page_title: Flowriding
section_title: Wave Design
hierarchical_section_title: Flowriding / Wave Design
caption_attribution_description: English: Sgt. Matthew Toyoda, a hazardous material coordinator for Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 11, gets air during a flowriding competition at the Wavehouse in San Diego, April 25.
context_page_description: Flowriding is a late-20th century alternative boardsport incorporating elements of surfing, bodyboarding, skateboarding, skimboarding, snowboarding and wakeboarding. Flowriding takes place on an artificial wave called the FlowRider or the FlowBarrel. These waves were created by WaveLoch Inc.
  The FlowRider and the FlowBarrel are artificial waves that are called "sheet waves". In order to create a sheet wave, water is pumped up and over a surface which is engineered to replicate the shape of an ocean wave. The result is a stationary wave in which a rider can mimic the movements of other board sports, such as moving up and down the wave, carving, and jumping. Since the wave does not move forward, the riders movement is derived from the water flowing over the stationary surface.
  There are seven different types of sheet waves that can be used for flowriding however the two main wave structures which are recognized at a competitive level are the FlowRider Single and Double and the FlowBarrel. The sport has two different types of boards that a rider can choose to ride on. These are the flowboard and the bodyboard.
context_section_description: The technology made by FlowRider, Inc. grants the ability to simulate different forms of ocean waves. This company is the only one that produced a device that is currently available in the market. At first, the devices were able to provide the simulation of breaking waves. A breaking wave is a wave whose amplitude reached a point where the wave energy is transformed into powerful kinetic energy.
  The breaking wave simulation attracts body boarders and surfers. Generally, the surfers move in a downward direction as the wave moves forward or they can move relative to the wave and execute certain movements. Flowriders get their speed from the energy of the water flowing at them, and can perform basic to sophisticated turns and tricks within a relatively small area. The curved surface of the FlowRider machine matches the actual curvature of a wave, and the curvature changes throughout the surface in order to provide a more realistic wave. The water is then pumped from the bottom up along the curved surface. These powerful pumps project approximately 7.5 cm (3 in) layer of water at speeds ranging from approximately 10 to 15 m/s (35 to 55 km/h; 20 to 35 mph). The biggest difference between the machine and an actual ocean wave, is that the flow rate of the water being pushed along the surface of the FlowRider is much larger than an actual wave. Finally, a vacuum helps keep the riders from skipping dangerously along the surface of the water.
caption: A flowrider performing a trick
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