Surfing Waves

Hi all I'm new to site and have only been surfing about a year. Have been getting pretty comfortable in moderate sized swell. But to many times lately I've been sucked over the falls of waves I thought I would clear. It happens when paddling up say 5-6 ft waves which are just starting to curl on top. Usually pushing only the nose of my board (7" 6) into the face of the wave, then following with the body, brings me nicely out the back. But maybe 4 times in the last 2 months I've got caught in the lip and experienced that sickening feeling as I realise I'm going over the falls backwards. The last time hurt Thinking its either timing-I'm not committing to a full on duck dive early enough, or technique-instead of just pushing the nose under, should I sink the board more. But this seems like it would leave the board at a bad angle in the wave????

Hello Hoody,
I would say start your duck dive earlier and yes sink the board to help get under the wave. If you start your duck dive to late it is much easier to get sucked over the falls. Also try to paddle at the on coming wave with some momentum to help you get through the wave. You don't want the lip to grab you, you want to get under the lip so starting your duck dive earlier should solve your problem.

Possibly time for a shorter 'board ?

Hi ya Tony and Esonscar. To be honest whilst catching waves is the ultimate, I get a big kick out of feeling comfortable and competent, getting out, and being out in moderate swells. Popping out the back of a wall of water and paddling away cool as, is pretty satisfying. Screwing up is pretty humiliating, so thanks for advice.
Regarding another board Esonscar definitely thinking its time to scratch some bucks together and go about a foot shorter. Still want something that paddles OK so I don't have to always be deep in the pocket to get on waves. But yeah am using a lot of energy to sink the 7"6 board. I'm weigh about 73 kg and 5"9 high so what do you reckon about a 6"6 board ???

I would try a few different boards out before buying so you can make a good decision. Some surf shops have demo boards.

Yep true and it reminds me that theres a guy making a living out of shaping boards up the coast at Cabarita. He offered to come out for a surf with me and give advice on what might suit. I suppose it costs him nothing more than a half hour in the surf with a gumby and probably guarantees a sale but still sounds like good service and fun to me. His boards were comparable in price to the big companies as well.
Cheers

Hoody with that sort of service and supporting a local shaper, if his boards are good ones then you will win all round. DO IT

Yep agree Jaffa. Always feels good to look after the local guy or gal.
Cheers mate

Yeah, Jaffa's observation is spot on here, but always keep in mind the waves you want to be able to duck dive . . . so be affirmative that that is the board you now need (keeping your current board into the bargain too of course).

Oh yeah, let S-W know how you get on - we really will help you y'know

Yep thanks esonscar.
Before I look further wanted to do some net surfing. Read a lot of different theories out there on short v midsize boards last night. Left me pretty much confused. That a short board will duck dive better and have twitchier handling, I get. But what confused me was the number of guys who swear that their sinky short board paddles better than larger higher volume boards. Bloody hard to believe unless the high volume boards discussed were also high density I wouldve thought.
Can you add anything. Is there some weird fluid dynamics at play ????

Hoody wrote:Yep thanks esonscar.
Before I look further wanted to do some net surfing. Read a lot of different theories out there on short v midsize boards last night. Left me pretty much confused. That a short board will duck dive better and have twitchier handling, I get. But what confused me was the number of guys who swear that their sinky short board paddles better than larger higher volume boards. Bloody hard to believe unless the high volume boards discussed were also high density I wouldve thought.
Can you add anything. Is there some weird fluid dynamics at play ????

Nah, no shortboard paddles well compared to a 7'6", however a strong paddler can get a shortboard up to a good speed because the surfboard moves slightly closer towards planing speed so sits higher in the water. If you want to see what I mean, look up "cat running on water" on youtube, it is that but to a lesser extent.

Things that help paddling: length, volume, flatter rocker and to a lesser extent, width.

All makes good sense Ricky. Well the cat is just a freak but the board talk rings true with what I would expect.
Cheers
Pete

Hoody wrote: the number of guys who swear that their sinky short board paddles better than larger higher volume boards.

As rickyroughneck said, the shortboard will never paddle as easy as your 7'6, but what these guys may have been referring to is that some wide fat boards (fishes and the like) can be surprisingly hard to paddle because they end up pushing a lot of water in front of them due to the wide nose, so a pointier board with a little less volume can feel like it paddles easier.

Hoody since you are planning to ply tropical waters I'd really be looking at aboard that fits you Ina's many departments as possible and you feel comfortable surfing get it before you go to Vanimo so you can get used to it! Breaking in anew board over coral reefs is not for the faint hearted. Both you and it may come to grief!

Gee it sounds like I'm a pessimist, but a good relationship between board and surfer needs to be opened gently!


Enjoy

Okay so all the above considered . . . me being me - It is possible to catch any wave on any board. If you can catch a wave on board A then you will (after a few minutes / hours of familiarisation) be able to catch that wave on board B through to Z. How those boards handle and what you can do with them is up to you as the surfer. This is why world champs are the best and why you look a kook on their very same model of 'board.

In my day I could sit in the line-up with the longboarders, sunk to over nipple deep on my shortboard and beat them to any and all waves that came through. I had to pump like a mofo but I never lost a wave I wanted.

Consider all advice given, go with what you learn and let us know how you enjoyed

(Or ask for some more advice / opinions here!)

Thanks guys. Will heed all advice. But gotta say I am a little disappointed in you all. If we go to the top of the thread I was looking for some advice on duck diving, and not one of you pointed me towards page 82 of "Surfer Babe of the Day". Probably would've solved all my problems. Those 3 surfers have exemplary form which should be followed very closely

Cheers

You could get caught in their lips, be prepared for an emotional wipeout.

Can't work out how to imbed an image in the post but this link takes you to what I'm talkin about. Add another 3 ft to this wave and theres no way she's gonna make it.