Skegs and Leashes for Beginner Surfers

What is the proper way to use skeg in a sentence?

1. “I saw your boyfriend surfing in a speedo today, ugh he is such a ‘skeg’!”

2. “I went over the falls and landed on my board, the ‘skeg’ cut my leg up pretty badly.”

It’s a hard one isn’t it, both have to do with surfing, and waves-okay, I will tell you…hahaha incase you haven’t figured it out yet; its number 2. What was once called a fin on a surfboard is now called a skeg, adopted from the definition of a skeg-- being a keel to keep the boat or board on course. If you have ever seen a boat skeg there are similarites in the look to a surfboard skeg. Surfboard skegs are often called fins, because beginners don’t know any better, and because they are like a sharks fin (the unconscious reason I called them fins) Skegs are used to control the direction of the board, and to keep the board from sliding out from under you. The pressure and rocking of your back foot allows you to steer the board in the direction that you want it to go.

The skeg started as one fin attached to the bottom of a surfboard, and has evolved into what we have today, the fiberglass or carbon skeg. If you take a look at the skegs on the bottom of the board you will see that they cannot be removed, they have been glassed on, this means that if you break one it will take a lot to fix. A better option is to get removable skegs, so that if you do lose one, you can detach it and replace it. Now days most boards have 3 skegs for best wave control.

Leashes-

A leash is an important accessory when riding waves, especially while surfing with others. It is a ‘bummer’ when you get out to your favorite spot, on a crowded day, and you don’t have your leash; because you know that your gonna have to waste perfect surfing time to go back home and grab it. For beginners is imperative to always have a leash, and to use it while surfing, this will prevent you from hurting others and yourself.

The function of a Leash

Before surfboard leashes were invented, surfers had to swim after their boards and retrieve them, only to have to paddle back up to the line up. Even though this seems like a great work out, surfers were loosing valuable surfing time in doing this. When the leash was first invented, and surfers started using them—they were called “kook cords”(I laughed so hard when I found this out) used by surfers who couldn’t ‘handle.’ Now days the leash allows surfers to concentrate on surfing more, and less on swimming after the board. It also keeps other surfers safe from falling, or jetting boards.
Leashes are made from a material called urethane, and come in different lengths and also differ in thickness. When purchasing a leash you want to make sure that it is not too long or too short. For shortboards the leash will generally be around the same length as the board, and this goes for longboards also. As for the thickness of a leash, you want to pick one that is durable enough to hold your board, while being pulled by the surf. A general rule of thumb, is the bigger the waves the thicker the leash. But for most surf you can use the basic size leash. Another nice little tidbit, after surfing do not roll the leash like you would roll a hose, hang it from a nail or over a railing, so that it keeps its straight form; if not it may get tangled around your feet once your back in the water.

Skegs and Leashes are necessary components to your surfboard and your surfing experience. The former keeps you in control of your board and helps you to move up and down on a wave, and the latter keeps you connected to the board so you can quickly head back up to the line up and catch more waves. Both are very useful for beginner surfers learning to surf.

The How to of Surfing Waves for Beginners: Surf Lessons and Surf Schools

In surfing waves it is good to learn how to surf from someone who is a seasoned surfer or someone who has been teaching surfing for a while. It is fine to learn from a friend which is what most people end up doing, but it may take time to get the hang of surfing and most likely your friend will be concentrating more on catching waves then helping you learn how to surf. An option for the lost surfer left in the white wash by his/her surfer buddy is to take a surf a lesson, or go to a surf school. There are multiple surf schools lined a long the east and west coasts of the United States and also in Hawaii. These surf schools teach you how to surf on the best beginner waves, and on thick boards to ensure that you catch a wave your very first time. Surf schools make it easy to learn, they have classes for just girls, or women, kids, and even the elderly. This makes it possible for students to feel confident in what they are doing without having to worry about others around them. The surf schools and surfing lessons usually take place on beaches that the surf instructors are familiar with, and where the waves are not too intimidating. A good example of this is Waikiki Beach they give surf lessons year round, and all of their instructors are seasoned surfers, and want you to have a good surfing experience. They teach you, like most surf schools/lessons how to paddle, how to stand, the best form you should take, which waves to catch, how to be safe on the board and important information, like surf etiquette, how to find waves, how to respect the ocean, and how to practice safety in the ocean.
Surf schools and surfing lessons are a great way to go about learning how to surf, if you have the funds to do so, it will definitely be the best and fastest way to learn. Learning with friends and family will also help with the surfing experience and allow you to progress as a surfer. The best way to find surf schools is by looking up 'surfing lessons' in any search engine. Once you've found a school, doing a search in forums or looking up information on that surf school will be the best way to go about looking for lessons. Surfing waves should be a fun experience and surfing lessons is a great way to start riding waves!