The Key to Staying in the Wave Pool Game? Cater to Beginners

For all the glitz and glamor the high-performance wave pools get these days, it may surprise you to learn that a large portion of a pool’s income comes from beginners riding small, foam-friendly waves.

Specifically, that’s the case for Wavegarden, the international surf park powerhouse that has eight facilities worldwide, each capable of producing 20 types of waves. In the part of their lagoons called Bays, surfers can ride a crumbling 1.6-foot wave for about 14-18 seconds. They're specifically designed for beginners and are roughly knee to waist-deep. With each Bay capable of holding 50 surfers (25 on each side), these waves represent 30 to 40 percent of the pool’s turnover, according to a release from Wavegarden. Each paying customer gets about 15 waves an hour, a bounty by today’s lineup’s standard.

Related: How Landlocked High School Surfers Helped Make The Palm Springs Wave Pool A Reality

It seems fascinating that though most of the output we see from these parks involve steeper sections for more critical maneuvers, it’s the queue of new surfers that helps keep the lights on.

Another interesting tidbit: The Bay waves are the reform from the more powerful “reef” waves, meaning they require zero additional energy. Low overhead and high turnover = great margins for operators.

So the next time you happen to be at a Wavegarden park and you see a slew of youth or adult learners queueing up for their reform runners, maybe thank them for keeping the pool open.

Related: The Battle Of The Wave Pools Has Begun

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