november 10, 2026
Which WaveSurfer Fits Your Venue? Choosing Between 1, 2, 3 and 4 Jets
The model you choose sets your investment, your queue times and your revenue ceiling. A unit that is too large sits half empty. A unit that is too small turns away guests on the days that matter most. This guide shows how to size a WaveSurfer to your peak hour, your audience and your space, with the figures you need to compare 1, 2, 3 and 4 jets.
In brief
- We build fixed models with 1, 2, 3 or 4 jets, from a 6 × 15 m footprint to 22 × 15 m, plus a mobile unit on a trailer that is available to rent and to buy.
- Size for the peak hour, not the average day. Capacity per hour is riders at once multiplied by the number of turns you sell.
- The surf surface grows from 34 m² (1 Jet) to 136 m² (4 Jets). Each jet carries 4 children or 3 adults on the surf surface at the same time.
- The structure is modular, so a venue can start with a smaller model and expand in a later phase.
- A site assessment confirms the choice before you commit. It takes your space, visitors and season into account.
The four fixed models at a glance
All fixed models have adjustable water speed, so the same wave suits beginners and experienced riders. They can be built indoors or outdoors, recessed into the ground or built up in concrete.
| Model | Footprint | Net surf surface | Riders at once | Typical starting point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jet | 6 × 15 m | 34 m² (4 × 8.5 m) | 4 children or 3 adults | Compact sites, hotels, family entertainment centers |
| 2 Jets | 10 × 15 m | 68 m² (8 × 8.5 m) | 8 children or 6 adults | Hotels, holiday parks, waterparks with moderate peaks |
| 3 Jets | 14 × 15 m | 102 m² (12 × 8.5 m) | 12 children or 9 adults | Waterparks and large resorts with strong peak days |
| 4 Jets | 22 × 15 m | 136 m² (two surfaces side by side) | 16 children or 12 adults | Destination attractions that run a headline ride |
The surf surface is given as width by length, and the riders at once are the riders on the surf surface at the same moment. The Mobile model sits outside this table. It has a 6 × 14 m footprint and 36 m² of surf surface, travels on a trailer, is available to rent and to buy, and is built for events, rental and seasonal use.
Start from your peak hour
Most operators size a ride on the average day and then find queues on the busiest day. Reverse it. Ask how many guests want to ride in the busiest hour of your busiest weekend, and how long each should ride.
Capacity per hour equals riders at once multiplied by 60, divided by the minutes in each turn. With 30-minute turns:
| Model | Riders at once | Riders per hour (30-minute turns) | Riders per hour (15-minute turns) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jet | 4 children or 3 adults | 8 children or 6 adults | 16 children or 12 adults |
| 2 Jets | 8 children or 6 adults | 16 children or 12 adults | 32 children or 24 adults |
| 3 Jets | 12 children or 9 adults | 24 children or 18 adults | 48 children or 36 adults |
| 4 Jets | 16 children or 12 adults | 32 children or 24 adults | 64 children or 48 adults |
These are theoretical maxima. Briefings, changeovers and breaks reduce them. The Belfry Hotel & Resort in the UK, for example, runs 60-minute sessions with up to ten riders, including a 15-minute safety briefing. Use the table to compare models, then apply your own session format.
The turn length is a commercial choice. Short turns raise throughput and keep the queue moving on peak days. Longer turns suit a lesson or a premium ticket. Many operators sell both.
Match the model to the venue
Hotels and resorts. The ride is an amenity that raises guest spend and sets the property apart. A 1 Jet or 2 Jets usually carries the guest volume, and a viewing terrace turns every session into a show for the pool and the bar. The Belfry placed its WaveSurfer on its resort beach and sold timed sessions.
Holiday parks. Demand peaks in school holidays, and the weather decides the rest. A 2 Jets with a retractable roof keeps the ride open in the shoulder season. Woolacombe Bay Holiday Park in Devon fits its WaveSurfer with a sliding glass roof for year-round use.
Waterparks. Peak days bring thousands of visitors and queues are the main risk. A 3 Jets or 4 Jets handles the volume. A 2 Jets can also split its surf surface in two with a divider wall, available on request, which gives beginners and stronger riders their own area at the same time. Oasis Waterpark in Billings, Montana, opened the first WaveSurfer in North America in July 2024. Its operations director chose it to add an attraction for teens and young adults.
Family entertainment centers and malls. Floor space is expensive, so footprint decides. A 1 Jet or 2 Jets indoors gives a strong draw for events, birthdays and team-building without a large building. In a shopping mall with a front height of 1.4 m, the same surface takes twice as many jets: 2 Jets instead of 1 for a 4 × 8.5 m surface, and 4 Jets instead of 2 for an 8 × 8.5 m surface.
Events and rental. A Mobile unit lets you test demand, serve several sites or run a seasonal pop-up. You can rent it or buy it.
These are starting points. The site assessment confirms the right model.
What the surface width gives you
The wider the surf surface, the more riders you serve at once and the more room stronger riders have for tricks. The 1 Jet offers a surface 4 m wide and 8.5 m long, the 2 Jets 8 m wide, the 3 Jets 12 m, and the 4 Jets has two large surfaces side by side. If your audience includes both families and experienced riders, width is what lets them share the attraction.
Beyond the standard models, we build options that change the experience, not only the size, such as Skyjump and Extreme versions, a barrel, curves and a floating platform with a stage. We share the details of these options on request.
Plan for growth
The structure is modular. You can start with a smaller unit and expand it in a later phase. That lowers the first investment and lets you confirm demand before you commit to the larger model. Ask for the expansion path in the first quote, so the building, the water systems and the technical room are sized for it.
Six questions that settle the choice
- How many guests do you expect on the busiest hour of the busiest weekend, and how many of them want to ride?
- Who rides: children, adults, beginners, experienced riders, groups, or all of them?
- How long is each turn, and do you sell lessons or premium sessions?
- How much floor space is available, and where do guests wait and watch?
- Indoor or outdoor, and how long is your season?
- Do you want to start small and expand?
The answers also feed the business case. Our guide to cost and payback works through a reference case of 25,000 customers a year.
Mistakes to avoid
- Sizing for the opening weekend. Novelty crowds fade. Size for the sustained peak.
- Forgetting the spectators. A viewing area sells the ride to people who are not riding yet.
- Choosing on price alone. A cheaper unit that creates queues costs more in lost revenue than the saving.
- Ignoring staffing. More riders at once means more instructors and supervisors. Plan the team together with the model.
Frequently asked questions
How many people can ride a WaveSurfer at the same time? Each jet carries 4 children or 3 adults on the surf surface at the same time. A 1 Jet takes 4 children or 3 adults, a 2 Jets 8 children or 6 adults, a 3 Jets 12 children or 9 adults, and a 4 Jets 16 children or 12 adults.
What is the difference between a 1 Jet and a 2 Jets? A 2 Jets has a 10 × 15 m footprint and a 68 m² surf surface (8 × 8.5 m), twice the 34 m² (4 × 8.5 m) of a 1 Jet. It takes 8 children or 6 adults at once, twice as many as a 1 Jet, and a divider wall into two separate areas is available on request.
Can I start with a smaller model and expand later? Yes. The structure is modular, so a unit can be expanded in a later phase. Plan the expansion in the first design.
Which model suits a hotel? Most hotels start with a 1 Jet or 2 Jets, depending on guest numbers and the space around the pool or beach. A site assessment confirms the choice.
Get a model recommendation
Tell us your venue type, the space you have, the visitors you expect and when you plan to open. Our team returns a model recommendation with the footprint, so you can compare options before you commit.
Request a model recommendation for your venue.
