Surfing Waves

Hey everyone,

I almost always have the problem to do a proper turtle roll if it gets bigger. I have a 9 f longboard so no way to duckdive. I know the best way to do a turtle roll is to avoid the turtle roll. With a longboard, you have to be very anticipatory going over the shoulder, going around. But sometimes it's just not possible. In these moments I often let the board go, I know that is actually a no-go. But if I watch videos explaining the turtle roll it´s always like shoulder high - I m totally fine with that, my technique is not bad I think. But if the waves get bigger I´m not able to hold onto the board, I do that push thing but the force of the waves is just ripping the board off my hands. In these moments I think, ok maybe it´s just too big but I can ride these waves it is nothing that scares me. Some guys said to me, that I should just hold onto my board - but I find that really dangerous if a big wave is about to roll over me crashing on me. The board is just too big and too heavy to hold on to it in such a situation. Have you got any advice for me? I m still a beginner, but a beginner with experience. But I have the feeling that this turtle-roll-bigger-wave-thing is holding me back. Maybe I should spend a lot of time learning to surf smaller boards, guess you can duck dive a smaller funboard. I really envy these shortboard guys, not for their rides but the ease with which they can just go through a wave. It´s so much more like a natural movement, it´s what I did as a child diving under waves.

nervusblue wrote: I do that push thing but the force of the waves is just ripping the board off my hands.

Could you explain what the "push thing" is, since I am not familiar with that technique. If you could explain step by step what actions/movements you are doing before, during and after the turtle roll.

nervusblue wrote: guess you can duck dive a smaller funboard.

How tall and how much do you weigh ? What size fun board ?

I think avoiding having to do a turtle roll is the best thing and at some point everyone ditches their boards however only do so if it is safe to do and try to not make it a habit. Generally speaking I feel much more comfortable having a board between me and the force of the wave and turtle rolling does that. I generally always turtle roll when the lip is going to land on me. I also do them in other situations where in the moment it seems to be the thing to do but mostly I avoid getting into those situations. I can't really hang on to the board when it breaks on me but in other situations even with my weak arthritic hands I can hold on to it when turtle rolling some of the time. It takes time, practice, and awareness of the ocean to do a proper turtle roll or to avoid doing a turtle roll.

Observation and timing are critical when it's bigger. Study the water before going out. Look for a riptide, a channel or a lull in the break. Notice where, when and how other surfers make it outside. Be patient for an opportunity whether going for the first time or after kicking out. When you see it, paddle HARD straight out!

Thanks Guys for talking about your experiences and your suggestions. Much appreciated. Actually, when I know that I have to turtle roll I first try to get speed to have more momentum, then shortly before the wave is breaking I do the turtle roll, underwater I m almost vertical just holding the rails with my hand, which means I don´t try to cling my legs around the board or something like that then I push the surfboard towards the wave (like I would try to stick the board into the wave) - that's actually what I´m trying to do. If the wave is not too big or too powerful it works fine. But if the wave has a lot of power most of the time two things happen, although I really try to hold onto the rails - the wave just rips the board off my hand, sometimes the wave smashes the board towards my head - that is also kind of scary. Actually what I fear most at this moment is my own board.
Anyhow, thanks for your help, an awesome forum. Excuse my English I´m not a native speaker. Cheers David

Forgot to mention, my funboard is 6.6 and 40,7-liter (egg-shaped squash tail rounded nose) but I catch much more waves with my 9-foot longboard. I guess it´s possible to duck dive. But for learning, I should better stick to my longboard and maybe just don´t go out when it´s getting bigger

nervusblue wrote: underwater I m almost vertical just holding the rails with my hand, which means I don´t try to cling my legs around the board or something like that

So looking from the side, does your body and board form a backwards "7" ?

How far up on the nose are you grabbing ?

What are your legs doing as you vertically hold the board ?

waikikikichan wrote:

nervusblue wrote: underwater I m almost vertical just holding the rails with my hand, which means I don´t try to cling my legs around the board or something like that

So looking from the side, does your body and board form a backwards "7" ?

How far up on the nose are you grabbing ?

What are your legs doing as you vertically hold the board ?

Yes that´s how it must look like from the side like a 7 my legs are just hanging there I grab where I would normally do the push up means a little bit behind my shoulder but I try to grab with one hand more forward to the nose so it is easier to get back on the board

So sort of like this example ? ( but you’re holding further more in the center of the board )

That’s why the board is getting ripped out of your hands.

You said you feet are “just hanging there”. So they’re anchored down as the energy of the wave passes over. Everything is relying on the strength of your grip. And with the thick boxy full rail of a long board, it's just that stretched out area between your thumb and finger tips that's holding on.

My turtle roll, aka eskimo roll or eski in Australia was honed and practiced at DeeWhy Point on a 9‘6“ balsa pig board fro the age of twelve on.
My grip was enough to leave indents in the glass, but surprisingly most times I could hold on!

No leash heavy traffic ( no paddle for the shoulder take the white water on the head), board eating rocks, get your act together, minimise your failings
I still have a grip at 72 that can crush rails, find the easy way out , develop your skill Waikikichan‘s shows it, have been flipped over and washed backwards at times over the falls at triple overhead.
Beatings from the waves are part of the experience, muscle up toughen up grow your skills.
Mother nature can still overpower you!

Thank you guys for your advice, never thought so much about my positioning of hands - that seems to me like a piece of valuable advice I will try that next time - and I will work at my grip. I know that beating up by the waves is part of the experience- my biggest concern is just to get hit by my own board or - worse - hit somebody else. But I know I have to overcome that fear. Because fear causes hesitation and hesitation makes your fears come true. Planing to go to Costa Rica soon - large beach breaks there so enough room to practice - it´s always a little bit trickier if you surf a point break as a beginner, people are gathering most of the time at the same place ;=). Another thing I learned is, don´t try to make to bigger steps. But anyhow, thanks a lot for taking your time anwser my questions!

1) where is the area you grab more thick, at the place behind your shoulders or further up to the nose.

2) You’re worried about the deck smashing you in the face, so how do you mitigate the momentum/acceleration of the board after the wave impacts it.

3) What is more stable, 2 points of contact or 3 ?

4) Image yourself as a Spartan warrior. When you brace for impact with your shield, do you hold out your arms straight or bring it in tight and use your shoulder and forearm for support ?

waikikikichan wrote:1) where is the area you grab more thick, at the place behind your shoulders or further up to the nose.

2) You’re worried about the deck smashing you in the face, so how do you mitigate the momentum/acceleration of the board after the wave impacts it.

3) What is more stable, 2 points of contact or 3 ?

4) Image yourself as a Spartan warrior. When you brace for impact with your shield, do you hold out your arms straight or bring it in tight and use your shoulder and forearm for support ?

ok if I understand you correctly I should hold the board closer to my head/shoulder this is what I get from your Spartan warrior comparison because in this scenario I would definitely bring my arms in tight and use my shoulder and forearm as support, that what my instinct is telling me. Actually, the only reason I don´t do that during my turtle roll is that somebody told me so. But in a case of a surfboard, I can´t use my forearm for protection because I have to grip the rails of the board, which means I have to use my head as point 3 so that the wave at least can´t hit me with my own board at the head, right?

You may not be able to put your forearm on the board ( however, I do ), but you can tuck your elbows down to the sides/chest to help absorb/brace against impact.

So now that you pulled the deck to your forehead, what are you legs doing ? Still dangling ?

Was out the other day….just overhead, normal bali day….one of the beach boyz was knee paddling as was caught inside…..he took the foamie he was using up the face then turtles from his knees just under the breaking lip……thing of beauty. Was a “had to” situation fir him since he wasn’t using a leash.