Safety in Big Waves

[bvdshec]

Hi guys,

I'm doing a project for my final year in Sports Product Design.
My project theme is "Water Safety", and I am focusing on surfing safety.
I want to make surfing a safer sport, especially when it involves bigger and heavier waves.
Surfers often have difficulty coming back up to the surface when they fall on a bigger wave and I want to try and find a solution to this problem.

If you could take 2 minutes of your time to fill out this quick survey, then that would be greatly appreciated.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VNZC92C

I am more than happy to talk about this matter with anyone. If you have anything you would like to say to me or ask me then please feel free to do so.

Thanks for helping!

[jaffa1949]

We're backThis one surveys the scene in Taiwan

I suggest for the surveyor he view Storm surfers 3D with Ross Clarke Jones and Tom Carroll. BTW those 3D viewing glasses give me a headache and my eyeball look stoner red eeeeeagh. Bad news cause I certainly ain't

[dtc]

I suggest for the surveyor he view Storm surfers 3D with Ross Clarke Jones and Tom Carroll

Yeah, but Ross Clarke Jones is almost entirely insane. When held under he says he thinks about a nightclub with great music and surrounded by beautiful women and he is dancing up a storm; then before he knows it he has surfaced...

Havent done the survey, sorry - but there are wetsuits with 'air balloons' embedded in them, or similar devices you can wear on your arm.

[kitesurfer]

Surfers often have difficulty coming back up to the surface when they fall on a bigger wave and I want to try and find a solution to this problem.

Try doing your research better before posting up a survey which none of us will fill out. There is already a product on the market that does what you want. Google will help you out.

KS

[billie_morini]

[bvdshec]

I have been doing a lot of research.

And I know there is already a product there, but it doesn't solve everything and it is not available for everyone. What if the surfer is hit by the surfboard or hits the bottom and becomes unconscious or injured? He has no way of pulling that cord that will bring him back up the surface! Also, the air bladder is on his back only, and if the surfer is unconscious he will float with his head in the water.

That is what I am trying to "solve".

Thanks for your feedback, though.

And please, to everyone filling out the survey, try to explain as much as you can to me, you won't believe how helpful it is for me.

Thank you

[jaffa1949]

Because surfing is such a varied sport, vests and safety gear are not always suitable.

The big wave crew, who are not in majority in surfing have worked through, all sorts of gear from Navy Seal equipment to high speed water ski stuff the assortment of gear used depends on the team doing the big wave surfing.
I don't question your intent but survey monkey is a very blunt tool to try and carve a masterpiece.

IMHO Survey Monkey is such a poor tool and why is it last year students have so little awareness of methodology they resort to it. I feel. The teaching is lacking on how to gather data.

To get realistic results go and hang out with big surf crews, the rest of us are guessing the needs as much as you are!

[kitesurfer]

IMHO Survey Monkey is such a poor tool and why is it last year students have so little awareness of methodology they resort to it.

I agree and i resent the fact that students come on here first posts and expect us to fill out closeed surveys rather than starting a debate which for a change is actually of interest to us.
Sorry to be so negative but we get lots and lots of the same old surveys from first time posters who then offer nothing back to the forum and then bugger off.
Personally if surfers are worried about being hit by their surfboard they can wear a helmet. It would be easy to fit an air balloon to the front of a wetsuit which is activated by remote from a watcher on a jet ski if his partner does not surface after a set amount of time. All of this is not rocket science. But to be honest in my opinion big wave surfing is dangerous and that is part of the reason why the people who pursue it do it. To add too many safety devices will add a safety buffer that will dampen the thrill and potentially encourage people out there who have no place being there as they are not fit/experienced enough.

KS

[bvdshec]

I know survey monkey is not the best tool out there, but it is important for me to collect this primary data, and get some sort of feedback from people. I also need to find some statistics, which honestly has been very hard to find.

I would really love to hang out with big surf crews, however I am based in South East England, which doesn't really have big surf at all. The closest medium sized waves break 7 hours from here, in Cornwall.

I will however try and spend a day there and get some more feedback from surfers.

As for "kitesurfer", I did write on my initial post that "I am more than happy to talk about this matter with anyone. If you have anything you would like to say to me or ask me then please feel free to do so.", so I am not just here to get you to fill my survey and bugger off.

When you say it "would be easy to fit an air balloon to the front of a wetsuit which is activated by remote from a watcher on a jet ski", then I'm afraid to tell you that it wouldn't be easy at all. In product design, you have to think about everything that surrounds a product, such as interaction with the user, proper materials, optimal technology, aesthetics, etc, etc. There's too much we have to cover that I won't go into any more detail.

I also don't agree when you say that adding too many safety devices will add a safety buffer that will dampen the thrill. Obviously the thrill is all about riding the wave and not getting completely smashed and worked under water while you are struggling for air. I believe it is a well needed product because surfers are powerless against big waves. Even a strong 5ft wave can hold you down for long periods of time.

I appreciate your feedback though!

[jaffa1949]

It's great you have replied to the criticism, one of the main gripes that raise hostility here is the fact that we get a first and only post, and so often the person using the survey monkey is doing vague trolling "research" for surf wear under a study guise. .
Your reasoning and reply is sound and Kitesurfer's rely could be a determinant response in the other comment section ( it is a valid opinion) .
Big wave surfing is a corner of the surfing world a little like Formula1 is a corner of the driving world.
All the factors that prevent you from accessing the giant gonadal crew are probably the same ones that will hinder you in making a meaningful assessment of their needs. Getting statistics from the guys wouldn't be hard the riders and the weather forecaster in Stormsurfers do quite a work up on data, contact them directly
www.stormsurfers.com.au

[kitesurfer]

I also don't agree when you say that adding too many safety devices will add a safety buffer that will dampen the thrill. Obviously the thrill is all about riding the wave and not getting completely smashed and worked under water while you are struggling for air.

I respectfully disagree. I get a much bigger thrill going out when the conditions are on the edge when i kitesurf alone than when i am with the safety of other kitesurfers. Surfing alone will always be in my opinion more intense than surfing with others, take away the element of danger then all those people who have the fear gene will be dropping in at jaws.
And thanks for not buggering straight away, the question is will you come back and tell us what new product you have released onto the market in a few years time to prove me wrong?

KS

[bvdshec]

jaffa1949: Thank you for the Storm Surfers idea. I emailed them and immediately got a YouTube video on how to survive a wipeout. That gave me some statistics on how much a 20ft wave weighs and how far down surfers can be pushed. I also watched the documentary Storm Surfers and that also gave me some important insights on big wave surfing, so thanks for that!

kitesurfer: Well you are talking about surfing alone or with a partner, and I definitely agree that surfing is a very individual sport and it is much better to surf alone than with someone else. But enjoying life is also about sharing, and if you're scoring huge waves and no one is there to watch and cheer with you, then you're only doing it for yourself. I also believe that there is no one out there currently surfing Mavericks or Jaws alone, except if you are Jeff Clark in the 70s and surf Mavericks for 15 years on your own! It's just a smart choice I believe, you have to surf it with the help of others (i.e. jetski), otherwise you could end up swimming for your life and no one will be able to help you.
And yes, I will be posting on a regular basis telling you about my progress.

Again, if you could send the survey to other surfers you know, or get experienced people involved, that would be awesome!

Thanks