Surfing Waves

Went surfing today and it was decent form 3-4 feet, but it was comming one after the next nonstop! I have my 7"4 board trying to get past it and I just can't do it. If I paddle I have to immediately get off to jump over the wave/ turtle roll right when it curls on me. Since I have to get off my board I don't have speed to get past the white water, I try going over, letting white water go between myself and board, try just paddling as hard as I can, but I always move backward, the surf was relentless and didn't give up.

Yet I see this guy right next to me on a foamboard get past the break on his first try and doesn't bat a eye and makes it look like the easiest thing in the world. HOW DOES HE DO THAT???

And this is all happening in chest deep water, so I try to walk out as far as possible so I can then use my saved energy paddling all out. But I can never get past it until surf dies down a small bit.

If it's short period wind swell, and of decent size, it can be a little challenging. Since it sounds like you can't duck dive your board, you have to employ some of the same strategies a longboarder does.

The first step is observation. Even in short period swell, there is usually some kind of lull you can take advantage of. Watch the waves for a while before you step into the water. Even on a beach break with no jetty or obvious rip, there's probably a spot where there's an outflow or at least some deeper water, and chances are the waves won't be breaking quite so relentlessly there. You can take advantage of that as a place to paddle out.

When you anticipate a lull (based on your observation of the conditions), paddle like you mean it. A big part of making it outside on a bigger board is strategy and timing. Try to avoid getting off the board as much as possible. If the incoming whitewater isn't huge, try and push up off your board and let it pass between you and your board, then immediately get back to paddling. If you have to turtle, waste as little time as possible getting back up onto the board and paddling. And if you truly time it badly and are getting pounded, there's no shame in just riding the whitewater back to shore, catching your breath, and picking a different spot to paddle out.

Lastly, there are some days where the combination of conditions, your experience level, and the board you're riding mean you simply shouldn't be out. I look at it this way - if the ocean spits me back out a few times, there's probably a good reason

It's the board and the conditions. With a bigger board your timing, paddle and consitency are crucial.

First, look at the waves and try to find your "channel" out. When I longboard I look at the break and look to see where it breaks the easiest and less walled so that when I try to get out I go in between peaks. Also, learn to duckdvie better, remember with a big board it's not as much about going deep but just getting under, the wave will still hit you but not as hard as not duckdiving.

Thanks guys, will try to be smarter next time Im out and look for the openings.