Grabbing the rail on small days?

[drowningbitbybit]

So, this morning Im out at Maroubra, before work. Perfect for a relaxed dawnie - small and glassy clean. As its small I take the hybrid fish out.
As usual at Maroubra, the wave comes out of nowhere and jacks up to a vertical drop, even though its small (2-3ft tops. Albeit an aussie maroubra 2-3ft).

So on a couple of these drops, Im grabbing the rail to hold the fishy board on the face. So is this lame, or a dramatic and dynamic use of the waves available?

Oh, I made the drop 2 out of 3 times.

[tomcat360]

Is it a retro fish and you are doing it on big s-turns or are you just doing it down the line?

[twerked]

does it really matter? i grab rail sometimes on small days, usually though when i know it's closing out, so i can just kind of lean back and fall backwards through the wave, bringing the board with me

[drowningbitbybit]

Is it a retro fish and you are doing it on big s-turns or are you just doing it down the line?

No, its a modern fish, and its just to stay on the face!

[drowningbitbybit]

does it really matter?

Of course not, but its a slow day at work.

[twerked]

^haha..i meant it as, who cares what it makes you look like, be it competent, incompetent, desperate, or kook...who cares. not as in your question doesn't matter. you're at least up and standing, rather than on a sponge. haha. grab rail every wave no matter what one day just for the fun of it. that's the idea of surfing, right?

[O_Danny_Boy]

i think its a bad habit to get into, found myself doing it once or twice and then i was doing it everytime i was on my backhand, plus it kills speed a little bit when doing it on smaller days

perfectly acceptable on larger days when your clinging on for dare life

[Milo]

I do sometimes, depends if i`m about to come off. On small waves i just like to play and do different things.

[esonscar]

I just go where my balance takes me !

[Sillysausage]

can' say about a fish but wouldn't do it on a shortboard on small days.

[Broosta]

So if you mean you grab the rail just for the drop (on your backhand) then let go and ride the rest of the wave normally, then thats cool I reckon. Bit lame otherwise tho, unless its a big frontside grab rail, full rail top turn carve which are awesome .

[drowningbitbybit]

So if you mean you grab the rail just for the drop (on your backhand) then let go and ride the rest of the wave normally, then thats cool I reckon.

Phew! Someone thinks that its not completely lame!

Yeah, it was jacking up to a vertical face and partially closing out, and the only way I could make the drop stick was to grab a rail on my backhand. I was quite happy with the move, but I was laughing at myself as I was pulling this "big" turn onto the face on a fishy board, on a very small wave for maroubra.

[isaluteyou]

when taking off on big steep waves on your backhand its sometimes very needed to grab your rail and pig dog it for a little. IN small surf its fun to grab rail and pull into the face for a whitewater covrup or even a tube if you lucky. I only ever grab rail on my backhand drops unless its a frontside tube or something

And in answer to your questions about coolness or gives a toot

[garbarrage]

bit out of my depth on this one but... struggled for ages to turn backhand and mates suggested grabbing a rail.. found it quite difficult so stopped doing it... spent a long time saying "f*** lefts, i'm going right" even on lefts much to everyone elses amusement. lol

i've since got it down that it doesn't really matter which way the wave's going (i'm now equally crap at both)... but never grab a rail (only just starting to top turn... pretty much trimming or riding the line whatever the rest of the time.)

anyone care to clarify - why this is done? the correct way (if there is one) to do this? body posture, shape etc... and what not to do?

not sure if it'll make any difference to me yet but can't hurt to know.

didn't vote as there wasn't an option for "whatever works for ya"... forget coolness (easier to do here than maroubra, but there you go)

[miamisurfer]

i can never grab my rail. i just don't feel comfortable doing it on the drop and when i pigdog it gets really sketchy in solid waves. the only way i can get barreled on a left is no hands

[cityslickr]

soooooooooooooooo lame