No waves? Not a problem.
More and more surfers, who for generations have sought ways to mimic the sensation of riding waves when the ocean goes flat, are discovering the fine art of tarp surfing.
By skating on longboards and using other people to creatively unfurl billowing tarps in a manner that closely resembles breaking waves, they're able to tuck beneath a spinning curtain and get barreled in what's becoming -- thanks to the video age -- an artsy board sport unto its own.
Skateboarding was invented by surfers, who, nearly 50 years ago, needed ways to keep the thrill going when the waves were flat. It was called sidewalk surfing early on, but as the sport evolved they began riding in empty pools and on concrete banks to simulate the moves they were making in waves.
Tarp surfing is taking skateboarding's surfing roots to the next level by simulating the surfer's cherished feeling of a tube ride, riding through a spinning cavern of liquid. Santa Cruz surfer Homer Henard has given the new hobby a giant shot in the arm by spoofing of a former 90s pro returning to the spotlight in this creative clip that demonstrates the thrill. The video has been viewed by nearly two million people after it was posted on YouTube last month.
Surfers across the country are now emptying tarps from the hardware store shelves, and tarp-surfing sessions are popping up all over the Web. Henard and his crew say it's developing into a full-blown craze.
They've even developed a full quiver of boards made specifically for riding atop tarps spread out like a blue ocean, and to make turns as the tarps are pulled upward and over their heads.
For tarp surfers, the perfect wave is never far from reach. All that's missing are water and, of course, crowds.
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Friday, August 27, 2010 11:30am PDT
Tarp surfing rides new wave of popularity
By: Pete Thomas, GrindTV.com
Channels: Surf, Style, Outdoor
Tags: surfing, tarp surfing, skateboarding
FEATURED NEWS
"Record" for Largest Wave Ever Ridden Trivializes Big-Wave Surfing
A return to old-school measuring techniques is in order
Consider two representations of two very big waves, below. The first is a photograph of Mike Parsons at Cortes Bank. The second is a video of Garrett McNamara near Nazare, Portugal. Now take out some measuring tape and make the distance of one foot between your hands. That's the amount, according to the Billabong XXL committee, that McNamara's wave is bigger than Parsons's wave.
25 Comments
1-20 of 25
Posted by malina August 29, 2010 03:32pm PDTReply | Report Abuse
Visually, it looks neat. But I can't see how skating on a tarp would feel anything like surfing on a wave. Sure, you're getting surrounded by a lot of blue from every direction, but I'm sure this can't be the same.
I'd just think this would be more artsy or great for photos, not much more.
Neat idea though.
Posted by jordan_thegurlska8r August 29, 2010 03:33pm PDTReply | Report Abuse
its not surfing thats for sure, but yeah if u teaching someone it would be great, not a good substitute for surfing at all. i should know me bieng from hawaii and all.
Posted by jesse howard August 29, 2010 03:45pm PDTReply | Report Abuse
they need to be shown what the ocean looks like. they are deprived of water.
Posted by the_agency_teddy August 29, 2010 04:22pm PDTReply | Report Abuse
I bet they're doing that because they cant swim
who in their right mind would do this over surfing?
Oh and the definition of surf is: "The waves of the sea as they break upon a shore or reef"
so seeing as there are no real waves, shoreline, or reefs then i don't see how they could put "surfing" in the name
just trying to put some logic in this
Posted by joedirt460 August 29, 2010 04:50pm PDTReply | Report Abuse
Don't be hating on the video everyone. Its a joke of course. Be hating on yahoo for thinking that they are serious. Did you even listen to anything the guy said in the video. Sponsors?!?! Been doing it since the 90s?!?!? Competitions?!?! There are no competitions, you can't do anything but ride straight for 3 seconds while someone pulls a tarp over you. So props to you yahoo, for picking up on something made for fun and taking it seriously.
Reply by robert spear August 30, 2010 02:03pm PDTReport Abuse
1: When did they ever mention a competition?
2: When did they ever mention that THIS has been happening since the 90's?
3: When did they ever mention sponsors?
Props to you, for not reading the article and taking it even more seriously than Yahoo did.
Reply by tyler burkholder August 30, 2010 03:29pm PDTReport Abuse
robert spear, you're an idiot... if you watch the video he is clearly talking about this as if its a joke. he talks about receiving free tarps to ride from sponsors, and starting up competitions, as the camera man laughs in the background. he continues to talk about tarp surfing crews which have started to form all over the place. He even jokeing states that its summertime so the waves are small causing tarp serfing to be huge right now.
props to you, for not watching the video and becoming way to upset by joedirts comment.
Reply by yakovlol August 30, 2010 03:46pm PDTReport Abuse
"Did you even listen to anything the guy said in the video." It was at the start of the video.
Posted by memedavinci August 29, 2010 05:34pm PDTReply | Report Abuse
Surfin' USA! If everybody had an ocean...but they don't. I think this is a creative spoof, but you know, they thought snow-boarding was, too. Look at it now. It was a poser's version of surfing on snow and now and made it's way to become Olympic sport. It is no different than Teflon skiing or surfing on a cruise ship. More power to you dudes! Hang ten!
Posted by foureyedjim August 29, 2010 06:43pm PDTReply | Report Abuse
God, does no one realize this is a joke?
REALLY, GET A GRIP, if you're actually judging the video as if these people were serious...go back to school.
I implore you, it would be tremendously helpful on your quest to become less of a retard
Posted by tarpsurfergrrl August 29, 2010 07:09pm PDTReply | Report Abuse
Equinox Poly tarp is the only way to go. Nell Scott tarps are for sellouts and wannabes.
Reply by ehawk7 August 30, 2010 09:23am PDTReport Abuse
no way. Neil tarps rule. Equinox Poly is for poseurs.
Posted by surge August 30, 2010 03:31am PDTReply | Report Abuse
Maybe someone seeing this would come up with a stronger material powered by non-manual power to create waves on which the skater can ride. Maybe in some amusement park....
Reply by memedavinci August 30, 2010 09:34am PDTReport Abuse
There are creative engineers out there and all they do is develop amusement park rides. They've developed the freefall, but why not a surfing simulator of some sort. High-end, not some piece of carnival junk, would be a ride worth considering...
Reply by calisurfer85 August 30, 2010 12:24pm PDTReport Abuse
They already have one you retards! Look up Flowrider.com! Do your research before posting!
Reply by memedavinci September 5, 2010 08:23am PDTReport Abuse
I don't have to. There are people like you to do it for me.
Posted by letsgrind August 30, 2010 03:43am PDTReply | Report Abuse
Ways to mimic the sensation of riding waves when ocean goes flat ?? For generations ?? ... WHHHHAT ?!?!
How about having NFL pros play soccer during their off season just so that they can sense the field ??
How about inhaling car exhaust just because you ran out of cigars ??
How about considering beastiality just because significant other is not around ??
This is desperation in the creativity psyche. HELLO ???
Posted by memedavinci August 30, 2010 09:06am PDTReply | Report Abuse
After reading a few of these comments, you folks are wound pretty tight. It is obvious these guys thought of something to parody and are making the most of it to bring a little light and humor in our otherwise dreary day. It is all a matter of how you look at something and visualize another purpose for it. If tarp surfing degrades the name...then snowboarding should be called snurfing--but no purist would call it that, would they?
Posted by williamross7 August 30, 2010 09:15am PDTReply | Report Abuse
My Santa Cruz Archy is not for tarping, downhilling maybe, but not tarping...
Posted by memedavinci August 30, 2010 09:30am PDTReply | Report Abuse
By the way, everyone is invited out to Sheboygan, Wisconsin this weekend to the annual Dairyland Surf Classic...if you can't get there, at least read about it and enjoy Some Like It Cold by Bill Povletich. Sheboygan is a place where surfers launch off icebergs...plan to come to the DSC next year...there is a nice parking lot for tarp surfing, too.
Posted by floydjsmoot August 30, 2010 09:33am PDTReply | Report Abuse
IT WAS THE GNARLIEST FOUR-SECOND RIDE OF MY LIFE! Plus, isn't there ALWAYS some old paddleboard dude mashing on my wave?
Posted by sigviscious August 30, 2010 10:37am PDTReply | Report Abuse
WTF? This is a joke, right? How does this "mimic the sensation of surfing?" This is still riding on hard concrete, but with a layer of woven plastic between the ground and the wheels. To gain any momentum, you still have to start your ride off of the tarp, ride onto the tarp, then have your friend pull the tarp behind you for 5 seconds, and then you ride back off of the tarp. Surfers never leave the water to catch a wave. At no point does the board get swept up and off of the ground like a surfboard gets swept up into the wave. There's no ability for the rider to carve, cut back, jump, or anything, especially if it's a longboard. The only similarity to surfing is being surrounded by the color blue. Save yourself $40 and buy some cheap blue sunglasses at a gas station. The only reason this is "riding a new wave of popularity" is because a couple of media outlets with nothing else to report decided to run a story about 3 guys who made up something fun to do at their local parking lot. Don't get me wrong - with a few drinks and some time to kill, it'd be pretty fun for a few hours, but at no point would it ever "mimic the sensation of surfing."
Posted by motosurfguy August 30, 2010 11:09am PDTReply | Report Abuse
This is sweet people, laugh at it and stop being morons......... If you ever been tubed, You will do anything to get that feeling again.... trap surfing, when it.s flat or small. works for me.....
Posted by vnicolediaz August 30, 2010 01:53pm PDTReply | Report Abuse
This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen... especially the guy pretending like he's paddling to catch the wave. Really?! Please go gets jobs, a real hobby, or just go find your balls.
Posted by surfrider74 August 30, 2010 02:03pm PDTReply | Report Abuse
Very very... Stupid. Someone slap these guys already.
Posted by passenger August 30, 2010 02:21pm PDTReply | Report Abuse
This I like: http://www.myfoxla.com/dpp/news/offbeat/skate-sailing-20100812
Posted by kennis00 August 30, 2010 02:27pm PDTReply | Report Abuse
This is an insult to skateboarding! Trying to make skateboarding look like something as lame as surfing is offensive! WTF?!
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