Foil Drive Titanium M8 Mast Plate Split Bolt MAX

The Foil Drive Titanium M8 Mast Plate Split Bolt MAX is a precision-machined titanium hardware upgrade designed for the Foil Drive Assist MAX Gen2 electric foil-assist system. Sold as a set of four, each split bolt pairs an extended titanium stud with a corresponding cap that threads onto it in a barrel-nut arrangement. The stud remains permanently fixed to a T-nut, so once seated in a board's mast-plate track the bolt and T-nut move as a single piece. This eliminates the common frustration of trying to align loose T-nuts inside the track during installation or mid-session battery swaps.

Foil Drive, an Australian company focused on electric assist units for hydrofoil boards, developed the split bolt specifically to address a pain point for trench-board riders who need to remove and reattach the mast plate frequently. Rather than fully unbolting the system, riders can loosen the caps and slide the mast plate free, swap a battery, and re-secure the plate without losing alignment.

• Material: Titanium
• Thread size: M8
• Driver: T40 Torx
• Quantity per set: 4 studs + 4 caps
• Compatibility: Foil Drive Assist MAX Gen2
• Also available in: M7

This hardware is aimed at riders already running a Foil Drive Assist MAX Gen2 unit on a trench-mount board. If your sessions involve frequent battery changes — common during downwind runs or extended freeride outings — the split bolt meaningfully reduces changeover time. The integrated T-nut-and-stud design is also useful for anyone who finds standard loose T-nut alignment tedious, whether due to thick gloves, choppy conditions, or limited beach space.

Because installation is straightforward (seat the T-nut in the track, place the mast plate, thread the cap), no special mechanical skill is required. The titanium construction suits saltwater use, offering corrosion resistance that outlasts stainless-steel alternatives in marine environments.

Foil Drive offers the Mast Plate Split Bolt in two thread sizes — M7 and M8 — to match different foil-brand track standards. The M8 variant covered here fits boards that use M8 mast-plate hardware, while the M7 set serves brands and models threaded for M7 bolts. Both versions sit within Foil Drive's growing catalogue of Gen2-specific accessories alongside items like the Assist MAX controller, battery packs, and motor pods.

Compared to the standard stainless-steel bolts shipped with most foil-assist kits, the titanium split bolt is a targeted upgrade rather than a necessity. Riders who rarely remove their mast plate may not see a meaningful benefit, but for those swapping batteries in the field the one-piece alignment and slide-and-swap workflow can save several minutes per change. No direct equivalent exists from competing electric-assist brands such as Takuma or Lift, making this a Foil Drive-exclusive accessory.