what can you duckdive on
Posted:
Sun Aug 20, 2006 10:04 pmby scuba steve
ive got an escape fat boy flyer which is 6'8 and quite buoyant but is definately not a step up from a foam board that you learn on, it's definately a shortboard, just a fairly big one. I am 15, 5'9 tall and weigh 9.5 stone.
I can only get the nose under and not the back so i end up looking like a fool, what am i doing wrong, is it impossible. Im quite strong and fit but i can never get out back and it's getting quite annoying.
I know the technique but i think a big part of my problem is timing. When are you supposed to start the duckdive.
Can anyone help?
Posted:
Mon Aug 21, 2006 9:20 amby SINGLEFIN74
you're right its all timing
i paddle out until last minute (you'll have to judge when that is for yourself and your board. duck diving a mini mal has to happen way earlier)
then , with hands on rails under your shoulders, lift your body out of the water , which will sink the front. as you are lifting your body out of the water , i put my back foot on the tail and lift my ass up away from the board , so that your trying to push your whole body out of the water , which will sink the board. try to sink board slightly nose down .try and get the board as deep as possible . pay attention to the angle the board is at , under water. as the wave is over you , i press down on my back foot , angling the nose upward . imagine the board is a wing under water. angling the nose up as you start to rise , will make the board pop up keeping a forward motion.
it sounds like you are leaving it too late to push the back of the board down.
board should be level in the water as wave is overhead.
its hard to explain but practice all the time. in flat water , where ever
Posted:
Mon Aug 21, 2006 2:15 pmby rich r
While it's possible to dive your board, it's going to be a bit harder for you, as it's a foot bigger than you and probably a bit thicker in the body and rails.
However, some quick tips:
- it's easier to dive through the wave if you have a good head of steam going (it's easier to dive moving forward into the wave than standing still.)
- If the wave has already broken, you need to determine how strong the white water is. If it's weak, or reforming into a second section, you can usually just paddle over it. If it's pretty strong, you want to dive.
- For whitewater, you should have the nose of the board underwater just before the foam would hit it. Push down hard, then follow with your head, as if you were diving into a pool (hands first, head next). Use the momentum from diving your head to help drive the board deeper. Keep your arms straight, elbows almost locked, legs out straight behind you (you should be at a forward downward angle). As the wash runs over your back, pull up one leg, put your knee (some use their foot, I use my knee) on the tail of the board and push down hard (this should straighten your angle out and begin to point your nose on an upward angle).
- for a wave; if it's crashing you want to dive right before where you think the lip is going to hit the water. If it's starting to curl, you should dive right into the meat of the wave, right before it starts to angle up, so you almost are paddling straight through it.
Posted:
Tue Aug 22, 2006 4:53 amby Patrick__69
Lots of speed is a key factor too
