Membership Guide & House Rules
The non-profit gateway to premium foil gear, ridden by the Hive
Welcome to FoilHive. We're a Belgian non-profit with a simple mission: make foiling accessible to everyone across Europe. We operate from our warehouse in Tarifa, Spain, one of Europe's premier water sports hubs, and ship gear directly to your door. No complicated tiers, no lock-in contracts, no corporate upselling. Just great gear, fairly priced, ready when you are.
This guide explains exactly how everything works. We believe in transparency, so we've laid it all out, the good stuff, the responsibilities, and everything in between.
1. One Plan. Your Choice of Gear. Simple.
No Tiers. No Confusion.
Unlike traditional membership services, FoilHive doesn't have bronze, silver, or gold tiers. There's one plan, and the price depends entirely on what gear you choose to ride.
You browse our available equipment, see the monthly price clearly displayed, and join with exactly the gear you want. The exact cost depends on the specific equipment you select. You'll always see the precise monthly price before you commit, no surprises, no hidden fees.
What's Included, What's Not
Your membership covers the foil assembly, front wing, tail wing, mast, and fuselage, along with accessories like covers and a foil bag. It does not include a board. Most riders already own one. If you don't, you can rent a board locally or pick one up second-hand.
2. Getting Started, Onboarding
Step-by-Step
- Create Your Account: name, email, phone, address & rider profile
- Set Up Payment Authorisation: Credit card or accepted payment method. No money is charged yet, this simply authorises FoilHive to process future payments (membership fees, damage charges, or unreturned gear)
- Browse Available Gear: Real-time availability from our Tarifa warehouse. Each front and tail wing comes with a cover, a full pack with an additional bag. Each item shows its monthly membership cost
- Select Your Gear + Review Price
- Pay first monthly fee and shipping cost directly at checkout
- We confirm & ship! We check your membership request. Gear ships from Tarifa every Tuesday (next working day if Tuesday is a Spanish public holiday). Orders approved before Monday end-of-day catch that week's truck. Tracking provided.
About the Payment Authorisation
We want to be upfront about this. During onboarding, you'll authorise a payment method. Here's what that means:
| What it is | A standard payment authorisation that allows us to charge your monthly membership fee and, if necessary, process charges for unreturned or severely damaged equipment |
|---|---|
| What it is NOT | It is not an upfront security deposit. It is not a fixed hold on your account. No money leaves your account until your first membership charge |
As a non-profit, we don't have large financial reserves. The gear in our fleet is funded by the Hive. This authorisation protects the community's shared equipment and ensures we can continue operating sustainably for everyone.
3. While You're Riding
FoilCare, Basic Protection
Every membership includes FoilCare, our basic protection programme. Because foiling involves wind, water, and the occasional unexpected encounter with the sea floor, we understand that normal wear and tear happens.
- FoilCare covers normal surface scratches and cosmetic wear from regular use
- FoilCare does NOT cover damage beyond normal wear and lost or stolen equipment
The gear will be checked when we receive it in Tarifa and benchmarked against our checklist, which also contains the cost of repair.
If our warehouse assessment identifies damage that falls outside FoilCare coverage, here is exactly what happens:
- You receive an itemised invoice by email, with the specific damage lines, the associated repair or replacement cost, and the photos taken during the warehouse inspection.
- You have 7 calendar days from the moment you receive that invoice to raise a dispute through your account portal. Nothing is charged to your payment method during those 7 days.
- If you do not dispute within 7 calendar days, or if your dispute is reviewed and resolved in FoilHive's favour, the invoiced amount is charged to the payment method you authorised at onboarding.
- If you do raise a dispute, we will review the evidence and respond within 7 business days. Our assessment is final, subject to your rights under applicable Belgian consumer law.
We built this window into the process deliberately. If you think we got the damage assessment wrong, you should have a real opportunity to tell us so before any money moves.
Optional Gear Swaps
Want to try a different wing mid-membership?
- Gear swaps are available but come at an additional cost (shipping and handling for the exchange)
- Check real-time availability in your account, if the gear you want is in stock at our Tarifa warehouse, you can request a swap
- Swap pricing is shown before you confirm, so you always know what you're paying
How a swap works:
- Check Gear Availability, real-time on the website
- You request a swap in your account: check the price adjustment of the monthly fee, the shipping cost & confirm
- Return your current equipment using the return label we provide you
- Once we register your return at Tarifa, your new gear ships on the next Tuesday (next working day if Tuesday is a Spanish public holiday). Tracking provided.
4. The Credit System, Earn Points, Get Perks
How Credits Work
FoilHive credits are a non-monetary points system, think of them as a thank-you for being part of the community. They can't be converted to cash, but they can be redeemed for real perks.
Earning Credits
| How You Earn | Details |
|---|---|
| Beta Member Welcome | 10 credits when your beta membership is approved, one-time |
| Monthly Loyalty Points | 5 credits automatically added each month, starting from month 3 |
| Community Contributions | 10 credits when attending a FoilHive meetup and 10 credits per month when volunteering |
| Social Media Engagement | 3 credits when you post with #FoilHive, 5 credits for a website review, 15 credits for a social review |
| Sustainability Actions | 3 credits when you return gear in its original box and 30 credits for a bag of trash at your local spot |
| Referral | 40 credits per successful referral. Your unique referral link lives in your account, share it with a rider, they sign up, you get 40 credits when they place their first order. |
Redeeming Credits
| Redemption Option | What You Get |
|---|---|
| Swap Cost Coverage | Use credits to cover shipping fees on your next swap |
| FoilHive T-Shirt | Redeem 15 credits for a FoilHive t-shirt included with your next gear shipment |
| Early Access | Reserve new gear before it releases to the public for 30 credits |
| Purchase Discount | Apply credits at checkout for a discount on ONIX gear, stackable up to 35% of purchase price |
| Giving Back | Convert credits into a donation to The Ocean Cleanup at checkout |
| Partner Perks | Coming soon |
Credit Policies
- Expiration: Credits stay redeemable for as long as your membership is active. When you cancel, any unused credits expire at the end of your final billing cycle.
- Cash Value: None, credits cannot be converted to money.
- Transferability: Credits are tied to your account and cannot be transferred.
5. Cancellation, Leave Whenever You Want
No Penalties. No Guilt. No Hoops.
Your FoilHive membership can be cancelled at any time, without penalties or minimum commitment. We don't believe in trapping people. If the Hive isn't right for you, you should be free to leave — but the gear needs to come back to us first, so we can keep it usable for the next member.
Cancellation Process:
- You request cancellation in your account.
- We email you a prepaid return label and book the pickup — your return shipping was already paid at checkout.
- Before the gear reaches us, you declare its condition from your account dashboard: flag any scratches or damage and upload photos. We factor it into the warehouse assessment so there are no surprise charges.
- Your subscription keeps billing on its normal monthly schedule until we receive your gear back in Tarifa. We ship and accept returns every Tuesday (next working day if Tuesday is a Spanish public holiday); drop off your gear before Monday end-of-day to make that week's batch.
- Once your return is registered at our Tarifa warehouse, your membership closes at the end of the cycle in progress. No pro-rated refund for the days you don't use in the current month — the month you've already paid for covers your access this month.
Why we do this: while you hold gear that belongs to the Hive, your membership is materially active. Continuing to bill until the gear is back ensures the fleet stays in circulation and the next member doesn't wait longer than they should.
EU 14-day right of withdrawal: if you cancel within 14 days of receiving your gear, you're entitled to a full refund of the annual membership fee plus the first month under Article VI.47 of the Belgian Code of Economic Law. That refund processes once your gear is back with us.
What Happens If You Don't Return the Gear?
We'll reach out with reminders, but if your gear isn't with us within 30 days of your cancellation request, the full replacement cost will be charged to your authorised payment method and your membership closes regardless. This protects the community's shared fleet and ensures we can continue providing gear to other members.
This is why the payment authorisation during onboarding matters, it's the safety net that keeps the service viable for everyone.
6. Your Responsibilities as a Member, The Quick Summary
We want to be crystal clear about what you're agreeing to. No fine print surprises.
| Responsibility | Details |
|---|---|
| Monthly membership payment | Charged automatically based on your selected gear |
| Take reasonable care of the gear | Ride it as intended; FoilCare covers normal wear |
| Return gear when you cancel or swap | Ship back to Tarifa |
| Accept warehouse damage assessment | Our inspection is the final determination |
| Keep a valid payment method on file | Required for monthly charges and potential damage or non-return fees |
| Pay for excessive damage or unreturned gear | Charged to your authorised payment method |
7. Why FoilHive Exists, Our Non-Profit Mission
FoilHive isn't built to maximise profit. We're a Belgian non-profit, and every euro from memberships goes back into:
- Maintaining and expanding the gear fleet, so more people can ride
- Warehouse operations in Tarifa, inspection, repair, shipping
- Making foiling accessible across Europe, reducing the barrier of expensive equipment ownership
- Supporting the water sports community, because the ocean is for everyone
When you join the Hive, you're not just renting gear. You're funding a community resource. The foil you ride this month might be ridden by someone in Portugal next month and someone in the Netherlands the month after. That's the model, shared access, lower waste, more people on the water.