Surfing Waves

I've heard it said " Longboards are only good if the waves are small ". I also heard you need a "really big pair" if you're going to charge big waves". Well Kelia Moniz proves both those statements wrong.

Check out this post https://instagram.com/p/4FAs7DON6X/

That popped up on my facebook yesterday too....looked in vain for a longboard video to support the still shot.....she is a bada*&^ for sure.....

Notice both her feet are much closer to the inside rail.

All of the old time big wave ridders rode single fin longboards

Here are some foot position illustrations:

cool pic, but looks like she is a couple frames away from eating it

IB_Surfer wrote:cool pic, but looks like she is a couple frames away from eating it

I watched the full video and she did eat it but none the less awesome that she attempted to surf it

She went down hard, skipping across the face of the wave, back over her board then in. amazing wipe-out and she's an incredibly impressive surfer!
I can only wish to be anywhere near that brave/good.

aren't guns in essence longboards with a sharp nose and extra rocker?

No guns intended for big waves are narrower than longboards

pmcaero wrote:aren't guns in essence longboards with a sharp nose and extra rocker?

No, guns are very specific, good volume (usually under the chest) for paddling speed to match and get that speed to cross the fall line.
They are narrow, often with more nose rocker and less in the tail they provide a long planing area to generate the speed and have quite different rail characteristics.
The nose is sharp and rockered, as a nose catch with any nasal volume spells instant wipe out.
Often there are channel bottoms to give even more speed.
They can be designed for specific big wave spots as a generic one shape fits all can fail.

You can ride a big wave spot on a standard longboard but it is most likely to fail in the drop. Make the drop and you will probably be well out on the shoulder and not really in the critical zone.

Sadly Name big wave spots also have a curse, they are on people's bucket list to be able say they have ridden them.
You see all the wannabees at pipe hooking into what little shoulder there is.
(Hey Ma I rode Pipe it ain't no big deal).
Same applies at other spots.
The long paddle out spots are not as frequented, as you need the knowledge to be able to get out and the wave stares you down and often exposes your lack of knowledge by smashing any number of time before you get out. REJECT CYCLE!

Yep guys and gals on longboards charge - no doubt! No doubt Sista Moniz is a stylish surfer in all sizes, in fact she is one of my favorite surfers. BUT- a picture does not tell the whole story. Fact is she was towed in on that wave, ate sh#*, cut up her ankle and went in for the day. But who cares, the girl charges and looks better than all of us while doing it. She had been doing a photo shoot all morning, towing in at the shoulder and gradually going deeper, deeper, deeper until this one. That girl is a keeper for sure she ticks all the boxes including big wave surfer.