Kay Lenny: he rode a 5'6'' foil surfboard in open ocean swells | Photo: Kai Lenny

Kai Lenny opened a new chapter in the history of surfing. He rode a 5'6'' foil surfboard in open ocean swells for several miles off the coast of Maui in Hawaii.

Forget long, flat spells and unsurfable wind swells.

Thanks to Kai Lenny's ongoing technological adventures, it will be possible to ride a surfboard in places where we thought there were no surfing opportunities.

What if the entire coastline next to you became a surf spot? What if you could ride small wind swells 150 feet (45 meters) off the shore?

Lenny first tested a hydrofoil on a 10-foot stand-up paddleboard.

Later, he tried it on a thick 7-foot surfboard. But his latest innovation is definitely a game-changer.

"I thought that was it. And then I got this idea one day, and I started paddling into the open ocean swell on my 5'6''. Ever since then, it kind of seems like a dream," says Kai Lenny.

"All of a sudden, my world just exploded with the possibilities of empty lineups. There are epic waves, and they're just in front of me. And I hadn't seen it."

Has Kei Lenny found the key to the world's longest waves? Have we unveiled surfing's endless wave by developing the right tool to access it? Will hydrofoil surfboards change surf explorations?

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"I'm at the lake. The wind is forecast to pick up through the day with some moderate gusts, but we have a small weather window to paddle. I think it's fine!" pings a WhatsApp message one late April morning.