Hey all, some quick questions as I’m relatively new to board building and trying to maximize my great lakes surfing experience.
-Are there any particular shaping styles that work better for lake surfing?
-I have a 7’0 clark foam w natural rocker that im trying to make into an ideal wave catcher for the lakes, this will be the 2nd board i’ve built, but im just wondering if anyone has any suggestions or direction to go with the shaping aspect?
-obviously the main issues with the lakes are less buoyoncy, shorter wave periods, and steeper faces, and a wave that doesnt always break at one place and run from there - many times the wave breaks all at the same time requiring more speed to stay ahead of the break
-any suggestions for shaping? (besides the obvious - move to the ocean)
as some one who grew up in michigan and has limited surfing hours in the fresh water. i would recomended something that is going to maximize your fun in the water. i would go for a larger fish something with a lot of float and not a lot of rocker for getting speed.
i personaly would go for a smaller long board if i was a lake surfer, i have never really scored any quality waves like in that picture, but i know for a fact that it does happen.
Yes, every one of the lakes has surfable waves. I’m on Lake Michigan… there’s a lot of breaks near me- all beach breaks though, no points or reef breaks in my neck of the woods.
Better make that a fall or winter trip =)… summers tend to be the flattest times of the year. When the water is warmer than the wind (fall/winter) you’ll get the best waves- that cold, dense air will really push down onto the water and generate better waves.
More fun to surf in the warm sunshine, though… just less consistency. In the fall and winter you can surf 5 days a week oftentimes. Summer is more like once a week on average if you’re lucky, and you’ll be riding smaller waves, to boot.
Shoot me a PM when you’re planning to come out to the lakes- happy to hook you up with a sesh if there’s anything to be had wavewise!
