how bungee surfing works
An elastic rope is attached to a bridge or tree at a certain height. The surfer can now paddle to the rope with his surfboard and grab it at the end (at the handle). The surfboard is now pushed against the flow of water and so the bungee rope or also called bungee rope can be stretched. As soon as a certain point is reached and the bungee rope is taut enough, you rise out of the water with the surfboard and you can surf back to the attachment point (or even beyond). With the newest Bungee Ropes you can surf up to 10 times the length of the rope. 15 meters of bungee rope = 150 meters of surfing fun.
Bungee surfing is a very special kind of river surfing. You decide yourself how much speed you have, if you want to stop in a turn or if you want to make a fast turn after all. It is entirely up to you. This is the only variant of rope surfing where this is possible so precisely and it comes as close to real ocean surfing as any other type of surfing with a rope. In all other variations there is a constant pull and it limits the surfer to deciding which line to ride, but not at what speed. However, this has its own charm. Namely, speeds can be reached that would never be reached when surfing a wave or other surfing variations in the river, and boards can be surfed that otherwise could not be surfed. But more on this topic later.
Where and when can you bungee surf?
You can bungee surf in any river that is wide enough (min. 10m), deep enough (waist high is enough) and has enough river speed. To see if you have enough water flow at your spot, throw a piece of wood into the fastest part of the river. If you have to go fast to keep up with the log, you have enough water pull. Even a slow river may well have spots where it speeds up. Look on a map where the river narrows. This is usually an indication that the river is flowing faster there. It may also be that the river flows over a gradient for a short time and this is not visible on the map. Therefore, a walk along the river is recommended in any case to find different spots.
Tip: At each new spot, first drift downstream feet first to see if any obstacles such as rocks or the like are waiting for you. Also look out for possible tangles that could be dangerous.
You can bungee surf mostly from spring, when the snow starts to melt and the rivers are filled with water. This is the case from April/May and usually lasts until September/October. So in the best case you can bungee surf for 7-8 months. We will go into more detail about where and when you can surf best in a later chapter.
This is what you need for bungee surfing!
You don't need much to bungee surf. To be exact, you only need 4 things. A surfboard, bungee equipment, a river with an attachment point and friends to share the fun with and you're ready to go. Optionally for the cold days and as a buoyancy aid, a wetsuit can be beneficial. A wetsuit will cost you about 150-300 Swiss francs, a surfboard between 300 and 700 Swiss francs (but can certainly be rented (20.-)) and a complete bungee set usually costs between 500 and 900 Swiss francs and includes everything you need to install your bungee cord. Installing the rope will never take more than 5 minutes after the initial alignment. How to align your bungee cord perfectly is explained in the next section.
Surfboard / Wetsuit
Surfari / Forceline / TipToTail / Blue Tomato / Cloud 9
Bungee Rope
SEPORSURF / Bungeemonkey / Royalropes
How to attach your bungee rope
Basically, bridges and sturdy trees at the edge of the river are perfect attachment points. Make sure that the attachment height matches the length of the bungee rope. At each store you will find a height and length chart to find the ideal bungee rope for your spot. If you attach your rope too high, it could spool back very quickly and injure swimmers and damage boats. In addition, your rope can be damaged if it spikes back into the tree or attachment point. If the rope is too long then it will hang in the water and you will not be able to surf well. The correct attachment height and length of the rope are therefore very important. Ideally, the rope should come out of the water slowly and never be high above the water, but still high enough to surf. (When pulling up the rope, the end that is attached to the rigid rope should be about 10-40 cm above the water. Not higher!). Take the time to fine tune this perfectly, you will only do this once and it is for the safety of the other river participants, for your safety and it will extend the life of your Rope many times over. Always use a rigid rope with your bungee rope that is at least 50% of the bungee rope and is between you and the bungee rope. If the rope is hanging in the water, either find a higher attachment point or use a shorter bungee rope. Do not shorten the rigid rope! Be sure to check that you have chosen a stable attachment point.
And this is how you attach your bungee cord
Take a rope sling and attach it to a stable attachment point at your optimal height. Now hang your bungee rope with a carabiner (min. 10kN load) into the rope sling. Attach to the other end of the bungee rope a rigid rope with handle, which is at least 50% of the length of the rope. Did we mention that this 50% rigid rope is only the absolute minimum? We almost always surf with 100%! This is for your safety. Attach a warning triangle or warning poster in front of the bridge to warn swimmers and boats that there is surfing going on. Once the rope cutters are in a visible place, the surfing fun can begin.
What do I need to consider?
Probably the biggest danger in bungee surfing is that you get caught in the rope or the handle. Due to the current it can happen that it pushes you under the water surface (This happens very rarely). However, you should always surf WITHOUT a board leash / board line. If you still get caught in the rope or the handle, this can quickly become dangerous because you can not reach your feet because of the water current (even if you think this). Now one of your fellow surfers must immediately swim to you with a rope cutter and cut the static rope. At the same time another surfer, on the bridge, should cut the rope loop at the attachment point in case the static rope is missed. Double is better and therefore always have two Rope Cutters on site and never surf less than three. If the bungee cord floats away, this can be replaced, but your life cannot. Therefore, if someone is surfing, always keep him or her in sight, quick reaction can save lives.
Also, never let go of the bungee cord while it is under tension, otherwise it will spiral back at high speed and swimmers and nearby boats can be seriously injured. If you fall off the surfboard, hold on to the handle and release the rope below the water surface.
The last thing to consider is flowing water. Flowing water is usually underestimated. Even if a river flows very calmly, this does not mean that there are no dangers lurking. As soon as you have assumed the speed of the water, it doesn't seem so fast anymore, but this is deceptive. Underwater eddies, stones, water rollers are just a few obstacles that can quickly become dangerous at high river speed. The most important thing when surfing in the river is to know your limits. We give you a few tips on how to make bungee surfing in the river safer.
- Always have 2 RopeCutters ready, if you get caught they will save your life.
- Surf at least in threes. It's much more fun anyway.
- Always look out for your colleagues when surfing. Quick action is the key, in case of an emergency.
- Surf without a leash. This way the risk of getting caught is much lower.
- Always have a surfboard ready near the river. It is ready in case of emergency.
- Know your spot (eddies, stones, rollers, rapids).
- Only surf with impeccable equipment. Check your equipment before every session.
- Signal to other river goers that you are surfing.
- Do not let go of the bungee cord at full tension, but let it relax.
- Do not surf at high tide and alluvial danger.
- Always surf with a wetsuit that serves as a buoyancy aid. In addition, boots, impact protection vest and helmet are always advantageous, because it gives you additional protection.
With these few tips you can make bungee surfing in the Swiss rivers a lot safer. For any type of surfing, the first priority is to know your limits and abilities. If you are not yet confident on the board, inform your colleagues in advance so that they always have an eye on you. Also be careful with oncoming boats and swimmers. Better wait a short while until your area to be surfed is free of any obstacles. We at SEPORSURF also always wear a wetsuit, as it serves as a buoyancy aid in case of emergency. Now you are ready for an action packed day on the river. We wish you a lot of fun.
Your SEPORSURF Team
