Taking and making the drop

[TheShark]

I'm looking for help when paddling into unbroken waves. I can catch waves that have just started to break and ride it - I think it's called catching the shoulder.

Anyway I get freaked when I try to catch an unbroken wave. I look down the wave, think holy sh*t and pull out.

Any advice would be great, as the feeling when I do get up on a clean wave is the best.

[bluesnowcone]

well your gunu fall of sometime, the best thing to do is andgled take off. instead of looking down, look across the face of the wave, where you want to go, then pop up and aslong as its not a 10ft verticle drop you should be ok lol.

[pat42]

JUST GO FOR IT..............
Whats the worst thing that can happen to you.....we've all gone through this, but when you do it and catch a decent ride, you'll say "what's the big deal!"

[GowerCharger]

or rather when you get nailed over the falls and rinsed, and held down, and come up still breathing, thats when you say "im still alive, whats the big deal?"
its only water, it cant hurt you

[iomarti]

Hi,

I am at the same stage as you, just learning to surf the unbroken stuff. It is a bit daunting, but for me the words 'critical moment' just ring round my head, and I get panicky about when that is.... I'm thinking 'was that it? have i missed it? or maybe it's not here yet...is this it? hell, i'll just stand up'.. !

What I keep reminding myself, is that surfing is a HARD sport, and we've got to pay our dues. Practice is the only way, to experiment with different things and eventually find the way to competence. Even when I've had the most frustrating time ever, I just think, well that's a day nearer to being able to turn, etc...

It will all fall into place one day soon but until then we've got to go through a stack of wipeouts!

Let me know how you get on and what works for you, sharing tips would be good.

[pat42]

or rather when you get nailed over the falls and rinsed, and held down, and come up still breathing, thats when you say "im still alive, whats the big deal?"
its only water, it cant hurt you

Let's not talk about that

[dreamer]

pfftt.. wiping out is the new getting barrelled.. didnt you guys know that?

1) Wait for the bomb set to roll through -- remember the first wave in the set is the smallest and most dumbarses will go for that one leaving the back lineup free for the next.
2) paddle into the breaking point --paddle a little slower than usual, just slow enough to ensure that by the time you are on your feet you're gonna go face or feet first over the falls
3) feel the wave punish the top of your head & take you half way to shore.
4) embraise the moment, coz its gonna happen thousands of times.

Now for the serious part.. Depending on the size of the waves you're trying to catch, angle your back as much as possible -- on big waves with sharp inclines, you'll have to sit from forward on your board & use your back to counteract the pearl. You have to popup quick and start you're turn fairly quick..

DONT LOOK DOWN & DONT WATCH YOUR FEET AS YOU POPUP!! you will stack it if you do.

remember the further forward on the board the faster you're gonna travel on the wave, so if you want to just charge a few waves to get used to it, i recommend this -- if your at the cutback/tooobing stage of your surfing, you may not want to charge the wave to fly past the shoulder & kick out.

[tomcat360]

I doubt the waves that you are surfing will hurt you to the least bit. If they are, then they are too big. You won't hit the bottom, and you won't get held under, and even if you hit the surfboard, it'll just move away.

So there is nothing to fear. Just think, what is easier? Taking the drop on a 1-2 foot wave, or taking the 30 foot vertical drop off of rocks on to what may or may not be snow.

Just go for it! Nuttin gonna hurt ya!

[dreamer]

Hope this eggs you on.. My board after today's session.



That was a late take off on one of the bomb sets. You will take a pounding, but you'll have a story to tell at the pub.

[iomarti]

woow! what do you do when that happens? how do you find the other bit of your board, and how do you get back in?

(yeah i'm a kook - but i need to know, one day it might happen to me!)

[pat42]

They're funny shaped boogie boards

[CastorTroy]

woow! what do you do when that happens? how do you find the other bit of your board, and how do you get back in?

(yeah i'm a kook - but i need to know, one day it might happen to me!)

I'd imagine you just swim and then walk back to the beach. The other part of the board will have washed up there before you get there. Had my leash break off the plug the other day, so it's pretty much the same kinda thing.

[tomcat360]

are you pitching it or fixing it?

[Driftingalong]

are you pitching it or fixing it?

Is that really fixable?

[tomcat360]

I would give it a whack.....

[FormosanSurfer]

The best advice I can give you is to quick thinking so much and just go for it.

I used to be afraid of taking the drop (this was after I bombed a takeoff on a head high wave and ended up going over the falls and getting held under). I was so psyched over that, that I kept pulling off waves. Finally I just quit thinking and started going for it.

[dougirwin13]

are you pitching it or fixing it?

Is that really fixable?

Certainly is!

-doug

[dreamer]

not fixing it - its going to be hung on the wall.

iomarti - It's what happens when you try a late take off on 1 1/2 over head (i'm 6'2) and pull into the pit when you should really have used to the speed to make sure you are far enough through the wave that the lip isn't going to axe you on the head. - so get your take off right.

[tomcat360]

would you rather send it to me?

I'll pay all shipping costs.

[TheShark]

Thanks for all the advice. Went out on Saturday at JanJuc. Went for it, got nailed a few times, but the waves were on 2-3 feet so no problems.

Scored a couple of good waves and had a blast I can't wait to go out again and have another crack.