help! duck dive/turtle roll bigger wave danger!

[elduderino]

hello all,
im at a stage where i’m surfing comfortably waves i THINK are around 6-7ft.
my problem is paddling back out, getting caught inside or when a wave is breaking and i just can’t make it over the peak..
i surf a 7,4 funboard and i can’t duck dive with it, but i must admit i don’t know how to duck dive in general i usually turtle roll when in smaller waves or white water and can usually hold on to my board.
but there when it’s bigger that 4ft i the board get dragged away (not purposely bailing) from me and i’m causing danger to anyone behind me. ive been lucky not to hit people a few times and it’s starting to put me off going out when it’s bigger now or if there is crowds.

so i suppose my question is what is the best way for me to safely get through breaking waves with this board? is it possible to duck dive that size board? what do long boarders do in that situation?
is there a safe way to bail the board and hold on to the leash close to the tail?
am i doing turtle roll wrong in bigger heavier waves? or do i just have to be more careful not to get caught inside and paddle out wider?

please help i’m not a careless person and the last thing i want to do is hurt anyone but it’s frustrating, i just want to enjoy my surf in waves i’m confident to handle!
thanks in advance for any advice

[oldmansurfer]

If you paddle inside of everyone you can be sure when you lose your board it won’t hit anyone

[waikikikichan]

so i suppose my question is what is the best way for me to safely get through breaking waves with this board? is it possible to duck dive that size board? what do long boarders do in that situation?
is there a safe way to bail the board and hold on to the leash close to the tail?
am i doing turtle roll wrong in bigger heavier waves? or do i just have to be more careful not to get caught inside and paddle out wider?

"Is it possible to duck dive that size board?" Most likely NO. ( what are other surfer at your break doing with their mid-length boards in bigger conditions ? )
"What do long boarders do in that situation?" We turtle roll.
"is there a safe way to bail the board and hold on to the leash close to the tail? " Yes, even some pros have to sometimes. Make sure you don't get a finger caught in the leash rope.
"Am i doing turtle roll wrong in bigger heavier waves?" I don't know, can you tell us HOW you are turtle rolling ? What are you doing step by step ?

[oldmansurfer]

To safely bail your board try to make sure no one is inside of you. If you haven't gotten on the board pull the leash to you and grab the leash slightly away from the tail enough away that your fingers don't get pinched if the board flails which it shouldn't because then you going to dive down and pull the tail of the board down so that the nose is sticking up and the the top of the board is facing out to sea. If you can get the tail below the whitewater coming in then the wave will pass over the board and not pull much. Another method I do is if I am paddling I will slip off the board and dive down and forward so that I am pulling the tail down under the water with me. Both of these methods will scare anyone inside of you even when you control the board to a great degree so try not to do them when others are inside of you. And as with any of the methods of going through waves make sure you aren't where the lip is coming down

[BoMan]

I ride a 9' longboard and can usually get out by timing my entry into the water between sets when the waves are smaller, starting my session at low tide when the shore dump is less severe and jumping on rip currents. It is well worth it before paddling out to spend a few minutes on the beach watching the water patterns and how other surfers get through the impact zone. When an opportunity arrives paddle as hard as you can to get outside before the bigger waves break.