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What does a flat, choppy, sectioning wave mean?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 12:55 am
by Pornstar
Hi guys,
I am having trouble understanding some of your concepts for describing a wave.
As you may see English is my second language so i´m not used to some of the terms you use around here.

I understand that a closeout wave is one that breaks all at once therefore you aint got much of a face to ride. You just plummet (sp?) straight into oblivion.

a) but what do you mean when you say choppy conditions?
i kind of understand that when you refer to the water conditions it means that there are a lot of "bumps" in the water due to the wind instead of smooth surface.... but what does "mush" mean when you say something like.... quads slice through mush like a knife on butter?

b) Also what does a flat spot on a wave mean?

c) How do you call those late breaking waves... the ones that you see coming from very deep, yet they reach you and don´t breack until they reach the shore.

d) There are times when waves do not break completely just the top half or less of the wave so instead of a curly face to ride, you are left with a very mellow downslope?

e) sectioning waves: Does this mean a wave that you need to get past a "section" that its about to or breaking in order to reach an unbroken part of the wave?

Thanks guys

Re: What does a flat, choppy, sectioning wave mean?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 1:43 am
by drowningbitbybit
a) Choppy - where the water is ruffled due to wind or short period swell. The opposite of glassy.

Mush - Rolling whitewater. A weak wave that has already broken and is plodding on towards the shore.

b) Flat spot - Where the wave fails to break as it goes over a channel, but is breaking either side of it.

c) Those late breaking waves.... er... shore dump?

d) That'll be mush, or a fat wave.

e) sectionning - a beachy that is clean, but breaking in several spots.

Re: What does a flat, choppy, sectioning wave mean?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 2:01 am
by isaluteyou
dbbb pretty much wraps it up but i would like to add a sectioning wave can also mean a wave that requires you to get round a section of whitewater e.g as you are riding the face the section in front of you shuts down but just round that is clean face so to navigate you either need to generate speed to pump around that section, do a foam climb, or anticipate it and do a floater. :wink:

Re: What does a flat, choppy, sectioning wave mean?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 5:14 pm
by Pornstar
Thanks guys.