Do you like bigger surf?
- Thread starter mightyrime
- Start date
surf1ng
Well-Known Member
Great thread.
TLDR; Nope, no big waves for me.
I’m not a charger. Never have been and never will be. Not on a surfboard or skateboard or snowboard or mountain bike. I’m just not wired like that for some reason - I’ve always been a cruiser.
I’ve never felt the inclination to surf big or heavy waves but fully admire the courage, commitment and cahones of those who do. Serious props to serious chargers.
There’s no question I psyche myself out when it’s big and/or super heavy and/or I perceive it to be critical and/or sketchy. I probably have the skills a bit beyond my point of perceived hairiness but lack the commitment and self-belief required to enjoy those conditions.
Give me head high to head and a half faces (3-4 foot at the back of the wave I guess in the measure I grew up with) and I’ll be happy as. That’s probably 1 foot Hawaiian haha. But I don’t yearn for anything bigger.
Maximum size I’ve been out in a number of times was with double overhead and a bit faces at a mellow spot and I can safely say that’s my limit. I am not used to super heavy and/or top to bottom barreling waves either so if it’s those conditions and big, I’ll look for an alternative.
If the swell is mackin’ I’d be inclined to seek out a sheltered break that doesn’t normally have waves unless there’s a big swell… for smaller, mellow, longboard-able waves in a novel location.
The beach breaks where I have done most of my surfing are pretty exposed and don’t handle bigger swell very well. If there’s a really big swell it’s usually disorganised with lots of close outs and a huge mission of a paddle out. I’ll happy wait a day or two for the swell to settle and clean up before I head out.
The reef breaks where I surf don’t usually get above shoulder high faces on their biggest days due to the geography. I’d like it if it did get bigger there mind you as the shape is awesome and it’s an easy paddle out no matter the size. But I’m aok with the size limits on that coastline. It is what it is and I always have a blast surfing there on my longboard.
I guess my lack of big wave charging is partly from what I am used to and comfortable with and have previously experienced coupled with a mellow disposition with a propensity for self-preservation and a slight aversion to risk when things get hairy to me.
That means more big waves for the big wave chargers. Go get ‘em people.
Gotta say I like @ChillyWilly‘s approach with bodyboarding bigger waves. I might try that at my local beach break some time with the bigger, messy winter swells and see if that helps my confidence in bigger surf. If nothing else it’s a low expectation cross training exercise that will get me salty on days I otherwise might not. Likewise, I’ve just purchased a bodysurfing handplane and perhaps that might help me to grow more comfortable with steeper, dumping shore breaks. I have my doubts (leopards not changing their spots and all that haha) but time with tell.
TLDR; Nope, no big waves for me.
I’m not a charger. Never have been and never will be. Not on a surfboard or skateboard or snowboard or mountain bike. I’m just not wired like that for some reason - I’ve always been a cruiser.
I’ve never felt the inclination to surf big or heavy waves but fully admire the courage, commitment and cahones of those who do. Serious props to serious chargers.
There’s no question I psyche myself out when it’s big and/or super heavy and/or I perceive it to be critical and/or sketchy. I probably have the skills a bit beyond my point of perceived hairiness but lack the commitment and self-belief required to enjoy those conditions.
Give me head high to head and a half faces (3-4 foot at the back of the wave I guess in the measure I grew up with) and I’ll be happy as. That’s probably 1 foot Hawaiian haha. But I don’t yearn for anything bigger.
Maximum size I’ve been out in a number of times was with double overhead and a bit faces at a mellow spot and I can safely say that’s my limit. I am not used to super heavy and/or top to bottom barreling waves either so if it’s those conditions and big, I’ll look for an alternative.
If the swell is mackin’ I’d be inclined to seek out a sheltered break that doesn’t normally have waves unless there’s a big swell… for smaller, mellow, longboard-able waves in a novel location.
The beach breaks where I have done most of my surfing are pretty exposed and don’t handle bigger swell very well. If there’s a really big swell it’s usually disorganised with lots of close outs and a huge mission of a paddle out. I’ll happy wait a day or two for the swell to settle and clean up before I head out.
The reef breaks where I surf don’t usually get above shoulder high faces on their biggest days due to the geography. I’d like it if it did get bigger there mind you as the shape is awesome and it’s an easy paddle out no matter the size. But I’m aok with the size limits on that coastline. It is what it is and I always have a blast surfing there on my longboard.
I guess my lack of big wave charging is partly from what I am used to and comfortable with and have previously experienced coupled with a mellow disposition with a propensity for self-preservation and a slight aversion to risk when things get hairy to me.
That means more big waves for the big wave chargers. Go get ‘em people.
Gotta say I like @ChillyWilly‘s approach with bodyboarding bigger waves. I might try that at my local beach break some time with the bigger, messy winter swells and see if that helps my confidence in bigger surf. If nothing else it’s a low expectation cross training exercise that will get me salty on days I otherwise might not. Likewise, I’ve just purchased a bodysurfing handplane and perhaps that might help me to grow more comfortable with steeper, dumping shore breaks. I have my doubts (leopards not changing their spots and all that haha) but time with tell.
paipodude
Well-Known Member
Steep, dumping shorebreaks are as psycho as jumbo-sized waves. Once it climbs over the 20-ft line the more mutant a person seems to be. It is odd when some of them speak calmly and normal.
paipodude
Well-Known Member
Yup, a certified mutant 
Outside
Well-Known Member
Fully agree with all posts on this topic. TonyPR nailed it with his observations. We surf crappy waves to be in shape for better waves. Friends of mine that have stayed out of the water and then head out when it's macking are usually the ones complaining of injured backs and torn tendons/ muscles. Exercise is paramount for a capable circulatory system and all of these things get harder to harder to maintain as time goes by. A silly adjunct to better breathing is an inexpensive Spirometer. You can keep it at work, in your car, on your nightstand, or by your computer and exercise the muscles used in breathing and increase your lung's capacity (photo enclosed of one type). Find one at an online Pharmacy or surgical supply store. {These also seem to help non-surfers that have suffered Covid related respiratory injuries, and they're inexpensive.} West81 is on the money when it comes to a dedicated big wave gun. I recall reading somewhere in the 1970s that the purpose of a longboard was to extract as much energy as possible from a weak wave and convert it into an enjoyable ride. By comparison, a gun is designed to attempt to add control to a situation where energy abounds. Obviously this is an oversimplified statement but I recall a Winter trip to Oahu when I was planning to surf the wrap-around of a big swell and brought a 7'3 squash thruster and an 8' longboard. (I know, I know...) Before we paddled out one of my friend's local buddies offered the use of a Willis Brother's (if memory serves) 7'10" gun and strongly recommended leaving my board behind. Best advice I'd had there. Take offs were smooth and the rides were without drama. For that day, in that swell, under my feet, that was the right tool for the job. I've been fortunate to have dedicated guns shaped by Ken Bradshaw, Bill Frierson, Steve Head; and fun-guns shaped by others: Scott Busby, Lynn Shell, Murray Ross. The best combination I've found is: keeping in shape so that you have confidence in your ability (to paddle, breathe, relax under pressure- few things help you hold your breath as much as practicing it relaxing and Knowing that you can), with a board that you are certain is designed for the job at hand and communicates well with you, surfing a break that you've had a chance to study where to get in and get out and where to avoid (maybe with a local), time sets and look for rogue and sneaker sets and currents, leave your excitement at the shore while you're watching and save the adrenaline for the ride. When all else fails there's always this nugget from Clint Eastwood: "A man's Got to know his limitations".
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paipodude
Well-Known Member
Hey, Hey for the spirometer. This simple device works amazing well.
A nod to Clint Eastwood's quote as well. Likewise to the comment on guns, semi-guns.
xaaronx
Well-Known Member
The biggest waves I've had the opportunity to surf have been maybe pushing double overhead. I *think* I would have been pretty comfortable in bigger waves if I'd gotten the chance to ride them when I was younger, as I didn't really get intimidated by anything and tend to handle heavy situations well as they happen. So while I'll never know for sure, given things I did do I think I would have gone for the biggest waves I could if they were available. And even in situations where I was scared, I wouldn't admit that to myself.
Now I'm older, out of shape (if slowly getting back there), and trying to get my skills back where they were after several years out of the water from injuries. But more than all that, I've slowly developed more of a sense of consequences that will keep me from trying some things I would have charged into twenty years ago. So while the only thing that's kept me from paddling out since I've been back in the water is conditions where I didn't think I'd manage to get out on a big board—something I didn't acknowledge when younger, as I would just put my head down and use the stamina of youth and my native stubbornness to keep going until I got there—I can imagine now looking at conditions and deciding to wait.
Now I'm older, out of shape (if slowly getting back there), and trying to get my skills back where they were after several years out of the water from injuries. But more than all that, I've slowly developed more of a sense of consequences that will keep me from trying some things I would have charged into twenty years ago. So while the only thing that's kept me from paddling out since I've been back in the water is conditions where I didn't think I'd manage to get out on a big board—something I didn't acknowledge when younger, as I would just put my head down and use the stamina of youth and my native stubbornness to keep going until I got there—I can imagine now looking at conditions and deciding to wait.
