Surfing Do's and Don'ts

    As with any sport, there are do's and don'ts you should be aware of.  It ranges from the type of boat you use to the rope.  I will outline everything I have learned here.

    First and foremost, you need to understand the kind of boats you can surf behind and those you can't.  When you are surfing, you are only a few feet behind the boat and you will more than likely fall forward towards the boat at some point.  Because of this, you can run the risk of falling into the propeller if you do not have the correct type of boat.  There are boats specifically designed to solve this problem called v-drive boats where the propeller sits a few feet under the hull of the boat and if you fall, there is no risk to you.  With traditional outboard or inboard boats, the propeller sits outside the hull right behind the boat and you can run the risk of falling into the propeller.  So make sure you know what kind of boat you have or are going to get before hopping on a surf board behind one.

Note the prop is under the hull

    Next, there are specific surfing ropes you should use.  You do not use a wakeboard or a ski rope to surf with since the handle is too big, which can get tangled on you when you fall, and the rope is too thin which can cut your hands/fingers when not using the handle.  I initially bought a thin surfing rope with a small handle and was having a tough time using it.  Once I switched to a large woven rope with knots in it and a small handle, it was MUCH easier.  Ideally you want the rope to be about 8-9' long from where you attach it.  It is easier to surf with it attached to a tower but you can also do it from the pylon.  Here is alink showing several types of ropes - http://www.boatersoutlet.com/surfropes.aspx. 

    Next, you need to understand, unlike wake boarding and skiing, the surf board is not attached to your feet and thus when you fall, it can go anywhere.  I learned the hard way to always fall face first, dive under the water and pause under there for a while to let the board go where it is going.  If you cannot fall like this, I will typically cover my head with my arms similar to the crash position in an airplane in the event the board comes at my head.  This sounds really dangerous but in my two years and hundreds of surf outings, I have only seen it happen a handful of times.  And the few times, it hurt pretty bad but only resulted in a few headaches and one black eye.  Once you get more experienced surfing, this becomes second nature and you do not even think about it.

    Another issue is axhaust from the boat.  Since you are so close to the boat, the exhaust can pollute the air you are breathing if you make really long runs.  I have never had a problem with this but it is worth mentioning as we usually have a "Rope Biatch" who sits on the back of the boat to help with the riders and teaching when necessary and this person can be exposed to the fumes.  They make some plumbing to re-direct the exhaust so it comes out under the water instead of on top but I haven't seen the need for this yet although it is in my long range plans.  Here is a picture of what it looks like -

Fresh Air Exhaust to keep CO2 levels lower

    The last thing I will mention is the use of a life vest.  I still have not heard first hand whether it is legally required to wear a life vest, however, I will recommend you wearing one, especially in the beginning.  There are several reasons I recommend it beyond the obvious of not drowning.  First, it will be much easier to get on the surf board when you are learning.  Second, when you are learning, you will be getting very tired just from surfing and the extra flotation will help preserve some strength.  Last, if you are working on new tricks, I would recommend it because you will likely put your body in awkward positions at first and the extra bouyancy will be helpful to conserve your stength for the tricks.

    I do not mean to scare you with any of this as most of it is pre-cautionary but I would feel terrible if you went out surfing and something happened which could have been prevented.  In my two years, I have not had anyone get majorly injured on the surf board other than some cramps in the legs.  In talking with others in the community who have been doing it longer than I have, they have similar experiences.  So follow a few of these simple rules and you will have much more fun!