What makes good freeride surf?

[surfjunkie]

its pretty much personal preference imo.

i like glassy, long period swell, that stands up predictably not all of a sudden, but has plenty of throw cause i like working on re-entries and you need it to be pitching out to pop off the wave. and no close outs. they're useless to me. breaking from south to north is best for me cuz i can only do a re-entry to the right (backside?)

but unlike most others i dont like it to be too big. a 3-5' face is all i need. i'll take small and glassy over big and nasty anyday.

and most importantly 75 degrees or warmer

 

[Crab]

There was no way to get out to the "outside break" It would have been a death wish. I think we need to look at other areas.

Gasgas and I were talking tonight, and think we want to re-visit Westport for the next freeride. They have nice wave sets, we just have to stay away from the nasty shore break. We have a plan.

 

[deblaster]

Some of the best surf I have seen out here on the west coast of Florida is from the hurricane that is churning well out in the gulf, heading northbound to make landfall in Louisiana or Texas. This is the kind of surf you get from a storm surge pushing at just the right distance from the land- if it is too close, the wind will blow out the surf and make it overly choppy and just not fun. We had a nice time with some 5 foot to 6 foot rollers one time (can't remember the name of the hurricane), that were spaced well so you didn't land on top of the next wave. That, to me, makes for the perfect surf. We were catching some sick air and had enough hang time to pull of can-cans, attempted seat grabs and no handers. It was awesome.

:arms: :Banane01: :woot:

 

[TEEEE]

There was no way to get out to the "outside break" It would have been a death wish. I think we need to look at other areas.

Yeah, you can get out there. Be patient and wait for the middle break to cooperate. You’ll have to go for it when the opportunity presents itself and charge through. More importantly, make sure you have a wingman (or two or three) that are competent surf riders that you trust to save your ass. Heading out back alone is just plain stupid, not only for you but for your buddies that will have to try to get out there to save you. The only thing worst than towing in from the back set is getting washed on the back set.

That was typical wintertime surf here in the NW. Often the front break is a washing machine, the middle set is big and angry, but the back is big, spread out, and Hawaii Five-O sexy. Stick close back there and keep an eye to the west. Big waves will stand up out there and chase you all the way back in, and big waves travel FAST.

I’d say 7 feet is well below average for a winter day. Anything less than 10 is pretty mellow for this time of year. Not a lot of goofing around and learning new tricks...lots of defense in the winter, not so much offense. Water depth is rarely that big a deal in the winter, even on a semi-flat beach (like Long Beach or Del Ray). In the summer when waves are small, that’s another story.

Be safe out there. Those conditions are all about tow ropes, reliable skis, and good friends.

 

[Crab]

Yeah, you can get out there. Be patient and wait for the middle break to cooperate. You’ll have to go for it when the opportunity presents itself and charge through. More importantly, make sure you have a wingman (or two or three) that are competent surf riders that you trust to save your ass. Heading out back alone is just plain stupid, not only for you but for your buddies that will have to try to get out there to save you. The only thing worst than towing in from the back set is getting washed on the back set.

That was typical wintertime surf here in the NW. Often the front break is a washing machine, the middle set is big and angry, but the back is big, spread out, and Hawaii Five-O sexy. Stick close back there and keep an eye to the west. Big waves will stand up out there and chase you all the way back in, and big waves travel FAST.

I’d say 7 feet is well below average for a winter day. Anything less than 10 is pretty mellow for this time of year. Not a lot of goofing around and learning new tricks...lots of defense in the winter, not so much offense. Water depth is rarely that big a deal in the winter, even on a semi-flat beach (like Long Beach or Del Ray). In the summer when waves are small, that’s another story.

Be safe out there. Those conditions are all about tow ropes, reliable skis, and good friends.

I will never forget last spring when gasgas and I went out past the break, it was rolling swells at about 12-15 foot. I lost sight of him, and when I got back out I saw him just swimming with no ski. I tried to help him on my X2, but ended up getting rolled and body surfing back to the beach with my ski. Again I got back out there, and he was up and running, the ski was behind the wave and finally came back around and he got it. By now we had drifted about 1/8 mile down the beach, and could barely see where the trucks were. Having a wingman is probably the most important thing, the ocean is no picnic. (note my reluctance to trying rolls and backflips out in the deep water) On a cool note, watching Gasgas acually surf down the face of a large rolling wave is awsome!

 

[sea-dude]

I will never forget last spring when gasgas and I went out past the break, it was rolling swells at about 12-15 foot. I lost sight of him, and when I got back out I saw him just swimming with no ski. I tried to help him on my X2, but ended up getting rolled and body surfing back to the beach with my ski. Again I got back out there, and he was up and running, the ski was behind the wave and finally came back around and he got it. By now we had drifted about 1/8 mile down the beach, and could barely see where the trucks were. Having a wingman is probably the most important thing, the ocean is no picnic. (note my reluctance to trying rolls and backflips out in the deep water) On a cool note, watching Gasgas acually surf down the face of a large rolling wave is awsome!

Thats what is cool about Westport, if you launch at the Marina you come in from the outside of the break, I have just stayed out there and rode. But it was on a coach... with a bigger gas tank.
Comming in to shore can be a bioch.
I'm all for the next ride there. What sucks is I grew up 30 minutes from westport and only rode there maybe 3 times.

 

[yamaslut]

Long Beach is known for lots of wind... that's why there were 2ft + swells in the middle of the good stuff. You will rarely find a day out there were the wind is below 20mph... It's just not a good break, do to the wind and slope of the ocean floor. The slope is easy to deal with, but the sideshore winds will always destoy a pretty wave... Go down to Oregon and ride there, it's much better conditions, but much further and so on..

You need to find a spot that is blocked fron the N. winds. I'm sure there is a spot somewhere that has some rocks on the N. side of the break to block some winds... just a thought

 

[djkorn1]

I like the Anarchy and Chaos of the Great Lakes Surf....especially when they hit 12-15 feet and will sink a supertanker. Any waves really make me happy.

 

[Idok]

I like the Anarchy and Chaos of the Great Lakes Surf....especially when they hit 12-15 feet and will sink a supertanker. Any waves really make me happy.

most people dont realize how big and knarly Lake mich and Erie really get.....I remmber a few times out on my parents boat when I was a little kid and was scared ********LESS>.....waves breaking over the bow of our 26 foot trawler....

its little 36HP volvo diesel just isnt enough when you need it....

 

[rasper99]

One of the guys in our group moved to the northwest from Wisconsin. He used to go out on the great lakes when there was small craft warnings. It was some big stuff and he had fun.

After moving to the northwest he saw there were small craft warnings on the columbia river bar. He went there for a ride. He did a long and detailed post about his near death experience. He doesn't go there anymore.

 

[yamaslut]

:hail: 5-7ft pumping w/ 15 second period...
:hail: breaking top to bottom, no closeouts, I can go either way... I don't care if it's left or right
:banghead: none of that crumbly ******** we get all the time

 

[FLY6584]

i'll be honest, i havent read the whole thread, just saw the subject.

the best surf, is the surf you ride with the best crew of friends.

even tiny surf can be an awesome day if youre riding with the right crowd.

that's Freeriding at its finest.

.02

werd:biggthumpup:

 

[FL-cracker]

4-6ft hollow, dumping, and glass...... So Cal Basicaly.

 

[Takeastand SJ]

Offshore wind is the bomb, but very rare at Long Beach. Here is a pic of offshore wave.

 

[yamaslut]

Offshore wind is the bomb, but very rare at Long Beach. Here is a pic of offshore wave.

beautiful wave