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Big wave surfing
noun - Big wave surfing (or tow-in surfing) is a discipline within surfing in which experienced surfers paddle into or are towed onto waves which are at least 20 feet (6.2 meters) high, on surf boards known as "guns" or towboards. Sizes of the board needed to successfully surf these waves vary by the size of the wave as well as the technique the surfer uses to reach the wave. A larger, longer board allows a rider to paddle fast enough to catch the wave and has the advantage of being more stable, but it also limits maneuverability and surfing speed.
In 1992, big wave surfers such as Laird Hamilton and Darrick Doerner introduced a sport called tow-in surfing. While many riders still participate in both sports, they remain very distinct activities. This type of surfing involves being towed into massive waves by jet ski, allowing for the speed needed to successfully ride. Tow in surfing also revolutionized board size, allowing surfers to trade in their unwieldy 12 foot boards in favor of light, 7 foot boards that allowed for more speed and easier maneuverability in waves over 30 foot. By the end of the 1990s, tow in surfing allowed surfers to ride waves exceeding 50 foot.
Top big wave surf spots
Big wave surf spots are locations where big wave surfing can occur due to surfable waves of immense size and power:
- Banzai Pipeline – North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii
- Sunset Beach – North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii
- Waimea Bay – North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii
- Makaha – West Shore, Oahu, Hawaii
- Peahi/Jaws – North Shore, Maui, Hawaii
- Puerto Escondido – Mainland Mexico
- Todos Santos – Baja Mexico
- Teahupoo – Tahiti
- Shipsterns Bluff – Tasmania
- Punta de Lobos – Chile
- Mavericks – Northern California
- Dungeons – Cape Town, South Africa
- Cortes Bank – Offshore San Diego
- Cloudbreak – Tavarua, Fiji
Videos
External links
- A Different Kind of Open Water: Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge
- What Is The World's Most Difficult Sports Move?
- Big Wave Blog
- The Most Interesting Man In The Open Water World
- Stay Thirsty With The Most Interesting Men In The World
- If You Need Kayakers In Big Surf
- Places To Swim Way, Way, Way Offshore
- What Is The World's Most Difficult Sports Move?
