STATE OF THE ART
State of the Art
Tom Blake was one of the most influential individuals in surfing history.
Blake’s fingerprints are found virtually everywhere in surf culture. His patent on a hollow board design was a major leap forward in surfboard building. Around the same time, he essentially invented the surfboard fin and windsurfing board. Blake also contributed innovative designs to early water housings for cameras and the rescue tube used in lifesaving. Today’s modern-day designers and engineers are essentially refining his 20th-century inventions and innovations with incremental improvements.
The 20th Century introduced the surfing lifestyle around the globe and saw the maturation of surf craft and surfing “hardware.”
The first quarter of the 21st century is just wrapping up. 2000-2024 saw the rise of the internet and digital media (Surfline, GoPro, online surf media), the rise of social and mobile technology (YouTubers/Social Influencers), tow surfing, computerized shaping, and the invention and prototyping of modern wave pools.
Love it or hate it, we are at the dawn of multiple “S Curves” of technological evolutions with the global commercialization of wave pools, new technologies like virtual/augmented reality, blockchain applications and smart contracts, machine learning and AI infusing just about everything.
The next 75 years will surely be interesting times to be alive.
If the 20th century was about the exponential innovations of the “hardware”, the 21st Century will be about the spread of surfing’s “software”… the experience and further diversification of surf culture.
In this dispatch, we’re going to highlight how the commercialization (and expansion) of wave pools will be a primary factor in the future of surfing.
The Future of Wave Pool Technology…
There are ~7 leading wave pool technology providers (with more coming)
- Each of them serves a different market need and has its place in the right development.
The industry is on an exponential growth curve
- The number of commercial pools globally is growing ~2X in 2024, and scaling from there.
- WaveGarden alone has ~71 Projects in the pipeline worldwide
Wave pools are profitable
- Both as stand-alone developments and as value-add components / mixed-use development anchors
Institutional Capital and Large-Scale Developers are accelerating the industry
- Pension funds and governments are backing projects…As more of these projects prove successful and profitable, more will be developed
“Gil standing in WaveGarden’s Cove prototype in 2015 with his best “Don’t say I didn’t tell you so” smirk”
…& 3 Impacts on Surf Coaching
Wave pool technology is revolutionizing surf coaching, providing unprecedented opportunities for accelerated learning, detailed video analysis, and transformative experiences for surfers of all levels. Here are three major ways this will impact surf coaching and learning:
1. Unmatched Repetition & Accessibility
Wave pools deliver consistent, high-quality waves, letting surfers practice like athletes in other sports. This accelerates the learning curve, helping surfers of all levels reach milestones faster. With fewer obstacles, more surfers will hit the “10,000 hours” of mastery sooner.
Broader access to surfing will also expand the talent pool. Picture young prodigies and athletes who might never have considered surfing now excelling in the sport. Future generations could discover the next Kelly Slater or Carissa Moore from places where surfing talent once went unnoticed.
2. Advanced Video Analysis & Data-Driven Coaching
Before the 2010s, surf coaching relied on limited tools, but technology has revolutionized analysis. Companies like FlowState use video systems in wave pools to automatically record rides, leveraging facial recognition and machine learning to identify surfers, catalog clips, and classify maneuvers. This creates an extensive data library covering all skill levels and equipment. Surfers can quickly review personalized clips and get expert feedback, while curated footage of similar riders helps them visualize the next steps. This detailed coaching enhances progression far faster than ocean-based methods. The controlled environment of wave pools is essential for perfecting these innovations.
3. A Glimpse Into Your Surfing Future
Wave pools offer a “fast-forward” experience, letting surfers ride expert-level waves they might not see in the ocean for years. Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch technology exemplifies this, enabling rapid progress by compressing years of incremental learning into a few sessions.
Perfect, predictable waves remove obstacles like competing for waves, battling currents, and timing takeoffs. If you can stand up, you’re guaranteed to ride head-high waves with 12-15 second barrels. These experiences redefine your perception of what’s possible, re-calibrating your understanding of what’s possible, motivating and preparing you for similar conditions in the ocean.