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Waterproof surf cameras have become part of the surfer's gear and equipment. In the last decade, digital photo and video cameras have been improved and upgraded to fit the wave riding needs.

Today, it's easy to capture the essence of surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing and bodyboarding, right in the center of the action.

Waterproof surf cameras provide a great legacy for surfers. Riders can now review their position on the surfboard, can fine-tune their surf tricks and correct future positions and wave decisions.

Digital cameras for water sports have special features and must meet a handful of surf requirements. Portability, wearability, quality of the images and videos, weight and digital compatibility are the most important things you must confirm before buying a digital surf camera.

There are more options that you might imagine. Filming and photographing waves and surfing is more than just mounting a small camera on a surfboard and clicking the record button. As your enthusiasm in water surf capture grows, you might think of better professional immersive water cameras.

The GoPro HD Hero 3+ is one the best waterproof digital surf cameras for capturing yourself. You can mount the camera on your surfboard or carry it in your chest and helmet. Its full 170º wide angle 1440p video, 12 megapixel photos, and Wi-Fi will do the rest. Great to impress girls and surf rivals.

SeaLife DC1400 is a great waterproof camera for those who would love to kick off a surf career as a surf photographer. This underwater digital camera offers 12-megapixel results and vibrant colors to make photos you will never forget. It was depth tested to 200 ft and has a great flash option.

The FLIR Thermal Night Vision Camera is for futurists of surf photography. With this surf gem, you can capture high quality maritime surf sessions, in total darkness. It requires no light at all.

The Nikon CoolPix AW110 is waterproof and shockproof camera prepared for all water battles. The quality of the glass lens allows three shots in one second and Full HD (1080p) movies.

The Aqua Vu Micro is the size of a smartphone and automatically turns two invisible infrared lights on and off depending on light conditions. A small and versatile option for surfers.

The Intova IC16 is ideal for capturing fast moving subjects underwater. It offers waterproof protection to 180 feet/54 meters 52 mm lens barrel for additional filters and accessories.

The Drift HD Ghost offers full HD for creating crystal clear footage, with its 1080p high definition lens.


The Pentax Optio WG-1 is more than just a waterproof camera. It also offers a GPS functionality for positional data recording of the exact places where the photo was taken. With a 16 megapixel sensor and 5x optical zoom, it delivers stunning results in the line-up.

The Contour Roam 2 is one of the easiest-to-use waterproof cameras on the market. With a slide of the power on and record switch, you're filming your favorite adventures in crystal clear HD video.


The surf camera review has been updated on the 16th May 2014.

GoPro has released a mount especially designed for bodyboard.

How do you capture El Rollos and ARS? Surf camera company GoPro has announced the launch of a bodyboard mount that allows you to shoot immersive POV footage, or point the camera back towards yourself to capture selfies while riding waves.

The mount is compatible with boards 1.5'' to 3.5'' (3.8cm to 8.8cm) thick, and includes a camera tether and locking plug for added security in heavy surf.

The GoPro bodyboard mount can also be used in a soft-top or foam surfboard, and standup paddleboard. Last but not least, the kit comes with a mounting arrow to help you choose the best capture angle during installation.


Get the GoPro bodyboard mount and learn how to install it.

Slide Fins are the world's first flexible surfboard fin system.

Surfboards are in the center of a surfing revolution. After watching how Shapeshifter is introducing an innovative surfboard removable tail system, with its wide range of surfboard tail shapes, Surf Fins adds a new variable to the liquid equation.

What happens to your surfboard when fins adjust to maneuvers in the water. What if they could actually move with superior flexibility to perform advanced, skateboard-style tricks.

Slide Fins focus on a flexible fin technology that folds and releases under directional wave pressure. In other words, these fins will totally change the way we manage drag while surfing. Fixed fins make tail slides, rail slides, shove-its and 360s much harder. Slide Fins prepare to change the whole paradigm.

In a way, we might have to relearn how to surf. Pull off maneuvers that involve sliding sideways, with fins that fold up in one direction when under pressure, and then spring back down into their engaged position after the water pressure is released.


The sport's most creative freestylers will have a lot of wave faces to explore, with this groundbreaking innovation. Slide Fins may be changing the course of surfing in the upcoming years. They were invented by Scott Peberdy, of Outereef Surfboards Australia, and are fully compatible with FCS and Futures fin boxes.

Adam Contoret has developed an handheld electric jet engine that allows a standup paddleboarder to travel at up to 50 miles per hour (80 kilometers per hour).

Do you work on the other side of the river? Tired of bridges and traffic jams? No worries. A 40-year-old engineer has created a portable electric thruster that will make you glide over rivers and lakes at full throttle.
Contoret spent two years fine-tuning the invention - DreamScience Propulsion -  in his garage. The result is quite impressive, even though the device only lasts for ten minutes, in the early version. The good news is that you can easily recharge batteries.

"When I was about 14, a friend of the family bought us a model aircraft engine - and when my brother and I were testing it, we put it on a wooden board. That planted in my mind the idea of having some sort of stand propulsion for a board sport," Contoret tells the Daily Mail.

"After doing some paragliding and land boarding I realised that I needed something extra to propel me along, so I went about building a thruster system to add to my kit."

This handheld electric jet engine is light, but the inventor believes it will be half the weight and double the power, in the next five years. The air coming out of the thruster is cold, so that you don't harm yourself if something goes wrong.


Windsurfer Doug Foden tested it a lake, in Staffordshire, England. "Initially it's pretty awkward to balance until you come up to speed. It's very experimental, and we're really excited about what other things to do with it."

David Barr has introduced "Shapeshifter", an innovative surfboard removable tail system.

There's a wide range of surfboard tail shapes. It's easy to get confused because, in some cases, the variations between them are subtle and marginal.

The most important tail shapes are squash tail, square tail, thumb tail, rounded pin tail, pin tail, baby swallow tail, swallow tail, bat tail, and wing tail/tail.

Depending on the ocean and wind conditions, you may pick one or another. David Barr, who has been surfing and shaping for four decades, is developing a new removable tail system that will shake the way we blend fins and surfboard shapes.

Basically, we will be able to switch from a pin tail (big wave surf conditions) to a swallow tail (small summer waves). At the same time, we will manage these choices with a proper fin setup.

"The system is quite simple. A receiver is attached to the shaped blank and then is glassed just like any other board. Before sanding, a production tail is attached so that the board can be sanded to the perfect shape for all other tails to fit," explains Barr.

The "Shapeshifter" comes with six different tail shapes: diamond, swallow, squash, round pin, asymmetrical right, and asymmetrical left.


Is this the world's most versatile surfboard?

Collapsible surfboards, folding surfboards or travel surfboards. No matter how you name them, they will be very useful if you're a frequent surf traveler.

Yes, they're special. They've not been shaped the classic way, and they've serve a different goal. In a time when it's easier to travel by air, but airline companies are not surfer-friendly, a portable surfboard is always a genius idea. Think of how Lego and Meccano got popular.

Karl Pope and Thomas Price were the pioneers of portable surfing. In 1964, they registered the patent for the first ever collapsible surfboard, "characterized by its simplicity of construction and in its adaptability to economical manufacture". Pope later developed a commercial version named Bisect.


In 1966, Herman Bank, a JPL engineer, cut a surfboard into two pieces so that it would be easier to transport. The Multiboard, also known as the "suitcase surfboard", didn't find room in the surf shops.

The collapsible surfboard market is still building its structures in the conservative surf industry circuit. After all, how would you promote a surfboard than can be divided into many pieces?

Two purposes may be sufficiently appealing. Get a surfboard on a car trunk, or get a surfboard in an airplane. Still not convinced? Why don't you consider it as an exotic alternative addition to your quiver? They're light and offer adjustable flex.

Modeling and analysis (Pado, Schiel, Cole, Harvey and Dragoesi, 2012, University of California) of different cuts and shapes show that the ideal design consists of four sections connecting at 60 degrees.


Nicholas Notara designed a black, carbon-fiber collapsible surfboard. Two pins and a quick release lever turn this five-fin setup beauty into half its size for easier transportation and storage. Notara's "C2", a concept model, has never seen the light of day, but it looked good.

Walden Surfboards develops four tri-fold models. The secret lies behind a steel cable, cedar wood and metal caps. They've been tested in the waves and do their job nicely.

Multiple Exchange Surfboards lets you choose a nose for your board, and then a specific tail design. That's it. Board ready.


If you're looking for a custom-built surfboard that break into two, three or four pieces, don't expect high performances. Portability and fun are the main ingredients. Say goodbye to excess baggage fees.

The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) has announced the acquisition of the Billabong XXL Big Wave Awards.

The sole governing body of professional surfing promises to expand its reach and co-sponsorship opportunities, while Billabong maintains a key naming rights position.

"This is a platform to honor the brave men and women who dedicate their lives to the art of big wave surfing and we are honored to continue this tradition in future years," says Paul Speaker, CEO at ASP.

The Billabong XXL Big Wave Awards were founded in the 1990s by Bill Sharp, when big wave surfing was just and underground movement.

Held annually at the Grove Theatre in Anaheim, the Billabong XXL Awards has traditionally honored a cross-section of big wave accolades, including: Paddle Award, Biggest Wave Award, Men's and Women's Performance Award, Wipeout Award, Biggest Tube Award and the top-line Ride of the Year.


"The XXL Property is now in its 15th year - over this time period the event has gone off every year and over $1.5 million of prize money has been awarded to the big wave surf community," adds Graham Stapelberg, marketing manager at ASP.

Wavelength Magazine has been bought by a group of surfers and is seeking crowd funding support to keep it alive in print and digital environments.

In 1981, photographers John Conway and Jeff Tydeman gave birth Wavelength. Europe's longest running surf mag has been traveling through decades of change in the surf industry, and in media.

When Wavelength was born, there was no internet and Mark Richards was ruling the IPS World Circuit. Kelly Slater was an unknown surfer, and there were still two German states.

In the following years, John Conway would sadly pass away with cancer. The surf mag changed owners - Cornwall and Devon Media, and later Wild Bunch Media - and is now fully controlled by surfers.

"The magazine isn't going anywhere, in fact it's getting even better, higher quality, with a tight team of top image makers and writers to put together a bi-monthly journal which is firmly focussed on long form journalism, incredible exclusive imagery and the love of being a surfer from The British Isles," the Wavelength team explains.7

"We want to produce a mag that you have to pick up in a newsagent, can't wait for it to land on your door mat and to do that we need to make it all together."


Tim Nunn, surf and adventure photographer, is leading the ship into new and favorable swells.

"Joel Parkinson Pro Surf Training" is a mobile phone app with 30 programs and over 150 surfing specific exercises to make you a stronger, faster, better surfer.

Joel Parkinson and Wes Berg have teamed up to produce a smartphone application which allows you to prepare your body for different wave needs.

From long point breaks to big barrels, and perfect beach breaks, the app has different programs so you can train and improve in the types of waves you want to surf.

Each exercise replicates the body movements used in surfing so what you do in the gym directly translates to the way you perform in the water.

The app focus on core strength, leg power, and balance. It is designed to give all surfers, from beginners through to experts, the tools and confidence to be the best surfer they can be.


Record workouts, track your progress and let friends know what sessions you have completed. "Joel Parkinson Pro Surf Training" is available for iOS and Android.

Surfers love sandals. Who doesn't love to feel the warm sand while looking at a perfect peeling wave?

Surf sandals connect us to the place we call home. When we're at the beach, we're in tune with the elements.
Modern sandals go beyond the summer season. They're comfortable, durable, soft and anatomically designed to adapt to your feet.

Sandals for surfers offer fluffy soles and have become part of essential accessories we must own in our beach life.

There are two main types of surfing sandals: flip-flops and walking sandals. You will wear them in different occasions.

Flip-flops, also known as thong sandals, are the classic beach sandals. They will let your feet breathe, and feel the grain sands and salted water.

Walking sandals will allow you to drive your car and explore steep streets of your favorite surf town, with extra protection around your toes.

Reef is one of the leading brands in the surf sandal world. They've been blending nubuck, feather foam and high density EVA outsole to produce outstanding sandals for the most demanding surfer.

Rainbow has been making surf sandals since 1972. The founder designed a sandal that looks good, feels great, and doesn't wear out. These are premium sandals for life.

Sanuk says "they're not shoes, they're sandals". We agree. Their super soft touch offer a classic look for the contemporary surfer.

Freewaters is in the surf sandal market with style and natural feeling. Some models are Vegan-friendly and contain no animal materials or by-products.

Cobian is a beach lifestyle brand with multiple models for men and women. The conservative offer contrasts with the rad and colored sandals available in the market.

Olukai is known for its luxury Hawaiian surf sandals. You'll find premium upper leather models, as well as larger, wider arch and toe area footwear.

Hurley promises the most comfortable sandal yet. The brand offers technology that mimics how the foot moves, and soft EVA footbed that molds to your foot.

Quiksilver has flip-flops for all tastes. Wether you prefer traction sandals or helm sandals, the surf style is always there.


O'Neill presents affordable, quality beach sandals in multiple cream colors and patterns.

Rip Curl has launched the world's first surf watch with a built-in GPS system.

The Rip Curl Search GPS watch will track your surf, register your top speed and distance and rack up your wave count in each session.

You can easily sync your data to the Rip Curl Search App or website to re-live your surf with location maps, image sharing and graphic charts which showcase your session.

The new revolution will try to connect surfing and speed, once again. In 2011, the professional surfing circuit tried an innovative speed management system.

The GPS device tracked the surfers' performance in order to unofficially "crown" a speed champion. The idea got lost in the ether and the ASP World Tour quietly discontinued the GPS test.


The Rip Curl Search GPS watch will get things personal. You'll be able to build your own rankings and compare it with others.

The contract between Wavegarden and Conwy Adventure Leisure (CAL) has been signed opening way to the world's first artificial wave pool, to be installed in the Conwy Valley, Wales.

The company behind the pioneering Surf Snowdonia project confirmed that a seven-figure first stage payment has been made. UK's first inland surfing destination will open to the public by early summer 2015.

"We have worked alongside the team at Wavegarden for some time now and are delighted to finally make good on our promise of a partnership," says Steve Davies, managing director of CAL.

The Surf Snowdonia project is currently awaiting final planning consent, with work expected to begin on-site in May, 2014. The economic impact of this landmark project includes 100 construction jobs over the build period, as well as up to 60 direct jobs on site once operational.

"Our engineers are already working hard on the production of the new 1.9-meter high version, which features important improvements to the quality, capacity and frequency of the Wavegarden lagoon," adds Josema Odriozola, founder and CEO of Wavegarden.


Conwy Adventure Leisure is investing a total of £7.7m, committing £6.2m in cash and a further £1.5m through additional equity.

Can you imagine riding waves with a human-powered hydrofoil? The invention has 60 years, but this small hydrofoil watercraft has hardly seen the light of day, in the mass market.

It might sound strange, but flapping wing propulsion watercrafts are the fastest water-based vehicles propelled solely by human power. They can reach speeds of up to 34 kilometers per hour (21 miles per hour).

The Wasserläufer was a forerunner of the design developed in Germany during the 1950s. The secret lies in a light submerged body that provides buoyancy with a reduced drag force.

They look like surf robots and generate propulsion by forcing a foil to move up and down in the water. The forward motion of the foil generates lift as in other hydrofoils.

You can launch the human-powered hydrofoil, made from aluminum and plastic, from the shore. The only downside is that if you're moving too slowly, it will sink.


Several models have been developed over the decades. "FlyingFish" (1984), "Pogofoil" (1989), "Trampofoil" (1998), "AquaSkipper" (2003) and "Pumpabike" (2004) are the most relevant products launched in the watersports market.

Hobart "Hobie" Alter has passed away at 80. The surf industry leader teamed up with Gordon Clark to use polyurethane foam in modern surfboards.

"Hobie" Alter was born in Ontario, California, in a1933. He began surfing at 16, in Laguna Beach. After reaching the finals of the Makaha International surf contest, he started producing his own boards.
In 1958, he teamed up with laminator Gordon Clark to develop polyurethane foam blanks that could be marketed for surfboard shaping.

Hobie Surfboards was already a huge commercial success, just like his innovative shaping machine. In 1960s, Alter got into wakesurfing, skateboarding and catamaran design.

The famous Hobie Cat model sold like hotcakes. Over 135,000 Hobie 16 Cats are sailing around the world. "The Cat that Can Fly" could be launched off any beach and soon became one of the world's top selling sailboats.

"He wanted to make a living without having to wear hard-soled shoes or work east of California's Pacific Coast Highway," tells the statement on the Hobie sporting goods website.

"By 'making people a toy and giving them a game to play with it' he was able to realize this dream. And in the process, he introduced the world to an outdoor lifestyle and collection of products that made things just a bit more fun for all of us."


Alter was inducted into the Huntington Beach Surfing Walk of Fame, in 1997, and into the National Sailing Hall of Fame, in 2011. Discover more about his life in "Hobie: Master of Water, Wind and Waves", by Paul Holmes.

Michael Heath is the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Surf Hardware International, the brand behind FCS fins.

Heath has previously worked for some of the major global brands in the action sports industry such as O'Neill, Hurley, Nike and Rip Curl.

With over 18 years of experience, Michael Heath will be leading Surf Hardware International through a new growth phase, largely underpinned by the launch of the new FCS II system.

"I'm honoured to be joining such an iconic company that provides so much to the surfing industry as a whole. From elite surfing athletes through to recreational surfer's and the surfboard manufacturers who are at the heart of the sport," underlines Heath following the appointment.


The company headquartered in Mona Vale, New South Wales, Australia, also develops the brands Gorilla, Softech, Hydro and Headhunter.

The first ever artificial wave pool in Sweden will be built in Varberg.

Fun Surf Town will be a water park with built-in Wavegarden technology. The small Swedish coastal town will feature a 300-meter wave pool pumping left and right rides.

The infrastructure will have car parks, locker rooms, restaurant, cottages, and many other water attractions. Fun Surf Town will be built just inland from seaside, near two popular surf breaks: Apelviken and Lajet.
Intermediate and advanced surfers will be able to enjoy the full length waves, while beginners may start in the last third of the wave pool.

The Wavegarden technology is spreading in Europe. The Spanish surf park model is currently being displayed in a full-sized demo center, in the Basque Country.


The next installment will be Bristol, in the United Kingdom, followed by projects in Portugal and France.

An entrepreneur has developed a prototype of a surf pool that only uses human muscles to pump waves.

"Fred's Wave" is a one-man show. The dream of building an inexpensive, eco-friendly artificial wave has been growing somewhere in Sukabumi, West Java, Indonesia.

The idea started with a very small-scaled model and later evolved into a small wave pool for beginners. The man behind this unusual artificial wave has been uploading videos of his technology since 2008.

In 2012, "Fred's Wave" managed to build an half-size prototype with $85,000. The 20-meter wave pool produced a two-footer that could be ridden for 10 seconds.


With a few tweaks, "Fred's Wave" got better. Now, inventor/entrepreneur wants to attract Indonesian investors for its completion. The low-energy wave pool will also add sand bags to improve the quality of the ride.

Futures Fins has announced the launch of a new leash plug system.

Leash plugs. Is there anything that can be changed in a simple leash plug? Apparently yes, although it has been around for more than 40 years.

The "Futures Leash Plug" is a pre-laminate leash plug with a flange, which vastly improves the strength of the plug. You can also get them in multiple colors.

The company promises to deliver incredibly strong bridges between the surfboard and surf leashes. The innovative product is especially aimed at surfboard shapers.


The "Futures Leash Plug" system comes with installation instructions that include all tools needed to get things done properly.

The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) is pleased to announce GoPro, maker of the world’s most versatile camera and enabler of some of todays most engaging content, as the exclusive camera sponsor for the Samsung Galaxy ASP World Championship Tour (WCT) and the ASP Big Wave World Tour (BWWT).

As part of the partnership, ASP will be integrating GoPro content into event coverage. The footage will provide fans across the world with new and unique viewpoints of the elite athletes as they compete.

“We’re thrilled to welcome GoPro into the ASP family and work with them to showcase the extraordinary abilities of our world-class athletes,” said ASP CEO, Paul Speaker. “ASP’s partnership with GoPro will add an exciting new dimension to our event coverage and help us tell the stories of the world’s best surfers on the world’s best waves from a unique new point of view.”

ASP’s top-of-class programming will now include an exclusive wave preview captured by an ASP athlete, called the GoPro Breakdown, which will give fans an insight into the world-class waves at each stop. Select events will also feature GoPro cameras mounted on athletes’ boards during competition, adding a dramatic and dynamic point of view to the coverage and allowing audiences to witness first hand the incredible skills of professional surfers. In addition, five ASP Tour stops will host video contests where athletes will be rewarded for unique content captured during competition and/or free surfs. A panel of judges will award the winning clips a cash prize. GoPro footage captured from ASP’s elite surfers will be available to fans around the globe, taking viewers down the lines and deep into barrels of these world-renowned waves.

“The core of our brand is rooted in surf, and for many of us here at GoPro, this is a dream realized to be a part of the ASP Tour,” said GoPro Founder and CEO, Nicholas Woodman. “We are stoked to be part of this next evolution in professional surfing and hope that GoPro can help attract new fans to the sport and give lifelong fans new ways to enjoy the coverage of the tour.”
11-time ASP World Champion and GoPro-sponsored surfer Kelly Slater commented on the partnership, saying, “This camera started from surfing and it's only fitting that it's tied in deeper with the surfing World Tour. Having firsthand shots of guys in competition will draw everyone much closer to the action, create a totally different experience for everyone watching, and get the surfers psyched to share that with the world. I can’t wait to see what the first year of GoPro sponsorship brings to the people wanting to get up close and personal with the surfers in heats and around the event.”

In addition to sponsorship news, GoPro also announced the addition of Brazilian surf phenom, Gabriel Medina, along with Basque ASP competitor, Aritz Aranburu, to the GoPro Surf Team. Fellow GoPro riders Alana Blanchard and Lakey Peterson are set to compete on the Women’s World Championship Tour this 2014 season.


The first stop on the 2014 Samsung Galaxy ASP World Championship Tour is the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro Gold Coast from March 1 – 12.

In case you hadn't noticed, our global subculture is heading toward a mechanical renaissance -- a bona fide robotic revolution in artificial wave technology that lists exotic lands like Malaysia, Dubai and the Basque Country among its conquests. Sunway Lagoon in Kuala Lumpur was hot, for about a minute. Then came the Wadi Adventure Wave Pool in the United Arab Emirates. Then the Wavegarden, Webber Wave Pools...

Here in the U.S., the latest, if not loudest, of the movement's visionaries is American Wave Machines, who unveiled their SurfStream stationary surfing experience last fall at SkyVenture's Surf's Up facility in Nashua, New Hampshire. More info.

 "This is different than the ones that came before it," says Cheyne Magnusson. "For a stationary artificial wave, it's the closest thing yet to real surfing. Only you're not sitting for 45 minutes and getting cold. It's non-stop pumping for as long as you can ride it. I wouldn't say it's a replacement for surfing, but a great add-on. The SurfStream is so fun, it's ridiculous." Photo: AWM

While athletes and investors alike were satisfied, if not thrilled, with the initial results, AWM insists the SurfStream is but a smaller-scale project -- and in many ways a dynamic precursor to the PerfectSwell surf pool and what they hope will be their ultimate footprint.

"We have a criteria for making artificial waves," says John Luff, head of Business Development at AWM. "'What is surfing?' Well, first off you've got to have a surfboard with fins. That was part of the development of SurfStream, a wave that never ends and can be put it in a tennis court-sized swimming pool right in the middle of every major city in the world. In that way, you could take surfing anywhere. That's what we're out to do. We want to create a surf culture where surf culture doesn't exist."

Ocean City, NJ's, Rob Kelly who serves as Billabong's Northeast Marketing Manager, was among the first to guinea pig the SurfStream last fall, and after three invigorating trips to the Granite State has unwittingly become the Surf's Up mascot. However, recalling past wave tank fiascos (the 1989 ASP Allentown, Pennsylvania, event and the 2008 Ron Jon Surf Park implosion come to mind), Rob was skeptical. And this being the first deepwater artificial wave he'd ever surfed, Rob thought he'd just get pitched. Instead, he got barreled. More on Givemesurf.

"The first wave Ben Powell stepped on, he fell forward and cracked his head," says Rob Kelly. "Literally within a second... 12 stitches. After that, they made decisions right away to wear helmets. I compare it to skateboarding a mini-ramp: the first time you do it you'll eat crap, but once you learn how to fall it's not that bad." All photos: Courtesy AWM



"Just like a traditional thruster, but shrunk down," says John Luff of the surfboards employed. "You don't paddle in, so you don't need that buoyancy you would need in the ocean. The only other difference is Todd puts a padded layer over the surface to increase the lifespan of the board." Cheyne Magnusson. Photo: AWM

And if that sounds fun, then get a load of AWM's next move: PerfectSwell -- a digital control system working on exact replications of oceanic wave patterns to produce peeling lefts and rights, all of which can be run from an iPhone or iPad. The technology exists right now. A waist-high version is already operating at water park-size in New York. But the first full-blown dedicated surf pool is currently being constructed in Sochi, Russia, with a future project in the works for the Northeastern U.S.

"Again, 'What is surfing?'" John proposes. "It's not a line of people waiting for a single, perfect wave to come by every couple of minutes. It's the ocean, in either a predictable or unpredictable form. So when we decided to make a surf pool, it was going to look like the ocean, not like a wave pool. We've had installations all around the world -- Sweden, Turks and Caicos, Peru -- and professionals surfing our systems before, so we had a ton of confidence going into it."

"PerfectSwell, in terms of a surf pool, is the only technology that creates real waves for surfing outside the ocean," adds Bruce McFarland, President & Founder of American Wave Machines, Inc. "What that means is you've got waves breaking constantly in different directions, different sizes, just like you'd see if you were standing on a beach looking at the ocean. It's the total surf experience: paddling out, positioning, paddling into waves and taking off. You can create an infinite variety, anywhere from one-foot to our biggest system now, which will be delivering seven-and-a-half-foot, barreling waves. That's kind of like the holy grail of surfing outside the ocean. That's what everybody's been waiting for."

This is an overhead, top-to-bottom tuberide Bruce is talking about here. Too good to be true? Not if the money's honest. Because the science sure is.

"We had a customer say, 'I want the biggest in the world,' 'I want something new,' and specifically, 'I want a rider to be able to get in the barrel and come out,'" says Bruce. "That helped us spec the system for them. We went through our standard internal engineering design process and nailed everything down. We used engineering modeling, calculation, CFD and whatever it took to get this feature, and then committed to the mold. We had all the fiberglass molds procured and made it so that when this thing came online, it was not a prototype. It's brand-new, shiny and ready to go."

Still, there's huge variation because the size of the pool and the waves themselves will be dependent on the customer, their land, their budget and their business plan. AWM is surveying several options: at the smaller end, they might be looking at a 150-foot-wide wave-generating area, a natural-looking pool shape surrounding that, and beach area and entry area to spare -- with different wave types going to each area, so shortboarders can shred the middle while SUP's cruise the sides.

The bigger version, however, could theoretically be as wide as a football field. So one can only imagine how many different peaks might be generated in 300 feet, or peeling waves that are 100 yards long.

"Our goal is to get lots of people in the water," affirms Bruce. "This system is like a generator line: how much swell do we want to generate and how can we cut those waves up into pieces? It could look like a windswell with peaks shifting all around. It could look like a pointbreak with a wave peeling from one end to the other... We can do all these things. We've already got an operational model in the office."

If it sounds expensive, that's because it is. Expensive to conceive. Expensive to build. Expensive to maintain. Therefore, on the surface it would seem too expensive for good ol' Joe Sixpack to afford.

"The business models on these places are extremely profitable and wouldn't even have to charge a fraction of that number," says John. "That's why it will give people that opportunity, because if you put a high cost on it, you'll block people to a certain degree. One of the biggest advantages with PerfectSwell is it will enable people to get a high-quality surf experience without putting out that much money -- $45 will get you about a half-hour. And you'll probably get more standing time than you would in the ocean over an entire week. It's continuous surf -- no waiting for waves. And it's already happening with multiple projects worldwide. We're well on track to have something finished this year. You'll be seeing PerfectSwell in 2014."

But for now, the SurfStream is the one that social media conduits are frothing on. And if its rideability remains a question -- since all the "classic" wave pools like Typhoon Lagoon tend to be, let's face it: amusing for rippers, a nightmare for average dudes -- Cheyne sets our minds at ease.

"We were skeptical arriving at the venue to test a a man-made surfing-like ride in rural New Hampshire," remembers Michael Powell, "like, 'Okay, this will probably be fun for 20 minutes, then get us back to the ocean.' After jumping on a handful of times, my perspective was far different. After each go, the ability to do maneuvers became greater and greater." Photo: AWM

"In Peru, a bunch of under-10-year-old kids bought an hour, and I've never seen anyone have so much fun," he says. "What this does is introduces people to the sport without them getting frustrated with waiting around for sets or getting paddled around. In turn, that sparks the curiosity, and they'll probably want to take it to the next level in the ocean. It's a great introduction tool for beginners -- and a great replacement for intermediate to experts when the waves are flat. And as far as getting a core workout, keeping your surf muscles up and training for stuff you don't normally get to try each session depending on the waves you get, like airs, there's literally nothing better."

"It's not a game changer as far as replacing surfing," asserts Rob, "but as far as anything else out there that can be built in a small facility and actually have a good return on investments and be fun for surfers -- AWM replicates the experience very well. It would be ideal to chase a swell up to New Hampshire and then when it blows out, go ride the SurfStream instead of going snowboarding or to the skate park. In fact, I think out of all those other sports, this is the most like surfing. As far as barrel riding and pumping down the line, the view and the foamball, it's actually a really similar feeling..."

"And the barrel never gets old."