Weapons of Mass Velocity (WMv's). . . .

General Discussion
141

Here’s a summary of the GPS measurements August 1, 2004 thru December 31, 2005:

Locations: Cottons, DMJs, Oceanside S Jetty, Oceanside Beach, D Street, Boneyard, Swamis, Blacks.

(largest # measurements at Swami’s)

Type wavecraft: bodyboard, mat, kneeboard, shortboard, longboard

Range of Wave Conditions during measurements:

Smallest deep water significant wave height: 2.2’ Torrey Pines buoy; 2.3’ Oceanside buoy (9/29/2004)

Largest deep water significant wave height: 7.9’ @7s Mission Bay buoy; 6.1’ @11s Oceanside buoy (11/26/2005, slow,choppy)

Largest “observed” face height (no buoy data logged): Occasional 2X (1/25/2005) Note: Max speed recorded during this session: 24.4 mph (rider claims measured during free-fall take-off and wipe-out)

Speed Statistics:

Slowest max speed recorded: 15.2 mph (shortboard)

Highest max speed recorded (to date): 325 mph (suspect rider inadvertently recorded while in flight to/from/among HI)

Highest credible max speed recorded: 27.6 mph (kneeboard)

Average max speed: 19.8 mph

Median max speed: 19.6 mph

Standard deviation: +/- 2.5 mph

Highest Recorded Speeds (plus # obs and corresponding deep water significant wave heights)

Longboard (1 obs): 20.2 mph (Swamis, 3.7’ @4s LJ buoy, 2.8’ @4s OC buoy)

Shortboard (11 obs): 26.9 mph (Swamis, 4.8’ @13s LJ buoy, 3.9’ @13s OC buoy)

Kneeboard (28 obs): 27.6 mph (Swamis, 3.6’ @17s TP buoy, 6.2’ @17s OC buoy)

Mat (5 obs): 22.4 mph (Cottons, 3.9’ @9s LJ buoy, 4.3’ @17s OC buoy)

Bodyboard (9 obs): 20.6 mph (Swamis, 4.1’ @15s LJ buoy, 4.5’ @17s OC buoy)

[Note: 1 observation → measurement of highest speed recorded during a single surfing session, independent of number of waves ridden during the session]

Comments:

  1. Speeds measured with Garmin Gecko II attached to rider’s arm (bicep area on the “shore side” of the rider).

  2. Speeds computed with a filtering routine incorporated into the firmware of the GPS.

  3. Sampling update rate: 1/sec.

  4. Speeds measured are “over the bottom”. This is the relevant speed with regard to making a wave (for example, in some situations–depending on the location of a surfer on the face of a wave–it is possible to have a speed “over the water” that approaches 0 mph, while his speed “over the bottom” approaches twice the speed of the wave as it progresses toward shore).

  5. Speed of 325 mph not included in wave statistics calculations.

142

Terry,

In 1963, in Hawaii, Bob Shepard was riding a pintail balsa gun in which he installed a “speedometer” from a speedboat, with a pitot pickup at the leading edge base of the fin. He routinely reported speeds of 25mph to a max of 28mph at the major North Shore breaks. I personally heard him call out to Buzzy Trent, as he paddled back into the lineup at Waimea, that on the wave he had just caught he had hit 28mph on the drop. It sure felt as if we were going faster than that, but Bob had the means to measure the speed directly.

143

Thanks for that information MTB.

:slight_smile:

144

8/3/2006

got some new high speeds today for boogies recorded at wedge

27.4 rider 1

27.9 rider 2

and the third rider hit 31 mph in his session !!!

my boogie is usually slower then my mat esp. in smaller conditions. the bar has been raised finally the sponge is not low man on the speed pole :slight_smile:

Mattitude

145

Hi Dale, that’s great stuff, over 30mph on a mat ( you swine etc, teeth gnashing noises) how big was the surf, in real feet measured on the face?

Regards,

Roy

146

i just returned from Panama with my surf mat ( a great second wavecraft for travel) got to ride a wedging, pitching peak that was a small scale hawaiian adventure—the mat would drop down the face and swoop into the channel faster that the surfboards—at one point, i dropped in soo fast that the photographer has to crash dive to avoid getting mowed! fastest thing i’ve ever riden! thanks Dale!

147

Hi Roy,

James Sowell, aka Mattitude, originally posted that speed info in the MSN mat surfing forum: http://groups.msn.com/InflateAbleDreamSpeed

What’s your highest documented velocity?

(Thank you walrus… my pleasure!)

148

Hi Dale, I have only recorded two sessions so far, both in head high dribble, best speed 21.5mph, looking forward to some steeper waves !

Actually my first recording attempt was in some slightly better waves but the gps unit was lost. . . .

:slight_smile:

149

More excerpts, regarding GPS mat surfing speed, from “Mattitude”:

…one of my higher speeds i posted 23 mph was on 1-3 face mushy huntington! … definetly have not posted my fastest speeds because i dont wear the geko everytime i surf and i havent gotten a good racetrack to fire it up on

12-14 mph is basicly going straight in on foam for refrence.

14-18 is a good fast ride with speed to hit air or make a tube.

the mat makes good use of its ability to hold its speed farther out into the flats then most other crafts.if that flat has a steeper section ahead you can connect to and then start connecting the dots down the line. the mat can seem by far the fastest. I think the mat tends to get up to speed with less push…

150
Quote:
that's great stuff, over 30 mph on a mat

Roy-

Mattitude said “high speeds today for boogies”, aka sponges, bodyboards. He added… “my boogie is usually slower than my mat” As far as I know, velocities that high have not been documented on a surf mat.

151

Hi walrus,

Thought you’d enjoy reading this, just arrived from a friend who’s a lifeguard:

"I got some nice tubes on the mat this morning. They were closeouts, but they were caves. The mat has all the boogie boarders in Manhattan freaking out. I am faster than them

and just go around or over. They never even see it coming. Hope all is well with you… thanks for everything"

152

Classic. . . a nice cosy cave with a mat to lie on, just what every bloke needs !

:slight_smile: