Finally Did Some Turning.

[SUPcheat]

I don't know why these turning maneuvers have been so elusive for me to learn, but then again, it took me a couple of months to learn a simple step back.

Surf has been up in the L41 Santa Cruz the past couple of days. With the rains and personal tasks, I haven't gone out in about ten days. My torn knee is finally able to take some rotary pressure.

I caught a couple of waves today and did some minor grom cutbacks to my amazement, turning both directions in and out of the wave face.  They were pretty powerful waves, though, so I suppose I finally got enough gas to perform the maneuver.  My standard inside mushers haven't typically had enough steam to really power the back and forth turning.

Thus a dilemma.  To get a reasonable census of powerful waves to learn to turn, I probably need to be more in the main lineups.  However, to be in the main lineups, I won't go there until I am reasonably certain of my ability to turn.  Guess I will just have to hope that Winter provides enough powerful waves in my usual haunts to get better.  I may achieve my goal of having reasonable turning skills by the end of Winter.

 

[The Kernel]

SUPcheat:

If the top of the wave is 12 o'clock, what range are you now comfortable turning the nose?  What range did you START in? 

I surf regular footed and am probably good from 2 o'clock to 10 o'clock overall range, but a little less on each side (backside/frontside).  And that's if I get lucky....

[SUPcheat]

On the strong waves with a good bit of face, I would say I was going about 11 to 1:30 back and forth.  The lefty is the harder one for me, maybe because I am on a predominantly right hand break most of the time. Right bottom turns and turning right are easier. Assuming you can't go past 3 or 9 without smacking the lip or turning off/stalling.

[The Kernel]

On the strong waves with a good bit of face, I would say I was going about 11 to 1:30 back and forth.  The lefty is the harder one for me, maybe because I am on a predominantly right hand break most of the time. Right bottom turns and turning right are easier. Assuming you can't go past 3 or 9 without smacking the lip or turning off/stalling.

Nice...You're already better than I will probably EVER be....Post some video of you in action if you ever get a chance...

[SCruzSUPr]

Carl
You are rockin n' rollin...  Glad you remain stoked.  Flat out there right now, but I'm sure we'll see each other again soon.

Keeping the faith

Paul

[PonoBill]

Do NOT go into the main lineup until you can turn right and left with confidence, and turn out of a wave without ditching your board. If you drop in on someone you need to be able to pull out of their way without falling and kicking your board into them. That's the minimum. You need to be in a clean face of a wave to turn--you probably won't learn to turn in whitewater until much later. But little mushy waves are fine. Mostly a matter of where your feet are. when you're good you can turn the board from anywhere, when you're learning it's easier toward the back. Look where you want to be. That's all it takes to start. If you want to be a little more aggressive, move your back foot to the rail on the side you want to turn towards. Especially true for backside turns.

[SUPcheat]

Do NOT go into the main lineup until you can turn right and left with confidence, and turn out of a wave without ditching your board. If you drop in on someone you need to be able to pull out of their way without falling and kicking your board into them. That's the minimum. You need to be in a clean face of a wave to turn--you probably won't learn to turn in whitewater until much later. But little mushy waves are fine. Mostly a matter of where your feet are. when you're good you can turn the board from anywhere, when you're learning it's easier toward the back. Look where you want to be. That's all it takes to start. If you want to be a little more aggressive, move your back foot to the rail on the side you want to turn towards. Especially true for backside turns.

I agree completely:  No main lineup until turning is reasonably pat and turn off of the wave completely.  I can turn off of the smaller ones, but when they have force, I feel stuck, not a good thing.

[jumpfrom13k]

You said you need powerful waves to learn how to turn, and what is considered powerful waves for you?

I like to ride mine at 2-3+ days, and that is mellow and fun. I consider 6-8+ powerful, and there is no way I'm paddling out on a SUP on those days.

[supthecreek]

Nice work cheaterdude... you are doing the right thing, I would say that you should not go into any line-up at a good break until you "just surf"...without thinking about it, that means that you are in control and comfortable on your board at all times. You can venture out at a better break if you find one with no one out, which usually means dawn or a bit out of town, or just great timing.

I find too many surfers are just trying not to fall. The goal seems to be, "I made it!"

If you are not falling, you are not trying hard enough.

Surfing is a gravity game, coupled with overcoming inertia.
"Inertia is the natural tendency of an object to resist any change in its motion, which means that it tends to stay at rest or in constant motion along a straight line.. Force must be applied to begin or change motion, and the apparent resistance is called inertia."

To turn a surfboard, you must apply force. Your body weight leaning over the rail of the board (fig A) or your foot placing weight near the rail of your board, either will take your board "off plane" and apply the force to turn your board.

This is the sticking point for many surfers... it requires a commitment that will lead to falling until you master it, so too many people accept sliding carefully and successfully along the wave till the end.

The best way I know to begin to understand how a turn really works is during a "kickout". The wave is over, so what the heck, you have nothing to lose.

When the wave is near the end or closing out, throw your body out over the rail and carve as hard a turn as you can over the back of the wave... who cares if you fall... it's over anyway. What you will begin to feel, is the power and control that you get from applying your speed and a carving turn. Like a bicycle, leaning over at rest, ends in a fall, leaning over with speed, ends in a nice smooth, controlled turn.

When you start to understand the strength of the turn during a kickout, simply try it at the bottom of a drop. Most likely your board will squirt out from under you with the sudden acceleration, but you will quickly learn the beauty that follows commitment... a carving turn!

Then... and only then, will you begin to evolve into a surfer.... it's ALL about the turn. Not the slight angling across the face... the carving turn.

Go out there and throw your body into it... literally.

Turns do not happen without full commitment..... luckily, we have a paddle to lean on when we turn 

ps...You do NOT need powerful waves... you provide the power

these step by step shots may seem advanced, but they show how the commitment to engage, creates the turn.

[supdiscobay]

Creek,
Nice pictorial.

Carl,
The great thing about surfing is that its just water.  If you fall it shouldn't hurt.  The main thing I have worked on over the past 5 years of SUS'n, is the movement of my feet during the entire ride.  Its not like like when I was shortboarding and could leave my feet in the same place for most of the wave.  I am constantly moving my feet to get more energy/power to the rail or front or back of the board.  It really takes it out of me when I have a good long ride.  So start moving those feet around and step on that rail and lean.  Remember you still have the third point of contact with the paddle to keep you up if you lean to far.  if you fall, it doesn't matter, just get up and try again.  Only time and mileage will perfect turning on the wave.  And I know you have the time, and you are one of the most respectful surfers in the line up. 
Have you ever gone down to the Manresa/Sunset area on small days?  You can get empty peaks for hours, on a wave that may be small, but has some power to it.  Speed and power do make turning much easier.  Keep on keepin on and it will come.

[Blue crab]

This is an awesome thread. This is exactly where I am after a couple of sessions. Did a couple of bottom turns and then sort of gave up as I was just enjoying the glides at 30 degrees to the wave.  It is nice to know exactly where to push one's limits.

[LaPerouseBay]

If you are not falling, you are not trying hard enough.

Excellent post creek.  Easy to read and full of rock solid information.  Writing like that reminds me of Dave K's website.  By the way, he's famous around here for generating big power on 'smaller' waves.  You can see a great surfer on a 'small' wave from 5 miles away.

I quoted the falling part because that's exactly what I tell new boat paddlers on the south shore.  (Our boats are full displacement, we can't set an edge like a board.  But boats turn remarkably well and can bounce off some fun swells).  I tell them to experiment and learn the boundaries on the south.  Because the north won't be so nice when things go pear shaped. 

When you get the feel of turning boat on a downwinder, the inertia push is thrilling.  Or as my old off road enduro pal used to say "that bike is heavy but it's fun if get your ass into it."   

[standuped]

Also, DO NOT under any circumstances when you do start getting proficient in your turning and enter a line up, start hooting and hollering because of the fun you are having. Proners hate this more than the fact you are catching more waves than them.  The fact that you are catching more fun just tears them up.  Surfing isn't supposed to be fun.  You must learn to be somber.....

[supdiscobay]

This is an awesome thread. This is exactly where I am after a couple of sessions. Did a couple of bottom turns and then sort of gave up as I was just enjoying the glides at 30 degrees to the wave.  It is nice to know exactly where to push one's limits.

BC, as a long time surfer turned sup-er, the most annoying thing for me are older longboarders that drop in on everyone and just go straight "at 30 degrees".  They are the ones that typically will yell or say something to sup's. So when I read your post it made me cringe, even though I know you are on a stand up.  I think a wave is wasted when someone just goes straight.  Waves are always different and change constantly during a ride.  After you learn to turn or steer a board, then the next step is to get in sync with the wave. Things like knowing when to cutback to get back in the critical section, or when to get to the top of the wave and set up another bottom turn, or pumping the board to generate speed to get past a small close out section.  These are what make the difference between someone just catching waves and a surfer.  When I see someone really working the wave, its a beautiful thing.  Those are the surfers that get my respect. 
So for you guys that are working on turning the board, keep in mind that when and why you are turning the board will start getting you to the next step.  And your rides will get longer and be way more fun.
Enjoy the water!

[SUPcheat]

You said you need powerful waves to learn how to turn, and what is considered powerful waves for you?

I like to ride mine at 2-3+ days, and that is mellow and fun. I consider 6-8+ powerful, and there is no way I'm paddling out on a SUP on those days.

Jump, I am not the greatest descriptor of waves, but I would say they were 3 to 3.5 feet with broader open faces and the whitewater trailing a bit.  They were also groundswell types with some force rather than soft.

Thanks, everybody, and Creek, love your lessons and seeing the footwork on your videos, always a pleasure.  Coming from "paralyzed feet", I think my brain is finally concocting the pathways to move around on the board.  This AM in quiet, cold surf, I practiced some stalls by stomping the back of the board to roll off the waves.  I think some of this tends to come naturally as balance gradually improves and the feet start to feel the map of the board's real estate better.

Kurt, I am hoping to be a stepping monster someday, I try to keep things moving on as many waves as possible.

Had Sharks to myself for about 45 minutes or so today.  The air was cold in dawn patrol, and I found myself going into the water to get warm.  It is hard to get aggressive until my slowly healing torn left knee gets better completely as it is mostly a placeholder and still inhibits rotation and pushing.

It's strange, I don't much notice the knee onshore, but as soon as I am on the board that point of pain appears.  It is about 75 percent now, and will probably be back to 90 percent in a month or so I hope.