Wavetracks GPS iPhone App

Business sometimes moves in mysterious ways. Whilst taking some time out of the world of wireframes and web development last year to concentrate on obtaining his RLSS Lifeguard and BSA surf instruction qualifications, Ben Ellis met Mark Parry, the director of Marine Coastal Processing (a marine consultancy business).

With their joint interest in surfing, technology and data mapping, Wavetracks GPS was born. Wavetracks GPS is the only (at the time of writing) iPhone application that allows you to track your entire surf session and view performance data for each successfully ridden wave after you finish surfing.

Wavetracks GPS allows you to record

• Distance
• Duration
• Direction of travel
• Max speed
• Average speed
• Potential speed
• Potential reached
• Session summary data
• Individual wave data
• View each wave on a map

We designed and developed the visual identity, information architecture and interface design for the application. We worked closely with Runloop Limited who took the IA and design assets and created a working protype and eventually a fully-fledged working app (approved by Apple in record time).

Marine Coastal Processing are now in partnership with Magicseaweed (the UKs most popular surf forecasting website) with a focus on developing and marketing the app to the wider, global surfing community.

The most enjoyable part of this project was testing the app, which naturally required us to go surfing to gain valuable feedback.