The applicability of the super-slip boundary condition in wind-driven quasi
geostrophic ocean circulation models is reexamined. The energy and enstroph
y characteristics of the super-slip condition are discussed for the equilib
rium state. A model is constructed with super-slip on the western boundary
and free slip on the other boundaries. Both linear and nonlinear solutions
are presented. Compared to the case with all free-slip boundaries, this new
model gives a more energetic and narrower western boundary current, but ot
herwise the differences are not very great.