Surfing Waves

I got a 7'3" Superfish XL for my step-down board (normally ride a 9'2 single fin longboard). I love surfing this board and the transition was easy. I have one problem though: It is tough to get through the impact zone. The board is epoxy, 22" wide and 3" thick and I am 6'2 and 163lbs (75 kg). When I turtle roll it the board tends to get yanked out of my hands and when I duck dive it I tend to get blown back and worn out very quickly (especially if I have to dive it more than once on a paddle out). So, generally speaking, should I be duck-diving or turtle-rolling a board of this size? And depending on that answer, are there any tips or tricks to improve my technique in this regard? Ultimately, should I be looking to step down even farther to a more standard fish size (say 6'0) to solve this problem? I love the paddle/hull speed of the 7'3 and it's extra length seems to suit my local break (Northeast US- which is often weaker and/or mushier waves) but once it gets over stomach high it becomes real tiring to get to the outside (even if I love it once I do). I know those retro boards of the seventies we're longer and thicker too, but I can't find anything on how guys paddled them out...

Thanks,
Brian

I would duck dive that board, but you must do what works best for you. You may be able to duck dive deeper by working on your technique. If after practicing you still have trouble you must decide which way works best for you. Yes moving down in size and volume will make it much easier to duck dive.
Good luck!

I had a similar problem to yours. I live on the east coast (NC) and have a 6'4 Fish in epoxy. The board is great for those small days, but when it got bigger I had a hard time paddling out. I couldn't duckdive that thing at all. You may be able to duckdive it with a lot of practice. One tip I heard was that you can sink one rail of the board first, then the other. I ended up getting a new board, one that is still built for smaller waves, but one that I can duckdive. 5'6, 19 1/2, 2 1/4. I figure that I'm not going to need the wave catching power when it's over waist high, but I will need to duckdive it. Hope this helps.

davidmg1212 wrote:I had a similar problem to yours. I live on the east coast (NC) and have a 6'4 Fish in epoxy. The board is great for those small days, but when it got bigger I had a hard time paddling out. I couldn't duckdive that thing at all. You may be able to duckdive it with a lot of practice. One tip I heard was that you can sink one rail of the board first, then the other. I ended up getting a new board, one that is still built for smaller waves, but one that I can duckdive. 5'6, 19 1/2, 2 1/4. I figure that I'm not going to need the wave catching power when it's over waist high, but I will need to duckdive it. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the reply David! A couple of questions, though- What is your height/weight? What 5'6 board did you get and is it also an epoxy? How does it ride compared to the 6'4 fish?

Thanks Again,
Brian

I have a 7'4" custom board that is very similar to the 7'3" Fish you are talking about and I really cannot duck dive it either. I am bit over 6 foot and 230 lbs and pretty lean for an old man (42 - used to play football) and I can only duck dive my board on small days say 2-3 Hawaiian. Anything bigger than 3 feet or about head high I cannot get the board deep enough. I know many people say its all technique but with a board that big you need some ummphh to get it under, regardless of technique. So basically I am with you, I am able to get the board far enough under on 2-3 foot days and anything bigger I can get under the major beating but still end up in the wash and struggling to hold on and get under the wave enough. Sometimes I can get enough under that I can avoid a thrashing but its all in the timing for me. My goal is to get my weight down under 200 then I am buying me a new board that I can duck dive with ease. As it is, I think we both just have too much volume in these boards to get too deep.

You duckdive it, but not as glamourously as you see on surf videos.

I have a 3" thick fish, it floats like a cork. When I duckdive it doesn't go that deep, but enough to keep me from being dragged back too far, and much better than turtle rolling. I still get worked by really big surf (when I surf it in big surf, I usually don't but do so sometimes) but find it better that turtle rolling or worse, bailing the board.

Rolling under doesn't work with lightweight boards especially short ones.