Surfing Waves

Right, before I start, I don't mean to be mean, but I'm looking for a fairly advanced answer here. I know how to pop up.

When I'm out on my big board (a 6'10 x 21 x 2 3/4 - fatboy shortboard, not a gun or a learner board) which I use either on very small days for the extra volume or on big clean days when I want to get into the wave early, I've noticed a thing... yes, that's right... a thing.

I catch the wave, still a nice green face, pop up with no dramas, but then as I hit the board, I've noticed a slight bounce of the board, which stalls it ever so slightly and means theres a split second where it won't engage the rail or the fins. It makes the difference between getting onto the wall and ending up too low on the wave. This doesn't happen on my shorter or skinnier boards.

I'm aware that I tend to surf very centred on the board sometimes, so I think the volume is enough that when I hit the board it resists sinking and engaging the fins. Or, possibly, the board doesn't sink like I'm used to when I pop up, so I end up going too high over the board?

So you guys that ride bigger shortboards (at least sometimes - IB surfer?), or even longboards (Jaffa? ), where do you reckon the problem is. And what to do about it?


If one person says 'you should be closer to the front of the board', 'paddle harder', or 'practise your pop ups on the living room floor', I may well scream

I've noticed that I do a little shimmy either with my hands still on the board in pop up or a slight hip wiggling rock the rail into the wave face shimmy.
It is very subtle, any big movement equals instant wipeout.
The other way is I accentuate the stall and engage a minute turn down the face with a secondary turn hard into the directional turn I want.. This is on a 9'1" 22x3.
Once engaged i move forward.
Board is a rounded pin, I would also suggest the rail lines could be compromising the tail engagement.
Are the fins equal to the task in the first instant?

jaffa1949 wrote:...I would also suggest the rail lines could be compromising the tail engagement.
Are the fins equal to the task in the first instant?

Much as I'd like to blame the rails and the fins, I think it's completely my fault

The "bounce" is at the moment I land on the board, before the fins/rails would have a chance to engage, but then the (very short) time that the board is unweighted means I'm basically in freefall before re-engaging with the board/wave.

I played on some very small waves last night and I think I've worked it out - I think I'm landing quite rigid (in the correct position - I don't mean standing up or anything), and whereas a shortboard would sink a little and dampen the impact, the bigger board just rebounds off the water leaving me half an inch above the board.

I was getting round it last night by going a bit lower (almost a rail grab) and hence having a bit more flex in the knees. Need to try it on real waves now rather than ankle slappers.

My next question then would be; which of your pop up feet hits the board first?
Or do you sort of do an elevated pop up where you jump up strongly enough that there is a nano second of you being completely in the air ( that would explain the bounce out of the board).
I hate to say it but a Go Pro POV view might give you the clue!

Did you have this problem before you went north?

jaffa1949 wrote:Or do you sort of do an elevated pop up where you jump up strongly enough that there is a nano second of you being completely in the air ( that would explain the bounce out of the board).

Did you have this problem before you went north?

Yup, on a bigger board that doesn't sink as much as a skinny shortboard, I do go completely airborne, so I think I need to get a little less excitable on my pop up, and then use my knees to dampen the impact.

I think I notice it more up here on the Gold Coast because of the slower entry waves (at least at the alley) compared to the 'bra. On the maroubra beachie, the take-off is steep enough that the board is plummeting downwards (no bounce), but on the slower entry waves up here, there's enough water under the board to bounce off.

I think you just answered your own question? I think for the sake of all concerned we do what you did and edit out any thought of Go Pro POV footage

Just adapt to the mellower aspects of the alley!

Have fun FIXED!!!

jaffa1949 wrote:Have fun FIXED!!!

It being the weekend and a wee bit crowded, I went out on the beachie rather than the point yesterday. Still small waves, but a lot steeper... No bounce.

Fixed
...or, at least, now I know what I need to adapt

The answer is always better when your own body and experience figure it out.
The body and its ability to adapt is unsurpassed.
Show me any computer that can pick up random stones on the seashore calculate wind, direction and velocity to throw each stone with almost similar accuracy.
Give it a little time and the bounce will be adjusted out.

and paddle harder!

Is this board a thruster? I noticed that the quad set up on my board has a much higher side slip rate, so I can end up at the bottom faster than I would like, which is completely resolved by going to 3 fins on the same board...
Maybe not the answer to your question, but something that I've identified with a similar outcome to what you describe (but without the bounce)