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Tow-in surfing is a surfing technique pioneered by Laird Hamilton, Buzzy Kerbox, Dave Kalama and others in the late 1990s where a surfer is towed into a breaking wave by a partner driving a personal watercraft or a helicopter with an attached tow-line. This method has a demonstrated advantage in situations where the wave is too large and moving too quickly for the surfer to catch it by paddling with his hands (such as Peahi off the north side of Maui), or where position on the wave is extremely critical (Teahupoo off southeast Tahiti).
The use of a helicopter for tow-in surfing started to appear in the mid 2000's, and has several advantages over the use of a personal watercraft. The pilot, positioned high above the surfer, is able to spot large waves from further away and position the surfer accordingly. Additionally, a helicopter can go faster, and is not affected by the ocean surface like a watercraft.
Controversy
Critics of tow-in surfing decry the noise made by PWC engines, as well as the likelihood that new participants can get into predicaments that they have not been trained or conditioned to survive. On the other hand, a skilled team of driver and surfer, who often swap roles in the water during a session, develop a rapport and an understanding of ocean conditions that allows them to proactively watch out for each other.
Famous tow-in spots
- Todos Santos, Mexico
- Mavericks, Northern California.
- Jaws, Maui.
- Aill Na Searrach, Cliffs of Moher, Ireland
Noted big wave surfers
References
- Matt Warshaw: Maverick's: the story of big-wave surfing, Chronicle Books, ISBN 081182652X
"Tow-in surfing"