With Bournemouths decision to build an artifical reef.Do you think Bournemouth will knock Newquay off the title of Surfing Capital of the UK?.

I reckon this Bournemouth reef will be superb, i go to Bournemouth every year anyway, but with the 1st artificial in Europe reef being built there I cant wait to go when its done.

Some people now say that Newquay is not frequent enough, just recently we had this discussion in the bodyboarding forum i think. Bournemouth should produce frequent waves most of the time now with this reef...plus its a wonderful place, although some people may miss the Newquay scenery/atmosphere.

No way, even with the reef, N. Cornwall will still be more consistent than Bournemouth.... You still need some sweel to generate waves over the reef.

Al.

Yes im sure N Cornwall will always stay the main surfing scene, but I've never been and those crowds dont sound and look good. Apparantly the reef at Bournemouth is supposed to generate waves itself, but yes im sure it should need some swell. Bournemouth doesnt seem to get to much swell anyway, so im not entirely sure how it will work.

[Edited on 22-6-2005 by Airborne]

From what i heard,people are keen for it to happen at Bournemouth.As its closer to travel to from places like London.Newquay locals are keen aswell as it would make the crowds less in Newquay,if outsiders are going to Bournemouth.

I will allways go down to Newquay as i have local friends down there.

Yeh, i live all the way up in Nottingham, that means i would travel to Bournemouth even more than i do instead of going to Newquay...even though i havent been to Newquay yet.

i rekon artifical reefs are overated, we got one here on the goldy built a few years back to 'stop sand erosion and create a great surfing wave' of which it has done neither and i even rekon it has affected the surrounding beach breaks turning them from alright into below average, what is the main purpose of this reef, is it to improve the surf?? if it is done correctly it could possibly work

Yes it is to improve the surf.

Bournemouth already has protection against errosion, like the groynes that have been put in place. Unfortunatly these groynes also stop the waves from working well, therefore a £800,000 profesional artificaial reef is being placed at either 400m or 200m out to sea. I think its made of tyres, sandbags and wood planks, not sure though.

This should create waves that are rideable, and should not disturb anywhere else due to the Borunemouth and Boscombe being in a massive bay. Plus that area and the spots around it hardly get much big surf there at all, but with the reef and the swells which the area gets it should creat some good long rides.

[Edited on 25-6-2005 by Airborne]

Bournemouth definatly, everyone should head there

Bournemouth is really a superb place, nice town, lovely beach, piers, park, prom, beach town etc.

Hi all, the reef will be made out of cages of rocks (I think) and the Idea is for the sand to build up naturally on this base to form the reef.
Thing I'm not quite getting is the problem of swell at a decent period, we seem to rarely get this so I'll be interested to see how it goes.
If it works I may even bother to learn to surf as I doubt us Kiters will get a look in (well not without shredding all the bodyboarders). It may just improve my board skills in waves as well.

Its all very well having a reef. But it aint gonna make swell!! A reefs only as good as the swell that hits it. Just look all around us here in mid wales. Without a doubt the best reefs in the country, but hardly ever work due to lack of swell on clean winds.

I found this on the bournemouth surfing centre website about how the reef will work:

"Essentially, and fairly obviously, the reef mimics the effects of a natural reef with the added bonus that we can perfectly shape the reef to give two beautiful 'peeling' waves.
The reef is made up of huge sausage-like bags of sand which will be placed in around 6m of water around 250m from the coast with the waves peeling off from either side of the triangular shape. The reef can be "custom" built to provide waves of varying shapes and sizes, ranging from small, hollow, Malibu style waves, to steep grinding barrels."

From the same site, this makes it sound like it could be the new surf capital of the UK:

"Southbourne: Southbourne with be just one right hander of about 110m long. This should be a challenging wave, probably a 6 - 7grade. (Pipeline would be 7-8, and Raglan a 5). It is hoped that by breaking up the line of swell and creating refraction, one or two decent banks should form on each side, thus creating two or three breaks where there are currently none. (This effect has occurred at Narrowneck- they still have to get the top layer on there, but it shows very good form on large swells)."

This is great but it just pointed out this is gonna need swell as well. And i'm sure Bournemouth doesn't get much swell regularly.

"Boscombe: The Boscombe pier reef would be double sided reef with a left hander of about 90 metres and a right hander of about a 100 metres. The Boscombe reef would be a bit less severe than Southbourne, probably a grade 5. This is partly to give variety, but also to appeal to the intermediate or merely competent surfers. It is hoped to have night-lights on the pier so that people can surf after work in the winter."