SurferFreak15 wrote:Is an 8ft funboard to big for a duck dive?
Is it possible?
grub wrote:... Depends on how big the duck riding it is...
I don't know of any chart that says "this board is too big", but would say that there is one out there some ware. Use a bit of common sense; if the board is buoyant which most boards greater than 7 foot are then you are probably not going to be able to duck dive it... If the wave is just starting to break you maybe able to push the nose down and follow through to get under it, but proper duck diving is normally beyond these boards.
Do a little experiment and follow the steps to duck dive (plenty of site around)...here is basically what I do: laying on my board (in the water) raise into the pushup position (hand on the rails); the nose should go under and you then push down with either your knee but I prefer my foot at the rear of the board (still in the push up position, back arched up to apply as great a force as possible).... I can't explain what to do properly, but I have momentum from paddling out and as I push the boards nose in and follow with the foot, I sort of thrust the board forward and up we come nose first....wave or no wave this works for me... on a 6'5" my highest point (back) would be about 1 foot under... seen a lot of my Japanese mates go incredibly deep when there just playing around between sets...
i learnt to duck dive from a magazine. i'll copy the instructions from
Waves Magazine, this is how Mark Mathews does it
1. The Need For Speed
The first step in learning to duck-dive is understanding speed is your friend. "The best tip I've learned is to paddle as fast as you can at the wave. That way you've got heaps of forward momentum to push through the wave. You know how if a big one is coming at ya everyone backs off lets it hit 'em? Well, although it's hard to make yourself paddle hard when it's the biggest wave you've effin ever seen, it's definately the best way to duck-dive.
2. Dip A Rail
As the wave hits you (usually one-to-two feet before) raise yourself as if doing a push-up, keep your arms straight, hands gripping the rails, and lean forward to help sink the nose of your board. "Sometimes it's good to go one rail first when you are trying to get deeper. I dip the left rail and then push the nose down, it kinda sinks quicker."
3. Dig A Knee
Your legs play a crucial role. Once all your weight is forward and the nose is underwater push a knee (or a foot) into the tail. Arch your other leg as high as you can to gain leverage. Imagine a scooping motion. "I usually use a knee, I've tried it with me feet and it doesn't seem to make any differance."
4. Pull Up
As you feel the wave pass over you leverage out as flat as possible before pulling the nose up. "I definately try and get the nose up as quickly as possible otherwise is it stays down and the wave hits ya, it makes it heaps easier for the wave to drag you back wards. It just tows you all the way in."
5. Shallow versus Deep?
It doesn't always pay to duck-dive as deep as possible. "If it's the first wave in a big set and you want to get out of the impact zone, fast, then it's a good idea to sometimes not duck-dive tood deep. Just come up in the whitewash and let it mow you in [
to safety] a bit."
6. To Ball or Not To Ball?
"Sometimes you have to otherwise if it's right where the lip's breaking it will push your head into your board and knock you out. But just make sure you don't tell anyone about it, espacially if your board breaks." PS. Check to make sure no one is behind you!
Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 8:14 pm
even though i'm 6ft 4 and bout 13 stone, surely it's possible? Also, i was trying to wait sitting on my board and cant help but wobble about and eventually fall off (you can feel everyone sniggering at you 
it is true and a far better method for those around you than the "chuck the board" approach... I use too use it and with the 9'6" still do on bigger days...
