Extend surfing time
Surfing requires time and patience. But when you work hard to get there in time to catch a wave before nightfall. This is precisely the problem faced by Sébastien Étienne, an agricultural engineer. After unsuccessful searches on the Internet to find the lamp that would allow him to surf at night, he decided to develop a waterproof lamp to practice at night. He had several prototypes when he met François Guillou, an optician who was a keen glider enthusiast. The latter tests the system and then decides to join the project. It's 2017.
Available on the Internet
After two years of research and development, the Black Swan is now available on the Internet for ?1620 (for the most extreme version). A high price, of course, but which is explained by its almost entirely French manufacture - it is assembled in the Côtes-d'Armor - and its unique characteristics.
Three light fields
The Black Swan is a waterproof and bright lamp that offers three fields of light in a single lamp. The first one with a long range allows to see very far - more than 100 m - the second one is extra wide, at more than 140° (the horizontal field of vision of a human is 180°) and the third one is an intermediate field of 45° with an elliptical shape.
For the luminosity, the two enthusiasts called on optical experts to increase the luminous power. Thus, the lamp offers up to 7000 lumens, a higher luminous flux than a luxury sedan.
With this maximum intensity, the Black Swan offers 90 minutes of autonomy. But with a less powerful mode, the maximum autonomy is 12 hours. A total of 25 power and range configuration options are available.
Extreme use
This specific lamp developed for water sports required research in the fields of diving, cycling and caving. It is of course waterproof to a depth of 10 m and can be used in a temperature range from -20 °C to +70 °C. Meeting the demanding standards of the marine environment, it is also suitable for other extreme sports such as mountain biking, skiing..
Easy to use and easy to use
While its characteristics are highly technical, its use is easy. The battery is installed in a special vest and worn on the back. The lamp is fixed on a helmet, which leaves the surfer's hands free.
Two buttons are dedicated to the control of the light field and its power. An SOS is integrated in case of danger. Charging is done on mains with a full charging time of 4 hours.
