Artificial waves - what do you guys think?

[JuanPardo]

Just came across an article on artificial waves in Spanish. Found one on the same topic in English:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/kel ... f378954508

http://www.kswaveco.com/

what do you guys think? is this the future?

[oldmansurfer]

I think this will have it's niche in surfing if they can do this reasonably economically. Otherwise it is just a rich guys sport. So far things look questionable for the future. While Kelly Slater's wave looks awesome, there have been a few wave pools in existence with surfable waves, the ones that had waves that made surfers drool haven't fared so well.......so far. Dorney park (Pennsylvania) has had a wave pool since 1985, still going, but you can easily find better waves in the ocean. It is the only fresh water wave I have actually bodysurfed (didn't get a chance to surf it.)

[pmcaero]

my favorite artificial wave so far

[RinkyDink]

what do you guys think? is this the future?

I think we'll definitely see them in the future. How I feel about them will depend on how efficient they are. How much coal will need to be burned to generate the electricity to run the wave? Will a fresh water aquifer need to constantly be pumped to maintain the water level in the pool? Should wave pools even be built in areas where surf breaks already exist? There's already a golf course in Death Valley, CA; should there be a wave pool too?

http://www.furnacecreekresort.com/activities/golfing/

[pmcaero]

Kelly's pool is apparently solar powered

[Tudeo]

I think it has future, technologies will evolve, artificial waves will be better and better and give more people the opportunity to surf.

But for me, I'm more interested what this will do to the problem of crowds at natural surfspots around the world. Will the crowds be less because of many surfers having the alternative to surf artificial waves closer to home or will the crowds worsen because more people will be picking up surfing this way?

[Big H]

It has a future and a place especially in a world running out of space. They have about as much soul as a skatepark. Kids who work there will be absolute rippers on that wave. Local shapers will feature shapes designed specifically for a certain wavepark and setting. Certain aspects of wave riding skill will be more easily and quickly available for development due to not having to mess about and wait for sets, weeks or seasons when the swell is in. Those who dont swim well, are afraid or just dont like the ocean will have an option. I would guess on some crossover from real surfers who wanted to have some fun in a wave pool, but not too much at all from those wave pool only surfers trying to surf in the open ocean....lots of frustratiion for them without ocean knowledge, paddle fitness, positioning savvy ir the ability to adjust to constantly changing conditions.

Case in point: I was out yesterday and was among the middle of the lineup in waveriding skill....i dont have the moves that some of the others had.....I was much more paddle fit that any of them (pure tourist lineup), knew where the waves would break (local knowledge) held position in the longshore and got more waves than anyone else.

I would try it.

[oldmansurfer]

I think the board shaper aspect will be awesome. It eliminates the wave from trying to figure out why a board performs a certain way by providing the exact same wave over and over. Therefore problems are either due to he board or the surfer. Great knowledge of design should come from wavepools.

[Art]

I can see a huge value in it from a individual surfing development perspective.

Think of it this way - during an average surf you might get 10 waves and they go for 20-30seconds each. That's only 2-3 minutes actually on waves. In a 2 hours session in a wave pool you might get 10 or 20 minutes of actual surfing time. And on good waves too..

There's two opening in Australia over the next few years....I'll definitely give it a go...

[dtc]

I see it as almost equivalent to a golf driving range - you get to practice something over and over (your swing) but in the real world the ball wont always be sitting up on a flat bit of ground and you may have things in the way and different grass (or usually in the rough like, um, some people I know). On the course you need to make strategic decisions - lay up or go for it, back spin or draw etc etc. Sure you can practice that but you need to know when to use it and how to use it on all the different locations

Surfing is inherently unpredictable and a wave pool is predictable. Thats the benefit and downside of a wave pool. You can practice and perfect but you still need to surf the wave. However, I imagine that for 80%+ of surfers, even practicing in a predictable environment is still going to result in a massive improvement in the real world

I agree with Old Man that it should really kick along surfboard development

[drowningbitbybit]

during an average surf you might get 10 waves and they go for 20-30seconds each

Wow, if I got 10 waves that lasted for 30 seconds each, I wouldn't call that an "average surf"!

[drowningbitbybit]

The artificial waves will really kick in when RipCurl or whoever back them with proper $$$$$$$ and sponsorship.
Think of the advertising exposure for the companies when the wave is predictable, a comp can be scheduled for prime time TV, and the filming can be covered from half a dozen different angles. It'll be different to 'real' surfing, but it will be a thing.

I imagine it will become like indoor rock climbing where loads of people go to the "fake" rocks, but have no real interest in climbing mountains (I'm one of those people by the way).

[waikikikichan]

The best artificial wave before Kelly's was done decades ago in Miyazaki Japan. Watch this video from the :45 second mark

[dtc]

Summerland was better...

[icetime]

If they can make huge waves without them being in sets that would be amazing since you wouldn't need to worry about getting caught inside when you miss your wave but also unlike a beach you can go away from crowds at these spots but I'd like to assume they'd had limits on how many people can stay in at a time personally I still prefer the ocean, it's great to see schools of fish whooshing in the waves and the sand.

[BoMan]

Think of it this way - during an average surf you might get 10 waves and they go for 20-30seconds each. That's only 2-3 minutes.

If they become popular, folks may face "Disneyland waits" for a 20 second slide and not get more wave time than in the ocean. That said, it will be fun to watch people riding as you wait. Can you imagine the embarrassment of blowing a wave in front of a crowd? There will probably be sound effects (SLURG) for wipeouts!

I will save my money for surfing real waves.

[drowningbitbybit]

There will probably be sound effects (SLURG) for wipeouts!

Oh, god... you're so right!
The theme-park mentality will mean they do a sound effect at the end of every ride... there'll be the wipeout tune, the flailed-along-slowly comedy tune, the didn't-catch-the-wave tune, the totally-barrelled tune... oh god, I've just completely gone off the idea unless I can have one like Kelly in my own back garden

[waikikikichan]

Summerland was better...

Yeah, I can see how they're getting totally "TUBED".

[RinkyDink]

There will probably be sound effects (SLURG) for wipeouts!

Oh, god... you're so right!
The theme-park mentality will mean they do a sound effect at the end of every ride... there'll be the wipeout tune, the flailed-along-slowly comedy tune, the didn't-catch-the-wave tune, the totally-barrelled tune... oh god, I've just completely gone off the idea unless I can have one like Kelly in my own back garden

And every Friday will be surf with Bob Seger night. Alright!!!

[jaffa1949]

It is a possible way to make surfing an Olympic sport ( God help us) a consistant standard wave on which judging is easier, no flat sets. Countries that have no surf coast or dangerous waters could create a surf team.