Surfboard Speed Tips: The Interaction between the Current and the Board
Release time:
2025-04-10
Source:
The world of surfboards is so varied! Every time you choose a new board.
The world of surfboards is so varied! Every time you choose a new board, you feel like you're crossing a river of stones. But don't worry, today we're going to demystify the mystery of board speed and see where it really comes from.
Where Speed Comes From
First, we need to understand a basic principle: Newton's second law, F = ma. Simply put, force is what changes the state of motion of an object. So, where does the speed of a surfboard primarily come from?
Secondary factor: gravity
Gravity does play a small role when the wave wall comes down, but this force is not significant.
Primary factor: water flow interaction with the board
Grip of the water on the board
Imagine that the green wave is just a movement of energy, the water isn't really moving forward, it's just moving up and down. And it's the current that flows upwards along the wall of the wave that really makes the difference. When you run diagonally, a portion of the upward flow wraps around the inner edge of the board, and the board “grabs” onto the wave wall through the intermolecular forces of the water, not the tail fin.
The size of the grip
According to the Reynolds Transfer Theorem, the faster the flow, the shorter the radius of the curve profile and the earlier the flow leaves the edge of the board. This means that a thicker, more rounded board edge will produce more grip in smaller, slower wave conditions than a narrower board edge and faster current.
Power of the current on the board
SCENARIO: Most of the effective current actually hits the bottom of the board and is directed down the length of the board and out the tail.
Momentum: Newton's third law tells us that action and reaction forces are equal. By redirecting the flow, the board creates an upward lift and forward momentum. Similar to a diver stomping down on a diving board and being bounced upwards, each liter of water flow that is redirected provides roughly 2 pounds of lift and momentum, making us faster at the wave wall.
The key to generating speed
Change the direction of as much of the current as possible so that it flows along the length of the board rather than off the board edge. Snap the inside board edge to the wave wall and keep it high on the wave wall is a very important habit.
Velocity magnitudes for different scenarios
Above the wave wall: the direction of the current is exactly perpendicular to the bottom of the board and the velocity is fast.
At the bottom of the wave: the direction of the current is at a very small angle to the board edge, most of the current will flow along the bottom of the board from the inside board edge, slowest speed.
At the bottom of the wave but making a big bottom turn: the current hits the bottom of the board at 90 degrees and is the fastest because gravity is used to generate speed when coming off the wave and continues to generate speed when the bottom turn changes direction.
Surfing Tips
The most effective way to surf a wave is to move back and forth up and down the wave wall like a roller coaster, but you need to master the technique and timing of the bottom turn. It is also possible to have an angled up ride and then stay higher on the wave wall.
Conclusion
The secrets of surfboarding are actually in these little details. Hopefully these tips will help you fly faster and more stable on the waves! Try these tips the next time you surf and see how it goes!
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