Surf Terms

As you enter into the life of being a surfer, there are a lot of terms that will be thrown around. To get used to them, and get you caught up on a language and lingo you've only glimpsed, here is a list of words that every beginner needs to know:

blank - a piece of foam which resembles a surfboard, but has not been shaped or had fiberglass put on it.

board rash - Scratches on a surfers chest because of paddling on a board with raised wax

bottom turn - the turn in which you make after your first initial drop into a wave.

bra - a shortened term of bro. But in fact meaning a person that is considered a friend.

chaka - The famous hand with the thumb and pinkie extended that was originally created in the Hawaiian islands. It means "we are in peace" "what's up" or "we are at peace and happiness" It is deceptively used in many ways and has many definitions, similar to Aloha.

cheater 5 - when a person riding a long board walks to the nose, and touches the nose with their toes.

choppy - when there is a lot of minor waves around the waves.

cowabunga - An old 60's term that is loosely used today. It was a term picked up from the Hawaiian islands and used to show great happiness for a great ride.

ding - Any cut, dent, or bruise that is done to a surfboard

duck dive - when you go under a wave with your board in a maneuver where the wave does not hit you.

dude - An 80's term that orientally meant to mean a fellow surfer. Now has gone on to mean any other person.

dropping in - To stand on the surfboard and slide down the face of a wave.

going off - When there is a lot of really good waves coming in.

goofy foot - When a surfer stands with his right foot facing forward

green room - (See tube) Called this because most oceans are green and it feels like you are in a room when the wave crashes over you.

grommet - a young kid who has learned to surf, or is just learning to surf

fin - The small appendages on the bottom of the surfboard that allow it to be directed while in the water

fish - a style of board where that was shaped in such a way that the tail resembles a fish, and it is more buoyant and easier to catch smaller waves.

full on - an old 90's term that was often used to mean you were completely in tuned with what you were going to do. This is what you were doing, no matter what.

fun - the shape of a board that is a cross between a long board and a short board. Allowing it to maneuver like a short board, but catch waves like a long board.

get wet - to go out and surf

glass - Perfect waves and no bouncy parts.

hang 5 - When a person riding a long board walks to the end of the nose and hangs 5 toes from either foot or 1/2 of their foot off the nose.

hang 10 - one of the most used and most un-known term in surfing. When a person riding a surfboard, usually a nose rider (see nose rider) walks to the end of their board and hangs all 10 toes or half of both feet off the nose.

head high - A wave that is about 6 feet tall.

leash - The strap on the back of a surfboard that attaches to a surfer's leg.

line - where all the surfers sit and weight for the waves

long board - A type of board that is usually over 7 1/2 feet long and has a rounded nose.

mother - the ocean. When we all come from.

nose - the front tip of the surf board

noserider - 1)A type of long board, usually starting at 9 feet with a concave bottom part of the nose which allows a very skilled person to stand on the end of the nose and hang pieces of their foot off of it. (see hang 5 and hang 10) 2) One who is able to ride on the nose.

over the falls - when you crash or "wipe-out" in such a way that you go with the lip of the wave as it crashes

paddle - to propel a surfboard with your hand through the water.
rail - The sides of the surfboard

rash guard - a shirt or neoprene shirt that is worn to protect the chest from board rash (see board rash)

regular foot - When a surfer stands on the board with his left foot placed forward

Set - A group of waves. Waves usually come in threes. The old superstition is that you should never take the first wave of the set, it is always the smallest.

shaper - One who cuts and builds a surfboard. To build a surfboard correctly, you have to understand the surfing world as well as the hydrodynamics of a board going through the water.

short board - Any variety of boards that are below 7 feet and are shaped in such a way they resemble the traditional surf board.

skeg - the name of the fins on the underside of the surf board. (Also see fin)

spider cracks - tiny little cracks that resemble a spiders legs.

stoked - a term popularized in the early 90's and still used today. Meaning completely an wonderfully overjoyed.

Surf - To stand on a board and ride down the face of a wave and be able to control that ride as much as the wave will let you.

Surfboard - A large variety of boards that are made for the specific purpose to skin down the face of a wave.

Surf Rider - An environmental organization that attempts to protect the ocean, the waves, and out sea. Many surfers belong to this organization, or at least acknowledge the good that it does.

surf wax - (also called wax or by the many name brands) literally wax that is rubbed on a surf board to allow the surfer to get a better grip when standing.

surfer - One who surfs.

tail - the back end of the surfboard

Tube - when a wave breaks, and there is a hollow area where a surfer can ride. The tube has the ability to be as high as 15 feet and as long as 1/2 a mile, or a mere few feet and almost nothing.

walking the nose - when a surfer on a long board (see long board) walks up the board to the front of the surf board.

wipe out - when a surfer falls off of his board in any way and crashes.