Tow Surfing Equipment

Tow Surfing and the equipment used was introduced into surfing in Hawaii.

Basically the idea was to ride waves that are so extremely large, that they simply could not be ridden by paddling into the wave. Now with the use of Jet Ski's as an integral part of tow surfing, it's possible to put the surfer into waves that in the past would have been suicidal to attempt.

Although tow surfing is relatively new, about 10 years old, the equipment used so far, has varied quite dramatically from the early days of. Originally longer boards, eg. 7' - 8' in length were used. They were narrow with as much weight packed on as possible, to help control the surfboard. Since that time we have seen the tow surfing board reduce in length to where it is now down to 6' and shorter.

The shorter board is more able to deal with the high speed and the bumpy choppy surface conditions often encountered when tow surfing.

There is a wide variety of designs being tested at present, with varying degrees of success. It appears at this time as though a soft hull and rail combination is more favourable as it is much more forgiving under the extreme conditions encountered while towing in to very big waves in excess of 20' and at times up to 90'. This design of tow surfboard must also have a heavy glass job to help the board sit in the water at high speed.

It is also necessary for the surfer to use foot straps to stay on the surfboard and keep control when travelling at high speed on very choppy uneven waves.

The positioning of the foot straps is extremely critical, as once you lock into the straps the surfer is unable to move their feet. The positioning of the straps also depends on the actual design of the board and how many fins it has as there are different positions for each fin design, eg. 1, 2 or 3 fin, etc, as well as plan shape; rocker, rail and thickness must be taken into account. These design features all decide the best way to ride the board and position the straps correctly for optimum performance every time you strap up.

If you are interested in doing Tow Surfing and the equipment required for doing it? I would suggest you first talk to surfers who have a history in this type of surfing, as there is an amazing amount of knowledge required to do Tow Surfing properly and safely.

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