Bruce McFarland, a Californian surfer and founder of American Wave Machines (AWM), has come up with a different type of wave, SurfStream, which claims to be the world's first standing wave surf machine and provides an authentic surfing experience, using a real surfboard.
Adjustable, gravity-driven waves are produced, from body boarding and learning waves, to tubular and river waves. It's an endless standing wave, made by continuously pumping water in a recirculating pool and channel system, and is great for learning to surf, as beginners can focus on foot placement and balance immediately, and get the feeling of gliding over water.
For the more accomplished, a second product, PerfectSwell, has a larger pool and a wave, which is created at one end and breaks in the pool so riders must learn to paddle in and pop up. They come in different sizes and prices, and with different horsepower to increase the size of the waves. An 8ft (2.4m) tube wave can be created, but 90 per cent of average customers wouldn't be able to cope with this. The rough price of an installation is $1.2m (£700,000, 800,000 euro), but depends on customer requirements. PerfectSwell also incorporates a wind over water 'horn', which makes the wave more like the wind-generated waves of the ocean, rather than the tidal-based products on the market.
McFarland signed an agreement with watersports and lifestyle retailer Body Glove in July 2009, which marries AWM's technology with Body Glove's branding and marketing experience. Body Glove's CEO, Robbie Meistrell (another Californian surfer), says he's never been so excited about a product: "I've been in the surf industry my whole life and I've ridden many different types of artificial waves. In my opinion, Body Glove Waves SurfStream is the most fun, the safest, and has the most options to ride different types of waves."
There are a handful of SurfStreams in operation, which were sold prior to the new agreement, but the partners now plan an aggressive roll out. Body Glove licensees in Asia, Europe, South America, Middle East and Canada are preparing to promote, sell and market the product.
"Multiple deals are in the works and some are under contract," said Meistrell. "My goal is to have 100 new Body Glove Waves up and running in the next five years. Based on our negotiations, I believe this is not only possible, but is also very likely to exceed my goal."
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