Going from Longboard to Shortboard

[TheHammer]

After getting decent on a longboard, I tried switching over to a shortboard, but encountered some problems pretty quickly. I was riding a 6'6" fish, and I'm about 5'10".

I was able to stand up fine, but couldn't keep the board going on the wave, and one of three things kept on happening:

The tail of the board kept sinking and the wave would pass.

I then moved my lead foot forward more to put my weight farther over the center. In this case, the entire board would just sink several inches below the surface.

Every now and then as I was getting up, the nose would dip and I would wipe out, without even getting a chance to stand up. This didn't happen much though- I usually got up and then sunk in one way or another.


Any suggestions or does anyone have an idea what the problem might be?

Thanks

[Dec]

**no offense ment by this** , but maybe your'e to heavy for that board.
+ it is a fish, and they are for gutless waves, so it could be the wrong board for your wave.

Also surfing a shortboard is a very skilled art. Its not learnt quickly.


Good luck

[grub]

...but maybe your'e to heavy for that board.
+ it is a fish, and they are for gutless waves, so it could be the wrong board for your wave.

I am 6' and range from 85 to 100kg and feel a 6'6" fish (or shortboard with a swallow tail; really depends on whose classifying it) is sufficient for me... What are the full dimensions of the board?

I do feel that the problems you have stated all relate back to positioning and timing on take off… so you do seem to be thinking on the right track. As for hiphopdec’s statement “it could be the wrong board for your wave”; true, but a fish performs well in varying wave conditions but is generally suited more to average conditions… What ever the case, you should still be able to get up and have a go in waves from around 2 foot to 6 foot. As you probably already expect, this would just come back to needing a bit more time out there having a go.

... Also surfing a shortboard is a very skilled art. Its not learnt quickly.

Well if you are going to put it like that, surfing in general is a skilled art not just ridding a shortboard. Try watching a few “good” traditional longboarders and tell me shortboarding is more of an art form then the traditional longboarding style . You need to stick with it, any small change in board length is going to feel and act different; you need to give yourself time to adjust to these differences...

1. The tail of the board sinks and the wave passes.
2. The entire board sinks several inches below the surface.

Remember it isn’t a longboard… the take off zone for shortboards is much closer to the break zone; therefore you need to be in closer then what you would need to be on a shortboard. ie. Generally you are taking off right on the lip or just before, on longboard you can take off further out.

You are always told that you need to popup quick… yes true, but try holding back on a few just to feel the wave actually taking you... popping up quick is no use alone. You will probably stuff the wave but in the end you will have a better understanding and feeling for the wave; what’s more it will improve your reaction time and remove that slow movement imprinted by the longboard.

The last couple of paddles before getting up on a shortboard are very important… make them strong but smooth strokes. You are taking off right near the break zone, a good couple of paddles is generally all that is needed unlike on a longboard where you actually paddle on to the wave. If you are surfing relatively flat waves (not pulling over etc.), you will still need to paddle onto them.

3. The nose dips and I wipe out, without even getting a chance to stand up.

Good start, you know roughly what the problem is, keep trying to find the right position… obviously as of yet you haven’t got the ability or feeling for the wave. Board positioning even on take off needs to be adjusted to suit the swell/wave conditions of the day.

A good position for me is when I am laying flat on the board arms and legs out like a star the nose is just breaking the water; when I pull back in, head and shoulders back knees over the board the nose (of the board) pulls out an inch or so… you don’t want to be to far back as the wave will just pass you bye, but you do need to be able to push down if need be to transfer the weight to the back whilst paddling. On a steeper (fast and/or bigger) wave, board positioning is not as important; when you get over the initial drop and increase in speed you will find it much easier to take off on larger waves (although on steep faster waves fitness really plays a major part). Flat pillow like waves (similar to those highly suited to a longboard) require you to find the equilibrium so the board can plain on the surface as you paddle in to it… for this case you may also need to hold back a bit on take off.

Good luck and keep at it… avoid regressing to the longboard until you have mastered getting up and turning. Switching between boards can really hamper your progress until you have mastered both.

_________________

"Seek first to understand, then to be understood"

[dondiemand]

...but maybe your'e to heavy for that board.
+ it is a fish, and they are for gutless waves, so it could be the wrong board for your wave.

I am 6' and range from 85 to 100kg and feel a 6'6" fish (or shortboard with a swallow tail; really depends on whose classifying it) is sufficient for me... What are the full dimensions of the board?

I do feel that the problems you have stated all relate back to positioning and timing on take off… so you do seem to be thinking on the right track. As for hiphopdec’s statement “it could be the wrong board for your wave”; true, but a fish performs well in varying wave conditions but is generally suited more to average conditions… What ever the case, you should still be able to get up and have a go in waves from around 2 foot to 6 foot. As you probably already expect, this would just come back to needing a bit more time out there having a go.

... Also surfing a shortboard is a very skilled art. Its not learnt quickly.

Well if you are going to put it like that, surfing in general is a skilled art not just ridding a shortboard. Try watching a few “good” traditional longboarders and tell me shortboarding is more of an art form then the traditional longboarding style . You need to stick with it, any small change in board length is going to feel and act different; you need to give yourself time to adjust to these differences...

1. The tail of the board sinks and the wave passes.
2. The entire board sinks several inches below the surface.

Remember it isn’t a longboard… the take off zone for shortboards is much closer to the break zone; therefore you need to be in closer then what you would need to be on a shortboard. ie. Generally you are taking off right on the lip or just before, on longboard you can take off further out.

You are always told that you need to popup quick… yes true, but try holding back on a few just to feel the wave actually taking you... popping up quick is no use alone. You will probably stuff the wave but in the end you will have a better understanding and feeling for the wave; what’s more it will improve your reaction time and remove that slow movement imprinted by the longboard.

The last couple of paddles before getting up on a shortboard are very important… make them strong but smooth strokes. You are taking off right near the break zone, a good couple of paddles is generally all that is needed unlike on a longboard where you actually paddle on to the wave. If you are surfing relatively flat waves (not pulling over etc.), you will still need to paddle onto them.

3. The nose dips and I wipe out, without even getting a chance to stand up.

Good start, you know roughly what the problem is, keep trying to find the right position… obviously as of yet you haven’t got the ability or feeling for the wave. Board positioning even on take off needs to be adjusted to suit the swell/wave conditions of the day.

A good position for me is when I am laying flat on the board arms and legs out like a star the nose is just breaking the water; when I pull back in, head and shoulders back knees over the board the nose (of the board) pulls out an inch or so… you don’t want to be to far back as the wave will just pass you bye, but you do need to be able to push down if need be to transfer the weight to the back whilst paddling. On a steeper (fast and/or bigger) wave, board positioning is not as important; when you get over the initial drop and increase in speed you will find it much easier to take off on larger waves (although on steep faster waves fitness really plays a major part). Flat pillow like waves (similar to those highly suited to a longboard) require you to find the equilibrium so the board can plain on the surface as you paddle in to it… for this case you may also need to hold back a bit on take off.

Good luck and keep at it… avoid regressing to the longboard until you have mastered getting up and turning. Switching between boards can really hamper your progress until you have mastered both.

_________________

"Seek first to understand, then to be understood"

i couldnt agree more, it's all about positioning..i had the same problems before, switching from a funboard to a shortboard..just keep practicing!!

[Shoopy]

I know this topic is old but I found this post while searching the web for the same thing. I just want to say that your explanation is superb! Just created this account to say that! Thanks for the tips.