WaveJet [insert name, section number, and date here]
TABLE OF CONTENTS Background Information.......1 Technology....... 1 Prices and Models..... 3 Advantages........ 5 Disadvantages... 6 Significance of the WaveJet....7
[could put title of paper and page numbers here] 1 It is not often that monumental developments in established sports are made. The rules, regulations, and way certain sports are played mainly stay true to the original ideas that were made as the sport was born. Surfing originated in Hawaii as an elementary activity in its earliest stages. But, as time progressed and technology led to the development of better boards, the capabilities of surfers have also improved. The first surfboards were made of wood; later manufacturing techniques incorporated the use of materials such as epoxy, fiberglass, and polyurethane. These progressions all helped surfing become what it is today. In the twenty-first century, surfing is being taken to a whole new level with the production of the WaveJet. The advancement of the WaveJet would be comparable to a newly shaped football in the National Football League. Professional big wave surfer Garrett McNamara claims, [the WaveJet] is in a league of its own, and it is taking surfing to the future (Garrett). Background Information The concept of the water propulsion system attached to a surfboard was born through an avid surfer named Mike Railey. Railey s main goal for his product is to make the entire process of surfing more efficient. Typically, surfers expend a great amount of energy and time when they paddle out in the ocean to catch a wave during a surf session. By the end of their sessions, surfers usually want to continue to catch waves, but the fatigue in their bodies limits them. Also, many surfers are limited in their time they can spend surfing, as they often try to squeeze in a session before they are due at work or class. Like most surfers, Railey wondered if it would be possible to conserve his energy while surfing, but still manage to ride a great number of waves during a set period of time. He decided to tackle this long-standing problem and began experimenting with various technologies. Technology Mike Railey s early prototypes of the WaveJet were quite rudimentary and were constructed from his wife s Tupperware and other household appliances. Although his first model ceased to work after a few minutes in the water, Railey was inspired to keep trying by the
2 [could put title of paper and page numbers here] brief moments of power he felt his prototype provide. After a great deal of trial and error, Railey s tenacity led him to develop a model that was efficient and durable. The new model consists of the detachable WaveJet pod that can slide into any model of the WaveJet surfboards or body boards. The pod is a very intricate and impressive piece of technology. Its shape conforms to the natural curves of the board and does not produce any additional drag while running through the water. The twin intake jet system works by pulling water in with suction and then expelling it through the exhaust nozzles. The system utilizes brushless motors; this technology eliminates friction while the product is functioning and makes it very durable (WaveJet on Discovery). Mike Railey describes this entire system as a water rope. As the water is pulled in through the suction tubes and out of the oblong back exhaust it propels the surfboard through the water (WaveJet on Discovery). Also, the battery allows approximately forty minutes of run time per session, and it only requires three hours to fully recharge. Although one might wonder if it would be difficult to mount and remove this large pod, Railey and his development crew constructed an easy method to slide and clip the pod onto the board and to remove it easily with the push of a button. Another question surfers may ask is: How is the WaveJet safely controlled? The WaveJet is actually controlled by a wrist controller that the surfer wears on his arm like a watch. The surfer simply hits a small button on the controller to engage and disengage the propulsion system. The technology behind this mechanism is called Seatooth technology. o Seatooth, similar to Bluetooth, works by establishing a link with the pod through the salt water (WaveJet on Discovery). Once the link is established, the remote can turn the electric propulsion system on and off.
3 [could put title of paper and page numbers here] It is important that the motor also turns off once the rider falls off of his or her surfboard or else the board will continue to pull away. o This risk is managed by the Seatooth technology because once there is about a ten to twelve foot distance between the wrist controller and the pod, the link is lost and the system stops automatically. Prices and Models WaveJet is in the process of developing many different styles and models of boards, so that everyone can find a Personal Water Propulsion system to meet their individual taste. Each system provides a board, power pod, wrist controller, charging station, and tool kit, as well as a blank pod that may be inserted into the board s cavity when the rider does not wish to use powered propulsion. Because the ocean provides different kinds of waves and different surfers prefer unique styles, WaveJet is catering to all preferences with their large collection of boards. In the WaveJet Board Comparison table below, all of the boards are listed along with their price, sizes available, and their best-suited purpose. WaveJet Board Comparison Body Shortboard Performance Longboard Standup Gun Rescue Board Shortboard Paddleboard Board Price $4,395 $4,395 $4,395 $4,495-4,595 Size ~42 7 1 6 6 9 0, 9 6, 10 0 Purpose Body Smaller High Smaller Surfing Waves performance Waves any size Surfing wave $4,695-4,845 $4,595 $4,150 10 0, 10 6, 10 4 ~11 0 11 0 Paddling in Big Lifeguard open water or Wave Rescues surfing Surfing (WaveJet Store)
[could put title of paper and page numbers here] 4 WaveJet has made a body board for riders of any skill level, including non-surfers. This allows anyone that is interested in a new water experience a chance to feel the power of a water propulsion system. For beginner to intermediate surfers, WaveJet is in the process of producing a line of longboards and standup paddleboards, or SUPs. The longboards will range in length from nine feet to ten feet and will be the best for performance on smaller less powerful waves. The SUPs will be especially useful to people looking to get a workout while learning the basics of surfing on primarily small waves. The SUPs are much larger boards, coming in sizes of ten feet to eleven feet. For more experienced surfers, the two types of shortboards will be a great way to get the most out of their sessions. The six foot six inch and seven foot one inch shortboards will be useful for an intermediate or advance surfer on any size and strength of wave. The propulsion system will help these skilled surfers perform at a new level. Also, shortboards are the most popular with today s youth surfing culture. Having a propulsion system on a shortboard will allow the rider to catch a wave much earlier than before, rivaling the abilities of a customary longboard.
5 [could put title of paper and page numbers here] For the best and most powerful surfers, WaveJet is producing a gun, which is a type of board for the biggest and heaviest waves. The gun comes in a ten feet four inch version and it is similar in length to the longboard and SUPs, but it is much narrower and has a pointed nose. The final type of board WaveJet is producing is the rescue board for qualified lifeguards. This board will help lifeguards reach, rescue, and return a victim to shore in half the time of a non-powered board (WaveJet Store). Advantages There are many benefits to having the WaveJet as a part of a surfer s quiver 1. Surfers riding a WaveJet board will have a greater likelihood of improving their skills because they can surf for longer periods of time each session. Also, when the surfer has to paddle out or get to certain areas of the ocean, they will have a more efficient paddle and will not have to expend as much energy. The two jets on the surfboard produce 20 pounds of thrust and can allow the surfer to reach a maximum speed of approximately 10-12 miles per hour (WaveJet Technology). Two other benefits of having a WaveJet correlate. Having this propulsion system will allow the surfer to catch more waves and be in the right position before other surfers in the lineup have a chance to catch the same wave. Railey emphasizes that the WaveJet board allows their rider to get into the wave much earlier than they would be able to on a traditional board. And, if one decides to keep the jets working while riding a wave, they will have a faster ride and will be able to move through the flat and slower sections of the wave with ease. These advantages increase the time an athlete spends riding their board and decreases the time spent sitting in a line-up and paddling around something every surfer wants! As far as lifeguard use, the WaveJet allows lifeguards to rescue more individuals in a period of time, while the guard on duty will not need to use as much of their energy that they will need for the remainder of their shift. Also, victims will be reached quicker, possibly saving people in a situation where every second matters. 1 A quiver is a term used by surfers to talk about their personal set of surfboards that they use depending on the ocean conditions presented to them.
[could put title of paper and page numbers here] 6 Disadvantages Even though there are numerous benefits for surfers to own a WaveJet, there are a few major drawbacks associated with the water propulsion system. The first and most obvious downside to this new technology is the purchase price. Because of the vast amount of time and work spent developing the technology and producing the WaveJet, the price for this product is very high. A new, standard top of the line shortboard costs about $800, whereas, a WaveJet high performance shortboard is around 5.5 times more expensive 2. It would be difficult for a serious surfer to justify buying one board at that price when they could purchase five of the best traditional boards on the market for the same price. Almost everyone who surfs does it for pure enjoyment, and most will not want to spend more than $4,000 on something that could easily break any time they use it. Another disadvantage associated with this product is the negative attention a WaveJet user may attract from other surfers. Most people in the line-up would not be happy to see someone breaking the tradition of working hard and paddling for their waves. They may also see the WaveJet as being an unfair advantage, because the person using the propulsion system will be able to reach waves earlier than the traditional surfer, thus taking waves away from them. At certain surf spots, the locals are known to be very protective against outsiders coming and surfing their prized break. It would not be surprising if local surfers would try to force WaveJet riders out of their territory. Although the price of the new technology is steep and WaveJet owners may attract negative attention, it is up to the consumer to decide if the benefits outweigh the risks and costs. 2 A 6 6 Proton, a top-end shortboard shaped by Channel Islands Surfboards, is valued at about $810 (Channel Islands).
[could put title of paper and page numbers here] Significance of the WaveJet It is difficult to predict whether WaveJet s new technology will become popular with the current surf culture; but I believe it has the ability to attract the rising generation of surfers as it exemplifies our society s love of technological advancements. WaveJet is already advertising on top surf websites such as Surfline, which is exposing the new concept to the surfing world. If WaveJet continues their strong advertising campaign, they will most likely attract a large number of customers. More than any other new product or advancement in the sport of surfing, WaveJet has the greatest likelihood of revolutionizing the sport. 7
8 [could put title of paper and page numbers here] Works Cited "Channel Islands Surfboards By Al Merrick." The Proton By Dane Reynolds. Web. 08 Nov. 2012. http://www.cisurfboards.com/surfboards/the-proton-by-dane-reynolds/. Garrett McNamara Record-Breaking Wave. Vimeo.com. WaveJet Propulsion, Mar. 2012. Web. 4 Nov. 2012. http://vimeo.com/35651359. "WaveJet Store." WaveJet Pre-Order. Web. 04 Nov. 2012. https://store.wavejet.com/. WaveJet Technology. WaveJet Technology. Web. 04. Nov. 2012. http://wavejet.com/technology/system. WaveJet on Discovery Channel. Vimeo.com. WaveJet Propulsion, July 2012. Web. 4 Nov. 2012. http://vimeo.com/44871573. [might want to add some other cites other than from company that paper is written about]