Surfspeak-C

SurfSpeak - C

Cali n. California

California n. The most southwestern state, the "Golden State".
Original "ground zero" for surfing on the mainlnd U.S.
Contains a major population of U.DS. surfers.

camber n.The rocker, or curve of the bottom, of a board.

cane swell n. A big hurricane generated swell. (Florida)

canopy, wave canopy n. The overhead, curved crest of a wave,

Cape Hatteras n. Well known East Coast surf spot located on the
out islands (outer banks) of North Carolina.

carp n. A surfer who is up in years and not as skilled as he once was.

casper n. A tourist on the beach whose skin is extremely pale, like
a ghost. From "Casper the Fiendly Ghost" TV cartoon
character.

casual, cas' adj. Characterizes a surfers laid back, casual lifestyle.
"It's casual bro", "I'm cas'"

catch air, catching air v. When surfer and surfboard get airborne and
"fly" off a wave. "Did you see that air I caught?"

catch a rail, catching a rail v. when the down-wave rail of the
a surfboard catches in the wave and causes a wipe-out.
Also to "dig a rail'

catch a tip v. When the nose of the board digs, or catches the
water often causing a wipeout. Also to "pearl"

catch a wave, catching a wave v. 1) to catch and ride a breaking wave.
2) To see the world from a different point of view.
As in the Beachboys song "Catch a Wave" and the line
"Catch a wave and you're sittin' on top of the world."

cathedral n. The inside of a big tube.

cathedrel-like adj. A metaphor for the feeling one has when inside
a tube or barrel.

cavitation n. When air pockets form and collapse in a flowing liquid
in low pressure regions. Cavitation on on side of a fin can
cause a loss of contrfol.

channel n. 1) An area in the ocean where waves generally do not
break. A good place for an easy paddle out to the
break.
2) A gap in the sandbars or reef. There is usually a runout
there. A good place to paddle out.
3) channels Grooves shaped in the bottom of boards
directs water flow and creates lift.

channel concave n. A concave area on the bottom of some boards
with channels shaped into it.

charge v. To be amped up and excitedly go surfing.
"The waves are killer. Lets charge it!"

chaser wave n. The first wave of a set. It is usually less developed
and smaller than the later set waves. It tempts one to
go after it leaving you in the impact zone fpr the entire
rest of the set.

check out the surf v. An almost ritualistic activity watching the waves
and determining when and where to paddle out.

cherry adj. 1) Cool, boss, bitchin'
2) A word used to describe something in great condition.
"The board is cherry' Bro".

chest high adj. A descriptive term used to describe the height of
waves.

chill out v. To get calm or relaxed "I'm just gonna' chiil out today".

chip, chip board 1) The name for the first balsa wood boards that
were much smaller than the giant boards in the
1940's.
2) A term for extremely thin boards

choice adj. Great, really nice or good. "choice waves"

chop n. Lightly blown out, bumpy waves.

choppy adj. When waves are wind blown and choppy

churned v. To be thrown around in a wave. As in "churned up in a
washing machine."

classic n. 1) a perfect day, wave, session etc.
2) adj. perfect, the best "classic waves"

clean adj. 1) Good, glassy surf conditions

cleanup n 1) A wave or set that breaks outside of the normal
lineup, thrashing and "cleanup" the surfers inside

2) cleanup set A set of big waves that catch surfers in the
lineup off guard.

close out, closed out v When a wave breaks all at once along the
length of the wave.

closeout barrel n A tubing wave that closes out before the surfer can
navigate an exit.

coffin, coffin ride, the coffin n A longboard position popular in the 60's
longboard era where the surfer lies on his/her back
with arms folded as if in a coffin.

comber n A long curling wave.

"Coming down!" or "Coming through!" A warning yell to all other surfers
down the line from where a is taking off on a wave. Often
accompanied by profanity.

compression ding n A depression in a board that does not break the
fiberglass skin.

concave adj. A bottom characteristic when the bottom curves in or is
"concave". Creates board lift.

contour n 1) The bottom shape or "contour of a board.
2) The bottom configuration of the ocean at a particular surf
spot.

coral reef n A large living organism made of individual polyps that
create shallow areas for incoming waves to break over.
Can create clean hollow waves but is also dangerous to
a surfer when pounded or dragged over it.

cord n (surf cord) A cord attached to a board and to the ankle of the
surfer to keep from losing the board in the event of a
wipeout.

cork n A board that floats very high in the water.

covered adj. Describes when a surfer is inside the curl of the wave with
water pitching over his/her head. "He was completely
covered".

cover-up A tube ride; inside a tube

crank, cranking v Describes large, powerful surf. "The waves are
cranking".

crest n The highest point of a wave.

crew, the crew n A group of surfers usually from the same area.

critical adj. 1) The moment when a wave is about to break.
2. Describes steep, fast-breaking waves

critical section n The part of a wave that is difficult to navigate, normally
in the tube or a very steep section.

cruise, cruising v When a surfer moves across the the face of a wave
smoothly without radical turns.

cruncher n A hard-breaking wave that is difficult or impossible to ride.
Syn. boomer, dumper, blaster, crusher

curl n The curved, breaking part of a wave.

curtain n The pitching lip of a wave that covers a surfer when they
enter a tube.

curve n The bottom characteristic of a board.

cut v To turn sharply
n a sharp turn

cutback/ cut-back n 1) It is an S-shaped turn where a surfer turns toward
the lip of the wave and then back to continue on the
wave face.
2) A complete change of direction

cut off v To intrude, on the wave of another surfer.
To cut off or be cut off.