Surfing Waves

Gday guys,

I really am useless but im ok with that, been learning to surf for over a year now and still horrible. Im 36, 90kg and 6ft tall. Ive seena load of posts about paddling and read pretty much all of them. No matter how hard i paddle (and kick) i barely catch a wave. What im trying to do, is get the board to catch the wave, glide for a second across the face and get to my feet.

Ive tried everything from minimals to big short boards (6'6) which was a pain in the ass to catch waves on (even my good surf mates thought so). Im on a 6'2 Hypto Krypto and having more luck then ive had before catching the waves. Previously i was in the camp of bigger helps you catch more waves, this hasnt always been the case for me, the shorter board is giving me a better "feeling" of what the wave is doing.

Now with the paddling, when i see a wave coming i turn around (pretty slow at this) and give it 5m or so worth of paddling. Ive got next to no speed, im forward on the board (anymore and id be nose diving), im giving some kicks. Now i dont know if its cause my paddle stroke with my hands isnt deep enough, not sure if its cause im trying to get some speed, im flipping and flopping nd due to my size any rolling motion is giving me no chance (im caring a few kgs but definetly not overweight). Im trying to get the feeling of my back doing most of the work when im paddling, but i do feel the burn more in the shoulders.

I need to get my wave count up. Dont get me wrong, im loving being out there with my mates, having a chat, i might not even catch a bloody wave in a session which is frustrating, but its great just being out there. Any tips would be awesome... trying to get that gliding feel for a sec or so before i pop.

Thanks fellas

(PS im in Sydney, surfing Maroubra, and Northern beaches)

If you are kicking to help gain paddle speed you are too far back. You are pushing the snowplough!
You need to be able to paddle at least as fast as the incoming wave if not slightly faster. Longer is better get off the crippled by hypo. Go at least 8ft, until you master paddling timing, wave reading, and catch the waves. BTW nosediving is often caused by not being able to paddle at wave speed.-lease rethink what you are doing, after a year you should catching waves easily.

andy80oz wrote:
1) No matter how hard i paddle (and kick) i barely catch a wave.

2) Ive tried everything from minimals to big short boards (6'6) which was a pain in the ass to catch waves on (even my good surf mates thought so). Im on a 6'2 Hypto Krypto and having [url]more luck[/url] then ive had before catching the waves. Previously i was in the camp of bigger helps you catch more waves, this hasnt always been the case for me, the shorter board is giving me a better "feeling" of what the wave is doing.

3) Now with the paddling, when i see a wave coming i turn around (pretty slow at this) and give it 5m or so worth of paddling.

4) Ive got next to no speed, im giving some kicks. Now i dont know if its cause my paddle stroke with my hands isnt deep enough, not sure if its cause im trying to get some speed, im flipping and flopping nd due to my size any rolling motion is giving me no chance.

5) I need to get my wave count up. i might not even catch a bloody wave in a session which is frustrating.

6) been learning to surf for over a year now and still horrible.

1) That's like saying, "No matter how hard I swing, I still strike out". You need to match the speed of the wave at the a given place at a given moment in time. Don't paddle Harder, paddle Smarter. ** plus a too small board makes the percentage for error even greater **

2) Because on a shortboard you have to catch the wave "AS" it breaks. With a bigger board you can catch it before it breaks and give you more glide in. ** your too small board is forcing you to sit in the pit so the wave can be steep enough to move you ( since you can't paddle strong enough ) In your case, YOU are not catching the wave, the WAVE is catching you.

3) You can't sit and spin a 6'2" ?? 5 meters ( 16 feet ) is a really long time to paddle. Again, you need to have a better paddle, better understanding of the wave and where to be, and timing to know when to paddle to work with your paddle technique and board volume. ** your too small board is making that harder **

4) You're actually trying more to stay on the board than actual forward momentum. Maybe the kicking is messing up your paddle stroke. Question: is your hands cupped ? ** your too small board doesn't have enough volume and stability to support your lack of technique and weight **

5) You don't even catch ONE wave ? Then you are not surfing, you are a BUOY taking up space in the break. If you're not getting any waves because you are pearling and getting pitched, then that's means it's a timing and positioning problem. BUT .....if the waves pass under you, then your paddle is too weak and you're on the wrong board. ** your too small board is the problem **

6) You should learn on a board 3 feet over your head ( 9 feet longboard ), move on next to 2 feet over your head ( 8 feet ) to get the basics down, bottom turns, turn ups and downs, trimming and back side surfing, after a foot foot+ ( 7'0" 7'2" 7'6" ) Fun boards with a more pulled in nose to get you into the steeper faster waves you'll be trying for. Then AFTER that a board few inches or same as your height ( 6'0" ) AFTER you've mastered the rest. Your "surfing" is "Horrible" because you're on a nice board for an advanced surfer, not for a beginner.

But hey, Hypto Kryptos are the cool "In" boards, chicks digs guys with cool boards. Make sure it's a Quad, even cooler.

Thanks guys, get all that. The breaks I can surf get a bit sucky, no chance of a board over 6'6. . Unless I surf another break then unfortunately I wouldn't be able to get in to the water. Im catching more waves on this 6'2 then I was on the minimal and 6'6.

Ps I'm to old to worry about being cool

andy80oz wrote:Im trying to get the feeling of my back doing most of the work when im paddling, but i do feel the burn more in the shoulders.

Dig deeper. Try to exit ur hand from the same spot you entered it. If u time it right u can get in the wave with 1 stroke. Timing and positioning beats paddling

I think that's it to a degree, I sit wider out on the shoulder because I feel slightly intimidated by the good surfers. When I go on a surf trip with my mates to breaks that aren't as congested it's a lot easier

andy80oz wrote: Im catching more waves on this 6'2 then I was on the minimal and 6'6.

andy80oz wrote: i might not even catch a bloody wave in a session which is frustrating,

So you're now catching sometimes ZERO waves on your 6'2", so what was the wave count on the 6'6" that you increased on ? Negative-Zero ?

andy80oz wrote:Ps I'm to old to worry about being cool

andy80oz wrote:Worlds worst surfer (but im cool with that)

So YOU ARE cool with being the world's worst surfer ( and paddler ) right ? Then be satisfied as your buddies rip past you, be stoked "just being out there", even if you don't even get a single ride, it's all good right ? NO, you asked for advice, you want to get better at paddling and catching waves. So take our advice and get on a bigger board ( which may mean also going to another break ) for awhile. When you advance in your paddling and technique, then move back to the original break.
Are you truly COOL with being the worst surfer in the world ?
Are you too COOL to swallow some pride and go where the beginners are ?
You definitely Can get better, but are you too COOL to actually listen and heed the advice that you asked for ?

P.s. I rather get up on and ride a 8'0" sponge on something then sit and catch nothing on a 6'2".

andy80oz wrote:Thanks guys, get all that. The breaks I can surf get a bit sucky, no chance of a board over 6'6. . Unless I surf another break then unfortunately I wouldn't be able to get in to the water. Im catching more waves on this 6'2 then I was on the minimal and 6'6.

Ps I'm to old to worry about being cool

Consider too sucky.... guys ride pipe and other hollow waves on longboards, the longboards are not the problem.... you ask for advice and then just want to continue doing what doesn't work.

BTW the advise is to help you, get you surfing well in the shortest possible time!
But it is after all call to make what ever you want out of what you hear

Lol.....more waves for me....

andy80oz wrote:The breaks I can surf get a bit sucky, no chance of a board over 6'6. .

This is utter nonsense. I regularly surf foamies and longboards on grunty shoredump type waves solely because I can get in early, blast quickly down the line and then get out before getting smashed, whereas your average shortboarder would get annihilated due to the late take off.

You are big...also not a kid......just about the same as me size wise. You need a bigger board to learn with like everyone said. Full stop.


I learned here in Bali....sucky, fast and powerful hollow waves....I learned on a 9'3" and needed all of that float. You do too bud.

andy80oz wrote: Im trying to get the feeling of my back doing most of the work when im paddling, but i do feel the burn more in the shoulders.

This tells me that you need to work on paddling technique aside from the size of the board.

What's the dimensions of the minimal? At 90kg, you'd have a lot easier time paddling and catching waves on a 9' or longer longboard. I weigh almost half as much, and still learned on a 9' board. It's good to have a longboard in your quiver for small, mushy days anyway.

Hey mate. I've started surfing about the same time as you, started on a 9ft softboard and now I'm on a 8ft mini mal. I find it perfect for me, I can glide onto the wave and it gives me a bit of to get on my feet. I'm getting waves every session and am having a great time!
I usually go to dee why or freshwater, both good beginner spots. Freshie can get really crowded, dee why I can usually find a spot with a nice little wave, even if it's in kiddy corner surrounded by kids!

there is no question. You need a longer board. 8 ft at least . Shortboards, even with a lot of volume, still require good positioning on the board and the wave and strong paddling.

Hi there,

I'm also a beginner, but can definitely paddle into my own waves more often than not. I started on a 9'2 foamie during lessons, then tried an 8 foamie and didn't do so well. I'm 5'2", 117lbs so much smaller/lighter than you. I then tried a 9'2 hard top and did well, then progressed and bought an 8'6 which I love. I've been surfing 6 weeks, 3x a week, 3-4 hour sessions each time. I'm with you, man, I have fun just floating out there (on the outside, of course, so as not to take up valuable space on the line - that's understandably annoying).

Now, I totally agree with everyone here. You have a very cool board, good for you. I would put that sh*t in your closet though, and save it for when you get better. There are so many nuances to paddling, both in getting out and coming in. These include wave height, speed, and direction. You will often not paddle the same for each consecutive wave, sorry. I am just learning how to get into bottom turns and from what people have told me, it can take years to feel like an actual surfer, sorry again.

I understand you wanting to surf with your friends 100%. I would recommend you taking some lessons where they can give specific pointers on paddling and timing of waves. Lessons aren't always for beginners and they don't always have to push you into waves. I take them here and there when I feel "stuck." You can take lessons, or at least practice on a foamie on some days, and alternate going out with friends for fun.

My specific suggestions? Obviously a bigger board - at least an 8'6 and preferably a foamie. These have the most float, are more stable and sit higher in the water leading to easier paddling. I see even advanced surfers out there on foamies - I even have an ex pro surfer friend who rides one that is shaped and looks like a slice of pizza - they're fun, even when you know what you're doing.

You can try bending your knees and arching your back and this will make you go a little faster. Make sure you don't have bat wings with your elbows bent - keep those arms as straight as you can and dig dig DIG with cupped hands. Make sure your arms skim the rails and are pointing straight down.

Due to your size and the size/volume of the smaller board, you are totally creating too much drag in the water. Longboards are fun, I promise you. It is better to catch waves than catch zero, obviously. You cannot progress otherwise.

You say that you have trouble turning on the board which is really not ideal. This means you are likely seeing a wave and turning too slow. Sit on the back facing the wave, place your hand on the rail that is on the side you want to turn, do the egg beater/treading water thingie under the water on the opposite side, grab the rails and pull yourself into position on the board and paddle. You need to get your balance and manuevering down or you also won't paddle efficiently. Sit up on the board once you get out there, past the line, and practice turning your board in every direction for 10 minutes before each session - this really helped me improve my balance. It takes some time for me each time to get the feel for it.

Keep your body weight straight down the stringer of the board so you don't wobble and time your paddling. 15m is kind of nuts. You want to slowly paddle when you see the swell, keep looking at the wave over your shoulder and as it speeds up, paddle like your life depends on it! You absolutely need momentum in front of the wave to get in it. Do not pop up until you feel your tail lift and the wave pushing you, otherwise you'll pop up too early and the wave will go rolling under you. This happens to every surfer from time to time I've noticed. I don't know if anyone on here will agree with me, but I think it's tricky.

Timing the waves perfectly is not always possible (and I struggle like crazy too), but it's an easy fix and you will absolutely not progress to turns and going down the line until you master it. You can do it with some adjustments and have way more fun out there. You can eat sh*t all day, knowing that a fun ride is right around the corner which will make it all worth it (at least for me).

I hope this helps - enjoy and have a blast!

ps - not sure of the size of your waves out there but you want to practice more on 2-3' if you can, and you'll get better/be more confident. Otherwise you'll find it tricky no matter what.

Lebowski wrote:I regularly surf foamies and longboards on grunty shoredump type waves solely because I can get in early, blast quickly down the line and then get out before getting smashed, whereas your average shortboarder would get annihilated due to the late take off.

Word. Like I said in my post, longboards have a purpose in smaller mushy waves and I see advanced surfers take those out in conditions like that.

This video is a great example of what people can do on longboards. This guy is a freaking boss! You can't spin around on top, can't spin the board into switch, you can't ride the nose and you can't catch smaller waves on a short board. I'm almost as good as Tommy Witt, by the way, just sayin.

Here is my novice feedback-

Are you looking back at the wave when you are paddling in? If you are glancing side to side and checking the wave as it approaches, that will give you much better feedback about the wave (on any size board), then waiting to feel the wave on your shorter board. If you are waiting to feel the wave, you're not able to anticipate it. Even if you don't make the wave, you will get more feedback on your timing. When I forget to look back, I tend to dig my nose and have to bail out because I didn't pop up early enough. But when I see the wave just as it approaches me, I'm able to anticipate and pop up much better, and it all just sort of flows together seamlessly (at least more often than before.)

How does your paddling feel when you are just paddling out and around? This is only my 2nd season surfing, but I have noticed that paddling feels a lot more like gliding or skimming across the water than it used to (I'm on a bigger board mind you.) I still need to get much stronger/faster/tougher, but I can definitely feel my improvement over time. If you don't feel that is the case, then either changing technique or just a lot of paddling/out-of-water exercise may be needed. I get tired in the water after awhile of course, but now I try to think of it as 'surfing + working out to get better at surfing' when I go out, to keep me active and motivated when I'm tired. I'd rather do my exercise in the water, than in my living room!

Something about that traction pad on that longboard in the Witt video irked me though.

Not to be agist or anything, but if you're 36 and just learning you probably won't ever get good enough to surf a shortboard. I say this as a 35 year-old who has been surfing for 15 years. I've only got probably 10 years of short-boarding left in me and then I'm definitely switching to a longboard.

Boogie-boards are a lot of fun, just do that. And I mean that in earnest. They are fun! You'll get the deepest barrels of your life on those things.

kookextraordinaire wrote:Something about that traction pad on that longboard in the Witt video irked me though.

Not to be agist or anything, but if you're 36 and just learning you probably won't ever get good enough to surf a shortboard. I say this as a 35 year-old who has been surfing for 15 years. I've only got probably 10 years of short-boarding left in me and then I'm definitely switching to a longboard.

Boogie-boards are a lot of fun, just do that. And I mean that in earnest. They are fun! You'll get the deepest barrels of your life on those things.

That's an interesting analysis of surfing. I used to paipo board and got insanely tubed but after short boarding for a few years I was getting insanely tubed short boarding as well and different from paipo boarding it was a choice rather than just what happens naturally on a body board. Getting tubed was no big deal to me paipo boarding however I recall so many surfers saying they wish they could do what I did paipo boarding. Laying down allows you to get really high up the face of a wave and this puts you into the most powerful part of the wave and allows you to go the fastest (without turning). With turning you can go faster on a shortboard. Anyway the best tube ride I have had in recent times was on a longboard although I currently ride in between boards (funboards) It may be that I am just not riding the right waves to get tubed but partly I am sure that I generate too much speed and so miss some slower tube sections.