The growing number of surfing varieties has recently given rise to many new names for sports and their equipment. In some places the classic surfboard has stood in the shadow of sports, such as windsurfing, kitesurfing or wakeboarding.
The main reason for such a turn of events is the difficult availability of places where there are favorable conditions for appropriate waves to form. Many enthusiasts cannot afford to visit their dream spots frequently. Though to a lesser extent, this problem also applies to wind-backed surfing. Wakeboarding behind a motorboat does not require special spots, but you need to have a suitable boat, which can be problematic for many. The solution could be wakeboard lifts, the number of which is still increasing, but the repeatable track in a small area in combination with a queue waiting for the pole calls into question the correlation with freedom.
The technological advances of the last decade have allowed for an innovative approach to board sports. Surfboards with their own drive were created. This segment has so far been filled with Jetboard and E-foil boards. The former slip on the water surface with the use of water jet propulsion, while E-foils are lifted a few dozen centimeters above the water surface thanks to the use of hydrofoil technology.
Given the pace of technology development and the creativity of surfers in search of new challenges, we can expect the arrival of new solutions in this area. Self-propelled boards do not have an official category or name yet, but they are increasingly referred to as Modern Surfing.