Surfing or Flurfing? | Photo: WSL

Bold: Travis Ferré demands wave tank “surfing” be renamed something more fitting!

Introducing "flurfing!"

You know, and therefore love, California’s Travis Ferré for his now decade plus long plus run documenting our pastime of kings. The onetime Surfing magazine editor-in-chief, founder of What Youth and BeachGrit contributor has made an indelible mark and its difficult to pick a favorite moment, favorite piece, but his refusal to surf Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch must be near the top of the list.

Can you imagine getting invited and turning it down? But can you really?

It was one of the boldest stances our surf industry has ever seen but he is not finished. On his new project Inherent Bummer he suggests that calling the activity that happens in war tanks “surfing” is not accurate and demands we change the moniker.

Shall we taste?

Obviously.

Surfing and wave pool riding are not and have never been one in the same. No longer can they be linked under the surfing name. Since I know I can’t stop the gold rush of new pools and wave parks, I’m launching a campaign against the name. We must make history together and change the name of riding waves in wave pools and never refer to it as “surfing “again. Just as riding wakes behind boats is fun, it’s not surfing and so we don’t call it surfing. Why should wave pools be any different?

He builds a very compelling case, likening surfing and wave tank riding to smoking and vaping. Accurate, I think, and then offers that we come up with a new name for wave tank riding together.

His suggestion is “flurfing.”

It has a powerful ring.

Do you think it will stick?

Do you have a better option?

Tell!

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Mik
Mik
7 years ago

Purfing.

Purfers

Purf

samwaters
samwaters
7 years ago

I THINK he has a point….

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
7 years ago

CLAYTONSING …… The Surf you have when you are not having a surf

https://youtu.be/ylH43Tcaj60

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
7 years ago

Some writer from Bondi , after descending from the Hawke’s Nest , made a Bob , and is possibly living the life of Reilly …?

Phat-wan kerr
Phat-wan kerr
7 years ago

MMAP. mechanically manipulated aquatic poncing.
AGSD. artificially generated swell dancing.
VAL-holla.
NAN. no arms needed.

Preston
Preston
7 years ago

The recreational sharing of previously used fluid. I think there is a name for that: feltching.

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
7 years ago
Reply to  Preston

Just don’t choose the short straw …..

german_surfer_007
german_surfer_007
7 years ago

Football in the back yard, beach or stadium is still football.

The pool will never be the same as the ocean which is a good thing, but let’s sell it as surfing, let Chuck from Kentucky feel like a real surfer. There is nothing left to savour in surf, have you seen the people who do it? The worst. My only hope is less surfers come to the beach, and more surfers subscribe to a season pass at an inland pool. XL car park for the truck, happy hour at the bar, thai pop-outs, blink182. This is surfing.

davidcarson
davidcarson
7 years ago

it should be called Wave Riding. never Surfing.

Audit In Progress
Audit In Progress
7 years ago
Reply to  davidcarson

But Kelly’s is a wake…

James Bickerton
James Bickerton
7 years ago

I watched Finnegan’s Wake Review from the New Yorker ….?
https://youtu.be/Xb7K0TNRdvY

IkeaMonkeySurfsBetterthanYou
IkeaMonkeySurfsBetterthanYou
7 years ago

I have come to love Travis Ferré and agree with him, I hope pooling doesn’t catch on tho, anyone who knows the medical term knows it’s not the best word association. Please figure it out so this Wave pool trend can die and hopefully after enough people die from brain eating amoebas(Dear God please protect Deane, Wilson, and Aigus) they will just shut the whole operation down

Mr Chas you also failed to mention STABs salty attempt at redemption on an Instagram comment on the inherent bummer page where they tried to use Dane Reynolds as a defense(most likely your enemy Ashton) obviously not knowing Dane has also gone on record agreeing it shouldn’t be called surfing and what the king says goes.

Lets call it stabbing after stab since they want to keep perpetuating the idea or slating after Kelly Slater and his overpriced ranch or schultzing after Kevin Schultz who landed that back flip on it wish there was a kill switch for this conversation.

Chad Lebrone
Chad Lebrone
7 years ago

“Stabbing” is actually perfectly appropriate seeing as one of their very first covers/features was a wavepool shoot featuring Taj, Parko and Christian Fletcher.

John Wayne
John Wayne
7 years ago

Fluffer

The Fluffer is—or at least is said to be—an inland wave that keeps / prepares a surfer for the rigours of the ocean in between sessions. These waves, which do not necessarily involve surfing as such, are considered part of the experience in some worlds, and an absolute abomination by others. After setting up the desired wave, the pool coach asks the VALs to hold position and calls for the Fluffer to “fluff” the wave like object towards the participants in the pool.

A Fluffer may also encourage people to behave badly, as in “drop in” or offer sexual acts as such for payment to ride a Fluffer. Particularly if the said Fluffer was able to offer double overhead pits to those fortunate enough to be part of the A-listers (who regularly get invited to play) or the rich VALs (who insist on the beginners setting with a free video package) or those who buy surfboards from some inventors (with the hope of receiving a session or two at a Fluffer establishment). It is not known how many or how long the Fluffer will be around for. But right now there are a of people frustrated at the slowness of the industry, whilst others are rejoicing.

The Fluffer should not be confused with role of a “fluffer” in the adults only movie business.

Bongo Jones
Bongo Jones
7 years ago

Fakeboarding, sugarboadring, etc

Otto
Otto
7 years ago

The back and forth conjures the term:
Veering

throwing disqus
throwing disqus
7 years ago

“Smurfing” Its just a smaller version of surfing. And its blue naturally.

NUG
NUG
7 years ago

He’s not wrong. But, Surfing the Web stained the name already. We are all less cool for it.

davidcarson
davidcarson
7 years ago
Reply to  NUG

goooood point.

Smurfaholic
Smurfaholic
7 years ago

Tanking Off

frank
frank
7 years ago

Wow! Now we know who the model for The Cardiff Kook is! Ughhh!

@surfads
@surfads
7 years ago

Kaning,in honour of Arizona – and the world’s – greatest wave pool surfing export

@surfads
@surfads
7 years ago
Reply to  @surfads

Those that surf it are FOKs, Fresh Out da Kane

Paulo De Tarso Duarte
Paulo De Tarso Duarte
7 years ago

Swampool
or maybe
Swampoo

Dogsnuts
Dogsnuts
7 years ago

But to the real question, Skating and hitching? Skitching. Remember that fad? Surfing and hitching, on a train? Twitching, shitching, surtching…..Surtching!! Live the Surtch. Surtch th Globe!!!

Dogsnuts
Dogsnuts
7 years ago

Smarter than what you did Chas, you bought the drinks all night and then pulled out haha.

Chas Smith
Chas Smith
7 years ago
Reply to  Dogsnuts

No way! I was like Sir Edmund Hillary on the roof of the world. The first in history!

Dogsnuts
Dogsnuts
7 years ago
Reply to  Chas Smith

Hahaha, you bloody idiot. Funny thing is, you wouldn’t remember that wave forever but the act of kicking out…yes.


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