Making waves for any skill level or location
AT: Dean Lamanna
SAN SEBASTIÁN, Spain — Imagine a surfing location far from the ocean with safely generated breakers that can be “adjusted” — from knee-high waves to more powerful crests several feet high — for surfers of any age or skill level.
This vision of democratizing the popular recreational activity and sport became a reality when the engineering company Wavegarden, founded in 2005, unveiled Wavegarden Cove at its Basque Country-based research and development center in October 2016.
The private facility, which can produce up to 1,000 high-quality waves an hour in its relatively small, 50-by-80-meter chunk of real estate, has been both a product testing ground and a demonstration showcase for potential customers around the world. Wavegarden’s public installations currently include aquatic complexes at Surf Snowdonia in Wales, U.K., and NLand Surf Park in Austin, Texas; new projects are forthcoming in Virginia Beach, Va., and Paris, among other locations in the U.S. and abroad.
Controlled by sophisticated software, the innovative and versatile system is able to produce a wide variety of left- and right-hand waves at a maximum frequency of two waves every eight seconds. It is designed to be profitable as a stand-alone facility, and it can be upscaled to produce waves of just about any height and length
Seán Young, Wavegarden’s destination development advisor, told Amusement Today that the Wavegarden Cove product offers “a very safe environment” for surfing, with wave size and frequency controlled with the push of a button to match surfer ability — particularly helpful with beginners. It was designed with everyone in mind, especially children, seniors and people with disabilities.
“We can produce very small, soft waves around 60 centimeters high that have very little power,” Young said. “We can also stop and start the waves whenever we like. The surfing area for beginners is knee-to-waist deep, so people will never find themselves out of their depth, and there is an access ramp into the water for people in wheelchairs.”
Additionally, instructors and lifeguards — who can, in fact, use the facility for their own water safety training — are on duty and within easy reach of all surfers. Customers are able to learn about ocean conditions and quickly develop their skills and confidence; those with no experience can master the basic techniques in their first session. Learning can take longer in the ocean, where unpredictable wave sizes, rip currents, hidden rocks and other hazards tend to slow progress.
The Wavegarden Cove’s technology marks a departure from previous wave foil systems. Its wave-making equipment is modular, avoiding complicated hydraulic or pneumatic generating methods in favor of a smarter, more robust electro-mechanical design. Consequently, very little energy is lost in the transmission of forces, which keeps running costs at a minimum and makes the product energy efficient.
“The machinery itself is isolated from surfers so that they cannot come into contact with any moving parts,” Young noted.
Wavegarden provides a complete range of development and operational services required to ensure both the immediate and long-term success of its partners’ projects. Facility guidance runs from inception to well beyond facility launch, with expertise and experience shared throughout.
“Our team includes individuals with backgrounds in design, engineering, construction and visitor attraction development, as well as operation and marketing,” Young said. “Our team also benefits from having significant experience in all aspects of the surf industry — from school operation to surf retail, events and competitions. We share this know-how during the design and construction phase and on a continuing basis through our comprehensive annual maintenance and know-how service.”
At its full-scale demo facility in Spain, Wavegarden has been able to test, define and optimize all of the steps required to maximize the reliability of a Wavegarden Cove installation. The package includes a centralized remote system that allows the company to monitor the detailed performance of Wavegarden Cove installations anywhere in the world. This provides product customers a clear understanding of how the machinery performs during operation — therefore enhancing stability and reliability.
Last August, Wavegarden hosted a family day at its headquarters to show how its waves can help teach kids and their parents to surf. Attendees ranged in age from five to 50-something, and the parental feedback was very positive.
“I don’t surf, and I felt very secure and safe in trying to catch a wave,” said Dr. Priscilla Mailman, who tested the manmade breakers along with her husband and two kids. “The progress is unreal. Children can get pretty scared in the ocean because of the strong currents, but here, not one drop of fear.”
“It was great to see the interaction between the parents and their children,” said Wavegarden’s Young. “Sometimes they were taking turns catching the waves, while other times they were riding the same wave.
“Seeing families participate in this activity together was probably the most gratifying for us.”
This article appears in the January 2018 issue of Amusement Today.
