Questions - high tide, wetsuits and more

[bassist]

Hey I have a few questions first off, is Xtrax a good pad? Second what is swell what does tide comming in and out mean. what is high tide? What is low tide. How do you ride the line well? I can do it kinda but not like real well. Second is a Rip Curl Spring Suit better than an O`neill and is it wirth like 80 bucks? (The Rip curl) Also, Whats a good surf rack for the top of a 94 caddilac? I can't sctrath the roof. Also, do carbon fins do anything more that regular ones? thanks

-Rob

[PapaW]

your pulling our legs with the high tide low tide questions right..?

[bassist]

Nope, just moved here from atl and im a city boy..a skater...I have no idea what any of this is....someone please anwser my questions comon now

[namino tsume]

Hey I have a few questions first off, is Xtrax a good pad? Second what is swell what does tide comming in and out mean. what is high tide? What is low tide. How do you ride the line well? I can do it kinda but not like real well. Second is a Rip Curl Spring Suit better than an O`neill and is it wirth like 80 bucks? (The Rip curl) Also, Whats a good surf rack for the top of a 94 caddilac? I can't sctrath the roof. Also, do carbon fins do anything more that regular ones? thanks

-Rob

ok.... as for the pad... there all good if you like pads. Second swell is when the moons gravity pulls the ocean water in towards your beach or away, low tide is when it pulls it away from your beach, so the water level goes down, high tide is when it pulls it towards your beach so the water level is higher. High tide is when the water level is high, low tide when its low. Tides usually switch every 6 hours or so.... But its too long to type.. do a google search if you want to learn more.
To ride the line, just turn down the wave. Adjusting as you see fit. It comes with experience.
The rip curl suit.... It all depends, we need measurement and what oyu want out of a suit... but im not an expert on suits so....
for the roof rack, go to a surf shop, ask them, they should have like a "soft rack" thing.
Carbon fins are a different feel... i like them more, some dont.... all opinion...

[sandshark]

go to a surf shop, ask them...

Everything namino says good advise, especially the part about surf shops. A good surf shop will have helpful, knowledgable staff who (hopefully) won't try to rip you off. The shop is also a good oppertunity to see and touch all the equipment, giving you a better idea of what is out there.

I'd personally start with some wax on your first board, before you go for extras like pads. You can cover more of the board with wax, ensuring you don't slip, where-ever you stand on it.

Also buy/borrow as many surf magazines as you can get your hands on. There's more info in mags than anywhere else.

[PapaW]

Apart from the swell discription...

Swell is the rise and fall of water surface levels (waves) that travel accross the oceans. They form the waves at coastlines when the circulating motion of the water is disrupted by a changin in sea bed level causeing it to tip over on its self hence a breaking wave..

Swell is generated by the movment of air accross the surface of the oceans. A better swell is produced with a longer 'fetch' (the distance of uninterupted air momenet accross the surface of the ocean)

Thats just a very brief overview.. Its all physics really wave motions and all.

Like its been said, just type into goole what your looking for and there is loads all about it.

[Brent]

www.stormsurf.com
has the best description I've yet seen on how waves are made, swell, fetch & predicting surf. Read for yourself.

Any basic Astronomical website will have a description on how Tide happens. Failing that look up a school science textbook.

Fins. Mate, no offence but you don't even know what tide is, you have a long way to go before you need to think about Carbon V Fiberglass fins.

It is unreasonable to expect people to write pages & pages, that's what's involved here, you need to take it upon yourself to at least read a book or two on the sport.

[little waves]

as far as the rip curl vs. the oneill suit - i would just get the one that fits you better, the one you feel better in. that is definately the most important.

the other guys are right though, most surf shops the people are very helpful in getting people started off. when i was buying my board the shop owner even sold me one of his rental boards at a steal (it was the end of the warm season, no more people renting boards).