How to measure a wave

[BoMan]

Here is an explanation for the Hawaiian method of measuring wave faces. Is this accurate? Being a "small wave guy," I would rather know how big the surf is on the front side where I'll be riding. What do you think?

HOW TO MEASURE A WAVE by Ricky Grigg

I was surfing the North Shore in those days, the late 50's, 60's and 70's, and what started to happen very slowly over this time period was a gradual tendency to underestimate waves. As it got worse and worse, everyone started realizing that the smaller the estimates were, the smaller the reports were on the radio and TV, and fewer and fewer people were showing up to surf on any given day. Hey, man, this was way cool. A super cool method began to develop to keep the surf a secret….

The surfers and lifeguards simply invented a new system of measuring the waves from the back. It worked great, because, of course, waves from the back are about half their size from the front. Since few people could actually see the backs of the waves, few people could disagree or claim otherwise. Fewer Townies went to the North Shore and the local guys had the waves all to themselves. The lifeguards liked it too, because they had fewer people to guard and so they could go surfing longer. The system prospered and more and more surfers grew up believing that measuring the waves from the back was the way to do it.

http://community.magicseaweed.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=45224

[BaNZ]

What a conspiracy.

[oldgrom22]

Brilliant!

[oldmansurfer]

That would be possible only way back long ago before everyone estimated wave height by the back.

[dtc]

To me wave measuring has little to do with actual measurements and more to do with an understanding of what the other person means - for example, if someone in Australia says a 3ft wave or head high, I know what that means, even though its neither 3ft high nor head high really; its probably a 6-8ft face (ie if you are watching from behind, you cant see the surfer after takeoff). But I know what it means so it works for me.

For websites, I just have to adjust what they say to what I see a few times and then I 'understand' what they mean as well

For example, this coming holiday weekend (in Australia) when it says Sat 0.5 - 1 ft, Sun 0.5-1ft and Mon flat, I know it means '$%#%$'

[girlgonesurfing]

To me wave measuring has little to do with actual measurements and more to do with an understanding of what the other person means - for example, if someone in Australia says a 3ft wave or head high, I know what that means, even though its neither 3ft high nor head high really; its probably a 6-8ft face (ie if you are watching from behind, you cant see the surfer after takeoff). But I know what it means so it works for me.

For websites, I just have to adjust what they say to what I see a few times and then I 'understand' what they mean as well

For example, this coming holiday weekend (in Australia) when it says Sat 0.5 - 1 ft, Sun 0.5-1ft and Mon flat, I know it means '$%#%$'

I'm confused - I've only ever surfed in Australia. Is that not how people elsewhere measure wave height??

[Big H]

All I know is waves look smaller now than when I first started to surf....

[oldmansurfer]

All I know is waves look smaller now than when I first started to surf....

LOL I bet that is one lots of surfers go through (except me) I kept thinking how small all the waves were

[dtc]

I'm confused - I've only ever surfed in Australia. Is that not how people elsewhere measure wave height??

Older/more traditional Australian surfers use the Hawaiian measure as described in the first post (wave height is roughly 1/2 the face height). Americans who are Hawaiian use face height. Beginners generally use face height (which is more logical but still sounds impressive when someone says they are surfing 6ft waves on their second day, meaning its probably about chest high - as Big H says, waves seem to get smaller the more you surf. Also, they are definitely smaller the moment you step out of the water and look back - oddly the swell just drops right at that point in time).

To me the minutiae of the height is not relevant - its under waist high, waist-head high, over head high or really over head high. The smallest send me to one particular beach that gets a lot of waves regardless (unless its a NE swell), the next two sizes mean there will be waves at most beaches but the swell direction becomes very important in terms of quality of waves, while the last one means I sleep in.

So its roughly height and mostly swell direction. But I'm someone who happily surfs waist high if that is what is on offer.

[waikikikichan]

I always wonder how newbies and beginners post that they've been riding 6 footers. Now I realize they actually mean 2 foot.

[jaffa1949]

Double underhead here today

[pmcaero]

I always wonder how newbies and beginners post that they've been riding 6 footers. Now I realize they actually mean 2 foot.

every wave I caught was at least 6 ft, even when it wasn't

[jaffa1949]

There is also the unridden zone...... Does anyone know anyone who has ridden an 11ftt wave

[oldmansurfer]

Long ago in my first round of surfing wave size was something surfers would discuss and after a while most of us would just by looking at a wave agree to the size without making any measurements. The system I was taught was 4 foot face = 2 foot wave, 6 foot face = 3 foot wave, 8 foot face = 4 foot face then it got kind of not so clear till 10 foot wave was an 16 foot face foot face and anything over that you divide by 2 and add 2. (if it was less than 4 feet it was "small")You never measured the face at the peak which was higher than the rest of the wave. I no longer make an effort to accurately determine the size of waves and instead make a guesstimate based on my height so knee high, waist high, shoulder high, head high, overhead, double overhead, triple overhead etc..

[benjl]

Currently looking at a fully stacked horizon of waves here

[RinkyDink]

I like waist high, shoulder high, overhead, double overhead, triple overhead. Of course, my baseline surfer is always 5'll" and if somebody else's baseline surfer is 6'7", then the extra 8" margin of error doesn't really bother me.

[Tudeo]

I like the Magicseaweed system because it describes wave sizes the way I personally experience it:
1ft – Ankle to Knee High
2ft – Knee to Thigh
3ft – Waist High
4ft – Chest High
5ft – Head High (for average rider slightly crouched down)

http://magicseaweed.com/help/surf-forec ... ve-heights

[icetime]

There is also the unridden zone...... Does anyone know anyone who has ridden an 11ftt wave

Well there is oldmansurfer he said he had one of his worst wipeouts on a 10ft+ day so there's that, I also did meet a Moroccan big wave surfer here (He surfed Mavericks, puerto, teahupoo and did some towing at nazare) on my 3rd surf session ever, had no idea who he was

[oldmansurfer]

What jaffa means is it is an off size. Usually you never hear someone say they surfed 11 foot waves it will be 10 or 12 but not 11. I didn't say anything because I surfed 11 foot waves but I know what he meant. 13 foot is another neglected size. I am pretty sure I never heard anyone say "I was surfing Pipeline and it was perfect 13 foot waves"
Yeah and the day of my worst wipeout it was 17 foot which probably is also neglected

[icetime]

What jaffa means is it is an off size. Usually you never hear someone say they surfed 11 foot waves it will be 10 or 12 but not 11. I didn't say anything because I surfed 11 foot waves but I know what he meant. 13 foot is another neglected size. I am pretty sure I never heard anyone say "I was surfing Pipeline and it was perfect 13 foot waves"
Yeah and the day of my worst wipeout it was 17 foot which probably is also neglected

Ahaaha I never thought about that, now that I think of it some wave sizes are really rare, like I've never surfed 7ft surf only 6ft or rare 8ft