Yeah, I am looking to neglect these hydrodynamic forces, only recognising that the surfer of course floats. Therefore the energy gain in a surfer form the wave comes from purely the potential energy of the physical displacement of the board. This I thought would be a simpler scenario to...
Actually I would suggest the converse, you want to have less KE than the PE of the wave (in the wave frame) hence the wave catches you and brings you along at its velocity until you start falling down the wave where you will then be traveling faster than the wave. Buoyancy will bring you up the...
Energy is pretty key, and yes the velocity component in the direction of the wave's propagation needs to be approximately the velocity of the wave; my question is what is this relationship? What is the minimum velocity the surfer must have. The PE is what accelerates the surfer to the wave...
Thanks for the response, without going off topic, why must the wave break to surf? I thought these were just more favourable conditions.
Yes I agree he surfer would be traveling faster than the wave in a path non-parraellel to the wavefront if the surfer caught the wave, maintaining the same...
I mean less than or equal to as if it is greater than the surfer would not be 'caught' and the wave would pass him by.
I mean less than or equal, as if the surfer has more energy than the potential energy of the 'well' created by the waves height he will 'escape' which means he will not be...
Hi,
I have a question about surfing, how fast must a surfer be traveling (paddle velocity) in order to catch a wave?
I took the approach to consider the surfer in the wave's frame of reference, then supposed that the surfer would be 'caught' by the wave if the surfer's kinetic energy was less...