Transition to Shortboard

[jables]

Hey guys, I'm new to this forum and just wanted to see what other people's experiences were with their first time switching to a shortboard. I've been surfing for a year and half.. started on a foamboard and then moved to a 7'4" funboard. I was doing pretty good on my 7'4" and catching plenty of waves going right and left. Now I've started on a 6'2" shortboard and it seems like I am only able to catch waves going straight or just closeouts. I'm struggling with going down the line right or left. I'm wondering if that's because I have to catch the wave later than I'm used to? I just wanted to know if anyone else experienced that or what their transition was like. I've had the board for 2 months and haven't even really gotten to the point of trying to do different maneuvers because I just keep catching closeouts straight to the beach. I'm hoping it will get better if I just keep working on it and getting used to the board but any advice would help. Thanks!

[dtc]

Do you mean that you are trying to catch 'rolling' waves (with a face) but end up only able to catch waves that are closing out?

Or that you catch waves normally but cant manage to turn down the line?

[jables]

Trying to catch waves with a face but only catch waves that closeout. I don't know why that is. I know you have to catch waves a bit later with the shortboard so I thought that could be a part of it.

[drowningbitbybit]

Basically the jump you've made down to a 6'2 is too much.

On a shortboard, you have to paddle much harder and much faster to get onto the wave early enough to ride the face. The board and the wave won't do the work for you.

[jables]

Yeah that makes sense. I figured 6'2 was a big jump but thought I could manage. Oh well. Thanks!

[dtc]

Its possible you have taken the 'catch the wave later' thing just a bit too far. As said, the earlier you catch the wave the more time you have to decide what to do, go down the line before the wave breaks etc - one reason why a bigger board is easier to surf when starting out.

If you are catching the wave too late now, you may just be preventing yourself from going down the line because the wave is already breaking by the time you have caught it. My suggestion is going out and moving back a few metres, say 5, and see whether you can still catch the wave (with all the extra power paddling DBB said).

So, move back and see if you can catch a wave. If yes, can you go down the line? If no, move back a bit further and try again until you either can go down the line or you just cannot catch the wave. If you get to the stage where you can't go down the line where you can catch the wave, but cant go any further out without missing the wave, then you need to focus on your paddling skills - so you can catch the wave. Note that better paddling doesnt mean faster, it means more powerful.

A final thing to look for - are you taking off roughly where the other shortboard surfers are?
Both in terms of where you start paddling for the wave and where you catch the wave (for example, you may be starting off at the same place but are starting to paddle earlier and so paddle further and catch the wave later than they are). At your level, you definitely shouldnt be any closer to the shore than they are. Also, if they can catch the wave and ride the face and you cant from the same spot, then you know its your skill level not your positioning. You can compensate for the skill a bit by trying to catch the wave further out if possible.

[peazz]

I had to chime in here because I went through a similar problem.

When I was getting waves to late, before I got to my feet the wave had already broken, I found that actually it was not my paddle power, it was actually my technique trying to catch waves.

When the set is approaching u need to have ur back arched to the max, while u are doing this u need to have the nose of your board just a few cm out of the water as the wave approaches you, Drop your chin so it touches the board ( and your board nose 'drops down, lowering the angle of your board' ), throw a couple of extra paddles and u will start sliding down the face, its at this point your fitness and strength comes into play.

2 things can happen here:

1) you pop up quick enough, make it to your feet

2) you wipe out and get spun through the wash machine.

The only way to correct this that I know of is getting to your feet quicker which involves lots of pull ups, explosive press ups and times in the water.

Persistence is key to success without this you will get bored and give up. I was bought up on the east coast of england where its flat, I have wanted to surf my whole life so wiping out and failing for 2 - 4 weeks is not problem to me.

The best advice I can give is get in the water EVERY day, you become one with your board, the wave and get to know / understand your weight distribution through the turns. Its coming up 12 months surfing for me, not 2 months ago I was ripping aussie waves by my last 2 weeks. Persistence is key.

[jables]

Thanks for the advice.. I'll have to try moving further out. It could be that I'm trying to catch them too close to shore out of desperation or a lack of catching waves. haha. I've never tried dropping my chin to the board. Maybe that could help me get into them earlier as I often miss them if its not super late and steep already. I think probably my wave selection and positioning myself to catch the wave is not all that accurate. Its so much easier with the longer board..it seems like I can catch the wave almost anywhere. Probably just putting more time in on the board will help also. Thanks for your help!

[TowelCircus]

When you wipe out you learn a lot, when you miss the wave you learn very few things. You would learn a lot by switching boards in short lapse of time, begin your session on the longer board, take 3 good waves and switch to the shortboard.

[threefour]

Get a fish, can move like a short board but with the wave catching of a minimal/longboard. Then you can stick with the 6'2 aspect but wider and also with the lack of a defined rocker you'll move much faster and can beat the sections that close out.

Also if you're just catching waves that are closing out it's probably more down to you wave choice rather than the board. To get more momentum on a shortboard you can also try, before the wave reaches you and you want to start paddling, pushing the board down under the water (Like a duck dive) then letting it come up to the surface toward the beach and paddle like hell.

[peazz]

Good point three, wave choice is a skill learnt much like surfing, its very slow and progressive, getting some lessons will help you understand swell, its direction and its effects on the banks especially if you get a good instructor, I know of a decent one on the gold coast if you need a recommendation