Rolling on the River!

[jaffa1949]

Finally got around to compiling a slideshow of the surf competition, The Crown of the Traun 2018.
A competition that could have been titled you should have been here yesterday, the wave was bigger then.
All this is to,show you what Jaffa and son are going to do between oceanic surfs.
‘Nuff said enjoy I hope! I did!

Much credit should be given to the surfers! Surfing is counter intuitive enough, river wave ramp,that right up!.
The wave is relentless, no breaks between waves or sets, you really need to master short arc turns and keep using gravity , precision in you approach. Uncle Jaffa is back quite a few notches in learning here.
Leashes on leg very dangerous, you go one side of an obstacle your board the other, it is almost impossible to reach your leg to unleash!
The river pressure can actually strip flesh from bone ( who needs sharks) upper arm leashing slightly better, but shoulder dislocation possible.
A broad quick release safety belt around the waist is the best option.
Another ferinstance, wipe wash down stream,
Lots to tell, enjoy the video

[oldmansurfer]

There seems to be two ways of entry jumping off the rocks or using a rope. Would you care to explain those techniques a bit more? Also if the leash is so dangerous there must also be a big downside to no leash because lots of leashes being used.

[jaffa1949]

Sure explanations due!
No leash your board is gone away from you at the speed of the river, leash on leg or arm no obstacle no problem , The Spot called Pipeline is a relatively benign spot the water is deep and you are unlikely to hit bottom or obstacle.
My son and I did a river safety and rescue course, where we had a remote safety trainer have a release for your leash on a remote line.
Our training was on a low water day, against this. The exercise was to try and remove your leash on leg, arm, and quick release waist belt.

Leg was absolutely impossible, arm not quite, waist belt stomach strain but movement to release shielded by stomach, rapidly doable.
You only need to release should you get caught!

The catch the wave techniques are three that I’ve seen so far only one involve strong paddling.
That being jumping in upstream of the wave, get sucked into the wave and paddle furiously down the face. Fail get sucked over the back.

Learners get on the wave technique;, stand on the side of the stream on your board, adopt wakesurfing stance and haul yourself hand over hand into the peak of the wave, gain riding stability let go of rope, ride.

The jump technique, works here because the distance from the side to the wave is short.
Technique 1 , jump el prono, leap from side into the sweet spot of the wave with enough momentum to,support pop up. Pop and ride!
Technique 2 The standing ready to ride jump, successful is known as the acid drop, as for previous jump, ensure it is far enough and you carry enough momentum to carry you into power and first turn!

The wave is scathing in its response, a few inches/centimeters out and you are off the back of the wave and down stream.
Rescue techniques can be different and quite specific for the circumstances.
The strength of the flow determines the sort of weight you have to work against for a self rescue or pull someone against if they are held against an obstacle. Say a 75 kg 180 cm person in a 2metres per second stream = 40 kg and 3 meters per second stream 93 kg a 4 meter per second stream 176 kg.
Surfboards against a rock, unbelievable up to 500+ kgs try hauling that or yourself out, so quick release great idea.
The safety course was two days one night theory two days practical, serious fun. Exciting with danger
People have died doing the course!

[jaffa1949]

Some of us learned to walk on water!

[waikikikichan]

"Twinnie ?? No one rides twin fins on the Northshore."

[RinkyDink]

Much credit should be given to the surfers! Surfing is counter intuitive enough, river wave ramp,that right up!.
The wave is relentless, no breaks between waves or sets, you really need to master short arc turns and keep using gravity , precision in you approach. Uncle Jaffa is back quite a few notches in learning here.
Leashes on leg very dangerous, you go one side of an obstacle your board the other, it is almost impossible to reach your leg to unleash!
The river pressure can actually strip flesh from bone ( who needs sharks) upper arm leashing slightly better, but shoulder dislocation possible.
A broad quick release safety belt around the waist is the best option.
Another ferinstance, wipe wash down stream,
Lots to tell, enjoy the video

Nice video! I absolutely agree with you about the leash. I've gotten my own leash caught enough on rocks and kelp to know to fear leash attacks way more than shark attacks. Here's how I might deal with the leash danger in river surfing. Obviously don't wear the leash, instead, use a rope, like the one people are using to get on the wave, and loop it through the leash cuff. That way the surfer and board are not chained to each other and you can still control the board. By the way, river surfing is not my cup of tea, but more power to the people who are into it (actually, it would depend on the river for me).

[dtc]

I assume that once you are up, you can (in theory) just keep surfing the wave forever (the wave wont 'run out'?). Are there etiquette rules around stopping at 60 seconds or something?

Also it seems like the ideal boards are short and really wide - there were a couple of boards in some of your shots that looked like they might have been specifically river surfing boards. Is that the case ie people are shaping just for this? Obviously most people seemed to be using regular surf boards

[saltydog]

I assume that once you are up, you can (in theory) just keep surfing the wave forever (the wave wont 'run out'?). Are there etiquette rules around stopping at 60 seconds or something?

Moreover, how do you end your ride safely?

[jaffa1949]

Answer time!

The spot is called Pipeline after the Pipeline under the road embankment. Only resemblance is the name.
Unlike the original it is the most democratic wave I’ve seen anywhere on the planet.
Await your turn, surf till you wipe out, wash 50 meters downstream, swim, paddle to the river bank, walk to the end of the queue, take your turn repeat! No back paddling, drop ins by invitation on on two person days.
The queue acts as spotters and lifeguards ( many have done the river safety course) and competitions have full river safety lifeguards.

Next question to wipe out safely, the water is quite deep here, other spots no so . So like each beach adapt your survival,techniques.
Most river waves have a pull you close to shore eddy just downstream that you can use.
Helmets are a good idea, as the small area you surf in could kick the board into your head!

A challenge for me is going to be going short again as longboards can strike problem with the length being caught in two areas where the water is moving in opposite directions You do the whirly whirly Whirlpool jive.

About Rinky’s rope to leash idea, I assume you mean the rope goes to shore?
If so in some spots there will be protruding hazards between the wave and bank!+ extra rope in the equation, a looped rope will do much more damage to human flesh than the padded leash!
IMO, the waist belt is ideal , even keep the least from underfoot.

Next boards, lots of river surfboard shapers and manufacturers around Munich and Salzburg, the boards are small often new variants of epoxy hybrid construction, twin fin fishy things, small fins very light, some pretty wood laminates, vacuum bagging,, a couple made from newspaper laminate, Carbon Fibre, innegra , . I go to visit the factories soon.
Some of the ideas come from ski and snow board composites, could herald some changes if the techniques get to ocean surfing.

[dtc]

Some of the ideas come from ski and snow board composites, could herald some changes if the techniques get to ocean surfing.

very cool; yeah one of those boards (grey one at 1.34) reminded me of a snowboard (or wakeboard) shape.

[jaffa1949]

Unlike the ocean surfing alone is not a good idea even in winter there is a keen crew!

Same spot bigger and better day, colder too!

[billie_morini]

Jaffa, thank you for sharing the Vimeo video and all the notes provided above. There are so many still images in your video that you must have shot 100's of photos. Such a strange geographic location for all this action. Other intriguing elements include twin fins, carbon fiber board, Austrian faces, fresh water, and much more. Thank you 2X.
billie

[jaffa1949]

This spot has a water catchment of mountainous 600 square kilometers, so if it rains in the mountains surf’s up.
Was bigger tyesterday and son John became the first kneeboarder on the Traun

Would have had video, but new camera I didn’t know I had to continually press the button, a Jaffa duh moment

[BoMan]

River surfing is not my cup of tea, but more power to the people who are into it (actually, it would depend on the river for me).

Barking Dog is a spot near Coloma on the American River which is not too far away.

http://riverbreak.com/spots/barking-dog/

[jaffa1949]

Jaffa entered the water today, went through all the wash cycles rather than catching a meaningful wave, the time gap since 2016 was fairly evident in fitness, the timing was squint, because everything work differently, but I’m not that far off getting a meaningful river wave as akneeboarder. Stand means a shortboard transition it will happen, with pictures to prove it!

[oldmansurfer]

I know you are going to do it just have to get you sea legs....uh river knees? well you know what I mean shake the cobwebs off a bit.

[jaffa1949]

Another month another river nearby, it has rained the river is up , will it still be up on Saturday or should I have been there yesterday .
Photos and videos to come after!

[benjl]

This reminds me of the river surfing I saw in Munich!

[jaffa1949]

Munich is nearby, the canal there is called the Eisbach!
It is a little localized in attitude to kooks there, but with good reason, the canal has dangerous blocks in the stream and surfing the stream. It is illegal to surf it but it is tolerated and vaguely accepted! However a death or serious injury could end that, so some discouraging of kooks occurs!

The Austrian surf spots have a dedeicated crew at each ( just like beaches) they are happy to share, but they do encourage people to do a river safety course and the advise you how to ride the local wave!
They are quite excited to have a couple of Aussie novices among them!

[RinkyDink]

Barking Dog is a spot near Coloma on the American River which is not too far away.

Looks like fun. I take it all back. Still, I'd rather take a trip down to C Street (my next surf trip when I get some time).

(bit on the patriotic side this video )