No doubt, a short board may not be best tool to surf large waves nor would I recommend someone else to ride one if asked, unless, of course I knew I was addressing another adrenalin junkie. 'Sure…why not? What bad thing could possibly happen?"
I agree that it gets a bit dicey on the drop. Is dicey a bad thing for a surfing lunatic that likes to be on the edge? I have never been one to play it safe. The sight of a huge wall coming at me still gets the blood surging. Being on that edge makes me feel alive and pumped.
You are absolutely right about it being like skipping across the surface like a tossed flat stone on the drop. There may be moments when you are not completely in contact with the wave’s surface, you eventually find it one way or another. (Solosurfer) bottom turns can be and are executed! In my early years and at my prime phusical condidtion I was 175 lbs (plenty of ballast), now at 225 lbs there, unfortunately is excessive ballast.
I still looked forward to the late take-off and a hard bottom turn… being way out in front of the break and then returning to the wall, just as in skiing a good downhill course at full throttle …the sensation of the compression is almost as good a high performance sex with a beautiful woman.
Large waves? Hawaiin feet? I believe we are all on the same system of standard weights and measurements (unless if you are the type of guy who is referring to a certain physical attribute and relates that exaggeration to all other measurements).
In New England I would think the general consensus would define a large wave as being 10 - 16 ft, measured from rear trough to crest. Never saw a rideable break larger than 16 ft. around here. We do now have an offshore Nor’Easter stirring things up right now. Maybe I will go down to the shore and check out the raging main tomorrow. I am sure I will be seeing other diehards…oops…I meen…blowhards in the water. Then I will come home to receive my annual mother’s day beating for being preoccupied with something else other than attending to my sweet bride’s needs.
Check out this link and buoy weather concurs with the Navy’s (Their source).
The guy in the picture is over 6’ tall - my cousin Bud, as a matter of fact. I’ve seen bigger stuff at that spot, though at lower tides ( we have 10’+ tidal ranges out here ) it was kinda out of control. The sandbars shift some with every half-decent storm, so that what works today may not work tomorrow.
The rock breaks on the mainland are, of course, a whole 'nother story.
With the current Nor’easter we are having just now ( http://www.thebeachcomber.com/beach/beachcam.htm - note that that camera is 30’ up above the sand, close to 100’ above sea level) I kinda think that the sandbar shapes for the summer season are getting established. This may be an interesting year…
Some of my Aquajet pictorial details you may find interesting. I am interested in your opinion my friend! Please feel free to check these photos out…NO B.S.!
You beat me to it!!! Those photos take me back to '68 complete with bungie tied to the fin with a slip knot on the other end!!! I finally figured out it was better to lose it to the rip rap at the Lane than have a missile coming at my head at mach 3.
Yes it is a bungee cord. I told you I was from the stone age. I wear a helmet after having my squash split open by a buddy of mine’s 10’ -0" Hobie during a relatively large day.
I have never had my board wack me though. My biggest fear was getting pounded into the glacial moraine at the Beadles Rocks and Brant Rock which occurred more than I want to remember or let me rephrase that …more than I am able to remember.
Yep, that’s one of a set of 3 that Wise straighten out, filler on deck and twist from finbox to 3’ forwards of.
I actually liked the way they surfed, leading me on a long quest for Brewer boards (I’ve had like 5 originals, over 15 MorganBrewers), currently an 8’ Plumeria…kinda small for my idea of big waves.
Hope PaulJensen is reading this…I have to admit some boards of mine I thought were OK are now considered BUTT UGLY!
They DO tend to run free and fast down bigger, slope y waves, so they favor more face, as opposed to ankle tweakers.
I’d hate to admit my #1, a 6’ x 22 squash tail, was flat decked and slightly over 3" thick, but it worked fine in all respects, for 1968.
I shaped/glassed my share of them, most less than 6 feet long. Very low rocker, 3" to 3 1/2" thick at forward wide point, right about under the chest when paddling. In the late 1960’s, it was not unusual to see sub-6’ boards ripping inside-out 8’ to 12’+ walls.
The context of the times is everything and such equipment was definitely not designed for waist-high mush. Yet, I’ll never forget witnessing that same board in action so many years ago. When the winds were offshore, the waves were clean and throwing overhead, powerful and firing down the line, the long, driving high speed arcs carved across those waves by experienced surfers inspired nothing less than respect.
More details. Next photos are of nasty North Atlantic Conditions…I will be great when it settles out with a light west wind to hold 'em up so they glass off and tube. It could get interesting. You are all invited to come to Rexhame and give it a whirl.
I have to inform you that this board is not stowed away in the shed. Still surfed upon! One of three boards I use dependant on the conditions. This one is still condemned for use in the rocks. As John Cameron Swazey said “Takes a lickin’ but keeps on tickin’”. This one has taken a poundin".
My other two boards are for prettier days. Not like the chaos you see in the attached shots taken today with gale force wnds from ENE. Like I said it will be pretty nice in the upcoming days when it settles out.
Sorry It has been a long Mothers Day…forgot the attached photos. The invite stands!
All due respect to Cheyne and other of todays notable surfers. Surfing 10 - 14 Ft Plus waves on boards ranging from a 4-11 “Fat Albert” to 7- 6 “G&S Gypsy Riders” was considered a normal occurance in my circles. We thought nothing of it…it was business as usual.
Both 5’ long, the Gypsy Rider variant on the left, in green, is 19" wide, and my first ‘real kneeboard’. Sorry about the mis-focusing, obviously I need to work on the digital skills some. Other photos there, but in honesty they are pretty bad, quick and dirty shots.
Funny thing about that too - see, there were two new G&S kneeboards for sale, that one and a clear one with a sorta rounded pintail and what I’d call an ‘S’ rail shape, up rails in the nose going to downrail in the tail. Being utterly ignorant of design and your basic teenage kid, I got the one with color and lucked out.
It was faster than spit, still the fastest thing I have ever used. Was my exclusive ride for over ten years, from dinky crap to stuff nobody else could get out in cos their boards floated too well. I could get under stuff easily, almost like a paipo, and gawd, it would move.
And there was this one day, when all but three of us on Cape went up to Mad Dog’s neck of the woods, 'cos it was just too damn big here to get out, for just about everybody… guess which idiot tried to get out here and succeeded.
Hooboy --small shudder coming down the old spine on that. That was a session I really, really didn’t think I’d make it in from. Long story…
It’s a testament of a good surfer to deal w/ the harsh conditions like that, yet on old equipment and shock corded ta boot.
Now- a –days, you are unique individual surfing up in the cold, northern waters. I think a lot of us had equipment from that era and most of us have moved on to boards w/ more modern bottoms and rails. Good on you Maddog! Keep us posted with the stories.
Jeez, amigo, I’ll give ya a better leash. Have ugly memories of those things bringing boards back at far too high a speed and have a few lumps to demonstrate that I am not quite bright enough to duck fast.
a guy who worked for me once asked why i always came up after a fall with a hand sticking up out of the water briefly before i surfaced …
i asked him if he ever heard of jelly rubber …
well thats what the early legropes were made of i told him …
its funny how some habits stick …
i did learn there was actually one good use for a twin fin , no centre fin to take out your head …
my son was crying the other day coz he recently broke his arm bad , doing bmx … pins and screws and 3 days in hospital … the cast is off and its kinda ugly …
he was sad coz its a permanent scar …
i pointed to my nose and said do you think i was born with these marks ??
i told him i was good looking once , he didnt believe me …
