Unit Surf Pool created a new technology that allows several surfers to ride the same wave simultaneously.
One of the least profitable variables of a wave pool is the return on investment (ROI) the surf park owner gets per wave.
The fact that surfing is based on the premise of one surfer per wave makes its resource - the wave - truly precious.
While surfers can ride unlimited waves for free in the ocean or at the Eisbach River because they're powered by Nature, in a wave pool, the site owner has to adjust the offer to the costs attached to "producing" an artificial wave.
One of the main costs of the balance sheet is, obviously, energy.
So, how can you optimize a wave pool to maximize its use?
A player in the ever-growing static wave pool market might have unveiled the answer to this dilemma.
The Concept of Dynamic Waves
Unit Surf Pool, the German standing wave pool manufacturer from Cologne, unveiled a technology that generates multiple moving wave pockets across a static 50-meter (164-foot) wide wave line.
The programmable water flow control technology allows five surfers in the water to enjoy the same wave simultaneously.
They have named it UnitDynamicWave.
"Each pocket offers surfers a 20-second ride from one side to the other, and reverse, with adjustable wave height and speed for a customized experience," Unit Surf Pool stated.
The company underlines that the durable steel construction structure requires zero water consumption as it is installed in water bodies such as rivers, lakes, estuaries, or any other enclosed water basin.
It is suitable for freshwater and saltwater, does not present a danger to fish and wildlife, and even improves water quality by renovating the stream while in use.
Unit Surf Pool released a 1:20 scale demo of the dynamic wave with moving and rideable wave pockets.
What It Works
The German company told SurferToday that their new system features a group of five A-frame types of waves.
Each one has a crest and two shoulders by the side. This group moves from one side of the pool to another, followed closely by another one.
It's like an infinite succession of A-frame waves moving sideways, statically.
Surfers also travel alongside the pockets. If they fall, they are pushed toward the back of the wave face.
Also, surfers cannot ride backward toward the original starting position since the pocket "pushes" you from one side to the other.
Hence, "there is a natural water barrier that you cannot surf back through."
It's a completely different concept from the traditional indoor surf machines.
According to the artificial wave manufacturer, the wave face can reach at least six feet (1.8 meters).
Unit Surf Pool stresses that the newly launched dynamic wave model is "finally affordable at a fraction of the cost."
Hopefully, the ROI of each installation will improve on the current surf machine's paradigm based on a one-rider-per-wave formula.
The location of their first facility has not been disclosed.
Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com