This wake-surf hybrid is almost 25 years old! But how much do you know about tow?
1. Herbie Or Laird
Herbie Fletcher had been whipping surfers into Pipe on his Kawasaki jet ski years before Laird Hamilton, Buzzy Kerbox and Darrick Doerner used an inflatable dinghy to get into big Sunset. But where Herbie’s efforts were viewed as a novelty, an oddity characteristic of the Californian, Laird and friends kickstarted a trend. Photos of the gang being towed into monstrous Peahi aka Jaws on Maui while helicopters roared overhead and all shot by photographer Eric Aeder opened the door to surfing beyond what was believed to be paddled into. Lately, of course, Shane Dorian, the Florences, Makua Rothman, Matt Meola, Albee Layer and co have proved capable of paddling waves we used to think far beyond human ability.
2. It Usually Isn’t a Jet Ski
Jet Ski is the name Kawasaki used to describe their craft; Yamaha chose WaveRunner. For various reasons, the Yamaha became the go-to craft although we still continue to use as a generic term, jet ski.
3. It’s Easier Than You Think to Kill Yourself
Operating a jet ski in large waves requires the deftness of a cat and the water knowledge of an open-ocean sea captain. If the jet is ever out of the water you lose power and subsequently all steering. Hit a wave side on and you’ll capsize. Ever tried to right one of these things solo? Or drag one off the beach? Because most big waves break into channels, and you’re coming from some kind of boat ramp or port, it’s very easy to get into a situation far beyond your abilities.
4. Almost Anyone Can Ride a 30-foot Wave
If you can stand on a surfboard, if you can hold onto a tow rope and if you have even the vaguest ability steer a surfboard, you can be whipped into one of those 30-foot burgers you see online. Whether or not you survive a clean-up is another matter, however.
5. It’s Out of Vogue
Every big-wave surfer of any sort of reputation in 2015 will be attempting to paddle the biggest waves not tow. The debate over Nazaré and Belharra will simmer quietly while men with 11-foot surfboards attempt what was once deemed not just impossible but suicidal.
#6 it’s harder to drive a ski in big waves Than You think.
Oh, I knew number 5.
Tow went dead when the german windsurfer guy who couldn’t surf and won the XXL got called by one of the Fletchers as a kook.
…this is very good point… at what point did tow lose whatever cred it had?
at that point when a German backpacker stood on the main stage under the big lights collecting the big prize for the biggest wave ridden that year.
Poor cunt couldn’t even cut across the face on a soft-top.
When every moron surf hunk like me with a disposable trade income bought a ski and very awkwardly towed into virtually every break in the world. That was when it was made very clear it was too easy and not really all that impressive.
We should run a camp, “learn to surf, then 30 footers”, but it will have to have good insurance
…it’s a snappy name.
And said camp must have Dr. Kevorkian as head camp counselor. Kicking the perverbiable bucket could be viewed/interpreted as a planned “accident”.