Floater advice

Hello I'm after some technique advice for executing a float over a section. Had some really nice conditions at local beach break last week. Clean face with clear sections. Having managed a good bottom turn around a section and taken speed back up the wave I needed to float over the next section or breaking white water but when I got the board on top of the wave I just stall and come off the back or worse get caught by white water and wipe out sideways. Feels like I'm lacking some basic technique here so would love to hear some tips, thanks