The Official OBSF Support Group

mundus

Duke status
Feb 26, 2018
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When we get the rare big swell in the winter it can be somewhat challenging, I just think what the guys in OB go through and realize what a puss I am being.
 

Subway

Administrator
Staff member
Dec 31, 2008
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LBNY
that's so crazy - i lost count of how many duck dives he had to make. these days, i'm good for like 5-6 duck dives in a row and i'm ready to pack it up....coast in and do the Walk of Shame, back up the beach
:loser:
5-6 duck dives is just the first 30 seconds on a beefy day here, might go on another15-30 minutes if your timing and or luck is poor. But yeah, in deep winter, 38 degree water and a cold north wind, I’ve been beaten back to the beach pretty fast on solid days. Sometimes, in that kind of cold, all it takes is getting a few violent duck dives right off the bat to just lock your body up like rigor mortis, and send you fumbling back towards the beach just clinging to your board, unable to breathe or move
 
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oneworlded

Administrator
Jun 4, 2004
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Murrica
chrisdixonreports.com
5-6 duck dives is just the first 30 seconds on a beefy day here, might go on another15-30 minutes if your timing and or luck is poor. But yeah, in deep winter, 38 degree water and a cold north wind, I’ve been beaten back to the beach pretty fast on solid days. Sometimes, in that kind of cold, all it takes is getting a few violent duck dives right off the bat to just lock your body up like rigor mortis, and send you fumbling back towards the beach just clinging to your board, unable to breathe or move
I don't know how you do it up there when the water gets into the 30's. Here in Charleston water might get down to 45 deg in midwinter. Throw in a head high 7 second NE windswell and no time to recover from ice cream headaches and it's like, WTF am I even doing out here?
 
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Subway

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Dec 31, 2008
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LBNY
I don't know how you do it up there when the water gets into the 30's. Here in Charleston water might get down to 45 deg in midwinter. Throw in a head high 7 second NE windswell and no time to recover from ice cream headaches and it's like, WTF am I even doing out here?
that last question pops into my head more and more with every winter, and I used to LOVE winter surfing. I still do, when you get one of those magical sunny days, head high+, light north winds, not bitterly cold, and you feel just fine and cozy in your 5 or 6 mil armor. Days like that make you feel like you've basically "stolen" a perfect surf day out of winter's brutal grasp, cause you're out there frolicking around in water than would otherwise kill you in less than an hour.
 

Subway

Administrator
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Dec 31, 2008
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LBNY
yeah, I've probably been more afraid for my actual life surfing solid winter swells right here at home as opposed to biggish cloudbreak or Hanalei or wherever. When you are legitimately stuck in the impact zone on a shallow sandbar, overhead waves breaking without pause, and you can't move or breathe because the cold shock has you all cramped up and paralyzed, that's some scary sh!t. Doesn't even have to be huge. And even when you manage to get your breath back and your body unlocks, you're still all fatigued becasue paddling and ducking that hard in a 6 mil is exhausting AF
 
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Subway

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Dec 31, 2008
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LBNY
id like to THINK that because we grew up duck diving for 20 minutes or more in 40 degree water that we (north easterners with some large wave experience/competence) would MAYBE have a bit of a head start in tackling solid OB, but then I look at some of those clips of when it’s double overhead or bigger, and I think “it doesn’t matter that the water is 15 degrees warmer than our winter temps, and the air temps 30 degrees warmer, that s hit is HEAVY”
 
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mundus

Duke status
Feb 26, 2018
36,721
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id like to THINK that because we grew up duck diving for 20 minutes or more in 40 degree water that we (north easterners with some large wave experience/competence) would MAYBE have a bit of a head start in tackling solid OB, but then I look at some of those clips of when it’s double overhead or bigger, and I think “it doesn’t matter that the water is 15 degrees warmer than our winter temps, and the air temps 30 degrees warmer, that s hit is HEAVY”
OB is 10x what we face on the heaviest of days.
 
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LifeOnMars

Michael Peterson status
Jan 14, 2020
3,164
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id like to THINK that because we grew up duck diving for 20 minutes or more in 40 degree water that we (north easterners with some large wave experience/competence) would MAYBE have a bit of a head start in tackling solid OB, but then I look at some of those clips of when it’s double overhead or bigger, and I think “it doesn’t matter that the water is 15 degrees warmer than our winter temps, and the air temps 30 degrees warmer, that s hit is HEAVY”
OB is about 10x more heavy with much stronger current than your typical EC <12 sec period shallow water beach break, the only place that could come close is the OBX. Nobody is riding an 8ft gun in solid surf on the EC, it just isn't necessary.
 
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Subway

Administrator
Staff member
Dec 31, 2008
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LBNY
Yeah totally agree. And the only time we get 13-16 second swell with some size is during the late summer and early fall, so you’re either in trunks or a 3/2 at most. If we got hurricane swells in deep winter, the scene at Lido would be VASTLY different
 

mundus

Duke status
Feb 26, 2018
36,721
15,939
113
OB is about 10x more heavy with much stronger current than your typical EC <12 sec period shallow water beach break, the only place that could come close is the OBX. Nobody is riding an 8ft gun in solid surf on the EC, it just isn't necessary.
Plus imagine having to duck those big boards hundreds of times, god level fitness required.
 

Yewstreet

Legend (inyourownmind)
Nov 8, 2019
422
760
93
Living by OB has made me rethink board design and started buying bigger boards. The low volume shortboards that I used to ride back home arent really useful here.

Although Im still figuring it out. My first "big" board was a 7'0 minigun that had only 37L. In retrospect I shouldve added way more foam