Surfing Waves

When is the proper time to start paddling to catch a wave? Last summer I was way ahead of the wave, and so when I started paddling and stood up, the wave was breaking and I ate it. It was not a fun experience, even though it was a small wave. Scared me to death! How far ahead do you need to be in front of the wave? I took a lesson, yet the instructors were the ones who told me to go, so I didn't really have that knowledge. Thanks!

You want to catch it as early as you possibly can. So paddle further out and try to catch one earlier. If you miss it, move in a little for the next one and repeat. There's no specific distance, experience will tell you where you need to be.

I like this as a desciption:

Learning the right place to lineup and when to be where to paddle is an ongoing process that will change with time and skills and boards and waves.

Here's a tip, before rushing to the water all happy and jumping and paddling in, take 10 minutes, see where the waves are breaking, where are the biggest/smallest ones, where are the other surfers lining up and when are they paddling, try to replicate what they do, it works.
I've had pretty bad beatings where I'd paddle out to the biggest spot instead of going to the other surfers at the lineup and getting pounded.
You should start paddling for a wave before it goes vertical, that means when the top is no longer smooth and starts to arch forward, then it breaks, what happened to you is probably it broke on you meaning you paddled far from where you're supposed to be, you have to be deeper.

When does the batter begin to swing the bat ? As the ball is released from the pitcher's hand ? When it reaches the catcher's glove ? Catching a wave is almost like hitting a baseball, you have to meet ball and bat at the same place same moment. You on your board have reach the wave's momentum same place same time. Most beginners tend to see a wave and start paddling their guts out. Or others start to paddle at a good time, but can't get the board up to speed. The problem with surfing is most times Mother Nature doesn't throw a Straight ball, it usually comes in a Curve ball.

This graphic may help.

If you are looking to catch white water waves start at a comfortable spot in the impact zone, let a wave push you then practice popups and turns for as long as you can.

If you have a longboard and want to ride a green wave, paddle about 30-50 feet beyond the foam to a spot where waves are peaking. (Notice on the graphic, this is where the wave is at the highest point before breaking) As it approaches, decide if you will ride it to the left or right of the peak and paddle at a slight angle in that direction keeping pressure on the wave side of your board. As you paddle, check over your shoulder a couple of times to make sure the wave is breaking as you expect. When you feel the wave elevating the board's tail, keep paddling at least 5 more strokes to make sure you've caught it!

I really like WKKKChan's baseball analogy. Like a batter learning to hit. swing at lots of pitches and you will eventually get a hit. Every wipeout is a chance to learn!

There is a lot more variety of waves than there are pitches and when you are hitting with a bat you stand in the batters box but when you surf you have to figure out where you want to be. There is a huge ocean with lots of batters boxes or potential spots to take off. There are no defined borders, it depends on the waves first then your skill with the board you are riding. If you strike out batting the ball is typically close to you but if you strike out surfing the place to try to catch it may be far away from you or you could just be in the right place and miss the wave because you paddled too soon, too late, too little, or in the wrong direction

Also in surfing, the "pitch" is coming from behind you, and you still need to "connect" with the wave (ball) as it passing by you, not at you.

I tell my students to sit right next to me. 5 feet to the side, front or back, they're going to miss the wave. That's why what fin or volume of board isn't as important than learning the Wave.

To extend the baseball analogy, learning to be mobile when catching a wave and adjusting to it as it approaches so that you manage to still get in position for a wave that if you waited for statically in the spot where you first spotted the wave you would have missed can be likened to a hitter that manages to always make contact even if the ball is well out of the strike zone.

So....to know when to paddle you have to know what the wave looks like as it approaches. Get your head up and turned around to watch the wave as it approaches, so when you miss you know what the miss looked like and how close or far the wave was when you started to paddle and when you catch, you will know the converse.

Keep practicing your paddling technique....the better you can paddle the bigger the range and latitude you will have - IE you can paddle further to get into position ahead of an oncoming wave or you can start to paddle later and still get up to speed to catch a wave.

I tend to think of an airport runway when I try to get my timing in sync with the waves I want to ride. I usually find the break line for a peak that I want to surf. I line up behind the break line and give myself enough room to get 4 to 5 good strokes in before my popup. This area becomes my runway. Of course, lots of different waves are going to come in and break in different places. If I want to surf those other waves, then I have come up with different runways for them.

This may sound weird but I tend to not paddle into the wave before it breaks and be at the bottom as it's breaking, I paddle into it as it goes vertical and take heavy drops there's an enjoyment to steep drops, hard to make but when you do, you're going super fast

icetime wrote:This may sound weird but I tend to not paddle into the wave before it breaks and be at the bottom as it's breaking, I paddle into it as it goes vertical and take heavy drops there's an enjoyment to steep drops, hard to make but when you do, you're going super fast

I love steep drops and but I may paddle before the wave gets to me to make them. I make a high percentage of my steep drops probably because to the adrenaline boost I get from going over the edge

Oldie wrote:I like this as a desciption:

I think that's a great video, but I think it really only applies to surfers who are in good physical condition. If you're a newbie and not in great shape, then I would advise you to find a consistent peak and sit on it until the right wave comes along. If you're not in shape to chase different peaks, then relax at a place you know gets a consistent wave, enjoy the view, get your second wind, and take off when a juicy wave comes along.

oldmansurfer wrote:

icetime wrote:This may sound weird but I tend to not paddle into the wave before it breaks and be at the bottom as it's breaking, I paddle into it as it goes vertical and take heavy drops there's an enjoyment to steep drops, hard to make but when you do, you're going super fast

I love steep drops and but I may paddle before the wave gets to me to make them. I make a high percentage of my steep drops probably because to the adrenaline boost I get from going over the edge

Not much of a rush here, drops are only like 6 feet or more, nothing here that can get your blood pumping

kyleisanoob12 wrote:When is the proper time to start paddling to catch a wave?

Just read the wave, all the info for where to position yourself and how to paddle is there. The skill to read waves comes with experience and perseverance, as will paddling strength and endurance.

There's no easy way, you must put in the effort. It's worth it