SurfLoch

Wave pool OG scientist Tom Lochtefeld finally saw his design come to light in 2020. After years of test tanks and sketches, the inventor of the FlowRider pumped out waves at an abandoned water park in the desert. SurfLoch’s technology uses pneumatic systems within big caissons (a watertight concrete or metal chamber) that push out air to displace water and create a wave. When wave programmers fire the chambers in a specific sequence, any number of wave types can be created. The test pool at Palm Springs Surf Club has six to eight of these chambers, a full-size SurfLoch design can go up to 24 chambers.

Wave sizes range from 2-to-6-feet with the ability to go bigger in the right setting. Waves can be created to break right, left or as a central peak producing both a right and a left. The length of the ride depends on the size of the pool and the number of swell-producing chambers. The Palm Springs test pool offers six-second rides but the full-scale pool will offer 16-second rides. The system is controlled by software designed by industry heavyweight Siemens. Tom’s technology is benefitting greatly under the knob-twirling of Cheyne Magnusson who created many of BSR Surf Resort’s branded wave settings. Surf Loch currently has projects ongoing in Spain, Australia, The USA and beyond.