Bottom turns and keeping speed up

[bomber35]

Hi all,

I lurk on here quite often and read up relevant topics to me, but I am having a bit of trouble with what I believe is a fairly standard maneuver.

Let me give you a bit of history to my experience first. I started surfing in May and have managed to get out to my spot on average around 2-3 times a week. My starter board was a 9' LB and I have since "graduated" to a borrowed 7'10" performance hybrid. The transition was extremely easy considering I dropped 14" in 1 day. My abilities are beginner/intermediate, but more on the kook/beginner side of things. I can consistently drop in on waves with no problem and perform bottom turns without much difficulty depending on the conditions. Close-out sets at around 4-6' end up being a bomb straight down the face of the wave and then into the flats with a slow arc'ing bottom turn...or a ride in the mush.

So, where I am at now is I want to improve my initial pop-up and take off angle to run down the line and generate speed, and eventually perform multiple turns...and i am lost on how to accomplish this on the shorter board (speaking of which, I just put in a custom order for a 7'6" performance hybrid of my own). the LB was easy just because of the nature of the board...hop on, ride until the wave gives out (with minor adjustment to stay in front of the wave!

When I watch some surfers, I see them running down the line on a nice right or left and making subtle pumping motions with their legs to "track" the board down the line (at least I think this is whats going on)...so how do I do this?

[IB_Surfer]

Loaded question, going down the wave and into the flats means that your pop up fast enough or you are turning WAY too late. here are two answers based on what I can tell of your problem:

1) If you notice most shortboarders don't aim straight down when they paddle after a wave, they cheat a bit towards the open face. So try it, but don't over do it. If you don't get what I mean, if you are taking off on a left (peak to the right of you) then paddle slightly left so when you stand up you are already headed down the face rather than into the flast.

2) When you surf a shortboard, you actually pivot in the middle of the wave, not at the bottom. Pop up, dig in the tail and pivot the turn, then rip down accross the face of the wave, not down it.

So, try one or both of these. Others might have further advice, but get out there and start ripping.

[tony g]

It takes time to learn to pump your board down the line to generate speed, but here are a few tips to help you. Try to work the top third of the wave to generate speed and to get down the line. You also need your back foot on the tail of the board, but at the same time you do not want the nose way out of the water or you will stall. The basic motion is you pump your board up on the top third of the wave face and gravity brings it back down. As you learn to get in rhythm with the wave it will become natural. It takes time, but keep at it.

[Roy Stewart]

When you surf a shortboard, you actually pivot in the middle of the wave, not at the bottom. Pop up, dig in the tail and pivot the turn, then rip down accross the face of the wave, not down it.

This is nonsense, one can turn in an infinite variety of places on the wave as required with long or short boards.

Sometimes one goes to the bottom of the wave before turning, sometimes not.

There's not just one place to turn on a wave, once again your advice is appalling, people should be wary of taking advice from you.

[bomber35]

Just an update on this. I have been improving in many areas over the past few weeks.

I have recently recieved my first custom board, which is also a step down for me as well. It's a 7'6" performance hybrid, or mini-mal for you european and Aussie guys. Basically I stepped from a 7' 10" with very little issue. I am currently using a quad setup, which I absolutely love! It's so much more loose and easier to maneuver than any thruster setup I've tried. Over all, the surfing is going great. I can charge down the line on occassion and perform some turns here and there. Some days I have it, some I don't. With the current storm activity of the coast of SoCal, I have had a chance to go out on some pretty epic days (in my mind)!

[surf doc]

Just an update on this. I have been improving in many areas over the past few weeks.

I have recently recieved my first custom board, which is also a step down for me as well. It's a 7'6" performance hybrid, or mini-mal for you european and Aussie guys. Basically I stepped from a 7' 10" with very little issue. I am currently using a quad setup, which I absolutely love! It's so much more loose and easier to maneuver than any thruster setup I've tried. Over all, the surfing is going great. I can charge down the line on occassion and perform some turns here and there. Some days I have it, some I don't. With the current storm activity of the coast of SoCal, I have had a chance to go out on some pretty epic days (in my mind)!

Glad to hear things are going well, keep up the good work.