It seems like everybody has a favorite product from the Back to the Future series. Whether it’s Marty McFly’s Nike Air Mag Sneakers, a Delorean, or the Black and Decker ‘Hydrator’ that turns a Bagel Bite into a full-sized pizza in seconds. Personally, I’ve always dreamed of owning a Hoverboard. While there have been a fair share of hovering lawn chairs powered by windblowers and the like popping up over the past few years, nothing quite matched the appeal of that coveted floating board. Despite not actually ‘hovering’, the JetSurf board is quite possibly the closest thing to a Hoverboard available today. Just make sure Biff and his gang can’t get their hands on one.
The JetSurf Board
That’s right: Jet+Board. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill surfboard folks. Featuring a built-in 100cc gas engine that can propel the boat up to 35 mph on a flat surface, this carbon fiber and kevlar board is the answer for anybody who’s wanted to surf but can’t get over their fear of sharks and jellyfish (unless you’re riding this thing at Loch Ness):
Founded in 2008 by Martin Sula, the design was intended to push the boundaries of water sports by essentially combining a jetski with a surfboard using Martin and his design team’s combined knowledge of hydromechanics, combustion engines, composite materials, and electrical engineering. Compared to other motorized vehicles, the JetSurf is one of the only motorized vehicles that you can literally pack with you on an airplane—meaning that you can have your own Endless Summer without ever touching a coastal beach.
Perhaps what’s most significant about the design however is that it raises the question of if big wave surfers will still need a jetski tow-in in the coming years? Currently, in order to catch massive waves, big wave surfers rely on a team-based approach where a jetski pulls a surfer in to the wave in order to match the current speed of that wave versus a slower traditional paddle-in. If the JetSurf board design can be modified to meet the needs of surfing a big wave, does this mean a surfer could ‘tow-in’ independently? :
Specs
- Displacement 86 cc – 100 cc
- Max speed 53 km/h (type Ultra Sport); 57 km/h (type Pro Race)
- Electronic controller The Jetsurf is equipped with an automatic electronic control unit with auto start/stop function.
- Battery Li-FePO4*
- Gasoline consumption max 2 liters / hour
- Gasoline gasoline + oil mix; ratio 1:30
- Price $16,000
(Images via JetSurf)
