Surf Park Book: Preview #1
I'm writing a book 🤓 because you won't believe what's happening in the surf industry until you see it, so here's your front row seat.
Last night I watched Chasing Mavericks for the first time. It’s a staple in the surf world that I avoided up until now because it looked cheesy as hell. But I was too quick to judge. After my friend told me to put it I proceeded to tune him out as I got sucked in to the true story of Jay Moriarity’s life. Jay became obsessed with Mavericks, one of the biggest and most dangerous waves in the world. At the age of 15 he learned to surf it.
Jay’s mentor, Frosty, taught him the “four pillars of the human foundation” to prepare to surf Mavericks: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Surfing has pulled me into these pillars like nothing else has so it’s no surprise that I decided to spend my time out of the water writing a book about surfing. Exercising the mental pillar.
This book is specifically about surf parks because they are kind of like my Mavericks. (More on that in an upcoming post).
On the heels of of surfing three different wave pools in the Southwest U.S. last month, today I’m excited to share the first of many previews for the book. The next few previews will include my first hand accounts of surfing Palm Springs Surf Club in California, Revel Surf in Arizona and Waco Surf in Texas.
Preview #1
It was once a fad that fizzled out quickly. That was the 80s. Today surf parks are the center piece of a burgeoning market in the world of sports, recreation, and entertainment.
Surf parks and wave pools allow everyone to surf anywhere—no ocean required. They provide a canvas for radical maneuvers for top surf athletes and they are breathing new life into the global surf industry by creating opportunities for entrepreneurs, investors, and real estate developers.
But what does it take to successfully build and operate a surf park?
How do machine-made swells turn into reliable waves?
And what has convinced people to bet billions on this industry’s future?
This book provides those answers and much more. Through behind the scenes interviews with 11+ surf park executives, plus in depth research and analysis, you will understand how the surf world is becoming more inclusive, accessible, and profitable, with surf parks priming this sports sector for disruption. By the end of this book you will have all the knowledge you need to navigate the surf park industry, uncover untapped opportunities, and help shape this emerging wave of sports entertainment. So let’s dive in!
What’s inside?
Part I - What are surf parks and why should you care about them
Part II - Reference guide for every surf park and wave pool around the world
Part III - How surf parks are developed from market sizing to water tables
Part IV - How surf parks are run including 1:1 interviews by top operators
Part V - Why surf parks are a worthwhile investment
Who is this book for?
“You won’t go”. If you’re still on the fence about surf parks, this book is guaranteed to bring you on board. You will learn about the widespread benefits of surf parks for current and aspiring surfers whether in the ocean or in a wave pool.
Frothers. Whether you’re already passionate about surf parks or eager to dive in deeper, you’ll gain the knowledge you need to identify key opportunities and take the next step. You will gain an overview of surf park development and operations from market analysis and cost breakdowns to zoning, throughput and design. After reading you will be able to engage in informed conversations with industry professionals and enthusiasts, understanding how surf parks are built and run.
Vets. For those convinced that the surf park industry is worth pursuing, this book offers insights that will help you understand the latest development and operations processes from all the surf parks around the world. After reading you will be able to identify where your skills and knowledge fit within the surf park industry, whether you are an entrepreneur carving out new business or an operator seeking to expand your skills.
Money bags. Investors will learn why people are betting billions on surf parks. We’ll show you a breakdown of the data and provide insight into the industry’s growth potential as well as the risks and rewards involved in these real estate developments.
What will you learn?
How surf parks offer a new wave of surf experiences for people around the world.
How wave pools work, what they’re capable of, and what they’re not! We explain the science behind artificial waves.
Who the main companies in the industry are, how they work together and what roles they play in turning wave pool dreams into surf park realities.
The history and timeline of the surf park industry: how far we’ve come and where we are headed.
Insights into the mature and less developed aspects of the industry, highlighting where the biggest opportunities for improvement and innovation lie.
A peek into the financials from how much it costs to build and maintain a surf park to the projected growth of surf park markets.
Interviews with the people pulling this off—surf park operators, developers, and engineers shared their experiences and lessons learned.
The Surf Park book gives you a strategic view of a rapidly emerging industry.
This is an essential guide for anyone seeking to understand surf parks and wave pools, from the nitty-gritty of development and operations to the big picture of why this market has such massive potential. Whether you are an entrepreneur, real estate developer, or investor, Surf Park will help you catch the wave of opportunity in this exciting, growing industry.
About the author
Val S. K. is a surf industry researcher from Boston, Massachusetts. After studying computing as an undergrad and graduate student at Cornell University, Val worked as a software and data engineer across many industries. Working remotely enabled her to feed her obsession with surfing by traveling the world to famous ocean breaks and newly launched surf parks. When she’s not in the water or watching WSL, she regularly publishes research through her company Surflytics and maintains the largest free database of surf parks in the world on her website surfparkdb.com.