Paul Goo's first attempt at building an indoor virtual surfing ride involved putting a surfboard on a wok. Needless to say, the idea wiped out.

But that was more than 20 years ago and Goo has since improved his computerized video ride. His Tsunami Surf Simulator has become a popular attraction at parties and plays a key role in Sony Pictures' promotion of its "Surf's Up" DVD and games.

Corporate giants such as Nike, Microsoft and Motorola, and even the Army and Navy, have hired Goo to set up his Tsunami Surf Simulator at their large get-togethers. His company, Pooka Pooka LLC, has a pool of 15 simulators that are available for rent and another 10 that are for sale.

Goo declined to release annual revenue figures and was reluctant to discuss his fees. But he did say the cost to rent a simulator can run from $1,500 to $13,000 for a complete package.

Goo said companies are willing to pay the higher fees.

"The surf culture is huge," he said. "Everybody wants to be a surfer."

The surf simulator features a specially designed surfboard with sensors that convert movement into signals that are sent to a computer. The computer then translates the signals into a virtual surfing video that is projected onto a large screen.

What makes Goo's simulator unique is he can customize the video to meet the needs of the company or person using the game. Company banners and logos, and the faces of the person surfing, can be projected on the screen.

At the larger gatherings, Goo even hands out trophies and other prizes to the winners of the "indoor surf contests." Models also can be hired to be photographed with the winners.

Goo's success is a far cry from the early days when he struggled to come up with a simulator that worked.

His first attempt was in 1986 when he was an advertising executive who was asked to help launch the opening of a new Town & Country store at Ala Moana Center. Goo came up with the idea of an indoor surfing contest, which the owners loved, but he admits he wasn't quite sure how he'd accomplish that.

"We mounted it on a wok so it could float back and forth," he laughed. "On top of that we mounted regular on and off switches so when you leaned you would hit those switches and control the video game."

The design, however, didn't quite cut it. As the store's opening got closer, Goo desperately sought the help of a 15-year-old computer wiz who came up with a crude system that was hooked up to a large TV.

"He put together this stick figure riding a wave and from that we had thousands of people come," Goo said. "It was just stick figures."

The response got Goo hooked on the idea of perfecting a surf simulator ride. The Roosevelt High and University of Hawai'i graduate left his advertising firm 10 years ago to devote his attention to the venture.

He funded his effort with proceeds from his other business, Pooka Pooka LLC, which baked and sold bagels. Along the way, he dealt with critics who said he was crazy to spend so much time and money on the simulator idea.

"People laughed at the thing and said it's stupid. That's hard stuff," said Goo, 55.

But as technology improved, Goo continued to refine the design. He took financial hits by offering the game free just to get it out in the public.

Goo said business finally turned around about five years ago when people started to approach him about using his surf simulator. He said revenue has increased "fivefold" since then.

"It was my persistence to keep showing it to people," he said. "I kept showing it to corporate party people. That's what helped me a lot. People seek me out now, which is very nice, finally. That's a big change from having to sell yourself constantly."

Despite the success, Goo said he will continue to promote the ride and work hard to make every event a successful one because he relies on word-of-mouth advertising.

"You always have to make your last the best," Goo said. "Anything's possible, but sometimes it takes time. But you got to stick with it."

Reach Curtis Lum at culum@honoluluadvertiser.com.