Surfing Waves

Hey guys,

Since this a surfing forum and there must be quite a lot of people who already 'master' surfing on this forum, I hope there are some of you who could help me. In the video which I've posted down here I'm surfing with my bro (zandvoortsurfertje) in Biarritz, and as I've written somewhere else in this forum, we aren't really pro's... Now I was hoping that you could either post a reply to this topic or post something on YouTube in which you say something about our surfing skills. I'm actually hoping for some tips which could help us to improve our surfing skills.
I must say that we've got some trouble with the turning, I mean that we only go straight forward (of course we succeed to turn quite often, but it isn't that easy for us) but as I look at other surfing videos, everybody makes a turn so that they don't surf to the beach, but along the wave, if you know what I mean...

BTW: I called it Biarritz surfing accident, because I crashed into another guy, because I turned too late (you can see me starting to turning)

Please have a look at my video (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQPgeDw5eZA ) and help us to improve our skills!!!!

We're thanking u in advance

Looks like you dropped in on that guy, so you were clearly in the wrong. Look left and right before you pop up on a wave and make sure no one else is already riding it.

HI Dutch guys let's go to a few basics that may help you.

You are at the wobbly beginner stage, no more than that (by the way that is not a put down, but a reality)
It would be better if both of you picked a wave spot a little less crowded but that may not have been possible!

In the video and the other one on youtube you were in the wrong . Basic drop in rule is the guy closest to the curl and first to their feet usually has right of way and whether or not you could have turned faster you would still be wrong!
There are people who abuse the closest to the curl as a right of snake but you are not at the level where you need to compete at that level.
Since you can't turn well or go across the face yet, your spot should be where you can learn this without being in traffic, you are a bit like trying to drive a Volkswagen onto a formula one track and that is no fun for anybody concerned. This is a common mistake but since you were brave enough to put your video up you are facing facts

I do not think you are Kooks as you are asking questions and working to learn the rules.
Something a lot of learners do is go where other surfers are, sort of OK for safety in numbers but are they more highly skilled on that spot?
All surfers should work at their own level and then push it slightly in the beginnings
Being good at snowboarding, skateboarding, wake boarding, etc does not mean or qualify anyone to be more than a beginner at surfing.
As to the video more practice , more practice , surf more and more and your skills will improve!

There is also quite a good section on rules of surfing on this site have a read

I just viewed the video again. Beginners find it easier and faster in paddling if they keep their legs together and on the board as they are not paddling against the drag of their feet and legs. Kicking to paddle onto a wave doesn't help much either.
Nice conditions to learn in pity about the traffic, another basically wrong drop in was between the two guys on longer boards, the long haired guy who pulled off the wave was in the wrong.

Just have fun get your skills up

To both of you who posted a reply: thank u very mutch for giving us (a number of) tips!!!

@jaffa1949

It would be better if both of you picked a wave spot a little less crowded but that may not have been possible!

Well, as the name of the subject says, it's Biarritz. I don't think the sea of Biarritz hasn't got any surfers in it very often, so it wasn't easy to pick a spot where less surfers were. (Because we were in France already, we went to Mimizan (over there it isn't crowded at all, but the spot is good) In Mimizan we took some surfing lessons (our teacher said that our age (my age=14) is a very good age to learn surfing, and especially to learn the turning thing ) and now the turning isn't that difficult anymore. But I thought it would be handy to ask some people over here )

In the video and the other one on youtube you were in the wrong . Basic drop in rule is the guy closest to the curl and first to their feet usually has right of way and whether or not you could have turned faster you would still be wrong!

I know, thanx. The surfing teacher in Mimizan has told me the same after I showed him the video.

Since you can't turn well or go across the face yet, your spot should be where you can learn this without being in traffic, you are a bit like trying to drive a Volkswagen onto a formula one track and that is no fun for anybody concerned. This is a common mistake but since you were brave enough to put your video up you are facing facts

Something a lot of learners do is go where other surfers are, sort of OK for safety in numbers but are they more highly skilled on that spot?

Our father has been to Biarritz a few times before we went, and he said it was a great spot to learn the turning thing. He also said that there were a lot of surfers which are, as you said, more highly skilled. So we went to Biarritz, but as you mentioned before it was very crowded, and we decided to go to Mimizan (one of our surfing friends recommended that spot)

Beginners find it easier and faster in paddling if they keep their legs together and on the board as they are not paddling against the drag of their feet and legs.

Just to make sure: do you think it is better if we would keep our legs a bit apart from each other, and put our feet in the air?

Just have fun get your skills up

Thanks, you too! I'll sure do that!!!

Wave4Surf wrote:To both of you who posted a reply: thank u very mutch for giving us (a number of) tips!!!

Beginners find it easier and faster in paddling if they keep their legs together and on the board as they are not paddling against the drag of their feet and legs.

Just to make sure: do you think it is better if we would keep our legs a bit apart from each other, and put our feet in the air?
Thanks, you too! I'll sure do that!!!

About the feet thing keep them together and on the board if possible.. why? Beyond the center line of they board up or out to the side they act like a pendulum and swing you off balance.
Beginners often look like a calf on ice, legs all akimbo and one side catching and then the other, having your legs together and on the board feels a little counter intuitive at first, as every bump makes you want to use a leg as an outrigger.

here is a little fun thought too, most good surfers will if there is a crowd will often go to a wave slightly less quality if the crowd factor there is less.

You and your brother are young, get out in the surf as often as possible, ride as many different boards as possible Have lots of fun. Good Attitude guys

Eish, he looked like he hit quite hard in that accident but unfortunately it was your fault. Though you did have a better position on the face, he was closer to the break, even though it was just going to close out on him most likely. He also got to his feet first.

You guys seem to be trying to stand a bit too early (you aren't full in the wave's "grasp") so you end up doing a kinda "step-by-step" get up i.e. get to one knee, get onto other knee and then get up, which also kills a lot of your momentum which there is a also less of since you're trying to get a up a bit too early. So i rate practice that jump straight to your feet motion at home (it will also come with just going out there and getting stronger etc) and also paddle a bit deeper and harder and only get up once you're 100% you're on the wave.

PredationSA wrote:You guys seem to be trying to stand a bit too early (you aren't full in the wave's "grasp") so you end up doing a kinda "step-by-step" get up i.e. get to one knee, get onto other knee and then get up, which also kills a lot of your momentum which there is a also less of since you're trying to get a up a bit too early. So i rate practice that jump straight to your feet motion at home (it will also come with just going out there and getting stronger etc) and also paddle a bit deeper and harder and only get up once you're 100% you're on the wave.

I think these are one of the best tips, cause our surfing teacher over there in Mimizan told us the same, you guys say it and our father says it as well

jaffa1949 wrote:You and your brother are young, get out in the surf as often as possible, ride as many different boards as possible Have lots of fun.

About those boards... I've got a 5'10'' Fish from the brand 'Bic' (http://www.bicsportsurfboards.com/products/acs,3,61.html first one) and I began with 5'6'' G-Board KID Twin Fin. I was thinking about trying out a NSP surfboard, but the people I ask about those boards have very different opinions about them... Maybe you guys know a board (brand) which could be O.K. for me???

Please do yourselves a favor go a little longer so you can paddle easily and learn the basics it doesn't have to be a full on longboard, but a little more flotation and a good shape.
My advice is always start a little longer with good flotation and shape and work o shorter as you getbetter and can handle better waves.
If you are bogging down in paddling or on the wave then a little more volume either in length or thickness in the board is necessary.
KS can ride a wafer thin board because he is KS almost everybody else except the pros and really good surfers are average at best and IMO lose out so much trying to surf boards that are too short.

But swap and share with your friends who surf and form your own opinion on this.
On the other hand find a board you really like and ride it as often and in as varied conditions to get it wired and understand what works and what doesn't.
You are at the beginning of a long and great journey.

Since you are looking at NSP boards, there are some quite good boards in the whole global surf industries catalogue, the 7S series is done by a shaper I know and recommend a 6' 3" might do the trick!
I know they are made in Thailand do you have or need a local shaper in Holland at this stage?

Hey Jaffa1949

Actually we don't have any local shapers in Holland which are very good but at this stage I don't think we need a dutch shaper for ourselves.
Btw the last days I've seen and touched a lot of 7S boards made in Thailand and they look very good although they are made in Thailand.
Actually about "our friends" we don't have any close friends from our friend circle who surf, because we surf in the west of the Netherlands but we live in the east, so we are about the only guys who really want to go from east to west about every weekend xD.
About this board thing: you don't think bic is very good for us??

Thanks for your advice

bro of wave4surf, zandvoortsurfertje

IMO Bic make good pens but I don't think their boards are much more than float anybody barges one thing to their credit they are very strong. But all that is a personal opinion. I know the 7S shapes and the shaper personally as he used to shape my boards when I lived near him. I weigh 100Kg but his designs allow me to go shorter than I would and still highly functional as a board. I think they are a good platform at a good price for a beginner.
They have a weight listing on the Global Surf Industry website, have a look at the other shapes too.
NSP is a GSI board as well compare the speicifications. Might help.

I'm going for a board which could help me well with the steering thing...

Wave4Surf,
I enjoyed watching the surfing video. It was fun to see some regular guys out enjoying the water as compared to shredding surfers.

About the accident: don't do that!
billie

About the accident: don't do that!

I didn't really plan to do so...

Just as an FYI since I saw the 7S name drop. I own a 7' 3" superfishXL and a 6' 7" WMD and am around 195 lbs. I love both boards to death. That being said, my buddy let me try this stupidly short 5' 9" board he'd just had repaired by Dave Johnson and I was shredding everything on it. Before that, the shortest board I've ever ridden was the 6' 7" WMD. If your choices are between 7S and BIC I'd do 7S every time.

28-30 combined sessions between the two boards and I have about 2 dings that could use some minor work. About 2 years and 90 lbs. ago I snapped an 8' Al Merrick gun so YMMV.

@madcat

OK, thanx...
I prefer fish boards as well