NY’s Outdoor Sports: Surf Fever

~How wakesurfing adopted the Finger Lakes

– by Brooke Cheyne

Those frequenting the shorelines of the Finger Lakes have undoubtedly noticed a new wave barreling towards the beaches. Take a closer look, and you may observe what looks like a scene from the coast of Southern California playing out on the surface of the lake. Surf culture has taken Upstate New York by storm over the past decade – thanks to new technology and the unique community that the Finger Lakes provide – and this new sport is quickly transforming the way we play on the water.

Wakesurfing is the sport of riding a board behind a watercraft while being pushed by a boat-generated wave. Throughout the past decade, boat companies have been working tirelessly to develop bigger, sportier watercrafts with the capability to hold heavy ballast – therefore displacing more water and generating a deeper, longer wake. Like an ocean wave, this wake can push a board and a surfer of almost any size; but unlike a natural wave, this freshwater alternative allows for longer surfs and infinite sets. 

A wakesurf board (also known as a wakesurfer) is generally shorter and thinner than a classical surfboard, and most feature traction pads on top for grip. A rider gets up in much the same fashion as a wakeboarder: they position their feet on the board while in the water, signal the driver, and are pulled up by a towrope. 

The major difference, of course, is that wakesurfing allows riders to pull themselves forward into the wave and throw the rope. The feeling of being pushed by a wave rather than pulled by a tow is unique to surfing, and it is the sensation many riders describe as being, “worth obsessing over.”

Wakesurfing has become a recognized sport internationally, with events like the World Wake Surf Championships that award the best of the best from every corner of the globe. In the Finger Lakes, however, there is a unique sense of “surf fever” that seems to be encroaching ever more as the years go on. Shops like FULLSEND Ski & Outdoor in Canandaigua and Neon Wave in Rochester have popped up to cater to the unique sense of style that surf culture allows, while also providing an outlet for gear and boards. FLX Charters was established this year as a Nautique rental service that offers instruction in surfing, and custom manufacturers like Parker Surfcraft and Artisan Surf have established a local presence. Still, it is the surfers themselves that seem to be changing the social atmosphere around the lakes. Having worked among the watersports community for two years, I’ve come to understand that the surfers of the Finger Lakes maintain a distinctive sense of family and acceptance. They’ll give anyone the shirt off their backs, they love outsiders, and can recommend the best local joints.  I’ve never seen a surfer whose face didn’t light up at the opportunity to teach a rookie their sport. Maybe it’s the shaka spirit, the presence of aloha that comes with walking on water. Maybe it’s the shared, inherent compassion for environmentalism and respect for the lakes. Maybe there’s just something in the water. 

As the summer winds down, keep an eye out for the board-toting populace around your lake. They’re part of a growing sport, and members of a growing sub-culture in the Finger Lake.

I’d encourage anyone to get in on the ground floor.

Brooke Cheyne has been the managing director and editor of The Keuka Boardroom for two years. She is currently a senior at Ithaca College majoring in Cinema Production.