catching waves

[fatman joe]

I'm a beginner, still, for like a year now. I can get up ok on small waves, but I'm still nervous about catching the bigger waves.

My biggest problem is that I can't seem to paddle into a wave. What I like doing is standing next to my board and then jumping onto it in front of a wave. It gives me strong movement forward and I usually get up.

I think, that this is way not cool though, everyone else seems to be sitting and bobbing.

What should I do to paddle/sit and bob and catch better? Why is it better to do that then do my "stand and jump"?

I have a 7'6" egg shape, but I'm a little big at 220lbs.

thanks!

-fatman joe :oops:

[Guest]

I have only been surfing 3 weeks. Thats how I sometimes catch waves as well. I only ride in the kiddie pool as I call it, the smaller waves closer to the beach. With the smaller waves in shallower water, try not to push off at all. Instead, lay on your board in the paddling position, and when you see a wave, paddle hard until you feel it take over, then go from there. Thats my 2 cents. Play with that, you will get the hang of it.

[roxyhun]

Yea.....
Sit on your board and when you see a wave starting to peak paddle when the wave gets closer paddle faster. Once you have the wave paddle a lil bit more to make sure you got it. If you just missed a wave you can lean forward and sometimes catch it.
Hope it helped.

[jake]

catching small waves are fun and pretty easy but when u paddle out to the line up and are sitting there waiting for the wave that could kill u it is much funner there are some things u should know tho when u see a wave that looks steep enough to catch start paddling and when it is about too lift u up paddle harder make sure not to be too far up on the board tho cuz u will nose dive no matter how fast u stand up ne way once the wave picks u up stand up lean for ward when u drop in it is the scairiest thing in the world lol not really but lean forward or the board will go faster than u r do i need to explain if u want to ride the line ur too late when ur standing up dont just stand u need to be sort of facing the board down the line and stand up at the same time then the drop in wont be bad that should help ive only been surfing for 2 weeks lol but im good