Surfing Waves

I'm a Grad student and still learning to surf. I'm looking into possible thesis directions for a product. I wanted to see what others had to say about surfing and where its headed. I think its important to see all sides to really understand the riders.

I'm in love with surfing now after riding the line for the first time and I want to bring it into my other passion of designing products.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I see surfing as a sport or lifestyle where its participants are more concerned about the waves for themselves. Surfers in reality don't really want to share if they don't have to. I've read plenty of stories of small surf communities growing all over the US from NY, Texas, and even on the great lake in Michigan. Surfing camps are popping up all over with loads of new beginners. Communities and even big brands are contributing or raising money to support cleaner beaches, cleaner water, youth groups, and in all grow the sport of surfing for the good of everyone. Does the selfishness just happen around certain breaks and spreading out from there?

What is your opinion on the growth of surfing? Good or bad?

What do you see needs to be changed?

- Sean

So great your going to design something that reduces the numbers of surfers. Hmmm condoms and guns have already been done, as has the pill. I wonder what it will be?
Even in the most crowded of line ups you can still get waves.

KS

design a velcro sea brake/bucket that can be stealthily attached to your mate's board just as he's paddling onto a wave...

I suggest an excursion to Lunada Bay in Palo Verdes, interview the locals. That's a starting point.
The big brands are collapsing or barely holding their own. For most of the newbies an attempt at surfing is a brief flirt with a manufactured fashion, to catch this beginner surf schools have set up all over the world.
The surfing world has morphed from a Hawaiian then Californian activity, it has spread across the world.
To get a perspective look at heaps of old getting progressively newer surf video.

Read a little history of surfing, I also suggest the book KOOK seriously.

New surfers see some of the vibes as selfishness. Capable surfers see new people in a quality break as learner drivers bringing a Volkswagen beetle into a full top Daytona race track on race day.
Is it selfishness or safety?

As to the product Hmmmmm. Rose coloured glasses perhaps.

You have a lot of historical/background work to get through to gain a level of understanding where you would go for a thesis.
In the end it needs to be personally experiential go get a lot more.

What does "thesis directions for a product" mean?

Non surfers and newcomers have an initial advantage over most surfers in some respects as they are not yet brainwashed, unfortunately in their haste to become educated on the subject they swallow the kool aid eagerly and within a few weeks are doing their best to mimic the cloned 'experienced' members of the group which they are studying or trying to join. Of course if one is trying to make a mass market surfing product this is probably necessary, but it's a ghastly process to behold,as it entails a loss of innocence and objectivity, this stifles creativity.

designersean wrote:I'm a Grad student and still learning to surf. I'm looking into possible thesis directions for a product. I wanted to see what others had to say about surfing and where its headed. I think its important to see all sides to really understand the riders.

I'm in love with surfing now after riding the line for the first time and I want to bring it into my other passion of designing products.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I see surfing as a sport or lifestyle where its participants are more concerned about the waves for themselves. Surfers in reality don't really want to share if they don't have to. I've read plenty of stories of small surf communities growing all over the US from NY, Texas, and even on the great lake in Michigan. Surfing camps are popping up all over with loads of new beginners. Communities and even big brands are contributing or raising money to support cleaner beaches, cleaner water, youth groups, and in all grow the sport of surfing for the good of everyone. Does the selfishness just happen around certain breaks and spreading out from there?

What is your opinion on the growth of surfing? Good or bad?

What do you see needs to be changed?

- Sean

Go proper surfing and decide for yourself.

Mate I see surfing as an escape from academia, a world where everything is over analysed.I hope your thesis doesn't destroy your surfing experience.