Wipeouts- What are the types and how do you avoid them?

[The Fafanator]

It isn't really, it is scary, but so is rollercousters, just roll with it, and if you end up on the rocks, you did rock 'n roll! If you think about it it is an incedeble rush, plus it is an extra stretching session, yo will stretch musscels you didn't know you had.

[Sillysausage]

i don't think a point break is safer than a beachie unless you surf quite far away from the point. i've only surfed 2 or 3 points and they all seem to have a reaaally shallow take-off and if you don't nail it you get malled.

[Otter]

The wipeouts i hate are the ones were the wave is breaking say 4 metres infront of you and it's ready to come down on your head, they can't be duck dived or avoided.

Ahhh... I never really considered those to be wipe outs as I always figured you had to be riding in order to get wiped out. But I've been there, done that as well, and they can be some of the worst. I'd tell you about the time I got nailed big time at Pt. Loma (Abs) day after Big Wednesday in '05, but I know it's posted in a thread somewhere around here, and it's a long story to tell.

[flex]

I just had an epiphony... if you're not wiping out then that means you're not learning anything new from surfing.

[The Fafanator]

i don't think a point break is safer than a beachie unless you surf quite far away from the point. i've only surfed 2 or 3 points and they all seem to have a reaaally shallow take-off and if you don't nail it you get malled.

Yea, but it is way more predictable, plus I chipped my tooth at a beachbreak, but so far all I have from a pojnt/reef is a sh!tload of cuts in my feet, anything a pint or reef can do to you a beach can to. I find that most of the injuries I have is from getting in and out of the place (esp coming back in after a leg numbing session in cold water where I can't feel my feet.). But a better way to put it is that pointbraks have the potential to be more dangerous, but a beachbreak is useually more dangerous because it is almost impossible to gain experiance because the sand bank is always changing, while after a while at a point/reef you know what to look out for.

[Sillysausage]

yea but a safe beach break isn't going to kill you. a point break...you're pretty much guaranteed to hit the bottom if you're in the right place and miss time the takeoff. if a point break was safer then most people would surf there as the waves are better.

[surferdude_scarborough]

i don't think a point break is safer than a beachie unless you surf quite far away from the point. i've only surfed 2 or 3 points and they all seem to have a reaaally shallow take-off and if you don't nail it you get malled.

Yea, but it is way more predictable, plus I chipped my tooth at a beachbreak, but so far all I have from a pojnt/reef is a sh!tload of cuts in my feet, anything a pint or reef can do to you a beach can to. I find that most of the injuries I have is from getting in and out of the place (esp coming back in after a leg numbing session in cold water where I can't feel my feet.). But a better way to put it is that pointbraks have the potential to be more dangerous, but a beachbreak is useually more dangerous because it is almost impossible to gain experiance because the sand bank is always changing, while after a while at a point/reef you know what to look out for.

wrong wrongwrong!!!

point breaks have rocks. beaches have sand.

rocks hurt. sand doesnt (as much)

point breaks break pretty much the same so if you fleshin' up there will be a surfer on the wave behind it coming straight at you when you surface. not quite as true at a beach.

you will hit the bottom at a point break. you hardly ever hit the bottom at a beach break. even when it's tiny. the only beach ive ever hit the sand at is anglet in south france. very hollow there.


what im saying faf is please dont give advice you are not qualified to give.

[flex]

Beach breaks are the only types of breaks i've surfed and they seem pretty friendly to me. The only thing that's happened to me in my very short career of surfing was a cut lip when a wave pushed my board into my face which can easily happen on a point break. and by the end of the day it was fine. if i ever get wiped out then i just get in a ball shape and cover my face and head with my arms.

[surferdude_scarborough]

i just get in a ball shape and cover my face and head with my arms.

starfish is the way forward. you wont break the surface as much so less chance of hitting the bottom. reef tecnique mainly. ur fine curling into a ball on beaches.

[The Fafanator]

yea but a safe beach break isn't going to kill you. a point break...you're pretty much guaranteed to hit the bottom if you're in the right place and miss time the takeoff. if a point break was safer then most people would surf there as the waves are better.

Don't most people surf at a pointbreak/reef? Around here there is nobody at the beach, but you can get quite a crowd at the point.
Plus if a safe beach isn't going to kill you a safe point won't either. I must admit that people should start out at a beachbreak, but once you have the basics down and have sme common sence and not go to the most jagged shallow critical point there is, then you will be fine.
Let me put it this way, you are more likely to die at a beachbreak (from drowning) (not to mention washed), but you might be more likely to get injured at a pointbreak. But since 85% of injuries is from contact with your/someone elses board, a unpredictable beachie can pose a just as big a threat. Obviosly a break that has sharp, shallow rocks is more dangerous than a beginner beachie, but a nice blunt rocked point wil be fine. Personally I haven't heard of any surfer from my break dying. (nor any other sensible break. Pipeline and teahupoo doesn't count, I am talking about your avaridge point, not some famouse big wave spot.) But I have heard of quite a few people drowning by getting caught in a rip at daiz beach.

[Sillysausage]

you can get rips at any type of spot be it reef, point or beach etc...so the danger is always there. MOST PEOPLE WILL SURF BEACH BREAKS if they're learning until they feel competant to surf a safe reef. you are also more likely to drown at a point or reef because you're more likely to get knocked tha **** out and drown, where as if you're on a surfboard its not likely you'll drown at a beach unless you break your neck or something. and yes even blunt rocks can knock you out or break ribs etc

[surferdude_scarborough]

the point by you is probably crowded because everyon who surfs there is good. points are NOT safer than beaches. for many more reasons than the ones already listed. do you want a comprehensive list of why you are wrong because i would happily make one for you. please stop giving advice that is wrong. it is not helpful to other begginners.

[Real Pol]

the only beach ive ever hit the sand at is anglet in south france. very hollow there.

I remember surfing one day years ago at Hellsmouth, the waves were far too big for the novice I was in those days and I was constantly getting battered. Every time I wiped out I would hit the sand and be flattened on it as the wave passed over me. Never had that since.

[Beachbum]

I hate those wipe outs in which you try to back out of a wave and yet it throws you over head first . Nice ride right there!

[pkbum]

The consecutive wipe out in those OH+ days are really scary for me T_T

[Jc]

First time I wipedout, I thought I was drowning, then my instructer said "DUDE WIPEOUT" so thats my first

My funniest was probably on a really windy, but big day. I caught the wave, got to my feet. BUT I was way to far back. weighing only 8 stone didn't help, and the whole board flipped backwards making me look like a total kook xD

[eastcoastsurfshop]

Over the falls backwards is the worst beating.

[surferdude_scarborough]

I hate those wipe outs in which you try to back out of a wave and yet it throws you over head first . Nice ride right there!

don't wuss out then? a wipeout is always going to hurt less if youre standing up when it happens.

[isaluteyou]

i don't think a point break is safer than a beachie unless you surf quite far away from the point. i've only surfed 2 or 3 points and they all seem to have a reaaally shallow take-off and if you don't nail it you get malled.

Yea, but it is way more predictable, plus I chipped my tooth at a beachbreak, but so far all I have from a pojnt/reef is a sh!tload of cuts in my feet, anything a pint or reef can do to you a beach can to. I find that most of the injuries I have is from getting in and out of the place (esp coming back in after a leg numbing session in cold water where I can't feel my feet.). But a better way to put it is that pointbraks have the potential to be more dangerous, but a beachbreak is useually more dangerous because it is almost impossible to gain experiance because the sand bank is always changing, while after a while at a point/reef you know what to look out for.

wrong wrongwrong!!!

point breaks have rocks. beaches have sand.

rocks hurt. sand doesnt (as much)

point breaks break pretty much the same so if you fleshin' up there will be a surfer on the wave behind it coming straight at you when you surface. not quite as true at a beach.

you will hit the bottom at a point break. you hardly ever hit the bottom at a beach break. even when it's tiny. the only beach ive ever hit the sand at is anglet in south france. very hollow there.


what im saying faf is please dont give advice you are not qualified to give.

In absolute agreement there

[drowningbitbybit]

you hardly ever hit the bottom at a beach break. even when it's tiny. the only beach ive ever hit the sand at is anglet in south france. very hollow there.

Depends where you surf. You'd have to really try quite hard to get smacked into the sand at, for instance, saunton, but getting smacked into the sand at maroubra is an everyday experience.

Somewhere with serious banks and/or a short tidal range will mean you're often taking off over only a couple of feet of water. Pretty much like a reef in fact.

But, yes, the beach still hurts a great deal less than the rocks of a reef or point.