Surfing Waves

What wave size or shape gets you the most fired up and why do you like it?
"Fired up" means I seriously consider cancelling appointments or getting in trouble with the Mrs.

A couple of years ago, my go-to wave was 2-3 feet, mushy and slow because I labored with the popup and needed extra time to turn. Now, I love 4-5 footers. Sliding faster on bigger faces is a blast!

If the waves are erratic I like 4 to 5 feet (Hawaiian) because I feel free in those conditions free to do whatever I want but if the waves are better I like 6 to 8 feet (Hawaiian) because it's a little scary to me and that makes it all the more thrilling. I enjoy fast waves with long walls to carve up because I am working on learning to do a variety of turns.

My best so far has been two top turns on one wave. I pulled that off only one time. I've had lots of waves where I was able to get in one good turn. My goal at the moment is to get to three good turns on a wave. Unfortunately, you gotta take what the wave gives you. Even the pros are often stuck with what I call "two turn waves".



So it's not size for me, but the potential of a wave to give me more than two turns. The advantage the pros have is that they don't have to deal with 7 people in front of them while they're trying to set up a turn. I think my favorite size range, when I'm healthy and on my game, is 4-6 foot.

For me it's more about the wave shape and ocean texture than straight size. A classic 3-4ft (hawaiian) wave on our east coast during a cyclone swell is always going to be 'fun'. It's got enough size and juice to have some solid fun without being too much of a paddle out ad typically our east coast in those swells tends to be quite 'hollow' and wally.
Waves like the attached are from our east coast around 3-4ft but wally and steep. The wave on the surfboard is around 2.7m or about 6ft but I only find that size enjoyable if it's not going to close out and actually give a wall to play on. From memory that wave engulfed me and could see it was already closing out 20m down the line so pulled out after the pic.

In contrast, I was out paddle boarding on the same break a few weeks ago in even bigger conditions (likely around 8ft) but the waves were more crumbly and wind-swept. Providing a late drop but then long ride that didn't close out or dump.
I had a blast in that size and condition as it was big enough and breaking out far enough that if you took off right, you'd have a 10-15sec ride with several turns before pulling back in to the channel unscathed with an easy paddle back.

I wish someone had got a pic, I think it was the biggest wave I've ever caught.
Some of you hawiiains might know the brand of the board I've been using. Basically a mini/ gun

RinkyDink wrote:So it's not size for me, but the potential of a wave to give me more than two turns.

benjl wrote:It's more about the wave shape and ocean texture than straight size.

Good points. I love LONG RIDES and can get them on a 2 foot wave or a 6 footer but choosing one with the right shape and potential is critical. Larger waves are more fun because they have power to help me slide through sections and the troughs between sandbars. The smaller ones require more work – extra paddling to catch, stepping when you feel a stall, and turning when the inside breaks in a different direction from the outside.

I much rather have a short ride that I can do a turn on rather than a long one that I can't find a way to do a turn on (or get tubed on). So a long wave that I can do multiple turns is good but one that I am just riding along ....well that is better than a short wave that I can't do any turns on so instead of doing turns I go for length when the waves aren't suited for turns but I would much rather do one good turn than ride a long wave without turns (or getting tubed)

4ft, 2-3ft would be my favorite. I'm still learning how to take off on steeper waves under the lip. So getting a few 2-3ft waves under my belt is really a great boost to my confidence for when a larger 4ft wave comes. Cutbacks and bottom turns are only in my dreams right now. So getting a nice 3ft wave I can trim along on for 7-8 seconds, that's my favorite.
Looking forward to saying a 5-6 ft wave is my favorite!