Opening Day at The Wave in Bristol, England

[ShiverMeTimbers]

Can they alter the wave shape/speed/size to keep things interesting? Have different waves scheduled throughout the week? Mountain bike trails are always the same, yet things are different enough to keep me coming back.

As a middle-aged dad stuck 2 hours from the waves, I would welcome the opportunity to surf in a controlled environment even once a week. I'd go twice/week or more if I could. There is a market there. Probably not the average BBer, but there is a market for sure.

 

[freeride76]

I think they can alter, but downwards, know what I mean?

You're going to want the maximum setting, not the watered down versions, so to speak. Right?

 

[FecalFace]

Get rid of the fucking white trash in Oceanside and it will be a better place.

You're calling the Marines white trash?

That's not very patriotic.

Assimilate or GTFO

 

[casa_mugrienta]

The shape looks fun

BUT

Did anyone notice how weak it looks?

Like a really good wave on a lake, but weaker.

3 second period?

 

[Autoprax]

The surfer becomes the novel variable in a wave pool.

When I was wake boarding a lot, it was always the same wake but the fun was launching big airs and hard carves. We would also drink too.

A skate park has the same boring predictability.

It's not surfing, but it's still fun.

It's flat out front. The wave pool would have better waves than the ocean today.

It's coming, like it or not.

For me, the crowd that already comes with a good swell already ruins the fun.

If you are somewhere with manageable crowds and this is coming and your spot might get more crowded, I think it could be perceived as negative.

 

[ElOgro]

I think they can alter, but downwards, know what I mean?

You're going to want the maximum setting, not the watered down versions, so to speak. Right?

Even then it would be a weak day for you at the Ox.

 

[rice]

I'd get bored for sure, but I think the flip side is that I'd be in surf shape for the trips I do get to take. Add to that the fact that inland cities' cost of living is like 1/3 or coastal CA's and our surf seems to be less consistent than ever recently, and I can see the appeal.

Not rushing to sign myself up for that life, but do I see the appeal.

Yeah, it's like how those of us that live hours from the mountains regularly go to snowboard treadmill hills at least once a month to stay in shape for the real th.... wait, what?

 

[Phi1]

The surfer becomes the novel variable in a wave pool.

When I was wake boarding a lot, it was always the same wake but the fun was launching big airs and hard carves. We would also drink too.

A skate park has the same boring predictability.

It's not surfing, but it's still fun.

It's flat out front. The wave pool would have better waves than the ocean today.

It's coming, like it or not.

For me, the crowd that already comes with a good swell already ruins the fun.

If you are somewhere with manageable crowds and this is coming and your spot might get more crowded, I think it could be perceived as negative.

Yeah, I think the inconsistency of waves is what slows progression.

Skate parks and snow parks are fairly static, you can keep trying the same thing in the same spot. You also don't spend 99% of your time paddling, waiting, challenging for position like with surfing.

Imagine a consistent wave with a predictable barrel, air, cutback section. Not one you scrap for, then it mushes, closes out or some kook sitting in the way.

 

[Autoprax]

I think adding a couple of margaritas before the session would add to the novelty.

We call that surfing margarita point.

 

[Mr Doof]

Can they alter the wave shape/speed/size to keep things interesting? Have different waves scheduled throughout the week?

They should be able to do the following easily, but nothing is 'free':

1 Speed up the water ram
2 Slow down the water ram
3 Should be able to do both during a single pass, so that resulting wave would "pulse"
4 Combine above with items below

Possible to do on permanent basis:

1 Modify bottom contour to make more a pitching/walling wave for entire length
2 Modify bottom contour to make more a pitching/walling wave in sections
3 Modify wall to introduce reflection waves along lines of Wedge

Expensive to do:

1 Make bottom contour that could be changed 'easily' by moving around large blocks/bags

 

[freeride76]

the problem will always be the physics of moving water around.

thats expensive and requires tons of energy.

there's no cheap way to make waves other than relying on the way solar energy heats differential air masses and forms fetches.

will energy get sufficiently cheap so that the power required can be utilised at a per wave rate that people are willing to pay?

possibly, but it could just as easily go the other way, ie energy could get more expensive in less carbon intensive economies. In which case man made waves would get more expensive or smaller/weaker.

 

[Autoprax]

the problem will always be the physics of moving water around.

thats expensive and requires tons of energy.

there's no cheap way to make waves other than relying on the way solar energy heats differential air masses and forms fetches.

will energy get sufficiently cheap so that the power required can be utilised at a per wave rate that people are willing to pay?

possibly, but it could just as easily go the other way, ie energy could get more expensive in less carbon intensive economies. In which case man made waves would get more expensive or smaller/weaker.

Yeah, 10 years from now there could be all these empty waves pools like dead malls.

Are you going to try if you get a chance?

 

[...]

These things cost millions to build and maintain, how do they expect a few guys in the water paying a few dollars per hour to surf to keep it funded?

 

[freeride76]

Yeah, 10 years from now there could be all these empty waves pools like dead malls.

Are you going to try if you get a chance?

not on my own dime, but if someone wants to pay me, sure.

Just thinking about the scarcity thing and progression.

I went down the local grom spot and watched kids catching thousands of waves, with no limit. they can surf it whenever and for however long they want with little financial impost. Some of those kids probably caught 20-30-40 waves in a session, probably hundreds over a weekend.
there's a skatepark there where they can do the same. all day every day, whenever they want.
For free.

I think they could get the ten thousand hours up pretty easily, for a small investment.

I wonder how much they would need to spend in a wave pool to get the equivalent "reps" per week/month/year?
And if that would be prohibitive.

Must be hundreds? Thousands per month.

Just trying to put the wave pools will foster progression argument into proper economic context.

 

[Autoprax]

It's like Rocky when he fought the Russian dude. Dolph.

 

[freeride76]

can you elaborate?

 

[casa_mugrienta]

Yeah, 10 years from now there could be all these empty waves pools like dead malls.

It won't be even 10 years.

I think the ones in the UK are govmt subsidized though, so who knows.

 

[casa_mugrienta]

These things cost millions to build and maintain, how do they expect a few guys in the water paying a few dollars per hour to surf to keep it funded?

They won't.

Publicly accessible pools are like a garbage disposal for money.

Maintenance, staff, insurance, daily operating costs, etc.

They're money losers.

Same thing with waterparks...that's why you see more abandoned ones than open ones.

 

[Phi1]

They won't.

Publicly accessible pools are like a garbage disposal for money.

Maintenance, staff, insurance, daily operating costs, etc.

They're money losers.

Same thing with waterparks...that's why you see more abandoned ones than open ones.

I don't doubt that operating costs make them money losers, but it's not like water parks have a whole dedicated subculture of people who've based their lives around them.

I'm in no way saying the experience would be the same, and I'm sure a flat week at G land or Tavarua would still be an amazing trip, but people book surf trips all the time with no guarantee of getting good surf.

Although I could just imagine moving the whole family out to Austin to be close to a surf park, only to have it bought out and closed to the public.