The fabled Webber tank inches a little closer!
On Thursday, the details of the soon-to-be-built Webber wave pool were leaked from a council pre-development meeting.
To recap: the company Tunnel Vision Holding Pty Ltd, which was founded by the skateboarder and surfer Ben Mackay who made his cash with the retro-skateboard company, Penny, was chasing approval to turn 95 hectares of dirt between the GC and Brisbane into what will be called Tunnel Vision Wave Park at Stapylton.
The leak, which was reported by the Gold Coast Bulletin, took the four-month-old company by surprise and the three-man team, Jay Baikie (media), Ben (money and front-man) and Josh Neale (engineering) had to finish their branding (which is very good) and frantically kick their dormant website live.
Now, we got an interview with Ben Mackay coming tomoz, but let’s look at what you might call the known knowns.
- Tunnel Vision is going to get the development application to the Gold Coast City Council “well before Christmas.”
- It has a twenty-year “binding” agreement with Webber for his pools in Australia. Which means, if you wanna build one in Australia, you gotta go through TV.
- The loop-shaped pool is going to be three hundred metres long.
- TV claims the pools will deliver 500 waves an hour or one every seven seconds. The foil never stops. Just keeps going round and round and round.
- Twenty second rides. The company compares it to getting a wave behind the rock at Snapper and all the wave through to Greenmount.
- TV is in discussions with Greg on how to create the “ridiculous distortions” he claims are necessary for pools not to be boring.
- It’s gonna be cheaper than the 80 Euros and $US60 one-hour sessions at Surf Snowdonia and NLand, the two commercially operating Wavegardens.
- Once it gets approved, in come the bulldozers.
- That photo in the header? It’s the entry to the park. You come in and burn your eyes on pretty wedges.
Will it happen or are we watching more piss on more trees?
Well, it…is… happening.
The game, our little world, is changing…
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will this result in shapers designing wave pool specific boards? not ever having surfed in wave pool or fresh water, I do wonder if the boards will need to be more buoyant? no doubt the Aust Olympic commission will have input. That Olympic gold drug addiction!!
A perfect snapper wave every seven seconds? I’d definitely pay to get on that but I fucking hate crowds, kooks, and commercial bullshit; however, if they have a day for experienced surfers only (say, a few days a week for those with at least 10 years experience), I’m in, on that day.
Its more authentic if you have to run people over while trying to make the wave.
Haha, I’m more of a kook dodger than a kook runner-overer but to each their own.
How many surfers can actually take off behind the rock at snapper? Seems like they are marketing the wave to a very small few. The other mellow wave pools will succeed because they market to non-surfers who are afraid of sharks. School trips, lessons, rentals etc exactly like those fake indoor ski fields.
Shhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! You mean it’s perfect, if not a little too easy.
Who cares? A disproportionate number of people on this site can. It’s all good.
Back to the mines mate
There’s a fair bit if Viking influence in there with this solstice too. If only the Christ walkers had any original ideas…
Photoshop is a fucking amazing tool isn’t it?
I like the ‘well before Christmas’. I assume the answer was more like ‘……well……..before Christmas?’
I wanna dip my balls in it.
How do they handle the current with a loop pool and continues waves every 7 secs?
Reverse Flow… read the comments here https://www.swellnet.com/ne…
Word on the grapevine is NC is going to see a Kelly Pool as well. H20BX water park is billed as “going to be the largest park in the country” they are building 4 phases and one of the investors is also invested in the WSL. ADG (Aquatic developmwnt group) builds huge water parks all over the country runs it now. Phase one is done and the most popular attraction is the flowrider. Phase 4 is rumored(from credible sources) to be seeing a kelly pool to compete against the Wavegarden Cove in VA Beach.
The pool game is getting crazy, and I find it hilarious that even in the wave pool world NC will still have better waves than VA hahaha
That thing is an eye soar just like the one rotting in Rodanthe..
It is, but its close enough that i can run over and play on the flowrider on my lunch break when the waves are flat. That one in rodanthe makes for a great location for hipster photoshoots though so i guess it serves a purpose
With a catchy name like that, how can it fail?
The imagination is really too much to handle i tell ya
Wait sorry, how do they and you all know that this works when they scale from a model to full size? I assume a lot can go not right once you get all those trillions of extra molecules in motion ….
I don’t think that’s ever been the problem… just funding them is the issue.
So they’re sure it’ll work if it could just get paid for. Said every plan that ever failed? I hope it works though, looks like a lot of fun
how did KSWC know when they bought those waste lagoons in Leemore?
Obviously, I’m not saying no ideas ever work out. This phone I’m thumbing at for instance – it was just an idea once, and now people use it daily for doxing and masturbation. On the other hand, every idea that worked out wasn’t pre-known to be a sure thing. People win the lottery for instance and say they knew for certain they were going to.
Anyway it appears this perfect reeling pit is as good as done; all they need to do is dig the hole. I’ll take it.
“I’m sorry, my recollection was you offered a Bintang agreement.”
Not knowing anything about engineering, jumping through council hoops, licensing etc, Webber’s model looks infinitely more financially viable than the Fincham Pool. 500 waves per hour? Even if it’s a 10th of this, Fincham just went Betamax. TV and Webber need to start locking in sponsors for their very own Wave Pool Tour now. You know more don’t you Longtom? 😉
No.
And you call yourself a bus driver?
No I don’t self indentify as that.
the difference is , there is a KS/WSL pool , and there is not a GW pool !
Rome wasn’t built in a day. They have the money, they have the land, they will have a permit. Game on.
Imagine that the WSL/KS pool becomes the Olympic Pool , the HPSC will get the Govt to get one so we can keep our athletes ready for the Olympics , so GW /TV has missed the boat for competitive surfing , and we will need a pool in Qld to train the next generation of Aust Journey men!
Lucky for them! The GW/TV pool will be a money making beast aimed at sucking the dollars from the pockets of the general public. The Fincham pool will be the perfect venue for all the flappers who surf for titles and money. Lots of lulls for ad breaks 🙂
Its so cute that Australia is getting ready for surfing in the Olympics.
If you look carefully at planning document, Surfing Australia is already supporting the development of wave pools.
I wish they would support an actual system that produced something , as presently their system is destroying a whole generation of Australian Surfing , don’t they have KPI’s?
Dell, have you got your resume in?
And what position do you covet?
I could you see you running the Grit from a little air-con office with a high window that if you stand on a chair gets a pool glimpse.
He wont need a chair, my back is strong… Your Pyzel Ghost is my double date with Derek to opening day.
I beg your pardon?
Well, we know where you and Chas sit on the wave pool debate…
In the Ocean.
I love the sting of chorine up my nostrils.
You’ll have to emigrate mi amigo, can’t see Inzid getting a tub anytime soon.
You can pitch a tent here and commute?
Thankfully Surfing is still classed as an activity for losers and bludgers over here… so yes, no wave tanks for us.
But I’ll gladly piggy back on Australias investment in the future of our “sport”
Cheers for the tent offer!
Is surfing really viewed that way in NZ? Sounds great
I’m probably over romanticizing the deadbeat element but in a sports mad Country, Surfings governing body here exists on the smell of an oily rag from that was last dipped in a petrol can in the late-80’s.
Is Australia the only Country that loves and invests in surfing?
Yes we have the worlds biggest surf Bureaucracy , we have invested in making contest surfing here a business , more coaches , executives , junior programs , HPSC’s , this is a perfect way to kill off Australia as a once great surfing nation , rumor has it the Brazil Govt is really behind all the $’s pouring into Australias surfing bureaucracy , as so far……the new System has produced less than Zero!
100%!!, turning kids into over coached contest robots doesn’t seem to be working out too well…
works out well for those bureaucats , raking in the $’s
God it’s good to have you back. Will you make an announcement?
Good to be back!, but i’ve made afew too many failed announcements as of late!
Not sniffing around pastures old then? A cold shiver ran up my spine when I saw you touting your wares over there.
Nah just jokes… the 34 cents I make a day here from Disqus clicks has me signed up for life, besides over there is just lacking on so many levels.
Your beloved “Inzid” practically invented wave pools: http://www.stuff.co.nz/busi…
Look out WebberRanch !
On a more serious note, Neg, have you had a jam at that wave in a certain river at home? Pretty novel
Mmmmm website hasn’t been updated since 2016….
No river surfing for me, yet! You mean that manmade one down South?
Çhas in the Tuff Shed?
It’s funny you mention. The skate site Berrics, outrageously popular, hovers around a skate park. Chas and I have spoken about setting up our little shop at a pool. I like hot weather and bad girls and so Texas was our first thing. But, this? Almost Gold Coast? Hotter? Badder?
Definitely badder.
Glass bbq for breakfast.
how about Coffee/Croissants / nude beaches / worlds best women / surf competitions / fine wine , Pirelli dining…ah don’t you just love…http://http://www.surfersvillage.com/cont...
Email my handle and I’ll hook you up for free with a full resume, linked in profile and online media pack, a 199 dollar value!!! Just promise to refer one friend.
v sweet offer brah, but I despise work. Is there any way we can make that sound nice on a resume?
For sure. Self motivated stay home telecommute to work but sometimes not. Can make anything sound good.
as Xmas is 3 weeks away , and most councils are shutting down for business until Feb, when will there be a decision from the Council ?
Looks like it’s still 6 mths off from starting , but stoked to see someone put up the cash , and try just to make $’s on the waves !
Fifteen shopping days! And question: are Christmas decorations insensitive given the plurality of our gorgeous country? Having a debate with a pal.
Insensitive bastard , what ever decorations , but you do understand that Xmas is a Christ mas ?
Xmas decorations are only insensitive after my dog eats them and then craps them out all over the backyard. Bloody tinsel turds everywhere 💩
I don’t know Aussie governance laws.
Here’s my question:
How can a supposed “binding” Gold Coast contract bind the entirety of Australia to being Webber?
Is this is a grammatical question? If so, I fail! Tunnel Vision is the Australian licensee for the patents etc.
#2: ALL of Australia? Or just Gold Coast?
All of Australia.
Well Shit Howdy! We Americans did learned you Aussie’s good capitalism!
The new world tour takes shape.
It takes how many pools to make a title?
nah the question is would the WSL use another pool?
I would think, no.
ah so what’s the game with fast forwarding a CT event into the pool , Japan Olympics!
the IOC and the ISA/WSL working together to assure that the WSL pool is the Olympic choice for Tokyo , so Goverments everywhere will buy the WSL Olympic pool!
Correct. But there is a fly in that ointment.
who is the Fly?
What is the ointment?
For the last time. There will be no pool in tokyo for olympics. Read ioc reports and japanese documents. Up top government and ioc funded research has already been done about surf in olympics and what form it will take. Not hard to dig up.
Correct DA.
really the last time?
I know for fact that the JPSA are freaking behind the scenes , as there is a strong possibility there will be little or no surf in July , and that if it was held this year it was flat and drizzling.
The fact that IOC officials were invited to attend the WSL/KS comp in Sept , and leaks are that there is still a posssiblity of building a pool , but they have to demonstrate they can successfully hold a CT event .
The French are already getting ready for 2024 with the announcement they are installing the wavegarden /Cove..
http://www.surfersvillage.c…
French getting ready to go!
Lol believing pr on surfers village. What a source! You are a joke.
Well I also know from behind the scenes with the JAPANESE that they are not freaking out (this includes JPSA). So you are full of shit. Combine that with IOC familiarity. So, what goes on behind my scenes is more intimate than your vanilla stuff.
The second point is moot. Noone said IOC won’t eventually turn to a pool, just not in Japan.
The French arrangement is only an implied link and not yet explicit.
Look, clown. You are caught up in your own nostalgia. You still believe the hype from the 1990s that you matter and are on the inside. You are only privvy to rumours and innuendo in this Brave New World. You are actually now an outsider.
While I am not in favour of pools per se if they push egotistical self-annointed “insider” dinosaurs like you out to pasture I may shift my opinion.
Now back in your box …
What would the market say? The People? The base?
surely at least another one to show an ability of the water-men/women to be able to handle all conditions?
ah so will the WSL eventually make a big wave pool , and if you want a CT event in the future must be a bonafide K/WSL pool , where you get to pay $25m for the license and technology plus the construction and cash flow $’s needed …only Governments will sponsor such pools with and eye on training their Olympic Surf teams , so maybe there is a lot of upside to the WSL’s business plan , but poor ol Greg missed the boat , with his dirty deeds done dirt cheap concept!
Yep, absolutely, the drop will run down the side of high-rise buildings. Pretty sure that Kelly is in discussions with Trump and Sophie now. Tony Hawk has been called in as a subject matter expert.
Its quite exciting given North Korea are apparently keen on hosting the first event of the Big Waver Pool Tour (BWPT) and look like bank rolling the development of whole thing.
It’s not impossible to imagine that surfing is about to enter an era of competing wave pool tours, much like the way boxing is organised. Multiple organisations, multiple world champions, multiple formats further diluting the “product” to the point of further irrelevance. If that’s possible.
but would the WSL sanction an event in another pool , NOT!
No fucking chance! Kelly has to retire even richer.
Hopefully this gets off the ground although don’t hold your breath. I still don’t think they’ve started construction on the Syd and Perth Wavegardens? Syd open date pushed back a year.
How about this. A pal across the road knows the builder involved in the Sydney and Melbourne tanks. It’s moving, but slowly and kinda secretly. Refuses to talk etc.
FFS which means , the project has been put out there , trying to secure investors , so land has been acquired which means no business plan , which means nada!
The shit thing in this scenario is Sydney gets a less than average wave garden and somewhere else gets something that has proper tubes. The Sydney wave eventually goes bust because it’s average but now the council/state govt won’t approve another.. best to wait and see which model proves to be a good wave and profitable before approval?
Will be interesting to see if it all falls in a heap, has a full version of the cove been built yet? other than the prototype in europe.