Troy Bottegal wants to alleviate overcrowding–and hence, grumpiness–in the surf world. Too many people on too few waves just breeds bad vibes. And Bottegal is on a mission to end that with his inflatable reefs (called the AIRWAVE) that he says can be installed anywhere in the world that has enough swell, but lacks the geological patterns on the ocean floor to make great waves.
We will note, this is at least Bottegal’s second attempt to Kickstart his project to create inflatable bladders. As we wrote back in 2014, he created a Kickstarter that raised only around $3,500 of a $75,000 goal. This time he wants to raise nearly $190,000 and will deliver the project in March of 2019. The good news is he’s already made as much as he did the last go around. But he’s still got a ways to go before the project closes in October.
The bladders can be installed close to the beach, which Bottegal says is both good for beginners and maintenance. “An AIRWAVE is basically an inflatable dome, typically around 12 meters in diameter and approximately two meters at its maximum curve height, anchored to the ocean floor in shallow water that mimics the back of a natural surf reef, peaking, hollowing and tapering the swell to produce a high quality, rideable wave,” he wrote on the campaign wall. “The inflatable dome can act across a wide variety of swell and tide profiles. It will also promote sandbank formation in the surrounding beach environment, as well as helping to protect beaches from wave erosion.”
Bottegal says the bladders are made from a “patented, super strong, environmentally-safe compound and is designed to have minimal adverse effects on the surrounding environment.” He adds that they’re also easy to install.
The inventor basically wants to solve a problem that most of us face as surfers–overcrowded lineups: “AIRWAVES have the potential to bring thousands of new waves to the world’s surf beaches, in a relatively short time frame.”
