Big board skills for good waves

[Tudeo]

How did you change balance when the nose went under?

I just used my legs as shockabsorbers, just like running and then coming to a sudden stop. It was a natural reaction to compensate for the braking board, but I was unprepared for the sudden acceleration when the nose came up. Next time this happens I know what to expect, I hope

Off course the angle of the pearling board cannot be to steep, I think the nose was at most maybe 10 cm under water.

With another wave there was also a bit of a situation, I was almost missing the drop, I kept hanging on top of the wave during popup. It happened before that I popped up too early and while standing on the board the wave escaped me standing behind the lip But if you gave it a few more paddle strokes before popup the drop could get too steep.

So this time I popped up and when it felt like the wave was escaping me I quickly stepped forward on the board to put my weight more forward, that did it and I made the drop..

I didn't pearl but had a problem steering into the bottom turn, still standing too much forward the board was doing a trimming turn instead of a carving bottom turn. It came around to the open face but it felt like ages..

So I think the skill needed is quickly step forward or backward when needed.

[Big H]

Reach back and touch the wave and that bottom turn will smooth out.

[waikikikichan]

How did you change balance when the nose went under? Did you step back or lean back? When my nose goes under, so do I!

You don't do anything. By adjusting you weight, arching your back, straightening your arms, ( and worse, stare at the nose ) etc, those are actions to get the nose back up or from going under. Just BELIEVE, let the wave do it's thing. As it moves forward, the wave angle steepens. The boards momentum and float will allow the nose to pop back out again. But by you interfering with that motion, you jam up the flow and slow the board down right when it needs to speed up, like a power boat on throttle. Of course, if you have a weak paddle, positioned yourself under the lip, took a double up then your were toast even before the nose went under. Get into the wave, look up and out to the shoulder and the board will follow.

[Big H]

How did you change balance when the nose went under?

I just used my legs as shockabsorbers, just like running and then coming to a sudden stop. It was a natural reaction to compensate for the braking board, but I was unprepared for the sudden acceleration when the nose came up. Next time this happens I know what to expect, I hope

Off course the angle of the pearling board cannot be to steep, I think the nose was at most maybe 10 cm under water.

With another wave there was also a bit of a situation, I was almost missing the drop, I kept hanging on top of the wave during popup. It happened before that I popped up too early and while standing on the board the wave escaped me standing behind the lip But if you gave it a few more paddle strokes before popup the drop could get too steep.

So this time I popped up and when it felt like the wave was escaping me I quickly stepped forward on the board to put my weight more forward, that did it and I made the drop..

I didn't pearl but had a problem steering into the bottom turn, still standing too much forward the board was doing a trimming turn instead of a carving bottom turn. It came around to the open face but it felt like ages..

So I think the skill needed is quickly step forward or backward when needed.

You might want to try different body positions....big board you have to be a little more deliberate, an inch forward or back on a shorter board translates to the length of your hand forward or back on a big board....try taking a wave a little further back on the board....you might surprise yourself with the results. Also, different conditions mean different positions.....not going to say which is which so you don't have any preconceptions (he said forward for wave type X.....why isn't it working!?!?!?), play around and see what happens....suffice to sayyou can make some fairly dramatic differences with deliberate relatively large changes in position on the board when paddling for a wave. Took me 6 months on my last longboard before I had this revelation; prior to that I paddled for waves in the same position that I paddled out regardless of conditions with very small adjustments for steepness (2-3"). I'll move as much as a foot forward or back now depending.

[BoMan]

I think the skill needed is quickly step forward or backward when needed.

Try taking a wave a little further back on the board....you might surprise yourself with the results....Reach back and touch the wave and that bottom turn will smooth out.

Get into the wave, look up and out to the shoulder and the board will follow.

More good stuff! Thank you

[Tudeo]

You might want to try different body positions....big board you have to be a little more deliberate, an inch forward or back on a shorter board translates to the length of your hand forward or back on a big board....try taking a wave a little further back on the board....you might surprise yourself with the results. Also, different conditions mean different positions.....not going to say which is which so you don't have any preconceptions (he said forward for wave type X.....why isn't it working!?!?!?), play around and see what happens

Good advice! That's exactly what I'm doing, playing around on the big board. Loving it!

By playing around it all comes back to me, years ago my 'go to' board was a 7'9" Malibu shape. Later I rented different 9ft+ longboards at Batu Bolong, but often didn't like them much. The bigger boards wouldn't turn when taking off, probably my lack off longboard technique or they *needed* a 'drop knee' turn.

Setting a rail on those boards didn't initiate a carving or even a trimming turn, the board just tilted and kept going straight, where my body already anticipating a turn was hanging in a turn that didn't happen and just fell of

This time I was looking for a longboard that I could basically ride like my shortboards, just by setting rails, but with more paddling power. I'm very happy with this old 9'2" hp longboard I just bought, it steers like a shortboard and gives control and speed in bigger waves only the paddling is not the gamechanger like I hoped for. I'm just as worn out But that's just the enthusiasm, that makes me continue until I'm exausted.

suffice to sayyou can make some fairly dramatic differences with deliberate relatively large changes in position on the board when paddling for a wave. Took me 6 months on my last longboard before I had this revelation; prior to that I paddled for waves in the same position that I paddled out regardless of conditions with very small adjustments for steepness (2-3"). I'll move as much as a foot forward or back now depending.

Exactly! I was starting to rediscover that last time, still have a lot of finetuning to do though. But in my experience when you put in the hours, in time it all becomes second nature. My goal is easy surfing for when I'm to old to compensate technique with strength. This:

[oldmansurfer]

I like that last takeoff. That one looks fun.

[BoMan]

I love the FADES... and I'm amazed at how easy Wingnut turns a "wave on the head" into a smooth take-off. I would get pictched sideways into the briny deep.