Tow-in surfing was pioneered by Laird Hamilton, Buzzy Kerbox, Dave Kalama, and others in the mid 1990s. A surfer is towed into a breaking wave by a partner driving a personal watercraft (PWC, commonly known by the brand name Jet Ski) or a helicopter with an attached tow-line. This method has a demonstrated advantage in situations where the wave is too large (such as Peahi off the north side of Maui), or where position on the wave is extremely critical (Teahupoo off southeast Tahiti).