Surfing Waves

So just wondering what it is that you guys see or feel on take off that cues you to go for a bottom turn or to take a high line for speed?

I've been working on both techniques and whilst my turns are really scrappy I think the major problem is how I read the wave I'm kind of deciding to turn before I even take off rather than letting wave lead the decision.

I was out last week having a good session on fairly slow rolling rights and trying to keep a high line and ride as long as possible. There was a really good long boarder out with me and she was taking a really different approach dropping straight into a bottom turn. Made me wonder if she was just that much better that her process is way beyond what I'm trying to do, or was I taking wrong option for how to ride that wave?

I often have an idea what I am going to do prior to popping up but it's rarely taking a high line. I think your choices need to be based on your board and your skills (besides the wave). Basically a good bottom turn is the cornerstone to good surfing. However if you enjoy taking a high line then do that. If she is doing stuff you can't do then she is better than you however if you don't want to do that stuff it really doesn't matter just enjoy your time in the water.

Taking a high line is like poping up turning already so you don't even reach the bottom of the wave before riding the line? I think I've been doing it last time out, guess it's more suitable if the wave is closing fast.

I think it is only more suitable if you aren't good enough at bottom turning or maybe you are just keeping pace to look for a section to launch a bigger maneuver from.

Haha she was def better than me and my bottom turn is still a work in progress!

so I guess my question is at my stage should you ever be thinking about doing anything other than a bottom turn...

OMS I'm having fun but I want to get better hence the questions - appreciate they might not be the right questions / terminology but I've always found that the replies on here have helped a lot...

Eddy9 wrote:so I guess my question is at my stage should you ever be thinking about doing anything other than a bottom turn...

There are two different times I might take a high line, and just to be confusing they're at opposite ends of the wave spectrum.

If the wave is kinda fat, I'll stay up high to keep my speed up as being at the top of the wave means you have a whole load of potential energy ready and waiting to get you over the flat or crumbly sections.

...or...

If the wave is breaking very fast along the line, I'll take off at an angle rather than bottom turn (although I won't necessarily be high on the face) to beat the breaking section.


Anywhere in between, I'll either take it as a bottom turn or on a high line depending on what I feel like, and how early I'm getting into the wave.

And, yes, try out the bottom turn vs. slightly angled + bottom turn vs. angled with no bottom turn

I find when I do not plan ahead on what I want to do on a wave that I surf much better and more freely. I do notice that I tend to take a high line more often because I like to take a a high line, see what's on offer and then drop down to bottom turn and explode into whatever. As you might could tell, I prefer long point breaks. Often when surfing beach breaks there is no time for high-lining so its bottom turning all day or angle take offs at slim offers for barrels. All of this is front side for me as my back side is almost always a bottom turn, which is probably my weakest point in surfing. My back side bottom turn in not a thing of beauty.

I used to surf long ago and quit for almost 12 years. When I restarted I worked at my bottom turn. I worked at other stuff too but only after making a bottom turn. It took me more than a hundred hours of surfing to ge to where it was reasonable and more than a hundred more to get it pretty decent. At this point 4 to 5 years after restarting I think I don't need to work on my bottom turn any more but on the other hand I still do on almost every wave I catch. The better the bottom turn the more options you have on a wave. I will do a quick bottom turn that doesn't quite get all the ways to the flat bottom of the wave but I still consider it a bottom turn and can put a lot of power into it if I desire on waves that are fast and actually this is my default bottom turn because I try to take off where it will be challenging to make it and often there is no way to take a high line or you will end up getting tossed over the falls or smacked by the lip. I have to force myself to go straight down the wave but do that more often than taking a high line.

A Bottom Turn is like a Pass in Volleyball. Good Pass = Good Set = Good Spike. Bad Pass = Awkward Set = Off Spike. A good bottom turn sets up everything else.

Wether to take a deep squared off bottom turn or a quick rail set high line is more determined on the wave, not you. Your skill set and your confidence will determine if you make it or not.

My advise is forget about high lining until you developed a strong base for bottom turns. ( by the way, how is your backside bottom turns ? )