ADG
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From recreation to surf and everything in between, ADG tells Park World about its long history and lasting impact on today’s advancements in Wave Technology.
Evolution in Waves
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The development of recreational wave pools was born in the late 1960’s with the debut of a unique wave pool built at Big Surf in Phoenix, AZ. The system that powered this pool became the engine behind WaveTek’s revolutionary Tsunami solitary wave – a system which, more than 50 years later, remains today’s workhorse for surf pools around the world. At the forefront of wave pool technology, ADG created the first set of hydraulic surf pools in the early 1980’s at Water World, Geauga Lake, and Emerald Point parks. The IP that they developed is also featured on Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon, an iconic wave pool that to this day remains popular among surfers for the high-quality surfable waves it produces. In fact, its once patented high-head/ low-volume technology is the backbone for many of the large wave systems found throughout the Asian market today.
Advancing technology
Throughout the next decades what followed was a dedicated drive to advance the technology behind producing waves for commercial use. By combining WaveTek’s patented technology with ADG’s expertise in manufacturing, design, and construction, what followed were groundbreaking innovations that earmarked a new growth in the recreational wave market.
As wave shape and quality began to take centre stage, ADG was first on the scene with pneumatic wave systems, proving that they could produce large, consistent waves that dispersed at steady intervals and hold their shape through the length of the pool.
These systems were the driving engine producing the first surfable pneumatic wave pools in the 1980’s at some of the most renowned venues of the day including Oasis Point, the setting for Hollywood’s surf classic, The North Shore, and Wild Rivers in CA, the host of the 1988 Pro Inland Surf Tour. In the early 1990’s they produced their second-generation pneumatic
SPRING PART 2 2021
system that they deployed at Festival Bay, a full- scale model that provided proof-of-concept for successful, purpose-built pneumatic surf pools. Many of today’s wave system features considered “standards” within the industry were developed by ADG who was pivotal in bringing to market innovations that included all stainless-steel construction, multiple wave pattern technologies, and specialty wave chamber arrangements for low energy usage.
ADG also became the first, and only company, to offer a complete wave pool package – from the planning and design of the pools to the engineering and manufacturing of the waves, to building, installing, and servicing the equipment – making wave pools a commercially viable option, and helping usher in the age of the water park. And since the 1980’s ADG has designed, built and/or provided wave generation systems to over 90% of the recreational wave pools across N. America.
Innovation first
Among its long list of innovative firsts, some notable mentions include the world’s first pre- programmable variable wave pattern application for wave pools, introduction of waves to rivers, cost-effective staggered caisson pneumatic system configurations, and the first 6’ (2m) high pneumatic solitary roller waves for recreational use. ADG’s advancements in waves has led to many new and emerging technologies – from standing and sheet wave attractions, to surf pools and rivers – that have quickly become the industry standard for use in recreational and surfing applications. The stationary surf wave market took off in 2003, when ADG partnered with Tom Lochtefeld to transform his idea of a stationary surfable wave and make it a commercially viable attraction. From that, FlowRider was born – a ride with over 225 installations worldwide, 130+ of which have been designed, built, and installed by ADG in indoor, outdoor and resort waterparks across
North America.
Surf parks today also benefit from ADG’s early research and development of advanced pneumatic systems, which provide more control of the wave generator, delivering reliable consistency in wave formation and offers a solution that requires no equipment in the water. This technology was then reconfigured for rivers, with multiple chambers that produce 3’ “tidal waves” – a first of its kind river wave to run the entire length of the river that you can ride, body board, or even surf if the park will allow it!
International expansion Over the past decade ADG Waves has expanded internationally with growth in Asia, the Middle East, the Philippians, and Australia. Its WaveTek technology can be found in a variety of recreational projects that run the gamut from large wave pools of all shapes and sizes, to shallow kid’s pools and beachless pools, to waves for rivers, specialty boogie boarding and surf pools, pools with no equipment in the water, and pools with remotely located operating control panels, ideal for when you’re dealing with space limitations.
ADG’s latest surf wave project under works is taking place in Australia and marks their 21st surf pool to date. With a planned opening for the 2021 summer season, this purpose-built boogie- boarding and “learn-to-surf” pool is the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere delivering breaking interchangeable waves of 1.2m. in a 55-meter compact pool.
With the dramatic growth of surf pools and parks, ADG is building on its already proven success in the field of surfable wave applications which today includes their ShoreBreak recreational surf pool, Breaker Beach recreational boogie- boarding pool, TidalWave River, FlowRider sheet wave attraction, and its soon-to-be-released deep standing surf wave ride, which it is promising will be epic!
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