contrast rego numbers on 'each side' of deck

YouTube Jet Foilerz flyin' fast but no Rego numbers or Safety Vests as you'd guess.
Open invitation for noyce Uber foil pick ups thru WSR change rooms.
Witness a lawful Jetfoil act! Dial Dutto & dob in the drug mule...cue: Lurch.."Groan!"

Lanky Dean Saturday, 28 Dec 2019 at 02:17 pm new

Well fook, if that's post surgery..
I ain't clicking on the link,
Glad no one foils where I live! Those things look and are dangerous.
Kooks foil.

bipola Saturday, 28 Dec 2019 at 03:45 pm new

got a dickhead that foils here on a sup, bloody dangerous. he goes out the back and foils back through the pack. scares the shit out of me,

Lanky Dean Sunday, 29 Dec 2019 at 12:18 am new

In Maui
There is a break with 2 similar waves. One is for surfers the other is for wind , sup, kite, foil clowns .
I seen a sip try to paddle over towards the surfers wave, didn't end well.
Sup foil is there even such a thing ? Geeze that sounds dangerous.

dazzler Sunday, 29 Dec 2019 at 09:05 am new

Plenty of those at local, one bloke recognises the risk by wearing helmet & body armour & still goes through the pack.

GuySmiley Saturday, 28 Dec 2019 at 04:51 pm new

Once again innovation leapfrogging common sense and the law.

Ought to be banned outright in all popular surf locations but will take a death or two before that occurs.

Mango Carafino Saturday, 28 Dec 2019 at 05:14 pm new

Well, I am American and Jewish, so the first thing that comes to my mind after reading this story is.......SUE THE MANUFACTURER OF THE PRODUCT / GET THE MONEY !!! The brand that supplied the foil have to have product insurance, if they do not, then you get to sue them directly. Hurry up.

Just think if that finger was needed to access the phone password lock, ouch.

bluediamond Saturday, 28 Dec 2019 at 06:29 pm new

sewer rat

Surfalot67 Saturday, 28 Dec 2019 at 05:35 pm new

Saw a kook off rainbow the other day on a motorised foil. Kept looking to shore to see who was watching - total flog. Only good news is the Greenmount foil shop went broke in about 4 weeks.

bluediamond Saturday, 28 Dec 2019 at 06:27 pm new

DAmmit i looked!!

Feralkook Sunday, 29 Dec 2019 at 10:45 am new

Well you must pay for your sin, gouge your eyes out in penance and burn them at the beach so we have swell and decent winds for the next month. Will save me having to dance naked under a full moon whilst drinking blood through a severed goat's penis. Cyclone swell takes so much more effort to conjure up but I deliver.

bluediamond Friday, 3 Jan 2020 at 02:38 am new

hahaha. Oh you folk are really having a bad season huh!? Feel for ya!!!. May Huey rediscover the East Coast of Australia on his intergalactic GPS wave maker!!

frog Sunday, 29 Dec 2019 at 08:35 am new

Foils should stick to weirdo spots that don't suit normal surfers. - lots of them out there.

Side issue but ....

How many people in this world call themselves pro surfers? I have lost count over the years of the references to nobodies calling themselves a pro surfer. Claiming that title in a sport where even top 20 surfers can struggle for decent sponsorship is pretty fake. Most you have never heard of and never will and only make pocket money. They should be called broke surfers. Or just surfers. Or at best: aspiring pro surfer.

saltman Sunday, 29 Dec 2019 at 10:04 am new

Agree
it’s a bit like calling yourself an actor or model = I wait tables for a living

crg Sunday, 29 Dec 2019 at 03:28 pm new

Haha agreed.
I once got in a near punch on with a “former QS” surfer as he referred to himself. I attempted to clarify for him that he was actually a failed pro surfer then.
He didn’t see the humour.

mattlock Sunday, 29 Dec 2019 at 04:16 pm new

I was a pro surfer once. My first cheque to go surfing on was for $87. Got another one two weeks later!

seaslug Sunday, 29 Dec 2019 at 05:54 pm new

haha good one mattock, your surf team was BH

SI Sunday, 29 Dec 2019 at 12:17 pm new

I hope there is some regulation on these in Victoria too. They should be excluded from going within 200m of any swimmer or surfer with REAL fine, I.e. $500 first offence, then doubling it for second up to $5000 max fine with court appearance after 2nd offence.
I spoke to a guy who uses a foil with kite, and he said it is very difficult to stop it or avoid people if they “get in the way”... Farrrrk, they shouldn’t be allowed near swimmers or surfers at all - those long sharp blades Under those boards are enough to cause very serious injury or even death, without even getting into the horrible idea of mincing little motors being thrown in to the equation. I agree with the Jewish guy, sue the manufacturers!! But hell, that’s after the horse has bolted and the damage done. We need regulation on it to keep people safe. If it’s got a fucking motor that can cause that much damage it should be classified as a boat. I hope someone whose got some influence in government considers what I’ve said. Hey Damo, you probably know someone - pass on my note...

Robo Sunday, 29 Dec 2019 at 02:25 pm new

Geez can you get this photo off the page so every time i check the surf cams it’s Not there.

stunet Sunday, 29 Dec 2019 at 04:21 pm new

Keep Mikey Wright away from these things or he might lose his marketing appeal.

truebluebasher Sunday, 29 Dec 2019 at 06:41 pm new

Nominee for Joke of the year...please fetch Stu a gath for the plush pile red carpet .

Sprout Sunday, 29 Dec 2019 at 10:58 pm new

Well he can't get any dumber, regardless of digits.

barrel_pig Thursday, 2 Jan 2020 at 08:00 am new

If he could suddenly only count to eight/nine (instead of ten) some might class that as a touch less intelligent

simba Sunday, 29 Dec 2019 at 05:06 pm new

or possibly the opposite...needs to lose the one finger salute....

user Sunday, 29 Dec 2019 at 06:02 pm new

I've ridden these electric motor foils and its piss easy. Easier than riding a bike.
Total beginners with no boards skills or any watersports experience can get going in under an hour.
Most surfers are riding in under 10 mins .
So what happened to you Mr PRO surfer?
You f**ked up big time or perhaps you,re just useless.
No wonder we,ve never heard of you.
And putting your hand anywhere near the propeller is as stupid as
putting your hand near an outboard motor.
One for learning.

gavin007 Monday, 30 Dec 2019 at 12:52 pm new

I just came out of the water only a couple of hours ago, and for the first time there were two guys surfing with foils (non powered, short boards, similar to what you see Kai Lenny riding all over You Tube). To be honest, they didn't seem to be a problem. The waves were small and they seemed to know what they were doing. They were quite happy to chat about them in the water, main comment being they took a long time to master.Common sense says that anything with a propeller needs to have some sort of protective cover, and it opens up the debate around powered craft hogging the waves, etc.

Spuddups Monday, 30 Dec 2019 at 01:43 pm new

Ye gods, I wouldn’t have believed this was a thing till I saw some dude fanging it along the beach on a flat day a week ago. I imagine if one of those gets within 100 metres of any of our local surf spots they’re gonna get an earful. Oxygen thieves.

truebluebasher Tuesday, 21 Apr 2020 at 12:05 pm new

Your fav' minced finger topped Meat'loverz Pizza now with efoil Goldie style delivery.

stylemaster1970 Tuesday, 21 Apr 2020 at 12:17 pm new

Maybe he was just trying to get the "anchor wanker" tatt off his finger. Even stuffed that up.

truebluebasher Monday, 8 Feb 2021 at 12:45 pm new

Blonde TV Diva's Qld Tourist Promo of E Foil, seems perfectly Safe...(Stop Laughing)
Most have already read about it, but accident requires surgery so it slots in here...
Goldie, Stand in Hostess & crew wish SUP chick Allison a speedy recovery.
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/05/12/01/4037E2AF00000578-4497952-…
SUP Chick Allison has some pretty wicked Piloting skills...see the in-Flight vid!
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-9230777/Allison-Langdon-u…
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-9226779/Allison-Langdon-p…

https://www.queensland.com/au/en/things-to-do/tours/p-5ee0545df00836761…
Where else but Queensland -Dugong Cannery E Foil Tour. (Bump!)
"WTF...a deranged sea cow just squirted blood all over my foilee!"
('Yeah, don't that just shit ya! ...should be declared a Foilee Hazard or some shit!')

Breaky TV Summer Surf Safety series..."Ironchick bets Karl to surf in his suit!" WTF.
This! Straight after bodies pile up on Goldie beaches & co host wipeout! (It's insane!)
TV/Clubbies Surf Message ...Let's all be Surf Toolies!
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-9225967/Karl-Stefanovic-g…
Meanwhile same paper, day & another Injured Channel 9 celeb.
Injured weatherman: "Didn't even know if I could swim" (Torn Arm in a sling)
Quite clearly to all, that Channel 9 could have lost 3 lives to the sea in 3 days.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9228029/Australian-TV-weatherm…
Makes one wonder, what, if any insurance policy Channel 9 has or had ?
Salute our local weatherman for First response retrieval either way!
Hope yer shoulder heals well...tough gig!

truebluebasher Tuesday, 6 Sep 2022 at 01:00 pm new

The Ultimate Sin...Aussie Bogans shit all over the World Heritage site.

Mayor of Venice : "Lots & lots of Hand Waving ...de Imbecilli le Foily bogans!"
The Wash Up!
*Foils Confiscated : ( Loss = $25k each )
*Fines = ( $2,500 each )
*Shipping Safety Fines = ( $5,000 each )
*Damaging the Image of Venice = Priceless! Seriously...Mayor is awarding you our Biggest Bill ever!
*Eviction from the City...( Think you'll find it has no expiry date...it's valid thru your afterlife.)
Mostly coz the Oz bogan's blared out Surfin' USA...as ya do in Venice?

Warning! News Article may Contain another Oz Bogan riding over some Ancient Dead Remains...(Tick!)

https://whatsnew2day.com/uproar-in-venice-as-two-imbeciles-are-filmed-s…

RockyIsland Tuesday, 6 Sep 2022 at 05:38 pm new

Unfortunately they are everywhere here....they ride in a posse ......all come out together....longtime locals who should know better....SUP foils, motorised foils, stand up foils, so so scary.....They dominate taking off out the point...across to the bombie and into the shorey and out again.....unfortunate as there are waves out beyond the points they should be all over....hopefully they will go the way of wave jumpers