Surfing Waves

I've searched the forum but haven't found an answer to my specific problem. I'm new to longboarding and I've been out on my board about 11 times now. About 2 weeks ago (before I ended up in hospital!) I was trying to noseride. I know it's going to take YEARS to get it.. but this thing has been bugging me (I've had alot of time to think about it lately!)

I was wobbling all over trying to walk up the board and when I did make it to about 1-2 feet from the end the whole board started sinking under the water. I did this several times and every time it just kept sinking, so I'd jump off! What am I doing wrong and are there any good instructional "how to" type video's that take you through it step by step?

It could be a lot of things...

maybe it was the shape of the wave
maybe you were going too slow
maybe you were in the wrong part of the wave

I believe you want to be near the top of the wave or riding up it for good results.
Try making a bottom turn then cross stepping up the board as you are rising up the wave. And try it closer to the curl, not way out on the shoulder.

Just keep trying and you'll figure it out. The fact that you're walking the board is great in itself! When you do feel yourself starting to sink, then take a few steps back instead of jumping off.

Bubbles,

There might be several reasons why you keep sinking when you approach the nose. One of the most common reasons is your board isn't locked in the curl. Here is a link that might be helpful to you.

http://www.noseriding.com/pages/TomWegenertalksWalkingonWater.htm

Good luck,

thanks, I think it probably is to do with my positioning on the wave (i kinda just end up wherever ) and it's gonna take lots of practice!!! Unfortunately I can't surf for a while now but at least that gives me time to read up about it all before I try again.

It's all about the speed of the board on the face of the wave. If you're not going fast enough, the board will stall and you will experience the sinking. Your weight on the front of the board will cause the nose to dive, consequently, you need to maintain the proper speed so that your board will slip down the face of the wave. If you slow down, the nose will dive. I find it best to try nose riding either shortly after take off, or wait until you get inside where the waves get some more juice. What you might try is to keep your weight on the rear leg, and stick your foot out over the nose, keeping the weight on the rear foot. At least this will help you get a better idea of positioning on the board to successfully hang ten. Five is not so tough, ten is where the rubber hits the road.

Hi Thaya,

Sounds like your positioning and technique to me.

The front starting to sink is a "stall" and tells you that the log isn't planing properly in the front and isn't anchored properly in the tail.

Most of the best noseriders use this approach (1) take off, (2) bottom turn, (3) get in the curl, (4) cross step quickly to the nose and get your toes over and finally, (5) cross step back (backpeddle) when it starts to stall and the nose sinks.

Things everyone can do out of the water to improve their noseriding:
1) Study (not watch) DVDs of experts noseriding. Make good use of pause, slow reverse and slow motion funcitons on your remote!
2) Practice cross stepping. Can be on a beam or bit of wood on the ground/floor or just a line on the ground.

Especially someone who can't get in the water for a while

Just my thoughts, as usual.

-doug

Try a balance board for cross stepping - it helped me, in the UK the most common fault is the board is not planing - the thing to remember is speed, speed, speed. Get the board to the top of the wave, trim and cross step to the nose - if you start to stall you are going too slow, so head back to the tail.

Just take 2 weeks or so and say "everytime I go for the next 2 weeks I am going to practice this" and do it on every wave. It might mean you throw some waves away where you fall off, when you could have cruised to the beach, but after 2 weeks you will have improved massively.

Have fun.

My 2p........

On your bottom turn, turn further into the wave than you would if you were just going down the line and then make sure you position the board higher up the face than you perhaps normally would. Keep it trimmed and right in the pocket, otherwise there's nothing breaking over the back of the board to lock it into the face.

If you can't cross step (I can't, although I can do it going back to the tail for some odd reason) then just walk forward - and try a stretch five to start with rather than a 'walk the plank' job (the board tends to hit you if you walk over the nose! )

Or it might just be your board.........

(BTW, I can't nose ride, but the above words of wisdom come from a freind of ours, Lee Ryan, (from his forthcoming e-book - two guesses where that will be available from?? ))