Table of Contents
Surf Terms, Slang and Phrases
“You should have been here yesterday!” “ You should have been here yesterday ! ” With the help of this Surfing Terms page you ‘ll be able to not only walk like a surfer, but you ‘ll besides be able to talk like one. Chill with the locals, impress the hotties at the local bar, or show up that know-it-all bratwurst who is going out with your younger brother or sister. Read on and increase your cognition .
( Thanks to everyone who is e-mailing us with newfangled terms to include or posting them in the comments. We ‘re including new slang and phrases all the time so please keep them coming ! )
Glossary of Surfing Terms
180 / 360
The spin of a surfer ‘s board during a manoeuver in degrees, e.g. 360 academic degree turn .
A-Frame
The perfect barrel surf, a cross-section of an A-frame wave reveals an “ A ” determine where it is breaking soooo nicely .
Aggro
aggressive position in the water ; having a bad attitude .
Air / Aerial
An advanced surfing maneuver where the surfer and board leave the coat of the wave. here are some capital air travel photos .
Akaw!
Something surfers shout when they spot a huge perfect wave, or when they are shocked or surprised. Old School !
Amped
Getting excited while surfing or truly looking forward to a surf .
Ankle Busters / Snappers
belittled waves .
ASP
ASP stands for Association of Professional Surfing. The ASP was previously the governing body of surfing. In 2014 the ASP changed their diagnose to the World Surf League .
Backdoor
Entering a barrel from behind the extremum of the violate beckon. Backdoor is besides the name of the correctly hand wave that sometimes breaks at the celebrated wave of Pipeline .
Backside
Surfing with your back towards the wave. A regular foot surfer going left or a goofy footed surfer going right will be surfing buttocks. The reverse is frontside .
Backwash
Waves / water heading back out towards the entrance beckon where it has rebounded from the beach / cliffs / sea wall etc. Can make for some fun surfboard .
Baggies
Loose, drawstring surf shorts .
Bail
To bail is to jump off the board to avoid an at hand destruction .
Banks
sandpaper on the ocean floor of a beach break. Beach break waves are subject on the choice of the sandpaper banks to provide commodity, surfable waves .
Barney
An inexperienced surfer, or person who ‘s no good at surfing .
Barrel
A barrel is where the wave is hollow when it is breaking. For some surfers it ‘s the be all and end all of surfing. Is sometimes called a “ tube. ”
Beach Break
This is a curl that breaks over a flaxen ocean go to bed. You ‘ve not read up about waves, have you ?
Beach Leech
The perfective description of a beach leech : “ Some people do n’t bring their own boards, and prefer to borrow your extra boards ( they do n’t rent ). And for wax, some do n’t very bring it. They fair ask for some. ”
Bells Beach
Bells Beach is one of the great right point breaks. Find it on the south victorian coastline of Australia. Check out the Bells Beach Pro held in March every class. This was the setting for that tearful end bite in the movie “ Point Break ” when Patrick ( twinkletoes ) Swayze AKA Bodie ate it at the end of Point Break. ( And no doubt that after reading the waves page and finding out what a point open frame actually is, you ‘re feeling peculiarly chuffed with yourself ! )
It should besides be pointed out that it was not actually Bells Beach where the scene was filmed but India Beach in Oregon. Thanks to Danny from Oregon for this information .
Benny
A not local anesthetic .
Betty
One of the oldest and good know browse slang for a surfer girl who surfs .
Big Wednesday
A classic approach of age film telling the fib of three surfing friends in California. Starring Jan-Michael Vincent, William Katt and Gary Busey .
Billabong
What Australians call a water hole, but to everyone else it is one of the largest surfing equipment and clothe manufacturers out there .
Bitchin’
Old educate for actually good or enjoyable .
Blank
The foam used to shape a surfboard .
Blown Out
Where the onshore wind turns the surf in to unrideable dogsled .
Board
The fiberglass thingy under your feet .
Boardshorts / Boardies
These shorts are flying dry, whippersnapper, and wear by those golden adequate to be surfing in warm water system. Check the men ‘s boardshorts hera and the women ‘s boardshorts hera .
Bomb
A peculiarly large or heavy beckon. “ He took off on a turkey ” .
Bombora / Bommie
An native term for a wave that breaks over a shallow reef, located beyond the normal lineup and frequently some distance from the prop up .
Booger / Boogieboarder
Slang for body boarders .
Bottom Turn
This is the turn made at the floor of the wave when coming down off the face. It ‘s much the first move made after dropping in. Get it right for great positioning for your future manoeuver .
Brah
Slang term for brother, supporter, fellow surfer .
Carve / Carving
The classic browse steer, carve is basically what turning on a wave is called. Carve is besides a surf magazine found in Europe .
Caught Inside
A surfer who is caught inside is excessively far in, and the waves are breaking foster out. It can be dangerous in boastfully surf .
Charging
A surfer actually going for it on a wave, surfing aggresively. Charges, as in “ holmium, that ridicule charges ” .
Chinese Wax Job
Getting wax on the bottom of your surfboard .
Choka
Bitchin ‘, amazing, bang-up etc .
Choppy
Where the surface of the ocean is boisterous / bumpy .
Chowder
Used to describe the contamination conditions when there ‘s a crap in the batting order — “ I caught some disgusted waves out there but it was hard trying not to swallow the chowder. ”
Clean
Waves that break from a single vertex along it ‘s length, providing an open face for a surfer to ride on. The opposition of messy .
Clean Up Set
A brandish or set of waves that are larger than average and breakage before the line up, resulting in clearing the line-up of surfers .
Clidro
The process where a surfer turns up and down the face of the wave while surfing down the line .
Close Out
Where a wave breaks along its length all at once .
Clucked
Being scared of afraid of waves .
Corduroy
Swell lines that look like corduroy ; see this corduroy swell movie that illustrates it perfectly .
Covered up
Where the lip of the wave breaks over a surfer, about a barrel but not quite. “ I just got a coverup. ”
Cowabunga
slang from 1960 ‘s surf culture, cried out enthusiastically when surfing — The surfer ‘s cry “ Cowabunga ” as they climb a 12 foot wall of water and “ take the dribble. ”
Cranking
When the waves are commodity, it ‘s said to be cranking .
Cripples / Crips
derogative term for bogeyman ( see derogative term above ), knee of SUP boarders .
Curtain
The outdoor partially of the barrel. “ I was deep in the barrel the curtain closed on me. ”
Cross Step / Stepping
This is the artwork of walking up and down a longboard, foot over foot. When you see some guy / gal running up and down their board, you ‘ll now know what to call it .
Cutback
Making a cutback is reversing the focus that you are surfing in one legato fluid move. ( That ‘s the mind anyhow. )
“ My wave !…My wave!!…. MY brandish ! ! ! !(see Drop In below) … My brandish ! ! …. ( see Drop In below )
Dawn Patrol
Going surfing first thing in the dawn .
Deck
The is the morsel of the surfboard you stand on. ( Hopefully you have your board the veracious way round in the water. )
Ding
Surfboard damage — “ Oh dear me, I ‘ve dinged my board ! ” ( possibly a little more profanity will be used. )
Dirty Lickings
Taking a gnarled destruction .
Doggy Door
Exiting a barrel through the small hole left by the wave as it closes .
Double Overhead
The altitude of a wave doubly ampere tall as the surfer .
Drive
Drive relates to acceleration and maintainenance of rush though turns .
Drop, The
The drop is where a surfer first gets up on the waves and drops down the confront of the wave. It ‘s besides referred to as “ taking the drop. ”
Drop In
Dropping in is a crime in the surf worldly concern. A drop-in is where a surfer catches a wave without having priority, i.e. there is already a surfer on the wave. Please see diagram above. Remember, it ‘s a crime !
Drop Knee
Riding a longboard with one stifle on the deck of the surfboard .
Drysuit
protection when surfing in identical cold water, when a wetsuit would not be effective for keeping warm .
Duck dive / Duck Diving
Duck Diving is diving under an oncoming wave when paddling out. See duck diving in wide detail in surfing lesson three — duck dive .
Dude
Dude, we about forgot fellow ! Dude can mean pretty much anything depending on the tonicity and prosody. ( Thanks go to Corey Ferguson for this one. )
Dumping
frequently caused by onshore conditions, where a brandish will fold over in big sections, making it un-surfable .
Eat It
Wiping out on a wave .
El Rollo
A browse maneuver. Riding the inwardly wall of the pitched brim ( barrel ), rather of the main brandish wall, and coming out sideways .
Endless Summer
“ dateless summer ” is the absolute classic surfing movie. Forget all this new school catchy material. Watch this movie, and if you are not a surfer before wake, you ‘ll surely want to be after. I can not emphasise how effective this is — WATCH IT ! ( even the other one-half will enjoy it ! ! ! ) Check out this video and others at the browse video page .
Epic
exceed course surf or highly good waves ; description of an amazing wave or browse school term .
Eskimo Roll
( See Turtle Roll )
Face
The unbroken separate of the wave.
Fakie
This is where person rides backwards on the surfboard, stern first. It ‘s besides what you are if you ‘re only reading this page then you can pretend that you ‘re a surfer .
FCS
FCS stands for louver control system. This is a character of fin that is amply removable from the surfboard. It ‘s ideal if you break a five ( you do n’t have to get a new on glassed rear on ), or if you are travelling. ( It ‘s best to remove the fins to keep your board from being damaged. )
Fin
The fin is the crook piece hanging down under your surfboard that you keep bashing when you tie your surfboard to the roof of your car. It ‘s sometimes called a skeg .
Firing
Firing is the same as “ going off ”, where the surf is very good and the waves are breaking nicely .
Fish
A type of surfboard shape, shorter and thicker than a standard shortboard. fish surfboards are for surfing smaller waves .
Flat
No waves. Boo hoo !
Floater
Riding over the white water back onto the shoulder of the wave ( you may need to consult the terms list further to understand this answer amply ) .
Foam
The break depart of a wave, another term for “ Whitewater ” or “ Soup ” .
Foamies
These are either white water waves or surfboards that are made out of foam. ( They ‘re ideal for beginners. )
Foil
The rate of change of thickness of a surfboard from the nose to the tail .
Frontside
Surfing with your presence towards the brandish. A regular foot surfer going right or a goofy footed surfer going left will be surfing frontside. The opposite is buttocks .
Froth
The foam left after a wave has broken .
Frothin / Froathin
Excited .
Frube
A surfer who does not catch a beckon for the whole time they are in the water .
Fullsuit
Wetsuit with full arms and legs. See the types of wetsuits .
Funboard
A mid-length surfboard, often know as a minimal ; see funboard examples here .
Gidget
This is the dub of the title character created in a novel by Frederick Kohner ( and adapted for three far films ). Gidget is a contraction of “ girl dwarf, ” which is why it went on to be used to describe small female surfers .
Glass Job
The fiberglass finish on a surfboard .
Glassy
This is ultra-clean browse without a ripple that frequently looks like glass. Click here to see a glassy roll .
Gnarly
peculiarly dangerous surf conditions .
Goat Boater
derogative term for kayakers and brandish skiers .
Going off
If the surf is in truth good, you could say it ‘s going off .
Goober
derogative terminus for a longboard or a longboarder .
Goofy / Goofy Foot
Surfing with your veracious foot ahead .
Green Room
Inside the tube or barrel .
Gremmie / Grommet / Grom
Any of the above can be used to describe a young or inexperienced surfer. Grommet is besides the cunning pooch character in the Nick Park animation creations. ( And they are actually rather full ! )
Grey Belly
An older surfer with the big belly .
Grom Mum
The ma who taxis her kids everywhere, anytime for a brandish. One who sits sipping coffee on the cold sandpaper under blankets at 6 am equitable to see her kids stoked .
Grubbing
Falling off your board while surfing .
Gul
british surfing equipment manufacturer .
Gun
A surfboard designed for adult waves .
Riding the nose Riding the nose
Hang Eleven
This is when a male surfer rides his board in the nude. ( such as nearby Black ‘s Beach in San Diego : thanks to Gary M. Steinhaus for this one ! )
Hang Loose
See Shacka .
Hang Ten
If you ‘re riding a longboard with both feet directly on the intrude of the board, your hanging ten. It ‘s besides the mention of a longboard cartridge holder .
Heavy
Heavy has a match of meanings. When used as in “ heavy waves, ” it means big, gnarled, kick back buttocks waves. Teahupoo, Mavericks and Pipeline are three waves that would have to be described as heavy with a capital “ H. ” The lapp terminus can be used to describe the locals at a blot. ( For the like kick ass argue ! )
Ho-dad
Anyone who annoys board riders while they surf ( austral Women ‘s Weekly Oct. 24, 1962 ) .
Hodad
A hodad is a non-surfing beach mooch. ( Pix Sept. 28, 1963 ) Thanks go to John Gentile for the Hodads .
Hollow
Tubing waves, a-frames, barrels .
Impact Zone
The position where the waves are breaking .
In the Soup
A term used when a surfer is in the ashen foam of the wave after the wave has broken .
Indo
Slang for Indonesia, dwelling of some classic surf spots and a top surf trip finish .
Inside
The sphere of white water where the waves have broken, between the prop up and the line-up. besides, inside can be used to describe the section of a wave that breaks towards the end of the ride, close to the land .
Instinct
popular brand of surfboard invest .
Jeffrey’s Bay / J Bay
Jeffrey ‘s Bay is a south african browse break dance of the highest quality. It ‘s one of the worldly concern ‘s most celebrated, high timbre right handers. ( Do n’t know what a right hander is ? then go teach your waves. Go have a search at the section on waves. )
Junkyard Dog
A surfer with poor style or a surfer who only surfs icky waves .
Keg
Another bible for a barrel / tube .
Kick Out
Finishing a ride by turning back come out of the closet over the top of the wave .
Kickflip
A new educate browse antic which involves rotating the board 360° along it ‘s length while airborne, and landing back on the board. here ‘s a estimable example .
Kneeboarding
A surfing by-product, kneeboarding is riding the waves on your knees using a special knee board .
Kook
A novice or person who is not very good at surfing. A test hard. person who surfs to try and look cool. person who does not follow the rules in the lineup, drops in etc. Are you a kook ?
Landlord
Shark .
Late Takeoff
Waiting until the last possible moment to get up on a wave .
Layback
The layback is a surfboard manoeuver where the surfer literally lays backwards on a wave. It ‘s one of surfing ‘s more extreme tricks .
Leash
This is the cord that is attached between your leg and your surfboard. Click here for more information about a three or find out about how to attach your surfboard collar here .
Left
A wave that breaks from right to left from a surfer item of position when facing into the prop up .
Leg rope
See Leash above .
Leggy
australian slang for the leash .
Licked
Getting licked means wiping out and being hammered by the roll .
Line Up
The telephone line up is the place barely outside the unwrap waves where surfers wait for their waves .
Lines
Unbroken waves heading towards the shore. See cord .
Lip
The tip of the breaking part of the brandish .
Locked In
When a wave crashes and the surfer is inside of it .
Log
Slang for a Longboard .
Logger
Slang for a Longboarder / person who rides a Longboard .
Logjam
A surf interrupt full of longboarders .
Long John Wetsuit
A type of long legged, no armed wetsuit – details here .
Longboard
A long surfboard with a round nose. See our longboard choice .
Lull
This is when the ocean goes flat between sets and everyone sits around waiting for the waves to arrive .
Mal / Malibu
Another description of a longboard surfboard .
Mavericks
This is a celebrated big wave blemish off the California coast. not to be confused with the film “ Maverick ”, starring Mel Gibson, although you need to be pretty weather to tackle both .
Men In Grey Suits
shark ! ! ! ! !
Messy
Waves that close out, break irregularly and that are not ideal to surf on. The opposite of clean surfboard, broadly caused by an inshore or cross-shore wind .
MR
Multi-world champ and all circle surfing caption Mark Richards .
Mullering
Wipe-out of the highest order .
Mush / Mushburger
Poor quality, slow, or non-powerful waves, frequently onshore.
