Tips please

[Sam Jackson]

Hi everyone my name is Sam and I have just started surfing I am having a few problems 1 with gettin out past the break and 2 with catching the waves I have a 7 foot 3 minimal any tips would be appreciated thanks

[Sam Jackson]

Cheers for the tips

[EastcoastLI]

Be patient. This forum is worldwide, and if you searched some of your questions you would find the answer. Browse surf chat, surfing lessons, etc.

[IB_Surfer]

Sorry, missed this one. For a minimal it's hard to give advice to duckdive, they aren't that easy to. All boards can be ducked, but as a begginer it is one of the harderst things to do.

So, what can you do? First, a board that size will not dive that deeply, so do not look at shortboard pics and vids that show the person way under, it is not the same for a bigger board.

For smaller waves, stick to the longboard technique, the board goes under but you go over. Preety much you do a push up and let the wave go between you and the board.

For bigger waves, you need to speed up to duckdive at all, if not the wave will simply knock you back. Get speed going and as the wave hits sink the nose, then as the wave hits the nose sink the tail using one foot or your knee to try to get the board horizontal so the wave rolls over it. Then at the end pull then nose up and use the boards buoyancy to carry even further away from the wave.

It's not easy, I have a 3" thick fish that I duckdive, not deep, but can still get out in overhead+ surf.