Looking at this video makes you feel that this is perhaps the greatest feeling of freedom you can have. The rider is Laird Hamilton bigwave surfer, foilboard surfer, and he pulls this ride off with so much ease it just makes me want to rush over to the closest dealership and get me that machine he’s standing on.
He’s riding a JetSurf board, and I have to say, its new to me. I’m just wondering how I could have missed such an incredibly cool piece of kick-ass gear. The first Jetsurf went to market in 2008, and it has known a steady development into the product it is now. A machine that you can take with you on a plane and allows you to surf anywhere you want. The JetSurf has three models, the Ultra Sport, Factory and Race, sporting an impressive top speeds ranging from 48 kph to 57 kph.
I’m not really drawn to petrol powered sports, the noise and the carbon footprint are serious issues that detract from my enjoyment of the outdoors I love so much. JetSurf claims that the board is actually “the greenest petrol driven personal watercraft in the world, producing only 210grams of CO2/hour at full speed.” Not sure if 210grams of CO2 is a lot or not, but I do find it encouraging there seems to be a focus on green technology.
Living in the Netherlands, were big waves are scarce but canals and rivers are all around, it could bring a lot of fun. But no dealership near us. Perhaps I’ll get lucky when this summer vacation I’ll be hitting some mediterranean waters: I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled for any place renting these out.
If any of our readers has ever ridden on the JetSurf, be sure to let us know. We’d love to know about your experience!