Legal definition of surfboard in VB???

What you need to get is one of those old school green rafts the lifeguards used to rent. They were made of a super heavy canvas and probably about 5' in length. You could easily stand up on them. They were kind of oval in shape. I'd give my left nut for one of those things now. If anyone knows where I could find one now, I'd be all ears.

 

This is pure speculation, so take it for what it's worth, but my guess is they would consider anything that you stand up on and ride waves on a "surfboard" regardless of length or material. I could be wrong though

 

Does it matter what the "legal" definition is? You're going to get chased out of the water per the discretion of the guards ... I don't think you're going to want to drag a lawyer into something like this, it's going to cost more than the fines or court fees themselves... Either way, if it's not a red-flag day, IMHO the waves probably weren't very good to begin with... at least not good enough for something involving a legal process of any sort.

 

go snag a beater

 

I don't know how sensitive they are in VB with rogue surfing during prohibitive hours. However, this would be a great step forward in the dissolution of these ludicrous ordinances. They should at least have non-breaking areas roped off for swimming. If you're not even on a boogie board, you shouldn't be hanging out in the surf. I see kids get mauled all the time.

 

http://images.search.yahoo.com/sear...rfing+&fr=ytff1-&ei=utf-8&n=30&x=wrt&y=Search

 

I see SUPs out all day. I guess that's not considered surfing on a surf board

 

Said this before on this site, but everyone should realize "no surfing areas" and "surfing areas" are in a surfer's best interest. If you were to hit a swimmer with your board and injure them, you would be liable for any damages.

I will argue, along with any surfer, that surfers deserve many more surfing areas, and there should be discretion on where these areas are based on what sandbars are working.

But anyone that criticizes the "no-surfing beaches" just because "they suck" is a fool.


With all that said, you should have a decent argument if you are using a beater board (without fins) in a no surfing zone. Whether you stand up on it, drop-knee, or lay on it shouldn't matter. But because no surfing zones are to protect swimmer's health and the surfer's liability, using foam, finless board should not be an issue.

 

ride one of those foam "Beater" board things they let them in

 

Beater +1,000,000

 

You could probably get a sweet deal on a 16 footer for only $500k. With VB being a Navy town, the local pork chops should leave you alone as you launch yourself towards the beach on your aircraft carrier.

 

It probably wold be fun, but I don't think you'd get away with an Alaia. I would think you'd have to go with foam.

 

Wouldn't it be nice if that were the case. It's not outside the realm of possibility. I want everyone to enjoy the ocean in their own way. However, there are many stretches of beach that could be marked/roped off (or even sign barriers) like they do in lakes to give swimmers adequate space for their enjoyment of the shore and surf as well as preserving our right to conditions that are present which may be far optimal to us compared to outside the currently designated hours. Swimmers, boogies, people standing in salt water, etc. do not take up very much space yet are often given full reign of the shores.

Is this when Starchy jumps in with a PSA on this topic? C'mon, brah...put the YouTube link up pronto.

 

Had a discussion w/ a lifeguard last year and he said you are considered a swimmer if you are body boarding without swimfins. It was the only time in about 3 years I've had a lifeguard say anything about not having fins. Also, you need to have a leash too.

I just got one of the Beater boards (48in) and I think there is a rule in VB about max. length for a bodyboard being 48in. but don't quote me on that. I doubt the guards would even notice the difference between the 48 and 52in models. If you plan on standing up I think the 52in will be a better way to go.

I decided on the 48 since if the waves are big enough to stand up and have a little fun the red flags are usually flying and I'll be on my surfboard. For the small stuff I'd rather d![k drag into a few micro tubes than grovel around in some small mush.

But, this past weekend was one of the rare swells where they were actually big enough to surf but no red flags. Still had many hours of fun tooling around on the beater.

You could also paddle out without the fins on the beater and put them in later after the guards notice you are riding one of the finless ones. There easy to put on/off.

 

In nags head a few years ago the lifegaurd told me if your board is less than 4 feet long you're considered a swimmer regardless of if you're riding a booger with fins. but in KDH it was a different story. so this comment is in fact pointless

 

wow and i thought jersey sucked.dont u guys have unguarded beaches,or is there a lifeguard every 20 yards?just surf at an unprotected swim at your own risk beach.thats what i do.but the summer traffic makes me stay inside.last saturday,i was going to the wawa up the highway,literally 3 lights from my house.took me 45 minutes.on days like that i stay inside unless i need to get something.my problem with my homestate is the lack of good sandbars.i see no difference between nj,va,obx,and all the other east coast states,except ny because they face south and get better swells than we do.yes it gets epic here,as it does in vb,but if the guards hassle u whats the point?

last summer i remember we had a little windswell,like chest to head high,nothing special.there was 1 other surfer out,whos an old friend of mine.i was expecting a little overhead,but the waves were not that big so i left my board on the beach,and swam out and bodysurfed a few waves.like i said,i wasnt getting in anybodys wave,i was actually further out than the surfer was.all of a sudden 3 lifeguards come running up the beach blowin whistles,im thinken theres a friken shark behind me or something,and they tell me to hop out and swim on the other side of the jetty,where the lifeguard is.so i do as they said,and lol,10 minutes later,another surfer,a few years younger than me,seen the exact same thing i thought and he said hey im gonna bodysurf.so he goes in,gets a little barrel,and lifeguards come hassle him off the beach.

what gets me is,one side of the jetty is for surfers,and u dont have to pay,but if u get kicked out of the surf zone and to the protected beach,they run up to u looking for your beach badge bracelet.pretty retarded if u ask me.i saved more people on my time on the beach,than any lifeguard at every beach iv been to,and iv been to just about every beach in nj/ny area.theres no waves like long island waves,and not the rockaways.theres spots that look like barbados with clear blue water,and offshore sandbars for miles with few people out.thats what i look for,screw those pesky little lifeguards that leave the job labor day to go back to highschool

 

This sounds awful.

I've only surfed in southern NC, where maybe the waves aren't as big - but at least we have them all to ourselves.