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Profile Local inventor makes waves in San Diego By David Moye January 23, 2006 San Diego--Inventor Tom Lochtefeld has a swell head. In his case, however, it’s a good thing because he spends most of his time thinking about waves. Lochtefeld is the inventor of WaveLoch, a brand of wave machines that push a four-inch thick flow of water over a hump to create a 10-foot barrel.
One of the machines, “Bruticus Maximus,” is located at the Wave House in Belmont Park down in Mission Beach and is specifically designed for intense aerial trick demonstrations and competitions.
It features 100,000 gallons per minute of water flowing at a maximum speed of 30 miles per hour over a carefully engineered soft-foam-covered surface to create a stationary tube and an endless ramp for performing aerial maneuvers.
But Bruticus Maximus is just the first wave of activity.
Lochtefeld’s dream is to turn the Wave House into a lifestyle destination that currently includes a restaurant and, eventually, a fitness center and hotel.
The La Jolla native is also making a big splash in other ways. He’s working on promoting the installation of artificial reefs in ocean waters, as well as wave machines capable of recreating the swells at popular surf spots like the Wedge in Orange County, Mavericks in Northern California, and even Hawaii’s North Shore (at a 1/24 scale of the real thing).
Lochtefeld says that technology is called the “Flow Rider” and a prototype can be seen at the Wave House, even though he’s only allowing expert surfers to demonstrate it for now.
Although Lochtefeld uses computer technology to model the different effects, he admits he never knows if he’s completely successful until he’s all wet.
“Every single water molecule affects another; it’s like ball bearings,” he says.
Lochtefeld figures the WaveLoch will bring surfing to the landlocked and believes the machine and his technology also increase the learning curve to shooting the curl.
“Professional surfers from Hawaii like Sonny Garcia [come to the Wave House] and use it as a training aide because it increases the reaction time. The water moves much faster than in the ocean."
Plus, he says the consistency of the waves helps a surfer get the muscle memory needed to master more difficult tricks.
However, Lochtefeld is quick to mention that no matter how much his machines advance, they will never completely replace ocean surfing since “90 percent of it is being able to understand the ocean.”
Still, the WaveLoch is creating a niche because there are certain tricks that can be done on the machine that are difficult, if not impossible, to reproduce in the ocean.
The Wave House is working to promote these skills by holding a national contest every year. The first one was held this past October. Lochtefeld is helping to launch WaveHouses all over the world, including on a Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. However, he hasn’t forgotten the ocean that inspired him and surfs at least twice a week in order to stay current with Mother Nature. -------------------- David Moye is a fifth generation resident of San Diego county and has the same birthday as Reggie Bush--but none of the athletic ability. Suggested Vyuz reading... What it's like to be straight in Hillcrest | By Leopard J. Ferry San Diego Mayor talks corruption and the Strong Mayor form of government | By Larry Knowles Steve York, UCSD pornographer, chooses law over porn | By Larry Knowles The bare facts about Brazilian waxing | By Romina Cleary A look inside Imperial Beach border patrol | By Larry Knowles A serial networker walks among us | By April Labine-Katko |
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