A wave energy device for capturing heave forces and surge forces of waves propagating in a wave direction in which the device faces forwardly to confront the waves propagating in the wave direction, the device comprising: a buoyant body for tracking a rise and fall of the waves; a working surface for facing forwardly to confront the waves and being coupled to the buoyant body for movement together therewith, the working surface including an upper portion and a lower portion for capturing a substantial portion of the surge forces in the wave direction and the heave forces of the waves between the upper and lower portions of the working surface; the lower portion of the working surface extending from an inner end to an outer end in which the outer end of the lower portion is spaced forwardly and downwardly in relation to the inner end of the lower portion; the upper portion of the working surface extending from an inner end to an outer end in which the outer end of the upper portion is spaced forwardly in relation to the inner end of both the upper and the lower portion s and in which the outer end of the upper portion is spaced above the outer end of the lower portion; an anchor for being substantially anchored against the rise and fall and the surge forces of the waves; and a driven linkage coupling the buoyant body to the anchor for relative movement therebetween and for converting said relative movement into a usable form of energy; characterized in that the driven linkage comprises a linear driven linkage which couples the buoyant body to the anchor such that the buoyant body is linearly slidable relative to the anchor along a linear axis of the linear driven linkage which is inclined upwardly and rearwardly in the wave direction. a buoyant body for tracking a rise and fall of the waves; a working surface for facing forwardly to confront the waves and being coupled to the buoyant body for movement together therewith, the working surface including an upper portion and a lower portion for capturing a substantial portion of the surge forces in the wave direction and the heave forces of the waves between the upper and lower portions of the working surface; the lower portion of the working surface extending from an inner end to an outer end in which the outer end of the lower portion is spaced forwardly and downwardly in relation to the inner end of the lower portion; the upper portion of the working surface extending from an inner end to an outer end in which the outer end of the upper portion is spaced forwardly in relation to the inner end of both the upper and the lower portion s and in which the outer end of the upper portion is spaced above the outer end of the lower portion; an anchor for being substantially anchored against the rise and fall and the surge forces of the waves; and a driven linkage coupling the buoyant body to the anchor for relative movement therebetween and for converting said relative movement into a usable form of energy; characterized in that the driven linkage comprises a linear driven linkage which couples the buoyant body to the anchor such that the buoyant body is linearly slidable relative to the anchor along a linear axis of the linear driven linkage which is inclined upwardly and rearwardly in the wave direction.