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SURF TIPS
Going somewhere?
Surf trips are awesome, but there are few things you should have in your "go" bag.
If you rent, I recommend that you bring an extra fin. Most rental boards will have a fin in which the template will be raked out, so I like to bring a pivot or hybrid in case the wave requires a different fin. I also bring my own tangle free comp leash.
The condition of rental boards varies, but being prepared for existing damage or dinging it yourself is important. I like to bring a mini resin repair kit and ding tape. I have had to use both on trips in the past. If you have to adjust the fin(s), you got to have the tools to do so. Hex key, flat head and Phillip's head as you won't know what the board has on it - so be prepared for all. Another recommendation is to bring some fin screws. The set screws for a FCS or Futures box sometime come out or if you lose one, you will have one. A center fin screw is good to have too. Don't rely on the rental to be as good as what you ride at home. Also bring a wax comb and a leash cord.
If you bring your own board, you should also be prepared for whatever dings your way. Visit the Dilgo Surf Shop and check out our travel packs.
Summer SUN
Summer, especially on Long Island, is great but so is the Sun. The Sun is the source of visible light that lights up our world. However the Sun delivers a variety of other waves of radiation that you can not see - Ultraviolet (UV). There are 3 types of UV radiation, UVA, UVB and UVC. Luckily the ozone layer blocks UVC so check that box. UVA and UVB reaches your skin when the sun shines and even when it is not shining. UVA and UVB radiation causes sunburn, tanning and can cause skin cancer. Both sunburn and tanning is visible evidence of damage to your skin.
Protect your skin! Seek shade, wear UV blocking clothing and hats and sunscreen. In case you didn't know there are 2 different types of sunscreens available: chemical and mineral. Chemical sunscreens form a thin protective film that absorbs UV radiation before it penetrates the skin. Problem is it is made with chemicals that can pass into your bloodstream. Some have the compounds oxybenzone and octinotate which has been known to damage reef organisms. Mineral sunscreens are reported to be "safer" to the environment and to your skin. They use either zinc oxide and/or titanium oxide and provide a physical barrier and coat the skin without being absorbed by the body. Educate yourself! Talk to your dermotologist! If you don't have one, get one!
"You surf in the winter?"
Surfing in the winter can be harsh, but we have some advice for you. First, you need to understand that heat energy travels from hot to cold. When you enter the water, your body heat is being lost to the ocean. A wetsuit only provides a barrier to block that loss of heat. A wetsuit doesn't provide warmth, it just keeps you from losing heat. So, the warmer you are when you start your session, the more heat you will retain.
When your winter session is over, its time to get warm. If you change in your vehicle - start it up. The engine will need to warm up before it will warm you up. Some people just drive home in their cold wetsuit and remove it in a warm shower. That is fine if you live close, but if it is not an option, get out of your wetsuit asap - you now need warmth. That coat or blanket that has been in your vehicle while you were surfing is cold and not going to make you warm. You need to add heat to your body - use your vehicle's heat, portable gas heaters or jugs of hot water. Be careful not to add too much heat too fast or you can burn your skin.
Be safe, don't surf alone. One of the tell tale signs of hypothermia is slurred speech. If your buddy isn't making sense, its time to go.
Stay warmer, surf longer! Check out our Instagram page for our series of Winter Surf Tip posts.
eyes to the sky!
The tides are created by the gravitational pull that extsts between 1) the Sun and the Earth and 2) the Earth and the Moon. Both gravitational pulls cause the ocean to pull towards the Sun and the Moon creating 2 tidal bulges and the Earth rotates under these bulges. The Moon has the greatest effect on the tides since it is much closer to Earth than the Sun. So, the Moon is the "one to watch".
The tidal bulges create the high tides and low tides we experience at the beach. During the full or new moon phase, the tidal bulges align and combine to create the greatest distance between high and low tide. This distance is referred to as tidal range. When the Moon is in its quarter phases, the tidal bulges "cancel" each other and the tidal range is at it's smallest.
Many surf spots on Long Island are tide sensitive. Meaning the waves beak better at different tides depending on the topography of the sea floor. This information is typically available on a surf report. The tidal range is the "height measurement" when you check the tides.
Gear up before you go!
Whether you use a box, gear bag or backpack, here is a list of things you should have with you:
1) First Aid Kit
2) Sunblock
3) Extra wax (wax box too)
4) Repair kit; ding tape or a resin kit or carry both! Get a universal kit or know what your board is made of before trying to fix a ding yourself. We carry a variety of repair kits.
5) Fin parts; key, center screw and/or side bite screws based on what you ride.
6) Rubber mallet or fin remover - Please don't hit your fin bare handed.
6) Tools; fin key, screw driver (flat and philips), pliers, scissors/knife
8) Duct tape and electrical tape.
7) Koozies (gotta keep your beverages cold and it helps your hands in the cold season)
8) Extra leash. If it does not fit in your box or bag, find a place to keep a backup.
9) Optional (but fun) - a cowbell or horn to cheer your freinds on when they score.
Know and practice the etiquette of surfing
Nothing will make you hated faster than if you don't know the rules!
1) Closest to the peak gets priority.
2) Do not drop in (one wave per person).
3) Don't snake. If you just caught a wave, give others a chance.
4) Don't paddle into the ride zone, paddle the shoulder.
5) Furthest outside gets priority. Don't like it? Get a bigger board.
6) Don't ditch your board. Hang on or someone can get hurt.
7) Communicate. Let others know which way your going.
8) Don't dive head first. Know how shallow the water is. Be careful.
9) Respect the ocean and beach. Take your trash back home with you.
10) To get respect, you got to give respect.
Do you drive on the beach?
- Make sure you belong there! Do you have the proper permit to drive on the beach?
- Do you have a 4x4 and the right gear if you get stuck? A $700 tow off the beach can really dampen spirits.
- AIR DOWN CLOWN! Airing down increases the amount of surface area of the tire in sand and your engine and tranny will work less.
- Go slow! If you drive fast you will rip up the sand making it harder for everyone else to drive and damage the beach.