Two major subdivisions within stand-up surfing are longboarding and shortboarding, reflecting differences in surfboard design, including surfboard length and riding style.
In tow-in surfing (most often, but not exclusively, associated with big wave surfing), a motorized water vehicle, such as a personal watercraft, tows the surfer into the wave front, helping the surfer match a large wave's higher speed, a speed that is generally, but not exclusively, a speed that a self-propelled surfer cannot match.
Surfing-related sports such as paddleboarding and sea kayaking do not require waves, and other derivative sports such as kitesurfing and windsurfing rely primarily on wind for power, yet all of these platforms may also be used to ride waves.
Recently with the use of V-drive boats, wake surfing, in which one surfs on the wake of a boat, has emerged.
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[edit] Origin
See also: History of surfing
For centuries surfing was a central part of ancient Polynesian culture. Surfing might have been first observed by Europeans at Tahiti in Spring 1767 by Samuel Wallis and the crew members of the Dolphin[1] who quickly visited the island on 17 June 1767. Another candidate is the botanist Joseph Banks[2] being part of the First voyage of James Cook on the HMS Endeavour, who arrived on 10 April 1769 on Tahiti. Lieutenant James King was the first one who wrote about the art of surfing on Hawaii[3] when completing the journals of Captain James Cook upon Cook's death in 1779.When Mark Twain visited Hawaii in 1866 he wrote,
- "In one place we came upon a large company of naked natives, of both sexes and all ages, amusing themselves with the national pastime of surf-bathing."[4]
[edit] Surf waves
See also: Ocean surface wave
Local wind conditions affect wave quality, since the surface of a wave can become choppy in blustery conditions. Ideal conditions include a light to moderate "offshore" wind, because it blows into the front of the wave, making it a "barrel" or "tube" wave.
The most important influence on wave shape is the topography of the seabed directly behind and immediately beneath the breaking wave. The contours of the reef or bar front becomes stretched by diffraction. Each break is different, since the underwater topography of one place is unlike any other. At beach breaks, sandbanks change shape from week to week. Surf forecasting is aided by advances in information technology. Mathematical modeling graphically depicts the size and direction of swells around the globe.
Swell regularity varies across the globe and throughout the year. During winter, heavy swells are generated in the mid-latitudes, when the north and south polar fronts shift toward the Equator. The predominantly westerly winds generate swells that advance eastward, so waves tend to be largest on west coasts during winter months. However, an endless train of mid-latitude cyclones cause the isobars to become undulated, redirecting swells at regular intervals toward the tropics.
East coasts also receive heavy winter swells when low-pressure cells form in the sub-tropics, where slow moving highs inhibits their movement. These lows produce a shorter fetch than polar fronts, however they can still generate heavy swells, since their slower movement increases the duration of a particular wind direction. The variables of fetch and duration both influence how long wind acts over a wave as it travels, since a wave reaching the end of a fetch behaves as if the wind died.
During summer, heavy swells are generated when cyclones form in the tropics. Tropical cyclones form over warm seas, so their occurrence is influenced by El Niño & La Niña cycles. Their movements are unpredictable. They can move westward as in 1979, when Tropical Cyclone Kerry wandered for three weeks across the Coral Sea and into Queensland before dissipating.
Surf travel and some surf camps offer surfers access to remote, tropical locations, where tradewinds ensure offshore conditions. Since winter swells are generated by mid-latitude cyclones, their regularity coincides with the passage of these lows. Swells arrive in pulses, each lasting for a couple of days, with a few days between each swell.
Wave intensity
- Tube shape defined by length to width ratio
- Square: <1:1
- Round: 1-2:1
- Almond: >2:1
- Tube speed defined by angle of peel line
- Fast: 30°
- Medium: 45°
- Slow: 60°
| Fast | Medium | Slow | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square | The Cobra | Teahupoo | Shark Island |
| Round | Speedies, Gnaraloo | Banzai Pipeline | |
| Almond | Lagundri Bay, Superbank | Jeffreys Bay, Bells Beach | Angourie Point |
Artificial reefs
The value of good surf has even prompted the construction of artificial reefs and sand bars to attract surf tourism. Of course, there is always the risk that one's vacation coincides with a "flat spell." Artificial surfing reefs can be built with durable sandbags or concrete, and resemble a submerged breakwater. These artificial reefs not only provide a surfing location, but also dissipate wave energy and shelter the coastline from erosion. Wave pools aim to solve that problem, by controlling all the elements that go into creating perfect surf, however there are only a handful of wave pools that can simulate good surfing waves, owing primarily to construction and operation costs and potential liability. Most wave pools generate waves that are too small and lack the proper power to actually surf. The Sea Gaia Ocean Dome, located in Miyazaki, Japan, is a prime example of a surfable wave pool. Able to generate powerful waves with up to 10 foot faces, the specialized pump holds water in 20 vertical tanks positioned along the back edge of the pool. This allows the waves to be directed as they approach the artificial sea floor. Lefts, Rights, and A-frames can be directed from this ingenious pump design providing for rippable surf, even barrel rides. Many professional surfers have demonstrated how hard the simuated waves can be "ripped." The Ocean Dome, although revolutionary and surfing-wise successful, cost about $2 billion to build and is incredibly expensive to maintain.[5]The availability of free model data from the NOAA has allowed the creation of several surf forecasting websites.
An artificial reef known as Chevron Reef, was constructed in El Segundo, California in hopes of creating a new surfing area. However, the project was a failure, and the reef failed to produce any quality waves . In Kovalam, Southwest India, a recently constructed artificial reef has successfully provided the local community with a quality lefthander, stabilized coastal soil erosion, and a habitat to which marine life has flocked.[6] ASR Ltd., a New Zealand based company, constructed the Kovalam reef and is working on another in Boscombe, England.
Ships such as Seli 1 that have stranded on sandy bottoms, create sandbanks that give rise to good waves. [7]
Surfers and surf culture
Main article: Surf culture
The sport of surfing now represents a multi-billion dollar industry especially in clothing and fashion markets. Some people make a career out of surfing by receiving corporate sponsorships.
When the waves were flat, surfers persevered with sidewalk surfing, which is now called skateboarding. Sidewalk surfing has a similar feel to surfing and requires only a paved road or sidewalk. To create the feel of the wave, surfers even sneak into empty backyard swimming pools to ride in, known as pool skating.
Maneuvers
A surfer is respected if he catches a wave in the middle and maneuvers his way to the shoulder (or edge) of the breaking wave. Conversely, a surfer who takes off on the shoulder often becomes an obstacle for more skilled surfers taking off in the 'impact zone' and is deemed a shoulder hopper. Surfers' skills are tested by their ability to control their board in challenging conditions, riding challenging waves, and executing maneuvers such as strong turns and cutbacks (turning board back to the breaking wave) and carving (a series of strong back-to-back maneuvers). More advanced skills include the floater (riding on top of the breaking curl of the wave), and off the lip (banking off the breaking wave). A newer addition to surfing is the progression of the air whereby a surfer propels off the wave entirely and re-enters the wave.
Tube ride
When surfer gets a tube ride, it is often referred to as getting tubed or getting barreled.
Hanging Ten and Hanging Five are moves usually specific to longboarding. Hanging Ten refers to having both feet on the front end of the board with all of the surfer's toes off the edge, also known as noseriding. Hanging Five is having just one foot near the front, with five toes off the edge.
Cutback: Generating speed down the line and then turning back to reverse direction.
Floater: Suspending the board atop the wave. Very popular on small waves.
Top-Turn: Turn off the top of the wave. Sometimes used to generate speed and sometimes to shoot spray.
Air / Aerial: Launching the board off the wave entirely, then re-entering the wave. Various airs include ollies, lien airs, method airs, and other skateboard-like maneuvers.
Surfing terms
[edit] Learning to surf
Many popular surfing destinations, such as Hawaii, California, Florida, Rio de Janeiro, Ireland, Australia and Costa Rica, have surf schools and surf camps that offer lessons. Surf camps for beginners and intermediates are multi-day lessons that focus on surfing fundamentals. They are designed to take new surfers and help them become proficient riders. All-inclusive surf camps offer overnight accommodations, meals, lessons and surfboards. Most surf lessons begin by instructors pushing students into waves on longboards. The longboard is considered the ideal surfboard for learning, due to the fact it has more paddling speed and stability than shorter boards. Funboards are also a popular shape for beginners as they combine the volume and stability of the longboard with the manageable size of a smaller surfboard.[8]Typical surfing instruction is best performed one-on-one, but can also be done in a group setting. Popular surf locations such as Hawaii, Brazil, Mexico and Costa Rica offer perfect surfing conditions for beginners, as well as challenging breaks for advanced students. Surf spots more conducive to instruction typically offer conditions suitable for learning, most importantly, sand bars or sandy bottom breaks with consistent waves.
Surfing can be broken into several skills: drop in positioning to catch the wave, the pop-up, and positioning on the wave. Paddling out requires strength but also the mastery of techniques to break through oncoming waves (duck diving, eskimo roll). Drop in positioning requires experience at predicting the wave set and where they will break. The surfer must pop up quickly as soon as the wave starts pushing the board forward. Preferred positioning on the wave is determined by experience at reading wave features including where the wave is breaking.[9]
Balance plays a crucial role in standing on a surfboard. Thus, balance training exercises are a good preparation. Practicing with a Balance board or swing boarding helps novices master the art.
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