or, the problem with ‘fast.’
When surfing, ultimately, the maximum speed of a surfer and surfboard is a function of the wave being ridden. Both the surfer’s skill and surfboard’s design do have their respective roles to play, as does wind and possibly some other environmental factors, but ultimately the maximum achievable speed is a function of the wave.
To a large degree, surfing is about being in the right place at the right time on a wave. Getting from one place to another, assuming that there is some distance between the two places, requires motion. If you’re moving toward the place you want to go at a constant velocity, then it’s just a matter of waiting to get there – a matter of time. If you’re not moving towards the place you want to go, or you’re not moving there fast enough, then you’ve got to change your current velocity so that you are, that is - you’ve got to accelerate.
Surfers often refer to surfboards as being fast. The implication being that the given surfboard is faster than some other surfboard, under the same conditions –i.e. for the same kind of wave conditions, and rider. In casual conversation, this seems clear enough. However, any attempt to move beyond a superficial analysis introduces some nasty conceptual problems. In particular, what is meant by ‘fast’?
Are coyotes faster than chipmunks? In a hundred-meter flat out race my money would be on the coyote. Same for a fifty-meter race, probably in a twenty-five meter race too. But as the distance of the race gets shorter, the more I’m inclined to favor the chipmunk. In fact, on anything less than five-meters, the chipmunk will likely take the prize. The question is then, what is changing other than the distance of the race that tends to favor the chipmunk? The answer is acceleration – chipmunks ‘own’ acceleration. So, are chipmunks faster than coyotes?
The ‘shortboard revolution’ that occurred back in the middle part of the last century (geez, I’m getting old) was chipmunkian – it was about acceleration, not speed. Waves have not changed, and the maximum speed that can be achieved during surfing hasn’t changed either, but what has changed is the ability of surfboards to accelerate rapidly, and this has been accomplished through innovations in design, and it continues today.
Surfing, and surfers have their own unique language, which is usually able to convey enough information to get the job done. But precise it ain’t. Over the years however it has become more precise, especially on the production side of things, which includes design.
It’s not uncommon to encounter board dimensions given with an accuracy that would lead one to conclude that things seem to matter right down to the millimeter, or tenth of an inch. Yet the language on the ‘beach’, doesn’t really reflect this precision. Which is understandable, the language at you local garage is not likely to be that of automotive engineers. The problem is moving from the ‘beach’, surfing’s true laboratory, to the shaping stall. ‘Fast’ works on the ‘beach’, but it kind’a losses something when its moves to the shaping room.
“I want a fast board.”
“Like a bonzer or something?”
“Yes, but not as stiff,… you know.”
“Not really. Tell me about the kind of waves you surf, and your style of surfing.”
On the beach ‘fast’ is enough, dry off and put a little distance between you and the waves and ‘fast’ loses something, in fact it’s likely to loose a lot. Of course, if you lucky enough to have a close relationship with your shaper, fast may be enough – sort of a local effect. But post something about ‘fast’ on some Net forum, and it’s likely some surfer in some other part of the world is not going to interpret it the same way you did when you posted it.
Saying that some board seems to accelerate more rapidly then some other board under similar conditions, is a little more precise. It doesn’t completely solve the problem, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction. Think about it, if you have some understanding as to what makes a surfboard go, that is, you have some appreciation of the forces involved, than you know, or at least have some notion as to what it takes to make a board accelerate. Why? Well, Newton told us so – force equals mass times acceleration. You can’t have acceleration without a force. Know the forces involved, and you’re better than half way there.
Did those Chipmunkian revolutionaries way back when understand acceleration? Probably, but they probably didn’t feel any great need to label as such – ‘fast’ probably worked well enough, and anyway there where waves to be caught – there usually are.
