catching small waves

[longboard3]

Hi,

I've always marveled at how some longboarders can catch not only small waves, 1-2', but also waves that
seemingly have little power behind them. I'm 175 lbs and I ride a 10' longboard, I've been surfing many years, but try as I might I can't catch these waves.

What's the secret?

Signed,

Frustrated!!!

[jaffa1949]

Hi,

I've always marveled at how some longboarders can catch not only small waves, 1-2", but also waves that
seemingly have little power behind them. I'm 175 lbs and I ride a 10' longboard, I've been surfing many years, but try as I might I can't catch these waves.

What's the secret?

Signed,

Frustrated!!!

Are you really saying 1 to 2 inches or did you mean to write feet:?:

If you meant inches then I'd wouldn't make the cut either!
but if you were talking about feet then they are in the realm ( just ) of possibility, I can't do much other than just plain across and hope I can do an exciting wobble but then I ride a 9fter and weight 200

I would look at these doyens of longth and guess their weight. It is hard to do anything much if your Plimsol line is below the water and thereis no power to lift even to an resemblance of planing.
No advice just sympathy in a share situation

[Katsura]

Having crap wave helps. If your local break is flat for 3 months of the year (like where I live) you tend to learn to paddle very very hard and get into small curls

Seriously though, for tiny peelers, I found doing long strokes, and start paddle a little bit early helps. I can get into 1 footers without much trouble. When it goes to 1/2 foot, it gets a bit tricky...

[IB_Surfer]

you'll get better with time, you have to find the exact sweet spot, have a fairly flat rocker surfboard and, if you have sidebites, take them out for small waves. Keep practicing!

[jiggie]

I always find if you move a few inches forward and be ready to move back when you feel the lift of the wave helps .. but move fast or you will just nose dive

[hunsta]

you'll get better with time, you have to find the exact sweet spot, have a fairly flat rocker surfboard and, if you have sidebites, take them out for small waves. Keep practicing!

On the point of taking out the sidebites for smaller waves. What does this actually do. Reduce drag? And if the sidebbites are removed is there any drag created by the hollow slots? Or is it fairly negligible?
Cheers
Craig

[jaffa1949]

Hi Hunsta taking the side bites out does decrease drag quite a bit and really I've never noticed the drag from the fin plugs either FCs plug oer Futures Fins elongated boxes and back in ancient times the boxes like the centre fin box that held the side bites didn't create drag that I could notice ( call me insensitive) but I couldn't.
Your turns will be different though, and the combination of smallth and no side bites will mean less radical short arc turns, sensuous sinuous turns will bee your style, you can also woggle the board from a high line to a low line with a swinging hula like hip action.
Mele Kalikimaka me ka Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!

[hunsta]

Your turns will be different though, and the combination of smallth and no side bites will mean less radical short arc turns, sensuous sinuous turns will bee your style,

So having said that, with the no side bites, there`s less drag on the board for catching smaller waves. Correct? But Im going to find it more difficult to do tighter turns. I currently have 9'1" with a 10.5" centre box fin and the side bites. What would be a good compromise? Side bites out. Centre box all the way forward? I dont usually have any problems catching waves.
Sorry for the noobish questions, but this is my first long board
Cheers
Craig

[jaffa1949]

Hunsta have a read of my fin primer on this site may help, but briefly try the centre fin in different positions, when you find the spot that suits your surfing mark the box with a waterproof marker or pencil so you can put it in the same place again.
If you have some cash or can scrounge or borrow for a while experiment with different centre fins, your questions are not totally nooby , most long time surfers have a set of ideas on how fins etc work for them usually gained by having the experience.
ADVICE TO ALL LEARNERS HERE you get the skills and experience by having the experience as often as possible and refining everything as you go.

Just re read your post, try side bite in with different centre fin positions too three time the learning there, if you are no trouble catching wave then it is about noticing the differences you are going to get.

[IB_Surfer]

Ditto! The question has been answered, go out there and try different stuff like we did LOL

[billie_morini]

"I've always marveled at how some longboarders can catch not only small waves..."

More importantly: do they practice the admirable hunting practice, "catch and release," so these small waves can grow, reproduce, and achieve their maximum environmental contribution?

[hunsta]

Ditto! The question has been answered, go out there and try different stuff like we did LOL

Sorry. I didnt realize clarification was a sin LOL

[jaffa1949]

NO wukkas, Hunsta, it's fine to ask in my book.
In our day there was no one to ask. A time when men were men and the trees were frightened.

PS I don't think anyone was having a go at you have a reread!

[hunsta]

OK went for the early this morning. Once again 1ft - 2ft waves. removed the side bite and moved the 10.5" centre box all the way forward. Plenty of turn but no drive. Have a 7.8" centre fin coming so will try that in a more rearward postion. If going on jaffa`s way of thinking I should get a little more drive and a not suffer too much in the turn department.

[jaffa1949]

Hi Hunsta , good luck with that one thing we might have to face is: that sometimes the waves are just too small and powerless to ride even on a longboard.
At 100Kgs, 1 to 2ft is getting close to where I crush the poor little things to death.
I had a perfect little surf the other day I'd taken out the side bites and put in FCS Bonzer fins ( the smaller pair) from a quad set up as the side bites, centre fin stayed in same position as for when I use it as a single fin. The Bonzers seemed to give me a holding effect for better nose rides of longer duration and further forward surfing than would normally be workable, it was obvious to me and the other guys who I surfed with noticed it too.
So more experimentation

I think you might be hitting the right nail now the 10.5" may be the culprit for the loss of drag, so the 7.8" might be a good call, pencil in where you get the results and pray for bigger surf around Gympie from your post on trolls. So I'm guessing Noosa area

[IB_Surfer]

OK went for the early this morning. Once again 1ft - 2ft waves. removed the side bite and moved the 10.5" centre box all the way forward. Plenty of turn but no drive. Have a 7.8" centre fin coming so will try that in a more rearward postion. If going on jaffa`s way of thinking I should get a little more drive and a not suffer too much in the turn department.

And, again in the spirit of trying stuff to see what works best for you, the usual advice is to move the fin forward for easier turns, so as part of your small wave experiment try moving the fin farther back and see what that does. I was suprised to hear that you did not notice a difference with taking out the sidebites, but then again 1ft is kind of small.

Experimenting is part of surfing, keep at it, enjoy the stoke