Wave Machine

By The Editors
July 30, 2013 9:00 am

There are always bigger waves.

Problem is, they’re usually breaking way out toward the horizon, and your paddle range peters out somewhere between the end of the jetee and “I sincerely hope that lifeguard can still see me.”

Here to pull you out of the whitewash is WaveJet, a line of self-propelled personal watercraft out of Santa Ana, now shipping to all points coastal.

WJ’s secret: a battery-powered “jet drive” that slips covertly into the bottom of their custom planks. It preserves everything you love about riding waves while simplifying that tedious paddling bit.

Their offerings cover every hydrophile — from a sleek, maneuverable bodyboard to an array of short- and longboard surf decks to stand-up paddleboards.

The drive is remotely controlled via a discreet, “Seatooth”-enabled wristband (think Bluetooth, but waterproof). One push to fire up the jets, another to shut them down. In the (unlikely) case you should bail, the system turns off automatically.

WJs also allows expert riders (like long-time pros Garrett McNamara and Rob Machado) easy drops on monster swells that would otherwise require a tow-in.

Hopefully the lifeguard sees you chasing those mavericks.

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