Motorised surfboard rides the tech wave

A Californian firm has launched a motorised surfboard to make catching the big waves a whole lot easier.

WaveJet is billed as a revolutionary personal water propulsion system that “overcomes the limitations of traditional surfing”.

The lithium ion battery-powered device gives users up to 18 kilometres an hour of extra speed, and can be attached to adapted surfboards, boogie boards and kayaks.

With a WaveJet plugged in, surfers can travel up to four times faster than by paddling.

It is operated by a controller strapped to the wrist, and uses a technology called SeaTooth, which is similar to Bluetooth but works through salt water.

The system’s rechargeable batteries allow for 30 to 45 minutes continuous run time on a single charge.

“The propulsion enables surfers to catch waves in any condition. We only launched them in January but we’ve been getting amazing feedback,” WaveJet director Kelly Virgulto says.

But why stop at surfboards? Surely there are other outdoor sports that would benefit from motorised equipment.