Surfing Waves

Just got back from Narragansett, R.I. that was quite literally going off today:Surfline:
4-6 ft. - shoulder high to 1 ft. overhead and good conditions.

PM Regional Overview: Southern New England is on fire. Spots from around Cape Cod north are still feeling the effects of the nearby low. The swell really has not reached NH/ME yet but it will soon.

Was so stoked just to be out there but found myself getting pounded by waves more then surfing. Got up on a few and made a bottom turn on one. As always though you can't help but keep your eyes off the guys who are ripping out there getting 10-15 second rides. Got me thinking since this is about the 7th time I've been surfing, and I'm jealous of those rippers out there to be honest, about how many times do you have to go out and surf until you get good enough to rip out there?

In other words, for all you real rippers out there, how long have you been surfing, how many times have you ever been?

3 things make you rip

1 - natural talent
2 - time in water aka experience
3 - dedication

everyone is different and learn at a different pace.

Best thing to do is dont really think about tearing it up just go have fun

Theres an 11 year old surfs here with his dad.

Just came 2nd in some national under 25's competition. Shortboard or longboard he rips. Dad surfs with him & is pretty good too, obviously been in the water all his life, fearless, skillfull & bags of natural talent.

To get to the top of anything like that you need it all, talent, physique, dedication, drive. Or just be a soul surfer and do what makes you stoked.

Yes, I understand that it takes natural talent (which I might have a bit considering I can still stand up and catch waves on a big day even after not surfing for six months, which I only surfed 3 months before the period of no surfing ), but in response, I beleive people like us who aren't pros, who don't like to live in spotlight (many of us who rip on this site for example but never would try to go pro, not including me yet), are the true meaning of surfers, we're no Andy Irons or Sunny Garcia, we are the people who keep the soul of surfing alive and keeping it what it's really about, one day it going to be ridiculously commercialized like skateboarding and then it will die off again, it's up to people like us to keep the true meaning of stoke and surfing alive.

For example, for me at least, and i'm sure most of you out there, every second I'm in the water I feel like I'm alive, that's living to me, that's real, that's what surfing should be all about. That's what makes me a surfer, not going around bragging to people that I surf (ahem Andy Irons) and wearing billboards on my ass all day while ripping the seemingly most perfect breaks on the planet that anybody would die to surf. I think I better understand that now, I don't want to rip to make it to the top, I want to rip so I can say that to myself, knowing that I can ride some of mother nature's craziest and most beautiful creations and I know I can do that, I don't really care what others think. That's what surfing should be about, the sheer stoke and gnarly things you do and get by surfing.

And when I'm not in the water I can't help but think about surfing (thus I downhill skateboard). That's why I have much more respect for young guys like me (16 here), who aren't able to go to the beach every time there's swell and certainly don't live wicked close to the shore either. Same goes for more respect for guys like the ones I saw at Narragansett today who are awesome surfers, but guess what? No one will ever know about them because they're true surfers, they don't commercialize themselves. In fact I bet out there there's probably some dude on a beach in some obscure location that's more ridiculous than any professional surfer out there.

Anyways now that I replied a ridiculous amount I should probably get back to the basic question,. how many times have you guys who are true surfers been surfing in your lives.

Sorry for this extremely long post but I feel it was needed to be said.

Ever since I moved down to San Diego I have been surfing (4 years). I like what you said about just doing it to enjoy it. I used to have some kind of vandetta thing when I first started about trying to be better than the next guy. Now, I just enjoy going out and making the most out of every session. Since I took a long break I have come back with a different attitude. I know there will always be guys that are better than me, and there will always be guys that arent as good. It is fun to go out and push yourself and pull off something cool, and its even better when there are some people around to give you props. I always give props when I see someone do something cool. I think its more about competing with your own personal limitations.

I think its more about competing with your own personal limitations.

Agreed thats one of my drives to see how far i can push it each day not to impress anyone but just for my own little satisfaction

Oh and i have been surfing every day for at least 2 hours per day sometimes 4 for about a year and a bit. (oh and by every day i literally mean that i have only had about 5 days of non surfing )

It takes years of practice but the more you go , the better you get. There are other factors that help, natural talent , living in an area with great surf and age.

I will never 'rip' - but I always enjoy my surfing. Even on the most blown out days or the flattest days I enjoy myself - when I stop enjoying it, I'll stop doing it - whether I'm 'ripping' or just plain wobbling!!

The only thing i rip is my wetsuit when its cold and i`m trying to put it on. . Just catching a wave and i`m stoked

i wouldnt say i can rip by any means. im getting better but frankly i dont care if im not having fun out in the water i get out of the water. however i am a very competitive person and i like to do better everytime i go out. also if i enter the odd contest down the line then so be it. theres nothing wrong with a bit of competition in a sport you love. after all no one starts off in a sport wanting to become the best at it. thats something that comes after a while when you enjoy it.

Nsidla, Andy Irons wears billabong boardshorts and appears in magazines etc. because of sponsors.
He's payed to do that.
What makes you think pros are'nt get stoked and are attention seekers just because they surf?
Actually, if you watch some interviews and gain some perspective you'd see most pros think they're blessed to get to surf all the best breaks in the world and that they get free equipment.
They work hard for that; constant comps, time differences, fans to deal with.
You should'nt judge people like that before you meet them.
Whats up with the vendetta against Andy Irons?

Its a weird thought though to think that someone out there could beat all the pros, hands down.

So Nsidla, if you were given the chance to go Pro, get to surf every wave out there in the sport you love and get paid a xxxxx load of money at the same time, would you turn that down?

I bloody wouldn't!

In response to what scuba steve and paulS said, first off, I have seen alot of interviews with the Irons brothers and the reason I think they're dicks is the simple fact that they act like the fact the grew up nextdoor to pipeline has nothing to do with the fact they're pro surfers and they have absolutely no appreciation for where they came from (being the surf mecca of the world). I am not bashing all Pros just the ones who are really pushing for the commercialization of the sport (which anyone who has ever watched Fuel TV would know the Irons brothers are at the forefront of this). Beleive me when I say I have great respect for pros such as slater, tom curren, and sunny garcia, in fact they're probably my top three fav surfers right now. They're some of the only surfers left out there in the limelight who appear to be the defiinition of what a surfer is. And in response to PaulS question, if by some way in hell that did happen, no I don't think I would ever start wearing brand names everywhere I my body while I surf just because some company wants me too for some extra chang. If I was offered to get to surf anywhere in the world yes, but coming from RI I would not lose appreciation for what I came from here.

Basically I'm just saying that surfing should not be what others tell you it should be, you should'nt have to wear surfing brand names to be considered a surfer or wear certain styles of clothing. Surfings about being out there and the stoke you get from doing it. It's about pulling of the most gnarly moves even if ur out there alone surfing by urself.

Perfect example of what I'm speaking out against: Went to Narragansett yesterday. About 30 guys head out into the line up past the absolutely,( as described by a surfer guy I met on the beach before I went out ) "bitch" onslaught of breakwater. About 4 guys including me are actually trying to surf and stand up on waves, 3 of which were really good . About 10 try to catch waves but chicken out as soon as they realize they are caught by the wave and need to head downt the face, about 16 guys just got out to the break and sat there on their boards socializing like it was a freakin sewing circle or something, they all have the nice rusty surfboards and brand name longboards, top of the line brand name wetsuits, but they don't surf, they just like to tell people they do and socialize utiliziing it to appear cooler or something (which is absolutely ridiculous).

This is what commercialization is doing to this awesome and once beautifully simple sport, surfing involves a man, his board, and waves (maybe wetsuit but not sure if I should mention that, might dim the aura im trying to create). That's all surfing should ever be about, but guess what, companies realize there's money in the sport and they will ruin it one day because of their greed. And in the end, it's only going to be pure surfers like ourselves who will know the true meaning of and who can call ourselves surfers.

Again sorry for the lenghtiness but it was needed.

peace

nsidla

As long as youre having fun, being true to yourself, thats all that matters...

Just watched an old surf film (again) - made in the late 50s (or early 60s - can't recall). Some footage of a young Jack O'Neill when he was 'just a surfer' - then he went and ruined it all by 'inventing' the wetsuit and making himself rich..........

nsidla - you have to face the fact that there will ALWAYS be people happy to make money in any sport, or make money from the people who participate - but no-one is forcing you to wear the clothing, buy a particular wetsuit or board, etc, etc.

Pro surfers don't earn much in comparison to some sportsmen - if plugging a brand of clothing or board maker gets them some freebies and travel expenses, then so what?? Media exposure due to surf labels becoming 'trendy' is what brings more money into the sport, which makes people invest more in the technology that pushes surfing forward - and the more competition there is in a given marketplace, the cheaper things become. If you want a clear example, go price up a balsa longboard against a pop-out..........

Also - let's not forget that a lot of the things we all now take for granted (Mr O'Neill's wetsuit invention, for one) were brought to us by surfers......where would we be without them???

I run a surf company (as a sideline) - does that make me any less worthy?? I'm not after becoming a millionaire (although I would be lying if I said I wouldn't want to be) - all I want to do is make enough extra money to be able to afford to go surfing more often, in warmer waters or at overseas destinations.......

You orignally wanted to know how long it would take you 'to rip' as you were 'jealous' of the surfers who could - now you're seemingly having a pop at those who DO rip and have managed to turn their passion into their profession.......

You also say that you've only surfed 'about 7 times' - may I humbly suggest that you wait a little while longer (at least till you've had to re-wax your board ) before you tear into the surfing industry.........

Surfing-Innovation wrote:Just watched an old surf film (again) - made in the late 50s (or early 60s - can't recall). Some footage of a young Jack O'Neill when he was 'just a surfer' - then he went and ruined it all by 'inventing' the wetsuit and making himself rich..........

nsidla - you have to face the fact that there will ALWAYS be people happy to make money in any sport, or make money from the people who participate - but no-one is forcing you to wear the clothing, buy a particular wetsuit or board, etc, etc.

Pro surfers don't earn much in comparison to some sportsmen - if plugging a brand of clothing or board maker gets them some freebies and travel expenses, then so what?? Media exposure due to surf labels becoming 'trendy' is what brings more money into the sport, which makes people invest more in the technology that pushes surfing forward - and the more competition there is in a given marketplace, the cheaper things become. If you want a clear example, go price up a balsa longboard against a pop-out..........

Also - let's not forget that a lot of the things we all now take for granted (Mr O'Neill's wetsuit invention, for one) were brought to us by surfers......where would we be without them???

I run a surf company (as a sideline) - does that make me any less worthy?? I'm not after becoming a millionaire (although I would be lying if I said I wouldn't want to be) - all I want to do is make enough extra money to be able to afford to go surfing more often, in warmer waters or at overseas destinations.......

You orignally wanted to know how long it would take you 'to rip' as you were 'jealous' of the surfers who could - now you're seemingly having a pop at those who DO rip and have managed to turn their passion into their profession.......

You also say that you've only surfed 'about 7 times' - may I humbly suggest that you wait a little while longer (at least till you've had to re-wax your board ) before you tear into the surfing industry.........

Well said...

I kinda run a surf company too. Jack probably is the most influential ppl in surfing,I hate the over commercialization (spell check i'm a little pissed) but i don't think many people would be on here if it wasn't for the "now" big brands.
Its all swings and roundabouts

you cant take jabs at the surf companies i mean most of them were just surfers at the start, they built up a company to make money so they can surf all day at the best breaks - What a bloody great idea.

Is it their fault that surfing happens to be pretty cool and wannabies suddenly want to look like a surfer I recon most surf companies profits are made from wannabies who dont surf

anyway surfing is not really that commercialised. I dont see nike or reebok wetsuits around

yes I beleive your exactly right surfing innovation, i have to admit I probably was venting a tad but i honestly didn't mean for it to sound like that. I honestly didn't mean to offend anyone either and am sorry if I did.

this still doesn't take away from the fact i was trying to make though, countering your arguement surfing innovation, i did say have respect (probably more than most actually), for surfers such as Kelly Slater and Sunny Garcia, Tom Curren, so I don't know why you think I'm venting on guys who rip? I own about 6 Kelly Slater DVDs, few Curren ones and a few other surfers. Beleive me when i say i am not trying to put down guys who rip, kind of take some offense to that comment but I will be nice. I appreciate all the help I've received on this site and all the feedback ive gotten, it sucks learning to surf on ur own and this is about the closest ive got to knowing anyone who surfs since about 90% of the surfers ive met in RI are dicks to be quite honest, asked one guy once a question about a break at a beach (bottom turn) and told me to figure it out and find my own wave.

this still doesn't take away from the important point i was trying to make, generally speaking:

INDUSTRY SUCKS

Forgive me also for possibly coming off as a dick for I live in a place unlike California, Austrailia, or Hawaii, where surf oftenly appears to be scarce and like half the time we have swell I am unable to get a ride down to the beach , can't wait to get my license