Information Pollution: Electric Surfboards and other neat things.

October 04, 2003

Electric Surfboards and other neat things.

I saw this motorized surfboard on Slashdot today and I just had to talk about it. This sounds really cool, but I think that there stands room for improvement. I figure they should take this idea, change it from a gas to an electric engine, cover it with this solar material and then you'd have a real winner. You get the quiet, the feeling of doing something that doesn't hurt the enviornment (relatively speaking), and also the exciting potential of riding around on a electric surfboard. Kind of like the electic guitar, but more exhilarating.

Here also demonstrates some of the benefits of capitalism and the patent system - a smart company could purchase the right to develop that idea and compete with a newer and better design.

I guess that's sort of why I hate capitalism so much. The one thing it's always been marvelously good at is bringing the consumer so much stuff so quickly and painlessly. The actual material wealth and energy cost that physically goes into producing these items is completely abstracted via our universal batering system. There's no real understanding of the cost involved in consuming everything we consume.

Nonetheless, I don't think that there's anyway that we can just drop it - I mean it's so ingrained in our society that to believe that we could all collectively stop using traditional money is futile. I guess I'm probably pretty alone in having that want. I don't know, it just seems that so many of the bad things that are wrong with our world revolve around money. We've progressed so far from our early heritage, our early nature. We were once but monkeys swinging in trees, as hard as it is for some to believe that.

So I wonder why it is that we crave these material items. I wonder if it's not something utterly basic in man... Something going back to our monkey days when tools were first invented.

I'm currently in a slow roasting debate over at e..e..e about the nature of power, more specifically American Power. I've created a thread which nobody will use, but I made it anyways because it made me feel special.

I have many thoughts, I just wish I could write them all down fast enough. I read an article that I can't seem to find right now about speed listening and how the human mind can comprehend up to 500 words per minute, however we can only talk at 160 wpm. I can only type at 80 wpm. I wonder how much more efficient I'd be if I was wired up so to speak.

Anyways, I think this is it for now. I'm conserving mental energy for my last assault on the proper usage of American power.

Posted by ChefQuix at October 4, 2003 12:20 AM | TrackBack

Comments

how do I find out info on the electric surfboard?

Posted by: rick at December 2, 2003 03:29 AM

Hey ChefQuix,

You have absolutely now idea what you are talking about when you discuss this electric surfboard, right?

I am not going to educate you. This is the job for schools. After reading your statements I see why American schools got the opinion as being the worst on this planet.

Solar material to power a minimum of 20 kW electric engine. Can you calculate the required amperage? Can you? Do you know what max you gonna get from solar pannels?
Next you will advise to use batteries that will change surfboard into a 400 lb submarine. Of course you will not mention the running time, charging time and the fact that one would need a 30 kW generator running on the beach for hours (and polluting like crazy).

I only expect such statements from polititians. But who knows, maybe you are running for office.

Rob

Posted by: Robert at March 6, 2004 02:07 PM

Solar material to power a minimum of 20 kW electric engine. Can you calculate the required amperage? Can you? Do you know what max you gonna get from solar pannels?

Nope. I guess not everyone is in electrical engineer. If it makes you feel better to put me down by all means, rage against my educational deficit. It was only an idea and I guess it's not feasabile. No need to get nasty.

Posted by: ChefQuix at March 6, 2004 04:09 PM

hey!
Do you know where i could rent a electric surf board? I would like to rent it around Reading
Pennsylvania.
Thanks dude,
Sammie
PS i love to rip waves!

Posted by: Sammie Mensch at May 8, 2004 02:38 PM

Well there hasn't been one made yet so you might be out of luck. :P Apparently it's impossible as well, ah well it'd be nice.

Posted by: ChefQuix at May 9, 2004 03:02 AM

Why not a foam board and a weed eater type engine with a simple hand control? It would work but would have to be glassed over and as long as you dont swamp it, i think it would work. steering by leaning and a balance rope would get you flying across the water pretty good i think. I wonder what the top speed would be?

Posted by: mike at August 15, 2004 10:14 PM

I Have A Electric Surfboard for sale:
contact phil @ 248-761-5350
Located in Detroit Mi.
Use's 12 volt car battery

Posted by: Philip Bolek at January 13, 2005 04:09 PM

I make and will be selling electric surfboards in
the spring of 2006. They go approx. 25mph, and are about 7.4ins. long and 22.5 ins. wide they will run about 8.5hrs on a charge, and will cost about $1950.00. I've got all the bugs worked out of them and waiting for my money so that I can get into production. They are really cool and fAST.

Posted by: Ed Richardson lll at January 28, 2006 01:46 AM

I built a prototype for an electric powered surfboard that runs on two battery powered impellars built into the hull of the surfboard. I used 12 volt batteries to power them and the end result was not real efficient but I believe with the proper engineering and torque, thrust ratios and the like a surfboard could be produced that would get you out to where the waves are so they could be ridden in a normal surfing fashion.

Posted by: Rodney P at June 23, 2007 04:03 PM

I can't believe there are so many fools who believe we came from monkeys. When someone discovers another planet with life on it,then maybe evolution could be remotely possible. If evolution were true don't you think the planet would "evolve" a way to multiply, or plants would grow legs so they could migrate. Where did the original pond scum come from? Let me guess, it evolved from rocks. Where did rocks come from? Science has an answer for everything, when they can't find a way to explain away God, they just make stuff up! Theres always a fool to believe someones unproven theory. If we came from monkeys, then why are there still monkeys? Don't you think all monkeys would want to evolve. Maybe if we evolve long enough we'll be able to eat paper and crap out $100 bills.

Posted by: Bryan at July 12, 2007 09:05 AM

Hey Bryan, if evolution was dependig on you we wouldn't even have paper and no $100 bills. You got to be one of those people that think dolphins are fish. How about using your brain if you have one? But then again if you used your brain you would know that there is no God. You will be disapointed when you die.

Posted by: Evolver at August 20, 2007 04:13 AM

Cool article about powered surfboards. I also have the idea that a small one can be made some how and work well. I'm a 55 yr old ex very decent surfer, only retired because of bad r hip. I want a board that can power me into the wave just fast enough to take off. I could be towed in but that would entail another person on a jet ski. I still want to surf but need help because I can not pop up fast enough from prone paddling position. It sucks. And I don't really want to ride a long board, which might work for me. Maybe I should just get a new hip, but even then I don't think they would want me to surf. Screw that. If anyone has any great new ideas or a powered surfboard product please let me know. If not maybe I'll try and invent something? Best Regards, Tony Mier, Florida

Posted by: Tony Mier at November 25, 2007 11:32 AM