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Comment by jjcm | Hacker News Reader

Quoting this comment: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48875676

> Don't think of these waves like the ones you encounter at shore. Open ocean waves are moving mountains.

> It isn't this: /(

> It's this:

        .,-~^^~-,.    
  ___.-/          \-.__

The canoes are outrigger canoes specifically designed for open ocean wave surfing. They're made to ride these mountains. There are air bladders in the front and the back, and the canoes are easily recoverable when (not if) you flip.

This vid shows off the canoes on a small ~4' wave: https://youtu.be/deIpUyBp_6Y?t=251, but the mechanics are the same.

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two other unneccessary details:

1. that 15m one was the most fun I've ever had on a wave, ever. Think of it like going down a ski slope in a canoe, except the ski slope moves with you for miles.

2. we had one of the motorized lead boats sink that year due to them. Interestingly, you're more safe in the canoes on them than you are a standard boat.

Wait a second. Do you actually keep "surfing" down it for miles?? I thought that was only done near shore where waves break. If so that's the most amazing thing I learned this year yet :-)

Since it looks like you might not be getting an answer - I can't speak to ocean waves but I strongly expect so. I've certainly surfed non-breaking standing waves in whitewater just fine (not me, but e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlwijfFpk3E)

Surfing is just sliding down the rise in water caused by a wave at the pace as the water rises behind you as the wave moves (in the case of standing waves, I mean moves relative to the reference frame of the water).

Yes you do. The teams that typically win the Molokai'i Hoe (the race between the islands) are the ones that ride the waves the longest. You'll stay on the same wave for 20-30min if you're good.

Ok yeah those boats look a lot more suited for this than the kind of canoes I'm used to, e.g. (no affiliation) https://www.esquif.com/en/canoe/prospecteur-17/

Looks and sounds like a blast!

Wow. This looks super cool

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