Surfing Waves

it just seems like every time i go surfing i only catch about 2 waves an hour, whilst everyone around me is catching loads.
I mean, its not that i cant catch them its just they seem the wrong shape or im slightly too far out, or someone else is already on it.

Ive been surfing for about 1.5 years ,i can pop up, bottom turn and can do small cutbacks but im still suffering from a lack of waves, especially when its choppy.


Any advice or people saying they know what i mean is helpful


Thanks

paddle, paddle,paddle, then paddle some more.

KS

You need to make sure your in the right position. I try to find a landmark on the beach and use that to gauge my position relative to the peak. If you know the break you just have to be in the right place and waves will come right to you. Good luck,

I had that trouble too when starting out...still have that trouble some days...

Getting mores waves just sort of comes with more experience. Being able to read the ocean/waves and react acordingly.

If you're at a shifty beach break; don't just sit in one place...you're going to have to move around to get your wave count up.

Line yourself up level with the surfers that are getting all the waves, don't sit way out hoping for the odd biger set to come through.

Positioning is the key and board choice for the day helps as well (if you only got one board then this isnt doable )

you need to know where the wave starts breaking, usually where all the wave hogs are hehe, and paddle really hard..goodluck!!

I find it depends on how close I am to the break, and how far I need to paddle to be in the right position.

If I'm in exactly the right spot, 3 strokes and I'm up... I normally sit a bit further back and a bit wider (in case a bigger set comes through) but end up going for the smaller, more frequent, waves. To get them, I start paddling really early, and just make sure I'm gonna be in the right spot as the wave approaches. If I can't get to the right place, I paddle extra extra hard, to get as much speed onto the wave.

Every time I use to go surfng at what was my local(ish) break I would get a wave but since I met my now wife, the surf has simply been taunting me. The weather systems say there'll be surf, the surf cams agree but by the time I hit the water it's all goes Pete-Tong. Even my mates will no longer (unless there is also the promise of beer) go to the coast at the same time as me as they know Lisa will scare all the waves away!
This didn't seem so bad when I lived in Devon but since moving away due to grown-up work stuff, the lack to waves is starting to get to me ........ surf or Lisa ......... Mmmmm?

hyber wrote:it just seems like every time i go surfing i only catch about 2 waves an hour, whilst everyone around me is catching loads.
I mean, its not that i cant catch them its just they seem the wrong shape or im slightly too far out, or someone else is already on it.

Ive been surfing for about 1.5 years ,i can pop up, bottom turn and can do small cutbacks but im still suffering from a lack of waves, especially when its choppy.


Any advice or people saying they know what i mean is helpful


Thanks

I'm guessing what is happening is your sitting out where most of the other folks are but probably the difference is the other (and assuming more experienced) surfers have a better eye for the large set waves and those are the waves they are paddling in on but you are choosing smaller waves and missing them being out too far from shore. Solution: move in about 20 feet closer to shore from where the other surfers are lining up. You might get pummelled by the occasional large set wave but you'll be in a better position to catch the more frequent smaller waves that are catching your eye to paddle in on. Thats just a guess though since I really don't know the situation.

paddle quite alot, even if you probably cant catch it, you just might be suprised. Also, even if the wave isnt perfect for you or your not in the perdect position, go for it anyways!