Surfing and Soaring?

[son_of_flubber]

Does anyone who's done both seriously care to contrast the two?

I've only read autobiographies of ocean wave surfers, but there seem to be some points of contact in terms of motivation, the experience, the quest, the immersion, the risk taking, the weather, the places, the compulsion, the high...

[David K]

I surf, ski, and soar. Its all the same, the thrills and risks at times are different or comes at different intensities, but I agree the people that really pursue those passions are cut from the same cloth. The only two contrasts I can think are:

Cost. 2 decent boards, couple wetsuits and a full tank of gas and you can surf all year up and down the Southern California coast for years. Take that same stuff overseas to Australia or Philippines for the same plane ticket it would cost you to fly overseas without the expense of shipping your own glider or finding one to rent.

Physical aspect. You can fly and fly well for as long want until you heart literally stops working. Skiing and Surfing it seems like the physical aspect of it catches up where you can't do some stuff you were able to do before. I've never heard of someone saying they couldn't catch a thermal cause they literally couldn't move the stick fast enough.

"Barbarian Days" is a well written book about surfing if you are looking for another suggestion.

David

[son_of_flubber]

On Thursday, January 31, 2019 at 7:09:30 PM UTC-5, David K wrote:

> "Barbarian Days" is a well written book about surfing

I was reading "Barbarian Days" when the surfing/soaring parallels struck me. Any other book suggestions?

[Scott Williams]

On Thursday, January 31, 2019 at 5:26:39 PM UTC-6, son_of_flubber wrote:
> Does anyone who's done both seriously care to contrast the two?
>
> I've only read autobiographies of ocean wave surfers, but there seem to be some points of contact in terms of motivation, the experience, the quest, the immersion, the risk taking, the weather, the places, the compulsion, the high...

I have used the surfing comparison for a few years to modify a common sailing/soaring comparison. In 1981 to 1983 I was an Airforce Security Specialist stationed at Hickam A.F.B.. While my Surfing skill was never really good, soaring and surfing are both dynamic Moment by moment activities which involve extremes of success and potential (if not outright) failure. The gear required is elegant and beautiful in a form follows function way. In many ways both are solitary activities which also have a strong community, even culture. Both have a specific language. For me, a day of soaring is very similar to a day of surfing. You watch the weather, hoping to take advantage of a good day. You get prepared and usually meet up with kindred spirits with some small talk of the conditions and possibilities of the coming day. There is some initial grunt work, either paddling out or rigging and getting the glider to the launch position. Hooking your first get away thermal is exciting and builds your confidence for the day just like a good set of waves. Landing out and wiping out involves a similar degree of hazard, both to your body and your equipment.
There is one difference though, surfing can be a very tribal, territorial affair and if you ignorantly venture into waters 'belonging to locals' it might get rude. On the other hand, Glider pilots have a reputation for real hospitality.
The end of a soaring day and the end of a surfing day have the same sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, scaled by how good the day was after all..
Good lift,
Scott

[[email protected]]

On Thursday, January 31, 2019 at 7:20:02 PM UTC-5, son_of_flubber wrote:
> On Thursday, January 31, 2019 at 7:09:30 PM UTC-5, David K wrote:
>
> > "Barbarian Days" is a well written book about surfing
>
> I was reading "Barbarian Days" when the surfing/soaring parallels struck me. Any other book suggestions?

Close to what you are asking. Best movie ever.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuVDrpl1tIY
Wonder if you could fund a sailplane racing lifestyle

[[email protected]]

I'm a Midwesterner and never been on a board but my guilty pleasure is surfing documentaries and movies. I've always seen the parallel between those in tune with the sea and those in tune with the sky. Kindred spirits for sure.

[[email protected]]

I've been fascinated by surfing since the sixties, when it burst on the World's consciousness via films like "The Endless Summer" (1966) and continuing through other amazing works ("Riding Giants," 2004, and "Step into Liquid," 2003). But, as a desert rat in New Mexico, surfing opportunities are nonexistent. However, riding the incredible ocean of air in a hang glider or sailplane has captured the essence of riding along with Nature's power. And a thirty second ride on a killer wave doesn't seem to match (in my mind, at least) the four to five hour experience at high altitude, covering hundreds of miles over diverse terrain.

Downside to surfing: Having to paddle out for ten minutes to catch another thirty second ride. Also: Drowning, Sharks, Jellyfish.

Downside to soaring: Bikinis rarely seen at the airfield. (However, this could also be a blessing, considering the age of the participants and their crewmembers.)

[[email protected]]

On Thursday, January 31, 2019 at 3:26:39 PM UTC-8, son_of_flubber wrote:
> Does anyone who's done both seriously care to contrast the two?
>
> I've only read autobiographies of ocean wave surfers, but there seem to be some points of contact in terms of motivation, the experience, the quest, the immersion, the risk taking, the weather, the places, the compulsion, the high...

1,400 hours in gliders but the closest I've come to surfing is some body boarding in Hawaii when I was a teenager so I don't know how accurate any parallels I can make would be:-)

I can tell you that "The Endless Summer" and "The Sun Ship Game" make a great double feature though.

[Frank Whiteley]

On Thursday, January 31, 2019 at 9:18:33 PM UTC-7, wrote:
> On Thursday, January 31, 2019 at 3:26:39 PM UTC-8, son_of_flubber wrote:
> > Does anyone who's done both seriously care to contrast the two?
> >
> > I've only read autobiographies of ocean wave surfers, but there seem to be some points of contact in terms of motivation, the experience, the quest, the immersion, the risk taking, the weather, the places, the compulsion, the high...
>
> 1,400 hours in gliders but the closest I've come to surfing is some body boarding in Hawaii when I was a teenager so I don't know how accurate any parallels I can make would be:-)
>
> I can tell you that "The Endless Summer" and "The Sun Ship Game" make a great double feature though.

Good choices.

I recommend https://smile.amazon.com/Divided-Self-Existential-Madness-Psychology/dp/0140135375/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=R086Z5YY0XG22H5QQ2S4

Wishing you good health and the drive to live, and live well.

Frank Whiteley

[Wyll Surf Air]

I love both. I have been surfing for the last 11 years of my life (I'm 21) and soaring for the last 2.5 years. They have a lot of similarities, as many people have already mentioned: dependence on weather, solitary activities but with a community atmosphere...
One of the largest similarities, in my opinion, is the moment by moment decision making that is required for both. When riding a wave, or even when sitting and waiting for a wave, you are always making little decisions that have large consequences. Whether they be not getting the next wave, or falling on your next turn. Likewise, during any XC flight, there are lots of little decisions that again have large consequences. Whether they be skipping a week thermal or deciding to head in a specific direction. And they again have very large consequences. Obviously, they have their differences but I think that in many ways they are quite similar. Heck even rip currents that are often used by surfers to get back out to the takeoff spot act and look quite a lot like thermals do if they were 2 dimensional.

[gkemp]

On Thursday, January 31, 2019 at 4:26:39 PM UTC-7, son_of_flubber wrote:
> Does anyone who's done both seriously care to contrast the two?
>
> I've only read autobiographies of ocean wave surfers, but there seem to be some points of contact in terms of motivation, the experience, the quest, the immersion, the risk taking, the weather, the places, the compulsion, the high...

i've done both, surfed and built boards in the '60's. Many similarities. Nature's force propels you, out in the great outdoors. Surfing was cheaper. As I got older my fake knees wouldn't work so I couldn't surf anymore and I retired, as planned, from soaring when I was 70, I miss both.

gkemp

[Burt Compton - Marfa Gliders, west Texas]

The legendary Woody Brown. Surfer, sailplane pilot.

[Burt Compton - Marfa Gliders, west Texas]

On Friday, February 1, 2019 at 10:04:33 AM UTC-6, Burt Compton - Marfa Gliders, west Texas wrote:
> The legendary Woody Brown. Surfer, sailplane pilot.

Begin here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woody_Brown_(surfer)

[[email protected]]

I was a big wave surer in my younger years. I thought I had a good skill set and hung with notable surfers. Surfed all the west coast of Mexico and California and Hawaii. I have to say the thrill of a double overhead wave is incomparable.

I have been soaring since the 80's and consider myself only a middling pilot. I can't surf to my satisfaction anymore but I hope to continue soaring for may years to come.

[Roy Garden]

At 20:39 01 February 2019, wrote:
>I was a big wave surer in my younger years. I thought I had a good skill
>set and hung with notable surfers. Surfed all the west coast of Mexico
and
>California and Hawaii. I have to say the thrill of a double overhead wave
>is incomparable.
>
>I have been soaring since the 80's and consider myself only a middling
>pilot. I can't surf to my satisfaction anymore but I hope to continue
>soaring for may years to come.
>
>

Fly wave, you get to combine both.
On rare days with windspeed decreasing with alt (and the *right* amount
of humidity) and a stable lapse rate . . . and a few other things . .
You'll get to "Surf" 2+ mile high waves.
'Tis pretty good (and a lot less knackering than the wet stuff with Sharks

in)

[John Foster]

Surfer (and sailor) here as well, although there isn't much surfing in Montana. I definitely see the connection though. Lots of similarities. I also see lots of similarities to sailing, which I think is even more similar to soaring.

[[email protected]]

I have windsurfed for many years and would consider that a better comparison. One is actually holding a Airfoil in you hands.

[[email protected]]

On Thursday, January 31, 2019 at 6:26:39 PM UTC-5, son_of_flubber wrote:
> Does anyone who's done both seriously care to contrast the two?
>
> I've only read autobiographies of ocean wave surfers, but there seem to be some points of contact in terms of motivation, the experience, the quest, the immersion, the risk taking, the weather, the places, the compulsion, the high...

---------------------------------

My response: I know several sailplane pilots who've also sailed or raced catamarans, surfed, wake-boarded, windsurfed, kite-boarded, kite-skied, downhill ski, backpacked, dabble in outdoor photography, enjoy watching weather, scuba diving, enjoy aviation in general, and otherwise have traveled the country (or parts of the world) at various times in their life.

The best common nexus I can identify, is we all seem to like participating in:

safe (a relative term), eco-friendly outdoor adventure sports (read hobbies that bring us closer to Mother Nature and her forces)

Additionally, there are artist types who outwardly don't come across as tough guys or risk takers that have been drawn in by our sport too who've accepted the risks associated with our sport just because of the sheer beauty and joy soaring brings to them. Millard Wells comes to mind.

[[email protected]]

On Thursday, January 31, 2019 at 6:26:39 PM UTC-5, son_of_flubber wrote:
> Does anyone who's done both seriously care to contrast the two?
>
> I've only read autobiographies of ocean wave surfers, but there seem to be some points of contact in terms of motivation, the experience, the quest, the immersion, the risk taking, the weather, the places, the compulsion, the high...

----------------------

I know several sailplane pilots who've also sailed or raced catamarans, surfed, wake-boarded, windsurfed, kite-boarded, kite-skied, downhill ski, backpacked, dabble in outdoor photography, enjoy watching weather, scuba diving, enjoy aviation in general, and otherwise have traveled the country at various times in their life.

The best common nexus I can identify is that we all seem to like participating in:

safe (a relative term), eco-friendly outdoor adventure sports (read hobbies that bring us closer to Mother Nature and her forces)

Additionally, there are artist types who outwardly don't come across as tough guys or risk takers that have been drawn in by our sport too, who've accepted the risks associated with our sport just because of the sheer beauty and joy soaring brings them. Millard Wells comes to mind.

[[email protected]]

"Nature propels you", captures so much of the essence that soaring and surfing share. I can't think of another sport where nature physically lifts us like these and hang gliding. Its a beautiful experience right there, but shifting surf breaks, like thermals, offer something more - dancing with nature's rhythm. And she has definitely has the lead. : )

[Jonathan St. Cloud]

On Friday, February 1, 2019 at 8:06:13 AM UTC-8, Burt Compton - Marfa Gliders, west Texas wrote:
> On Friday, February 1, 2019 at 10:04:33 AM UTC-6, Burt Compton - Marfa Gliders, west Texas wrote:
> > The legendary Woody Brown. Surfer, sailplane pilot.
>
> Begin here:
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woody_Brown_(surfer)

Thank you for sharing! I had not heard of this amazing life.

[Jonathan St. Cloud]

On Saturday, February 2, 2019 at 11:43:09 PM UTC-8, gotovkotzepkoi wrote:
> son_of_flubber;982328 Wrote:
> > Does anyone who's done both seriously care to contrast the two?
> >
> > I've only read autobiographies of ocean wave surfers, but there seem to
> > be some points of contact in terms of motivation, the experience, the
> > quest, the immersion, the risk taking, the weather, the places, the
> > compulsion, the high...
>
> I see no similarities.
>
>
>
>
> --
> gotovkotzepkoi

Ah, Inspector Clouseau, did you look at the similarities of movement, both ride waves, both go through turbulence getting to the wave, both must have a 3rd sense, an awareness of surroundings and planning ahead. Both are weather dependent, and knowledge of weather trends is useful...…….

[David Hart]

On Thursday, January 31, 2019 at 6:26:39 PM UTC-5, son_of_flubber wrote:
> Does anyone who's done both seriously care to contrast the two?
>
> I've only read autobiographies of ocean wave surfers, but there seem to be some points of contact in terms of motivation, the experience, the quest, the immersion, the risk taking, the weather, the places, the compulsion, the high...

Soaring is Surfing in Slow Motion

https://youtu.be/3LaqrCSeh5A

[Nick Kennedy[_3_]]

IMHO Surfing doesn't have anything in common with Soaring, nada, zilch. Completely different environments and experiences, and participants.

I've got in 52 years of surfing now.

33 years Hang Gliding.

22 years Soaring.

Just saying..

[Jose Lima]

From Portugal, 42 years young

I´ve been surfing for 30 years and gliding for 8 (flying a DG 808 in
Spain and Portugal)

Gliding and surfing have 2 essencial things in common:
- they both use the forces of nature (fluids, sea and air) to glide, so,
as said before, you need to adapt and recognize what the atmosfere
or the sea are doing to extract the most of it, if you don´t do it you
land out or you don´t catch waves;

- wave and ridge flying is surfing in a glider, and surfing in a wave is
gliding in a surfboard.

I´m sure that the surfing experience helped me a lot in the gliding,
on the attention you need to have to recognize where the energy
sources are and on the finesse and suppless you must have to don´t
waste energy and don´t create drag while piloting.

You schould try surfing if you never did it, and never forget that the
best surfer is the one enjoying the most, not the one that has the
best technic or is winning everything (even if you are a beginner
that just learn to stand up on a surfboard).

Come to surf in Portugal and fly in Fuentemilanos, I will be more
than glad to help you around

Cheer

Jose Pires de Lima




At 23:00 03 February 2019, Nick Kennedy wrote:
>IMHO Surfing doesn't have anything in common with Soaring,
nada, zilch.
>Completely different environments and experiences, and
participants.
>
>I've got in 52 years of surfing now.
>
>33 years Hang Gliding.
>
>22 years Soaring.
>
>Just saying..
>
>
>