18-Oct-16 – (Above) A man in a devil costume floats over DuSable Harbor on October 9 using a water-propelled flyboard. The watercraft at left is supplying the propulsion through a long hose connected to the flyboard. The water comes out of the two nozzles at the man’s feet. (Click on images to view larger versions.)

Developed in 2011 by French Jet Ski champion Franky Zapata, flyboards sells for about $6,700 but local flyboard expert John Gibbs, founder of Chicago Water Sports Rentals, thinks this could be a home-made version. (Left) The flying devil is about 20 feet over DuSable Harbor, higher than Chris Hagstrom when he flew about 15 feet over the Chicago River on March 16, 2013.

(Right) The flyboard operator changes direction by moving his feet and bending his knees like a skier. Some versions have hand-held nozzles that help stabilize the craft but the flyboard’s speed is controlled from the nearby watercraft.

(Left) Posing while hovering over the harbor.

(Right) The devil unmasked, but we still don’t know his name, even after checking with a few sources around DuSable Harbor.