Surfing Waves

Hey guys,

I’m new to surfing, only been doing it 6 months or so, and I’m having trouble with a new longboard I got. First off, I started with an 8’ Wavestorm and quickly was able to ride unbroken green waves and trim. Ok, so I got that down. Then I bought a 7’10” Funboard shaped by Midget Smith. I learned how to trim and ride down the line pretty well on it, like being able to get a good long ride pretty much every other wave. I could even easily pull off cheater hang 5s.

I started recently surfing at 1st Point Malibu and fell in love with it. I just 4 days ago bought a new longboard. It’s a Becker board dims: 9’ 4” x 23 1/2 x 3
Nose: 20” Tail: 18” It’s a pintail and has a visible concave for noseriding. Very round rails.

Okay, so I take this giant thing out and it paddles like sh&@$! I also have a 5’7” Fish that I bought not really understanding the vast difference in skill it would take to ride. But even that fish I can paddle faster than this Becker board. I’m STUMPED.

Is this board just a dog? Or am I a kook?

I did that the board to a beach break that had fat rolley waves and was able to catch a few, but not nearly as easy as my 7’10’ Midget board. They are both single fins so.....

Any advice would really help. Maybe I chose the wrong beach? Malibu was totally flat otherwise I would’ve gone there.

Concave on the nose can slow the board down. Also long boards seem to go slower but are actually going normal or faster speed - like how small aircraft look faster than big lumbering jumbos.

People find different boards easier or harder. After surfing boards around 7ft for many years I took my 9ft out in tiny surf (knee high) and made all sorts of mistakes all over the place because I was still trying to surf a 7ft board not a 9ft board. So going from a 710 to a 9'4 noserider is a big change - are you trying to surf it the same way?

Really just give it 5 more surfs and concentrate on whats going wrong and see if its you not adapting / what you can adapt. If its still a major problem then maybe the board, but Becker has a pretty good reputation and has been in business for a long time, so chances are the boards are at least acceptable.

1) Are you sure it has a 18" tail with a pintail ? Try measure up from the tip of the tail 12 inches up and see how wide it is from rail to rail.

2) Have your tried moving your chest forward ( or backwards ) an inch or two on the paddle ?

Concave on the nose can slow the board down. Also long boards seem to go slower but are actually going normal or faster speed - like how small aircraft look faster than big lumbering jumbos.

This makes sense, probably not used to the scoop slowing down my paddling. Also, I may be moving much faster than I think I am.

People find different boards easier or harder. After surfing boards around 7ft for many years I took my 9ft out in tiny surf (knee high) and made all sorts of mistakes all over the place because I was still trying to surf a 7ft board not a 9ft board. So going from a 710 to a 9'4 noserider is a big change - are you trying to surf it the same way?

I think you're right, I've been trying to surf it the same way, which is not right. Because with my 7'10 I can bottom turn without really having to lean too much into it. My feet know where to go. Whereas on the Becker, I have to really push to get this thing to turn. Surprisingly though when I did get it to turn, it swung right (frontside for me - I'm regular) very fast and I was able to keep myself on the wave a lot longer.

Really just give it 5 more surfs and concentrate on whats going wrong and see if its you not adapting / what you can adapt. If its still a major problem then maybe the board, but Becker has a pretty good reputation and has been in business for a long time, so chances are the boards are at least acceptable.

Thanks for the advice, I'm going to keep at it and see what's what. I doubt Becker would make a turd after all the years of experience

waikikikichan wrote:1) Are you sure it has a 18" tail with a pintail ? Try measure up from the tip of the tail 12 inches up and see how wide it is from rail to rail.

Waikikichan Thanks for answering! I was hoping you would. I've been scouring the forum for tips and most of the time your wisdom is being imparted to longboarders! To answer this question, I just measured as you suggested and the tail is : 15" (inches) at that point. Does that make more sense?

2) Have your tried moving your chest forward ( or backwards ) an inch or two on the paddle ?

Yes, I did move around a bit to find the sweet spot. Found that if I'm a little further back than I think I should be, and curl my legs up like a lot of longboarders do, I paddle better.

By the way, I saw you say at one point that curling your legs up like that is a waste of energy. Should I just keep my legs straight back and focus on only using my arms, back, shoulders?

Thanks for the help!

"I saw you say at one point that curling your legs up like that is a waste of energy. Should I just keep my legs straight back and focus on only using my arms, back, shoulders?"

When paddling from a spot that's a little too deep, I bring my legs up to get the nose down the wave face. If I start paddling slightly inside, my legs are down and my back is arched to keep the nose from pearling.

BoMan: Thanks for the tips. That’s what I’ve been doing just instinctually because it works on my 7’10”.

FishDude wrote: Found that if I'm a little further back than I think I should be, and curl my legs up like a lot of longboarders do, I paddle better.
By the way, I saw you say at one point that curling your legs up like that is a waste of energy. Should I just keep my legs straight back and focus on only using my arms, back, shoulders?

FishDude wrote:Okay, so I take this giant thing out and it paddles like sh&@$! I also have a 5’7” Fish that I bought not really understanding the vast difference in skill it would take to ride. But even that fish I can paddle faster than this Becker board. I’m STUMPED.

Can you clarify if it paddles like poo trying to catch the wave or just in general. How does it paddle paddling back to the line up ? Are you using the bent legs up technique also while paddling back ?

Can you clarify if it paddles like poo trying to catch the wave or just in general. How does it paddle paddling back to the line up ? Are you using the bent legs up technique also while paddling back ?

It paddles like poo into waves as well as back out to the lineup. I am using the bent leg technique when paddling back.

Other factors that may make a difference are this: the fin I have on the board is a 9.5” pivot fin. But due to the construction of the board (I think) the fin box was heated and pinched. So the fin does not sit flush in the box but sticks out about 1/4”

Also, I have the fin all the way in the back of the box, and I was surfing a beach break, that may have affected it as well..... Thoughts?

Let’s cut to the chase, a quick way to identify the problems.

What is the rocker like even with the nose scoop? I wouldn’t expect much if it is a nose rider.
A picture or two of the board and the fins, a 9” +pivot fin?? Hmmmm.
Are you using side bites as well? More fins means more drag especially if you are not positioned for paddling.

I reread you first post so singlefin but I wonder what you are calling a pintail so the picture would help.

If the rocker is not excessive then paddle so the nose is only about 1” out of the water, find the position that gives you glide.
Is the board in good condition, not waterlogged?

About fins a pivot fin is fat and meaty you are meant to step back and deliver weight onto the fin to facilitate turning, then walk forward to press the accelerator.

Other thoughts, if the fin box pinch is not too bad you might be able to sand the fin base side so it fits better.

Got a loved one with a video camera, that would give us a helpful review of you skills too!

Malibu is highly competitive and it can make a lot of early surfers feel like kooks.

What is the rocker like even with the nose scoop? I wouldn’t expect much if it is a nose rider.

There's hardly any rocker at all. Little in the tail.

I reread you first post so singlefin but I wonder what you are calling a pintail so the picture would help.

You're right, it's not a pintail. I had the wrong terminology. It's a round tail. Here's a photo.

Other thoughts, if the fin box pinch is not too bad you might be able to sand the fin base side so it fits better.

Mixed feelings about this. Lot of people on here saying to never sand your fins. Not sure that that would even solve the issue. Check out the photos.

Also, the fin I have is NOT a pivot fin. Yeesh, new terminology sorry. It's a Rake Fin.

Let’s talk about the fin , the board and terminology.
First you are right now, it is a round tail definitely not a pin tail,
The fin is too wide at the base and if you sand on the bit that inserts into the box where it sticks only to get a fit, but as it is should not give you any noticeable issues , so you have the choice, however where you may not have choice is positioning forward in the box if the fin sticks.
Read the fin primer and you will understand how moving the fin forward will make turning easier.

If I go by the one repair I can see and the general colour of the foam you may have a fair amount of waterlogging, so heavier !
Foam als o loses the crisp bouyancy due to age and flattening of the cells but I am inclined to think it is your general lack of acquired skill with a longboard that limits your paddling..

It is all ok though you are a learner, foam soft boards are barges of float and easy catch ability.
Some solutions , show a full picture of the board both side on and full profile,
Move fin around, get another fin with less base length.
Spend some time finding best paddling position on flat water, use that position.

Since you have had a couple of mistakes choosing boards, why not put up pictures of any you might be considering and the crew can advise!
Too many posters buy first and then find out they are not at the stage that suits YET!

Just more information Steve Mangiagli was one of the founders of Becker surfboards at Hermosa Beach, his son Jon now runs the business and they may also be able to give an age of the board
Cheers Jaffa

FishDude wrote: Lot of people on here saying to never sand your fins. Not sure that that would even solve the issue.

At the shop, we usually needed to sand down some of the fiberglass fins. But that is to sand down the side to adjust the width.

Question: Is the issue the fin is wedge shaped ( narrow at the bottom and wider at the top ) or the part of the fin that is in the box is already touching the bottom of the box ?

For what its worth:

Six months ago I put a new fin on my 9'6" and was bummed because it sat out of the box like yours. I noticed 0 difference and have been surfing it like that ever since. It would probably make a bigger difference in bigger surf, but in 2ft Malibu (my specialty) I don't notice any difference.

If you can paddle a 7'10" and a Wavestorm, but struggle with this log, then there's got to be some water in that thing.
If you've tried shifting your weight up and down a few inches and still can't get glide on your paddle out, then it's got to be a foam issue.

Now, if you can get it to glide but are just getting skunked at Malibu, then don't sweat it: I surf there about 100 days a year and have plenty of days where I can't get one from the crowd.

Ha ha, we could all have a Surfing Waves Surfrider meet up sometime. I used to surf a long board at First a lot but don't own it any more, to me it feels like a LB's weight gives it a little inertia at first, but once you get it going you can normally feel the glide...

Maybe you could weight the board? With the dims we might get a sense of what it should weigh. Just get on a scale with and without the board, and do the math.

Have you surfed 2nd yet? You should have a lot of fun there with your fish.

Question: Is the issue the fin is wedge shaped ( narrow at the bottom and wider at the top ) or the part of the fin that is in the box is already touching the bottom of the box ?

I think the fin is wedge shaped because no, it does not touch the bottom of the box. It just seems to stick there and not go any farther.

Six months ago I put a new fin on my 9'6" and was bummed because it sat out of the box like yours. I noticed 0 difference and have been surfing it like that ever since. It would probably make a bigger difference in bigger surf, but in 2ft Malibu (my specialty) I don't notice any difference.

Good to know. I was bummed that this would ruin my ride. I surfed it this weekend and noticed zero difference so I guess it's fine.

Now, if you can get it to glide but are just getting skunked at Malibu, then don't sweat it: I surf there about 100 days a year and have plenty of days where I can't get one from the crowd.

We should go out sometime to First. That's my usual spot now. I hadn't taken this new board to First yet, I was surfing El Porto (on a very weak, longboarding kinda day) and it was garbage. Last weekend surfed it at First and had the best session of my life.

Ha ha, we could all have a Surfing Waves Surfrider meet up sometime. I used to surf a long board at First a lot but don't own it any more, to me it feels like a LB's weight gives it a little inertia at first, but once you get it going you can normally feel the glide...

Maybe you could weight the board? With the dims we might get a sense of what it should weigh. Just get on a scale with and without the board, and do the math.

Have you surfed 2nd yet? You should have a lot of fun there with your fish.

We should all meet up, it would be fun. Private Message me yeah?

The board is def. water logged. But I surfed it at First and it rode like a dream. I guess I just didn't give it enough time really.

Have surfed 2nd on a friends Fish and had fun. I really enjoy the logging though.

Mighty good thread! Mahalo!