Pipe

Same as “tube”.
More Surf Lingo

Mainlander

Refers to anyone living somewhere other than the islands.
More Surf Lingo

Backoff

When a wave appears like it's going to break but then somewhat subsides.
More Surf Lingo

Kick

Refers to the curvature of a board – also called the rocker. The curve from nose to tail.
More Surf Lingo

Drop-knee

A bodyboarding maneuver or position, where the rider is on the bodyboard with one foot and bent knee, while kneeling on the board with the other leg.
More Surf Lingo

Howzit

Hawaiian Pidgin for “How's it going?”. Very common expression today on the islands.
More Surf Lingo

Accessory Man

A surfer who has all the gear there is, without regard for whether it's appropriate or needed.
More Surf Lingo

Shore Break

When the waves don't break until right when they reach the shoreline, or very close to it, not leaving much of a wave for surfing.
More Surf Lingo

Ripping

A complimentary term used to describe great moves on a wave.
More Surf Lingo

Refraction

The “bending” of a swell as the water passes over varying depths and even runs into land. Think of a swell as a single straight line, but as the water runs over varying depths, or even comes in contact with land masses, it essentially slows down sections of the wave, while the rest of the wave continues traveling at the original speed, thus causing a bending of the original straight line.
More Surf Lingo

Kneeboarding

A sport similar to surfing, but where the rider is on their knees and rides a much smaller board.
More Surf Lingo

Leeward

The protected and less-windy side of an island.
More Surf Lingo

Glassy

Very smooth water.
More Surf Lingo

Freeway Surfer

People who drive around with boards on their car surf racks, but rarely go out in the surf. They spend more time driving around checking out the surf spots, than actually hitting the water.
More Surf Lingo

Catching Big Air

Launching off a wave with your board and getting some major distance between the surfboard and the water.
More Surf Lingo

Digging or Burying A Rail

When a surfer makes a turn and causes the rail to submerge into the wave – usually resulting in a fall or wipeout.
More Surf Lingo

Eat It

A fall, a wipeout.
More Surf Lingo

In The Soup

Describes being in all the whitewash after a large wave has broken.
More Surf Lingo

Slammed

Smacked, hammered, munched, clobbered, wrecked, ...etc.. you get the picture.
More Surf Lingo

Worked

Refers to getting tossed around by a wave (or waves), like after a wipeout where the breaking wave tosses the surfer around for awhile.
More Surf Lingo

The Oval Office

Refers to a tube ride. “I had a meeting in the Oval office this morning”.
More Surf Lingo

Covered

When a wave covers a surfer while riding the wave – i.e. a tube ride. This can also describe when the wave isn't hollow and the surfer is getting covered (or more like drenched) by the breaking wave during a ride.
More Surf Lingo

Pulling In

Turning into the hollow part of a wave (could be a tube, or could just a hollow section).
More Surf Lingo

Pintail

A tail design that's similar to a square or box tail, but comes to a slight point at the very end. Commonly used on big wave boards. This design has a small area that allows it to hold in critical situations where a wider tail would cause the surfboard to spin out.
More Surf Lingo

Deck Pad

A material (usually neoprene) that is stuck to the deck of a board for grip-ability in place of wax.
More Surf Lingo

Paddle-in Surfing

A newer term used to clarify the distinction between tow-in surfing and your standard surfing where you paddle yourself to catch the wave.
More Surf Lingo

Roundtail

A tail design that's basically roundish in shape.
More Surf Lingo