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Vintage Surfboard

Wednesday, September 14th, 2011

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Vintage Surfboard

Surfing Terms for the Beginner Surfer

So if you've been following this series so far chances are you may have come across a few unfamiliar surfing-related terms. The point of this post is to help improve your surfing vocabulary.

The following is a mini-glossary of surfing related phrases and keywords, some of which have been used thus far:

Black-Ball: A yellow flag with a black ball in the center used by lifeguards to warn surfers of an area off-limits to surfing.

Barrel: The ultimate ride is when the crest of a wave folds over itself and forms a cylinder shape with enough space to provide a "tube" for the surfer to ride through. Related terms: pulling in; getting shacked, pitted, tubed, or otherwise barreled; filthy pits; the green-room.
surfer dropping in on another sur

Nobody likes to get snaked!

Dropping in: Refers to the critical point when a surfer stands up on a face-wave that is cresting. (Dropped in on), used to describe the act of one surfer wrongly riding in front of another surfer on the same wave. Also see: snake

Face-Wave: The crest of a wave that surfers ride. Usually breaks on the outside peak. Could be considered the opposite of white-wash waves.

A Fish

(a) Fish: No, not the kind that stealthily swim underneath and around you. A Fish in this sense refers to a type of surfboard. Usually shorter and wider than a typical modern shortboard, often modeled after vintage 70's designed surf boards.

(a) Gun: Taller sleek and narrow surfboard used by advanced surfers for riding bigger waves.

Kook: A derogatory term used to describe, well… usually beginner surfers who don't know what they're doing out in the water. Basically equivalent to the not so flattering term "idiot". If you can't spot one then chances are it's you…nah just kidding! ?

Pearl (ing): This happens when the nose of your surfboard dunks under water while riding a wave causing your surfboard to come to an abrupt stop, most likely pitching you forward and off your surfboard.

Rip-current: Strong undertow current of water headed straight out to sea. Look for slightly brown or discolored and choppy water. If caught in current, swim parallel to shoreline to escape.

Snake(d): Describes getting unjustifiably cut-off by another surfer. See also: dropping in (on someone).

Stoked: To be super pumped on something, friggen awesome!. Ie. The waves are going off, I'm so stoked right now!

White-Wash: The white-foamy type of waves that have already broken upon themselves and are tumbling toward shore. Beginners usually practice surfing these waves first before tackling the faster moving face-waves that break on the outside peak.

This entry is part 5 of 6 in the series Nice Rack Beginner's Guide to Surfing

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Nice Rack manufactures and sells surfboard racks and surf rack accessories.

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