Surfing

Surfing is a sport originated in Hawaii in which a person standing on a long narrow board is borne by breakers toward the shore. The sport is now enjoyed on the open ocean coastlines throughout the world. Best conditions occurs where large, smooth ocean swells in deep water peak up into steep-sided sets of waves, or breakers, as they encounter a shelflike reef or sandbar 100 to 1,000 yards (90 to 900 meters) from shore. The lee side of a point of land or a jetty often has the proper bottom line for good surfing waves. Under ideal conditions, riders surf half a mile or more.

Where surf is light, flat boards 4 to 6 feet long by a foot wide are used. For waves up to 20 feet in height, a tapered, hollow surfboard 10 to 12 feet and 2 feet wide, with a stabilizing fin, or skeg, near the back, is necessary. The rider first swims out beyond where the larger rollers peak up. As a wave approaches him, he paddles his board toward shore to attain sufficient speed to coast down the face of the wave. Once he has caught the wave, he may rise to a standing position and ride it until it dies out near the beach. To increase speed and distance, experts ride diagonally toward shore.

The wakes of heavy outboard and inboard motorboats driven at speed of 9 to 13 miles per hour provide waves of sufficient strength for less difficult “surfing” on inland lakes and rivers. The rider starts with towline from the boat and lets it go when he feels the wake pushing him. Wave-making machines were also developed to allow lake and river surfing.