Are we ready for this?

[Deb]

Check out:    www.surfango.com   and    www.monojet.com 
What's next?   

[noworrieshawaii]

OH NO... actually it looks kinda fun.

[robus]

Bah - more noise makers on the water

[PonoBill]

I tried a similar device--really well developed--a couple of years ago. I don't remember the name, I think it was something like aquasurf. There was a guy here on Maui selling them--out of his garage up in Pukalani. Fun for about an hour, then kind of boring. Like Jetskis and Quads.

[SUPer Dave]

Hi Deb...Last year a 60 foot hatterass puuled up outside out break with two electric surf boards kind of like the ones in the vidio .. I thought thet were pretty cool..But them suckers couldent catch a wave...The riders just were clueless..it was frustrating..
Really wanted to see what would of happend with the boards on a wave....Dave
Kinda of cold here..12 degree

[1tuberider]

Hate to tell you so but surf jets have been around since the 70's.  I have one and don't use it.

My first exposure was at Huntington Beach where I was watching a guy tear it up from the apartments all the way up to golden west. He dominated the place.

I would put them in the same box as a jet ski(you know the stand up variety).  Jet skis are not allowed around other non motorized beach users.  Many places in Cali would not even allow them in the surf. But up here near the Or border all you have to do is maintain your distance and you are free to go.

They are fun. One with electric start would be way better as when you flood the motor compartment they stall and then you are in the lineup trying to pull the starting rope (like a lawn mower) until you get pushed ashore.  That  is the reason I don't use it and the fact that a jet ski with 80 horsepower surfs very well and has electric start.

In the pecking order of things these motorized craft would dominate any other type of wave vehicle so if they became a problem in your area I am surf the sup crowd will start to sound like the prone paddlers in their complaints with supers.

But don't worry as Hawaii has a law limiting skis to a mile offshore.  I know because a stand up ski friend of mine has sacrificed his stand ups to Hawaii dept of boating and waterways for his antics. He did surf his stand up all over the north shore and has "the right to access from your residence.  He lived on the beach over by speed bumps. I even surfed hammerheads with him on the skis with access from his front yard.  However the life guards were very aggressive about enforcing the rules and eventually his ski's were confiscated.

[PeconicPuffin]

The sound of the thing would drive me nuts.

[PonoBill]

surprisingly, they don't make much noise. Pretty small engine and most of the hull is damped by water. The early two stroke ones were pretty annoying, but most of the manufacturers went the four stroke route in the 90's.

Not much to worry about, it's not going to be a revolution in water sports. They're heavy, expensive, not that much fun, and narrow purposed. There have been many manufacturers that tried this market since the seventies, as far as I can tell they're all gone. There is no manufacturer in the US currently shipping product.

[Tom]

If I had an extra 20 grand, I'd look at one of these

http://www.seabob.com

[aircube]

Hey Tom,  the ravejet model goes 6.2 mph
Don't know if you acctually serious about getting somthing like that.
i have an inexpensive seascooter that goes about 4.2 mph for about an hour, if you go slower if last several hours.

Def worth $150!

Good for snorkelling. 

 http://cgi.ebay.com/2009-New-Dual-Speed-300w-350w-Sea-Water-Scooter-Fast_W0QQitemZ330387940968QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4ceca7e668

[PonoBill]

The Seabob looks like an embolism waiting to happen. They talk about scuba divers using it. Moves too fast. Fine for just holding your breath, but I wouldn't touch it with tanks on.

I occasionally use a scooter to do offshore dives, but even they are hazardous because it's so easy to screw up your dive profile, and since you are not kicking you tend to use air slowly and do long dives. Long dives - lots of nitrogen. Really, scooters are for snorkelers or very experienced divers only.