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Westlake Wave Co.
Westlake Wave Co. wave pool technology is a unique paddle-base wave generation system that pushes waves to a 2-sided pool.
Westlake Wave Co. Technology
Westlake Wave Co. wave pool technology uses a series of paddles to generate waves on either side of a bridge simultaneously. The bridge separates two surfing areas that simultaneously provide waves to two groups (similar to Wavegarden Cove pools). The waves in either area can be the same or different size, shape and direction.
As the paddles push swell out to one side of the pool, they are pulling away on the other side of the pull to create a trough. As the swell moves away from the bridge in deeper water, it begins to encounter bathymetry that shapes and breaks the swell as a right or left-hander, depending on the configuration of the pool bottom.
Wave size and shape
Each side of a Westlake wave pool can be built to one of four wave profiles. That means you can have beginners riding a wave resembling Waikiki on one side while more advanced surfers enjoy “Lowers Right” on the other.
| Profile | Description |
|---|---|
| Lowers Right | A playful, skate ramp-like right that mimics the world-famous Lower Trestles. Perfect for intermediate and advanced surfers practicing turns and aerial maneuvers. |
| Lowers Left | A playful, skate ramp-like left that mimics the world-famous Lower Trestles. Perfect for intermediate and advanced surfers practicing turns and aerial maneuvers. |
| Waikiki Wave | A slow, gentle peeling straight wave where beginners can practice pop ups and learn the basics of surfing. |
| Waikiki Wave | A slow, gentle peeling straight wave where beginners can practice pop ups and learn the basics of surfing. |
The wave height on the Lowers Left and Right profile can reach 4.6 feet high, but they can be adjusted down to 2 feet high for beginners. The Waikiki wave runs about 3 feet high and the Recreational wave runs about 2 feet high.
The length of ride depends on the number of modules installed under the bridge that separates the two parts of the pool. Westlake Wave Co. expects the ride length in a standard pool size to run between 10 and 12 seconds. At the lower end, a 65 ft bridge provides a 10 second ride, while at the higher end a 100ft bridge offers a 14 second ride.
Capacity and productivity
The paddles under the bridge separating the two pools pushes back and forth 200 times per hour (with breaks for “settling” between sets). That means that each side gets 200 waves per hour, or 400 waves total per pool.
The Lowers Right and Left configurations will provide one ride per wave, while the other profiles will allow multiple surfers to ride each wave.
One promising configuration offered by Westlake includes dual pool configuration featuring a beginner pool on one side and an intermediate Lowers Right wave on the other side. This configuration can comfortably accommodate up to 54 surfers per hour, with a minimum wave count per surfer of 10 to 12 waves per session.
Energy Consumption
Westlake Wave Co. uses paddles for wave generation, which is one of the more energy efficient methods in the market. The same configuration above, which is 4200 square meters or roughly 1 acre, uses only 500 KW/h. As noted above, this configuration provides up to 400 waves per hour, which equates to a cost of about 18 cents per wave in most major markets.
HIGHLIGHTS AND LOWLIGHTS
- Experienced team
- Working small scale prototype
- Well funded
- Small footprint
- Patented technology
- Wave size
