From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishchoppychop‧py /ˈtʃɒpi $ ˈtʃɑːpi/ adjective DNROUGH/NOT SMOOTHchoppy water has a lot of waves and is not smooth to sail on The small boat bobbed about on the choppy water.
Examples from the Corpus
choppy• The wind there was sharp from the east, the North Sea steel-grey and choppy.• Drifting out of an open window, riding over a choppy bassline, comes the distinctive voice of Omar.• Some of this was done no doubt to keep control in choppy political waters.• music with a choppy rhythm• Small buildings, like small boats on a choppy sea, are rocked especially hard by their passing.• A storm rages that night, bringing heavy winds and choppy seas.• The laughter tumbled out of him in choppy spurts.• The town planning ship ran into choppy waters and it remains in uncertain seas.• The giant fund-raising event took place on Saturday but the choppy waters caused some competitors to capsize. 