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For those of us that were hoping that the Shark Shield would allow us to safely surf the sharkiest lineups in the world, there is a bit of disappointing news. Whilst being tested in South Africa, under the supervision of the Natal Sharks Board, a female great white ate a Shark Shield device that had been attached to a float. This has been the cause of speculation that the electrical fields designed to repel sharks might in fact attract them.
The manufacturer claims that the device does work but that due to the design it will only be effective while a surfer is stationary and waiting for a wave. If you are actually surfing, or paddling, you could be out of luck. At any rate, I cannot think of a more spectacular product testing failure than this one.
Source: The Australian
Tags: Outdoors, sharks, surfing
8 responses
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Mar 4, 2008 at 11:51 pm
[…] For those of us that were hoping that the Shark Shield would allow us to safely surf the sharkiest lineups in the world, there is a bit of disappointing news. Whilst being tested in South Africa, under the supervision of the Natal Sharks Board, a female great white ate a Shark Shield device that had been attached to a float. This has been the … (Read on Source) […]
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Mar 6, 2008 at 3:09 pm
[…] This spectacular product failure has fueled speculation that the electrical fields, that serve as the basis for SharkShield’s shark-repelling technology, may actually attract sharks and compel them to attack. The company claims that their shark-repelling technology, which relies on electrical fields, works fine when you’re stationary, but not so much when you’re paddling or riding a wave. Since roughly 52% of a surfer’s time in the water is spent either paddling or riding waves, I’d say it’s a safe play to avoid using the SharkShield device. Link […]
Chris
Mar 16, 2008 at 7:45 pm
2. “Model that was eaten by shark in South Africa had malfunctioned” – NOT TRUE
Our products undergo stringent testing by the Natal Sharks Board of South Africa (NSB). No product can be released without the sanctioning of the NSB and it is common practice for us to test various innovations in order that we advance our products.
In trialling one having a different antenna, a number of tests were carried out, with the antenna attached to a floating tube on the surface in choppy wave conditions. In order for the waveform to be correctly discharged in the water the electrodes in the antenna must be submerged. Predictably in this particular test the shark was not repelled. It cannot be said that the unit malfunctioned. The model was not eaten by a shark. These tests were part of a controlled scientific trial and every scenario must be tested including worst case scenarios in order to get valid results. These results can then be taken into account in the final design and operating procedures. The unit performed very well against sharks when the antenna was in a vertical submerged position.
For a full account of the letter received, which is an effort made my Shark Shield to dispel any wrong accounts of the attack displayed by the media, readers may email news@deeperblue.net for a copy.
Chris
Mar 16, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Hi all, On behalf of Shark Shield i would like to suggest that you please refer to the Shark Shield website (www.sharkshield.com) for a complete Coronial Report discussing Shark Shield and hear the TRUE info regarding the products. It outlines the effectiveness of the unit and gives users a complete understanding of why they are indeed reccommended to be worn. Click on the Coronial Report heading under ‘Latest News’ and refer specifically to Section 4.
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