Longboard - Need Advice Please

[Rodrigo]

been surfing on and off (usually off) for a bit and not making too much progress.

i have a 9'2 epoxy longboard which i think i might have knackered due to a large pressure dent on the deck from landing with the knee. there are tiny cracks appearing next to the stringer which i have gone over with epoxy resin, but i think this might get worse so i am considering buying a backup board. trying to cure the one knee bad habit for a while but with no luck and getting very frustrated. i sometimes get to both feet after landing with the knee and ride down the line on cleaner waves, but its slow and my ride fizzles out before i have much time to ride a clean face

i cant get my board it fixed as i am in a very remote area with no other surfers/surfshops around (not even many people where i am).

might have a go at doing it myself if the dent starts to delam, will see

anyway i came across this board and it looks like a good deal

http://beckersurf.com/browse/productDet ... skuid=2893

what do you guys think ?

i just dont want to end up boardless miles from nowhere.

im 42, 250 pounds and 6'1 but in good shape, not fat mostly muscle, so im having a hard time trying to understand why im not getting it.

never had any lessons, but learnt a lot from this site

any advice very much appreciated

[isaluteyou]

i have a 9'2 epoxy longboard which i think i might have knackered due to a large pressure dent on the deck from landing with the knee

Pressure dents are okay on the deck not unless we are talking about a a crater or sumoething

Destroy that knee habbit very bad.

A 9'2 appoxy with your height to weight ratio and age maybe too small I would reccomend something in the 10ft range with a good deal of volume

[RJD]

I'm 5'8" and about 160llb's and surf a 9'2"

I would recomend a 9'6"x23x3 for you minimum, extra size and float should make the whole thing easier.

Saying that theres no reason why you couldnt surf the 9fter it'll just be harder.

If your paddling it ok and catching 1-2ft clean waves then its the drop&pop up thats your issue as said then...

Pop up early, before your 100% sure you've caught the wave
Have the board angled a little bit away from the peak
Have your hands flat by the rails not grabbing them
Try let the board fall away from you down the wave, you shouldnt be pushing yourself up too much rather than let gravity/wave take the board down
As the board drops straighten your arms
and rotate your legs under you

Do it smooth and quickish , make sure your on your feet (but dont havee to be stood upright!) befoer you get to far down the wave , job done!

Once your feet are on the board you have controll to put in the bottom turn.

[garbarrage]

been surfing on and off (usually off) for a bit

...you said it yourself mate!!!

unfortunately surfing is really hard to learn, but near impossible without consistent time in the water... it really comes down to dedication and pure bull-headedness!!

i've seen huge guys on toothpicks (although i wouldn't recommend it)... you should be able to progress fairly well on that board as long as it doesn't take on water... keep a close eye on your repairs... you're looking for browning of the foam.. but sounds like it should be ok.

[RJD]

Yeah 'on and off' isnt good.

I was in 2,3,4 times a week when learning (not that I'm not still learning).

[Rodrigo]

Ok that’s useful, thanks for those replies, they helped me a lot

Got some more:

When I takeoff I'm usually already planing across the face of the wave for a second or two. I paddle hard at an angle, wait for that rush as the wave shoots you forward and then try to pop up. Is this too late ? It feels like I really have to haul my big ass up into a standing position, not that the board is falling away from me as you say it should be. Theres nothing easy about it at all, it's grunt work.

I know on-off isnt good, but I got small kids/ family/work commitments so I cant go all the time. I get three days of waves, then im locked down for a fortnight. Or I surf for a week straight and then I don’t see the beach for a month. Sucks.

As for the becker board - I once tried a slightly smaller board, 8'6 but fairly wide and it was the same story - caught the wave but repeatedly landed on knee - so im guessing the becker might be OK, it's just my bad popup

[justloafing]

Ok that’s useful, thanks for those replies, they helped me a lot

Got some more:

When I takeoff I'm usually already planing across the face of the wave for a second or two. I paddle hard at an angle, wait for that rush as the wave shoots you forward and then try to pop up. Is this too late ? It feels like I really have to haul my big ass up into a standing position, not that the board is falling away from me as you say it should be. Theres nothing easy about it at all, it's grunt work.

It sounds like you have it right to me. That was one of my big mistakes when learning (standing to early). Once you feel the board gliding along the wave pop up. I'm 5'8" at 160 lbs and ride a 9;0" to a 9'6". I would think for you no less than 10'0". The knee habit is the worst!!!!! You have to drive your mind each time your standing not to let you do that.

[garbarrage]

you probably won't notice the board dropping all that much until you start taking off on 3ft+ waves... your timing sounds about right but that knee first thing is costing you dearly in crucial seconds.

getting time in the water can be difficult... but during those in between times practice your pop up at home... concentrate on fluidity as opposed to speed and get straight to your feet...

[Rodrigo]

nailed the one knee thing this weekend

making most of my takeoffs now and landing on both feet, riding clean faces. feels so good after almost a year of frustration.

finally realized that its not a physical issue. im fit and can do endless popups on dry land so why not on the wave? well i realized it was a mental block that I had to smash through. now i just sort of 'bite down' hard in my mind when the wave takes me and force myself to both feet and it works ! if i dont 'bite down' mentally, i end up on the knee again, so its a concentration issue as well. i guess ive been too relaxed up to now and have to focus more. also realized that im popping up too late as im already planing across the face of the wave when i pop, which makes it harder. i was popping up a bit earlier this weekend and it worked much better. on a few waves i thought the wave would pass under me, but i leaned slightly forward and wham ! i slid nicely into the wave !

im a happy guy. you guys are the greatest, God bless you all man.

now i just gotta figure out how to go left (back to the wave) thats the next mental block to overcome

its getting there, finally !!!!

stoked !!!!! going to bed more swell on its way tonight.

[garbarrage]

good to hear it!!! as someone else said on here before - no matter what happens out there if you're on your feet when it happens it'll hurt a lot less...

wouldn't worry to much about going backhand... only recently overcame that problem myself... i found that just because i couldn't turn as hard as on my forehand that doesn't mean i can't turn hard enough.. the real trick is to fight the tempation to poo stance ie. sticking your butt out.

[billie_morini]

RE: surfing requires consistent effort in the water

Comment: Surfing reminds me of playing guitar. It's not too difficult to play the guitar, but to play well takes a lot of practice. Surfing is the same.

[twerked]

RE: surfing requires consistent effort in the water

Comment: Surfing reminds me of playing guitar. It's not too difficult to play the guitar, but to play well takes a lot of practice. Surfing is the same.

and to add to that, if you stop playing for a few days, weeks, even months, coming back, you're a little bit slower, not as clean, and not quite top form. you can't play for as long or as fast and you could have, and so on. good analogy

[billie_morini]

twerked is spot on!

[pkbum]

RE: surfing requires consistent effort in the water

Comment: Surfing reminds me of playing guitar. It's not too difficult to play the guitar, but to play well takes a lot of practice. Surfing is the same.

and to add to that, if you stop playing for a few days, weeks, even months, coming back, you're a little bit slower, not as clean, and not quite top form. you can't play for as long or as fast and you could have, and so on. good analogy

+1

surfing is different, once you stop practicing for a week, you're a kook already.