Designed to maximise speed in the water and improve your chances of getting on the wave without cramping your bodysurfing style, Wave Blades use a lightweight foam filled glove construction giving each finger control over the movement of the “board”. Integrating the glove into the bodysurfing device also ensures that they can’t come off as you paddle for a wave (or get dumped) and the foam padding acts to cushion the bumps as you slide down the face.

Each pair of Wave Blades is hand-made in the US by Bob Davis, who first came up with the design in the summer of 1987 at Long Beach New York. Tired of being “left to eat alot of wakes” in the 8-10 ft waves, Davis was inspired to draw up plans for a body surfing aid that was easy to swim with, didn’t get away from you and was able to hold a high line as well as delivering exceptional control and allowing you to “dolphin” into the wave.

According to Davis, Wave Blades become an extension of your body after a week of use.The patented Wave Blade design has changed considerably after more than ten years of field testing and feedback for bodysurfers but retains key features such as a longer outside rail to increase stability and the foam injected glove design. The device is covered in lycra and as part of the manufacturing process you can incorporate your own pattern.

Hand construction of the Wave Blades takes about five-six hours per pair so orders may be slow to fill at this stage although Davis plans to engage a manufacturer in the near future.

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A high degree of engineering R&D lies behind the PowerSki Jetboard, a combination surfboard / JetSki incorporating a 25 x 43 x 16 cm high, two-stroke, water-cooled, 45hp engine and an axial flow jet pump into a larger than average board to deliver a stand-up ride over flat water at speeds up to 65kmh.

And it doesn’t just go in a straight line - jumps, nose-riding, high-speed “G-force” turns and tandem riding are all made possible by the advanced hull/rail design and centre of gravity placement that keeps the rider in place and enhances manoeuvrability and stability at all speeds.Sophisticated hand operated throttle controls including start/stop buttons, independent left and right thumb throttles, safety kill switch, plus speedometer and fuel gauges are found on a modular handle unit connected to the board via a 1.2m arm-pole made of rubber coated steel cable.

The patented single cylinder, two stroke 330cc engine - the SuperTorqueXTTM - runs at 45 hp enabling the jet pump to put out 350psi of thrust. The current version weighs around 18kg but this is expected to be shaved back as the design evolves. The drive train includes gear-reduction transmission built into the bottom end of the engine that optimises the transfer of engine rpm into the jet pump.

A four-stroke engine for the Jetboard is also in planning.

The Power Ski is easy to mount and remount in deep water conditions and the wide board allows the rider to stand-up at low speeds. Turning is achieved by leaning in a way similar to water-skiing and the flexible handle gives the freedom to walk to the nose of the board and engage in other tricks.

Using the Jetboard in the surf is still in early stages, but as the above images show, the craft can get some serious air over jumps and in the right surf conditions.

Notably the Powerski philosophy is to ensure that the Jetboard doesn’t compete with surfers for space on the beach but instead see a role for it in reaching normally inaccessible outer breaks.PowerSki Jetboard’s began production in early 2002 but are not yet readily available in Australia.

New Zealand distributor Kiwi in Motion are phasing the boards in throughout the coming summer at an expected cost of around NZD$15,000.

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September 16, 2002 Sporting identity Neville Crichton has set his sights firmly on line honours at this year’s Rolex Sydney to Hobart having recently christened the most technologically advanced Super Maxi ever built: Alfa Romeo.The 90-foot long, 135-foot high super maxi is constructed almost entirely from carbon fibre and is odds-on favourite for a successful S2H campaign since clocking up a series of convincing wins and course records since its debut at Hamilton Island Race Week in August. Owner/skipper Crichton spoke with Gizmo after Alpha Romeo completed her first overnight ocean race, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s 85 nautical mile race from Sydney to Bird Islet (south of Newcastle) and back. Crichton was understandably “very happy with the way the yacht performed”, finishing outside the race record due to light winds but still 5 hours 41 minutes in front of her nearest rivals including 80-foot S2H challenger Brindabella.

Crichton puts the outstanding performance down to the use of latest, lightest gear and excellence in yacht design - almost everything is made of carbon fibre including the mast, hull, rudder and boom, plus the working sails. The spinnaker has a load capacity of up to eight tonne and the Reichel/Pugh designed craft also incorporates a water ballast system capable of moving six tonnes of water - Crichton points out that the use of water ballast is illegal in the Sydney to Hobart race so a second keel configuration will be used.

A name familiar to many Australians from his days as a champion touring car driver, Sydney-based New Zealand yachtsman Crichton is aiming to win both line honours and first place on corrected time overall under the IRC rating rule in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart, although he concedes that anything can happen in such a gruelling race.

Alfa Romeo would have been the sixth boat named Shockwave owned by Crichton, who has previously won the world Two Ton Cup races and represented New Zealand in the Admiral’s Cup, but the decision to change the name was taken for marketing reasons given that Chrichton owns ATECO, the Alfa Romeo in Australia and New Zealand.

Designed to be the fastest maxi afloat, Alfa Romeo is now in full racing trim and will take part in lead up races from her Sydney base as part of her S2H preparation. On debut at Hamilton Island the yacht achieved line honours victories in all nine races of the Big Boat Class and won two longer races on IRC corrected time, once agian out performing potential Sydney to Hobart challengers such as Australian Skandia Wild Thing and Brindabella. Her average speed of 9.52 knots over the new course was the fastest long race average ever recorded in the 19 year history of Hamilton Island Race Week.

Reichel/Pugh predict that on a spinnaker reach she will be capable of 30 knots and according to Crichton, Alfa Romeo’s the full potential has not yet been shown: “I believe she will be a great all-round boat, but you won’t see her at her best until after the Sydney Hobart when we fit a lighter keel, use the water ballast and carry full size spinnakers,” says Crichton.

“I was very happy with the way she sailed at Hamilton Island, despite the fact that the first time we hoisted the racing sails was on the morning of the first race.” Built in Sydney’s northern suburbs by McConaghy Boats, construction was completed in New Zealand with the addition of the 135-foot mast, US made keel and completion of the rigging. Winches and deck gear are from Harken and the sails are by respected Australian manufacturer North Sails.

The visual impact of the yacht at sail is obvious. The sleek hull is silver on the outside, black on the inside and the state-of-the-art interior including 12 berths, seating area, galley, head and navigation section are finished in carbon fibre or silver polyurethane lacquer and teak and red trimmings.

Currently based in Sydney at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Alfa Romeo will sail to Auckland after the 630 nautical mile Sydney to Hobart for the Millennium Regatta as part of the 2003 America’s Cup Pageantry of Sail, followed by a stint of competition in the Northern Hemisphere including the 2003 New York to Hamburg Transatlantic.

Alfa Romeo - TECHNICAL DETAILS:

Owner/skipper: Neville Crichton

Clubs: Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and Cruising Yacht Club of Australia

Designers: Reichel/Pugh, USA

Builders: McConaghy Boats, Sydney, Australia

Mast: Southern Spars, Auckland, New Zealand

Rig: Fractional with backstay runners and checkstays

Sails: North Sails, Sydney, Australia

Construction: Carbon fibre hull, keel, mast and working sailsLOA: 27.43m (90 ft)

Beam: 5.6m (18.3 ft)

Draft: 4.0m (13.1 ft) - two configurations, one keel when using water ballast; heavier keel to meeting IRC speed rating of 1.600

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