Comments for Shark-shielded Surf Ski at http://www.surfski.info , comment 0 to 18 out of 18 comments http://www.surfski.info Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:57:26 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/554/147/#pc_1720 Know all about sharks. Surfing Nahoon Reef 1/2 a km out to sea has a way of bringing them front & centre. Give me this 'juice machine' & I will bolt it to my ski in EL water every time. - Gavin Dickinson Sat, 17 Nov 2007 17:07:47 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/554/147/#pc_1719 Dickenson dont tell me you are an East london boy and scared of sharks>>> - Chantelle Howes Fri, 16 Nov 2007 18:14:38 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/554/147/#pc_1702 You can still be safe with an older ski. The current shark shield does add some drag and it's not something you want to be racing with. However the way round it I have found is to mount to shield on your deck and leave the whole long "whip" part (which is the bit that drags in the water) bungied or duct taped to the deck. All previous attacks have been to the ski and the paddler has generally fallen in the water and thankfully suffered no injuries. In the event of an attack and capsize the ski will likely be upside down and the shield will then be working as it is now in the water and the swimmer will be protected by its field. Bear in mind many sportsmen will train in heavier shoes etc but race in light ones - you can do the same by training with the shield trailing in the water and adding the drag but racing with it on the deck as described. - Derek Goldman Thu, 08 Nov 2007 15:57:34 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/554/147/#pc_1698 Hey Jamii The shark shield guys are on their second generation product for surfers actually - check it out on: www.sharkshield.com - Rob Mousley Thu, 08 Nov 2007 09:54:12 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/554/147/#pc_1697 Jeez, who'd surf? Click here for the story from Murray Williams, chief reporter at the Cape Argus: http://www.surfski.info/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,123/topic,175.msg1094/topicseen,1/#new The Bonza Bay attack (East London) is covered here: http://www.dispatch.co.za/2007/11/05/Easterncape/aalead.html And if you want to look on the bright side - here are another two attacks where the victim didn't die... I find it encouraging that while attacks do happen, they're extremely rare - and fatal attacks are still more rare... And NOT ONE surf ski paddler has ever been seriously injured in a sharky encounter... Well, unless you count Richard Tebbutt but that was a bit different in that HE was attacking the shark and the poor thing was just defending itself... (He was paddling on the Nahoon river in East London and saw an angler battling to land a big fish. He paddled over & jumped on the fish only to find it was 1.5m Zambezi shark... he ended up with 50 stitches...!) - Rob Mousley Thu, 08 Nov 2007 09:35:12 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/554/147/#pc_1696 Its probably a little untimely with the coincidence of this shark shield discussion, but there was a shark attack at Strand yesterday evening! A 14 year old surfer was attacked from behind and dragged backwards under water only to be released after several second he managed to the beach and was later discharged from the local mediclinic with superficial wounds to his feet! My guess is that it likely was a only smallish shark doing a little bit of "curious testing" (as they have no hands)to identify what the surfer was, had it been larger it would possibly have caused far greater damage to the boy. This incident along with another recent one in East London, notorious for shark attacks, does indicate a growing need for shark repelling devises. The problem for surfers is that they will need to be ergonomic fitted and light enough to be used efficiently, however for the paddlers carrying an extra kg in the middle of a 17kg ski is not really going to impair performance that much but is very different on a 5o kg kid riding a 1,5kg surfboard being weigh down in small surf! As a qualified product designer (helping out Honcho Surfskis) I have a keen interest to see any development or improving to design & technology especially if its relevant to me, I don't know what funding is been given to the R&D of this project, but as the population of surfers is way larger than paddlers the economic should justify for a lighter & transferable unit! Mike perhaps you can give us some further insight? Rgds Jamii - Jamii Hamlin Thu, 08 Nov 2007 09:09:41 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/554/147/#pc_1691 Hi Guys , Thanks for the positive comments. The modified Sharkshield unit can be fitted to any surfski or any fibrglass craft or even a "Tupperware " kayak. The pricipal remains the same . The two stainless steel plates are fitted to the underside of the craft and will sit proud by about 1 mm from the hull of the boat. It will be necessary to fit two small inspection hatches to the top of the craft , to allow for access to the back of the satinless steel plates , to allow for connecting the cables from the back of the plates to the battery pack mounted at the feet of the paddler. The Natal Sharks Board has done some tests using various carbon fibre products as apposed to the stainless steel plates. These however were found to be not as effective as the stainless steel. But things could change. The motivation for developing this prioduct came from the fatal shark attack on Mrs .Tiler Webb in Fish Hoek Bay some three years ago. That attack and other subsequent attacks in the immediate area have had a major effect on the Fish Hoek Surk Lifesaving Club. As Chairman of the Fish Hoek Surf LIfesaving Club , I have made it my business to work closely with the Natal Sharks Board and the Shark Working Group here in Cape Town and my fellow committee members and I are determined to find a solution to our problem. This product is just the beginning of a long process we have embarked on . We have now shown that we can protect surfskiers using this devise. Now we want to protect our swimmers , particularly our nippers. We are working with the Natal Sharks Board on an electronic device which will do that , but this will take time and money. Thanks again. Mike Schilperoort - Mike Tue, 06 Nov 2007 20:14:06 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/554/147/#pc_1690 Being an avid surfer for 25 years & paddling for 7, sharks have alway been a natural concern when surfing alone or the light is fading & the conditions are ominous. I seen many sharks surfing & paddling in fact a week ago I have a small 1,5 m shark breach 4 m away from me when doing some early morning training strand in the shallow water amoungst the rocks at strand....we share the ocean! Anyway surfers promportionally are at higher risk than paddlers and whilst the shark pods used for drivers are not very ergonomic for surfing, I believe through Deon? who works for WWF on the protecting white sharks that there experiments in conjunction with sharkshield for a smaller device that may applied to the underside of the deck tail pad that surfer uses for back foot grip! It may be premeture for them to discuss this publically, but its good to know that these electronic fields devices may be a solution to sharknets other applications or environments where a blanketing shield of protection could be applied. I think this pod developed for paddlers is a great assest to reduce the risks & it would be interseting to see if ski manufacturers would become involved to incorporate this technology into there manufacturing of skis in the furture. Perhaps we could have some comment on this? - Jamii Hamlin Tue, 06 Nov 2007 10:12:01 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/554/147/#pc_1689 Great to see development in this area, there's much better things to do in the water than become food! It's great to see that a tidy solution has been achieved as shown in the photos. My main criticism is that it isn't accessible unless you buy a new specialized boat. In consideration of the stainless steel electrodes, I am wondering whether the people responsible for this have considered the wonderful world of conductive carbon/graphite coatings and films. These can be applied to any ski hull (polyester/vinalester/epoxy) with no structural modification to the hull at all. They don't corrode, are light-weight and require very low investment in most circumstances. It would be awesome to see a solution that could be applied to any boat (including competition boats), and I look forward to seeing how the project develops. Keep up the good work... - Simon Fifield Tue, 06 Nov 2007 06:35:44 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/554/147/#pc_1688 It's good to see that with all the technology we have in this world, people ares till trying to improve the safety of others.... This is a brilliant idea, and congrats to the folks that made it possible..... If we had sharks here in Dubai, I would of been the first to place an order..... Keep up making paddling safe to the world....... - Christo Tromp Tue, 06 Nov 2007 04:49:46 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/554/147/#pc_1687 Hmm, not so sure about getting zapped when you wallow or a wave washes over... - Dean Jordaan Mon, 05 Nov 2007 21:16:41 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/554/147/#pc_1686 Mike just registered on the site & will be able to answer the questions himself shortly but in the meantime, here's what he had to say: "Nothing lasts for ever in the sea and I guess the stainless steel plates will eventually corrode. But it is a good question . On the latest version the stainless steel plates will have three threaded bars attached to the plates and this will help keep the plate close to the hull. If ever you had to replace the plates , it would be a matter of losing the nuts and breaking the silicon or epoxy seal and then fitting a replacement stainless steel plate. At the moment , the Sharkshield unit is detachable and can be used elsewhere ie on you diving unit , but this is likely to change in the near future." - Rob Mousley Mon, 05 Nov 2007 18:53:25 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/554/147/#pc_1684 Would there be any problem with corrosion of the plates, long term. Also, can one remove the shark shield box and re-attach the antenna for alternative use? - Gary Kroukamp Mon, 05 Nov 2007 12:31:15 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/554/147/#pc_1682 Mike asked me to paddle the 1st prototype Ski at the Butlers Pizza 3 Beaches. Being a novice paddler I ended up taking a few swims. The only time I felt anything is when I grabbed the ski (a lesson learnt from Surfski school, grab onto your ski) after bailing out. Needless to say my elbow ended up with a tingling feeling. Great work keep it up Mike. - Andrew Brouckaert Mon, 05 Nov 2007 08:10:59 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/554/147/#pc_1681 Hey TxSki - check out the Ski Tattoos article for an idea on how to get the teeth done...! - Rob Mousley Mon, 05 Nov 2007 07:14:07 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/554/147/#pc_1680 Mike says, "The plates can be fitted to any hull or any ski . If they are retro fitted ( Fitted to an existing hull ) , then they will fit on the hull and not in the hull. The plates are epoxied and bolted into position. Inspection hatches are required on the top of the ski to gain access to the plates and the cables connecting the plates to the Sharkshield unit . The stainless steel plates when retro-fitted project approximately one millimeter from the hull." - Rob Mousley Mon, 05 Nov 2007 07:13:08 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/554/147/#pc_1679 Actually I'm diggin the paintjob/decal on the bow. Been looking for a nose job a while. - Txski Sun, 04 Nov 2007 22:32:22 +0100 http://www.surfski.info/content/view/554/147/#pc_1678 Can this product fit any ski? - Gavin Dickinson Sun, 04 Nov 2007 19:34:42 +0100