2 past, 1 future

[MKemDC]

1 SUped all summer and autumn on a break that was right in my backyard. Got to name it "69th street" and 300 yard long rides (unheard of on the east coast).
2 First rider on the recent huge north swell at kite beach DR. Biggest I've ever been in and PERFECT
Next I would like to try to ride the Cape May ferry wake. Anyone done large ships and tankers?

[gjbstandup]

MKemDC

 Here in Hilton Head,South Carolina we boarder Georga. I've heard of guys surfing North Beach, Tybee Island, Ga. The barrier Island and shoals the container ships pass when  entering the Savannah GA. ports. The ships pass close to the beach with in several thousand yards. I've seen some photos of wake waves of 2  foot peeling on the beach . A friend of mine's  young son skims the waves so I know it can be ridden w/ a Stand Up. Its a matter of waiting and hoping the displacement from the ship send the wave. I'm sure the Texas guys ( Step Into Liquid movie) have been doing just that but keeping to themselves. I'm sure a Stand Up has been tried and may even be out there regularly .. I would like to see that. If and when you get pics post them. I will do the same. 

[MKemDC]

Since I am in the cold northeast, it may be you first. I will try towards the end of March on a calm, no wave day. I think there is great potential sort of like a river boure!

[stoneaxe]

I've been meaning to get down to the Cape Cod canal and try the freighter/tanker wakes. They power up as they leave the canal and generate a decent wake/break on the Sandwich side. Definitely worth trying although big ships aren't all that frequent.

[paddlesurf.net]

Bless your hearts! Charge them tankers boys- but we want to see some pics, and vid!

[PonoBill]

I do the barges and tugs in the willamete and columbia river all the time. i was talking with some guys about hiring a tug to do wakes for us, but we get them often enough so it's not worth the effort. You can paddle into a tug wake and go for several miles--but then you have to paddle back. I did one on the columbia last year where i wound up four miles downstream. It was a VERY long paddle back against the current. I knew it would be while I was riding the wake, but couldn't make myself drop out. they need to be going about five knots. some are too slow, but you can pull back into their second wake if you lose the front one

[Paduan Sam]

You guys are crazy!  Surfing wakes from tankers and tugs.  Just nuts!  I'd love to see some pic or vids of it too!  Maybe work up enough guts to try it here in SF when the ships are coming into the bay!

[PonoBill]

It doesn't need to be a tug or a big ship, the boats that are designed to tow wakeboards have tanks they can fill to make a good wake. During the All Aluminum Tour I found kids with wakeboats in lakes on several occasions and hitched rides from them. Made it almost all the way around a lake in Michigan. If I hadn't had Sam (the dog) waiting in the truck I would have done a second lap.

It's easiest with a wakeboat to hold a tow rope until you get in the wave, but you can paddle in too.

[Paduan Sam]

Thanks Bill.  I was going out to the bay and try to snag a wake behind one of the barges coming in!
Now I'll just try to settle for someone with a boat at Lake Tahoe to try and surf behind it's wake.
Hee hee

[PonoBill]

a lot of the really big boats don't leave any wake at all. they have this big bulb under the nose that eliminates the wake. Kind of selfish of them I think, but I suppose it's easier on the beach erosion.