2015 was the year the Doc and Marty came to the future, remember? But whatever things they predicted, jet-propelled surfboards were not included in the package. Yet, surf for beginners and for lads in general poor shapes may change soon with the Jetson, a Spanish-made, jet-powered surfboard.
Surf enters the jet age
The creation came out of Easysurf, a startup headed by Íñigo Barrón and Ramón Silva, and it was their intention to allow people to enjoy surf even if conditions were less than ideal, such as mushy waves, or if - or particularly if - the surfer lacked the skill to tackle a wave with sufficient control and speed. The idea, therefore, is to give surfers a "push" at crucial moments, allowing them to enjoy more water time and surf even when the sea is not up to it. Learning is, supposedly, the keyword here, and there"s no denying that having a surfboard that can propel itself means you can take greater advantage of the sunny summer days.
To do that, the Jetson is equipped with a mini jet you can activate through a control panel, when you"re paddling out, taking off or riding out the wave. If you"re really bleeding speed, the jet will kick in to give you that extra push, so your surfing will benefit from it, but like the inventors are quick to remind people, this surfboard won"t magically make you a good surfer, if you"re not one, but it will certainly help you out if you already know what you"re doing well.
So keep practising and get back to the board any time you wipeout. Even with gadgets turning surfboards into connected devices with GPS and jets, surfing is still very much a matter of how much effort and commitment you put into it, no matter what adversities come your way.
If you want to give the Jetson a go and pick some speed up, you can purchase it from Jetson"s own website, with prices starting at €2,285.
Surf for beginners done right
If you want to really enjoy the ocean, why not get in touch with a surf school that will offer courses in surf for beginners. Jets are not substitutes for experienced instructors that can give you pointers and keep you safe throughout the process.
Particularly if when we say "surf for beginners", we really mean beginners, around the age of 6, when the first impact and experiences count a lot. And you"re probably not going to put your kids on a jet-powered surfboard anyway, at least not until they are old enough to date, and that"s around 30, right?
The truth is the Jetson does look like a very capable tool at the hands of experienced surfers and one that can help average surfers go a bit further, but to learn the basics and really get into the kind of routine and discipline that make great surfers stand out, your offspring will benefit from proper guidance, and that"s what families and parents should be looking for in terms of surf for beginners.
In the end, the teachings will be a lot more important than the kind of surfboard you can provide your kids with. Any surfer can tell you that, and if you"re a surfer, you know that already: solid teachings outlast any board and any fashion.
