Archive for the 'Gear' Category



Shark eats anti-shark device

The folks at SharkShield must be feeling pretty disappointed right now. Recently, while testing one of their anti-shark devices in the shark-infested waters of South Africa, a shark actually attacked and ate the device. I can only imagine the looks on their faces when it happened.
This spectacular product failure has fueled speculation that [...]

Instant Ding Repair Kit

Check out this new instant ding repair kit developed
out of South Africa. It works by filling the ding with a special powder, adding drops of a special liquid, waiting seconds for everything to harden, and then sanding. Sounds pretty cool to me, especially for when you’re traveling.
They claim it’s a more permanent repair [...]

New fin technology

Check out Shredda’s new fin configuration. The company claims to use 100% recycled materials and that the cost is under $100 (presumably AUS). They also make the claim that their new steering system “has increased the speed ,stability and turning ability by at least 20%….”

Read more about it at http://www.shredda.com

How to make your own surfboard

Interested in making your very own surfboard?  Who isn’t, right?   Surfer Steve does a good job of walking you through the process.  And if you do get around to making a board, send us a picture.
 

Hollow wooden surfboard construction

70percent.org posted a cool thread from Swaylock’s Surfboard Design Forum that documents the construction of a hollow wooden surfboard, so I thought I’d offer a little more on the history of hollow wooden boards.
Back in the 1930’s, when people were riding boards that were basically just solid planks of wood that weighed up to [...]

Anti-shark gadget

The Aussies have made an advancement in anti-shark technology.  SeaChange Technology’s SharkShield device attaches to your ankle like a leash and creates an electro-magnetic field that deters sharks up to 6 meters away.
 
Link

Surfboard with built-in tablet pc

Although this story is a bit dated, I feel it deserves a mention.  It’s a surfboard with a built-in wirelss tablet pc, so surfers can surf (the internet) while they’re out in the water.
From the looks of it, the whole thing was more of a gimick to demonstrate wireless technology.  Two years have passed since [...]

A pillow that tells you how good the waves are

The Aussies have done it again.  This time with a pillow that eliminates the need to get out of bed to check the surf.  It communicates wirelessly with special surf-monitoring software that you install on your computer.  The pillow vibrates according to the size of the waves, i.e. bigger waves make the pillow vibrate more [...]

City Wave

The Germans have developed a way for wave-deprived people to experience the feeling of riding a wave.  City Wave, as they’re calling it, is basically a fake standing wave formed by fashioning a large wave-shaped conveyor belt out of a special non-sticky material that people can ride with special boards.  It doesn’t require a drop [...]

Sun screen that protects against sharks

I love it when a plan comes together. Teeka Tan Products, a company that produces sun care products, and SharkDefense, a R&D company that focuses on chemical shark repellent technologies, are teaming up to produce a single lotion that not only protects humans against the sun’s harmful rays, but from sharks, too.  Teeka also offers [...]

Making it easy to make your own surfboard

At one point or another, most surfers feel inclined to try a hand at shaping a surfboard.  And I’d wager that most of us have never actually shaped a board because getting all the supplies and equipment together just isn’t economical.
Well, some folks in Huntington Beach, CA are making it fairly easy to realize [...]

FireWire turns surfboard construction inside-out

Australians will try anything at least twice.  One of their recent developments, the FireWire design, is starting to hit the market. 
FireWire combines epoxy resin, a parabolic stringer and  vacuum sandwich construction to form a surfboard that is inordinately light and durable.  I watched Bird (down at the SouthCoast Surf Shop in Pacific Beach) set [...]

Chasing sophisticated tail

The folks at Surf Syndicate are taking tail configuration to the next level with their TinklerTail technology, a variable-flex tail configuration that you adjust while you’re in the water.  Inspired by the thrust that dolphins generate with their tails, supposedly, the TinklerTail can generate more thrust than a conventional surfboard tail . . . and [...]