Speed is the key!!! When the waves are waist high or better take time to watch the sets and try to get a time on the sets coming in. Waves come in sets at pretty regular intervals and there are lulls at times and times the outside set is breaking... surfers do this and the teams I have been on in the Tybee 500 and W1000 all do this. The other trick is to use the rip current... all that water coming into the beach has to work its way out and that is where the rip is. Study the surf and you will see a channel where the waves break the least and that is where the deepest water is and where the rip is. This what the surfers on the North Shore of Hawaii use to paddle out when it is cranking... find the channel and let the current help you out. Keep the boat heated up and only point directly into the wave when it is about to break onto you...once through the white water...crack off immediately, heat it up and try to get boat speed before the next wave hits. It also helps on the Hobie wave to leave the rudders only halfway down which helps them not hit in the shallows, but also allows you to scull the helm if need be to fall off to get speed. If you have someone sailing with you, have them surf paddle in front of the front cross beam to add boat speed... We all do this when we can in the Tybee 500, etc. There is also a paddling device called a "praddle" that you can get at west marine that fits over your wrist and allows you to keep your hand on the tiller and paddle at the same time.

I own a Hobie Wave and take it out and play in the surf...it is the perfect boat for this because it is so tough...once you get it down you will be looking forward to the surf!!!

Have fun out there!

Jim Stone

Tybee Island