The oh f**k moment

[BaNZ]

After doing a late takeoff on overhead waves. My leash wraps around both my leg as I try to popup. I felt like Jesus being crucified to my board. A dozen of shortboarders were expecting me to go around them but I couldn't turn the board due to my feet being so close to each other.

Is there a term for that?

[oldmansurfer]

LOL well there should be. I hope no one got hurt

[Lusi]

lol that happened today to me, but the wave was not steep so i had time to move my front foot away from the leash.

[BoMan]

It happens to me when I egg beater kick to turn the board around. Once, when my feet were too cold to feel the hog tie, I couldn't stand and took a surprise belly ride. It was not fun returning to the lineup after that!

[Big H]

I hang my leashes straight in a covered outdoor area (dries them and no direct sunlight). Takes all the bends and kinks out and helps with not getting hogtied as much.

[RinkyDink]

After doing a late takeoff on overhead waves. My leash wraps around both my leg as I try to popup. I felt like Jesus being crucified to my board. A dozen of shortboarders were expecting me to go around them but I couldn't turn the board due to my feet being so close to each other.

Is there a term for that?

I got caught up in my leash today too. I was in ankle high water though. I couldn't believe the straitjacket my legs got into. I had to actually sit down and get my legs untangled. I realized though that leashes can seriously endanger you. It made me start thinking about what I would do if I were being held down and my legs were entangled like that. Should I try to untangle or just try to swim to the surface with only my arms? I don't have an answer, but it's good to be aware of those kinds of risks.

[Big H]

If you relax you should easily be able to float near the surface and use your arms only intermittently to push up for gulps of air for hours....take your time and work the tangles out between breaths....I had a leash that came with a used board that I bought that I used once....it was stretched out (I know that now) and didn't have any structure to it....was floppy like a clothesline....I got thrown by the lip and spun on wipeout, bundled my legs in the process....I fell that worn out leash that was so supple and easy to wrap had as much to do with it as anything....I was fully bound and had to work out the tangles before coming up....didn't take long, you just need to relax....when I was a dive instructor we used to drill by throwing our equipment out of the boat with the weight belt wrapped around the BC and threaded through the mask and fins, let it all sink to the bottom then dive down and put all the stuff on....we also would dive down with a buddy and change all of our gear with the other person....just take your time, relax and be aware of things like which way to pull on your ankle strap to release it, making sure you put that strap on the same way every time so that it is always a pull in the same direction.

[oldmansurfer]

I would just grab my leash and pull the board to me which would raise me to the top. I do that when I am deep down anyway (not too often). I have talked to guys who got their leash wrapped around their neck and big wave guys who got their leash trapped around a rock so they were held under and unable to release their strap till the wave let up. One of the things that will help save your life underwater is to know when efforts to get to the surface are futile and to save your oxygen to use it when efforts won't be futile. I took scuba diving and they made us go underwater with our buddy and then messed with our gear like remove my mask and turn off my tank and pull the mouthpiece out of my mouth. Then they would do something to my buddy. I am pretty sure my buddy only passed Scuba diving certification because I helped her first. Whatever they did to me I could handle so I went to help my buddy then got my gear squared away. I had long ago learned to conserve oxygen underwater and not panic. DON'T PANIC. It only wastes oxygen.

[RinkyDink]

be aware of things like which way to pull on your ankle strap to release it, making sure you put that strap on the same way every time so that it is always a pull in the same direction.

That's great advice. It's little details like that that are really helpful in sketchy situations. I always relax during hold-downs. Panic is your enemy in bad situations so I always maintain a clear head. I think it's also good to have some kind of plan for certain situations. You can always abandon your plan, but I think it helps to have thought about things before they happen.

[RinkyDink]

I would just grab my leash and pull the board to me which would raise me to the top. I do that when I am deep down anyway (not too often). I have talked to guys who got their leash wrapped around their neck and big wave guys who got their leash trapped around a rock so they were held under and unable to release their strap till the wave let up. One of the things that will help save your life underwater is to know when efforts to get to the surface are futile and to save your oxygen to use it when efforts won't be futile. I took scuba diving and they made us go underwater with our buddy and then messed with our gear like remove my mask and turn off my tank and pull the mouthpiece out of my mouth. Then they would do something to my buddy. I am pretty sure my buddy only passed Scuba diving certification because I helped her first. Whatever they did to me I could handle so I went to help my buddy then got my gear squared away. I had long ago learned to conserve oxygen underwater and not panic. DON'T PANIC. It only wastes oxygen.

That reminds of the day we did buddy breathing in my scuba certification program. I was in high school and most of the divers were high schoolers. We were down about 20 feet in this low visibility lake and this clown/moron in our group snuck up behind another diver and turned off their air. Fortunately, that diver didn't panic. We were buddy breathing thank goodness, but you need to be prepared for surprises and the stupidity of others.

[BaNZ]

. We were down about 20 feet in this low visibility lake and this clown/moron in our group snuck up behind another diver and turned off their air.

The idiot should be charged for attempted murder!

[BoMan]

I hang my leashes straight in a covered outdoor area (dries them and no direct sunlight). Takes all the bends and kinks out and helps with not getting hogtied as much.

So simple....and wise!

[billie_morini]

Q: Is there a term for that?
A: Think you covered it with "Oh, F**k!"