Chop

Chop is the bumpy, disorganized water texture created when wind blows across a water surface. Unlike swell, which travels as organized, evenly spaced waves from distant storms, chop is generated locally and has short wavelengths and steep faces. For surfers, chop is generally unwanted — it makes wave faces bumpy and harder to ride smoothly.

Onshore wind creates the worst chop for surfing. For windsurfers and kitesurfers, moderate chop can actually be fun — you can use chop as small ramps for jumps. However, heavy chop makes everything harder: it slows you down, makes foot changes difficult, and batters your body.

Foilers handle chop exceptionally well because the board rides above the water surface. The amount of chop depends on wind strength, the length of water the wind blows across (fetch), and the duration of the wind. Sheltered bays and harbors have less chop than open coastlines.