Simmons adjustment tips

[surfcowboy]

Ok so 4 sessions in and I am having a ball but I can also tell that I've not dialed turns on the Simmons just yet. Looking for some tips from the wide tailers out there.

I'm pretty solid on slower musher waves but I noticed on a fast peeling point I was either stalling or moving forward to trim and then stepping back and bouncing the front as I speed up. I'm guessing that I need to find a balance but I keep hearing "surf from the tail" so maybe I'm taking that too literally.

At 5'8" on a 7'5" it seems that I can't really stay in one spot without the Laird stance (wide as hell.) Should I move up to say 1/4 way up from the tail and just lay on the rail or what? Or, do I trust the force and stay back there and learn to work it?

Let's hear from the peanut gallery and I'll report as I get more time on water.

[SlatchJim]

On my hammer, I'm all over the deck now.  I actually went past the stomp pad last weekend.  Even as I say it, i know I could move my feet even more for a better flow.  I tend to have a pretty narrow stance so a step back or forward or toward a rail tends to do a lot to send me where I want to go.

[bajasurf]

I treat my SUP Simmons like a longboard, step forward to trim on the mushier part, drive from the middle and step back to turn... Just how I do it... Seems to work.

[surfcowboy]

Thx guys. Baja I noticed that it does share a lot of longboard characteristics. I'm going to work on building speed and carrying that into cutbacks from the tail.

Anyone else?

[PonoBill]

Put on about 40 pounds and you'll be planted in one spot like a hood ornament. I don't move on mine except to shift my back foot rail to rail.

[SCruzSUPr]

Put on about 40 pounds and you'll be planted in one spot like a hood ornament. I don't move on mine except to shift my back foot rail to rail.

The bitter truth comes out.  If I can move a foot at all, it's a beautiful thing.  My 10' Foote Triton smoothly responds - I'm assuming because of the outline.  The 9'5" Speeed is loosy-goosy and lotsa fun, but straight up front and won't turn sharply unless I step back.  It's a miracle - sometimes I can!  My adventure board is now my son's 28" wide 10'6" Nalu... when I can stand up on it at all it can be a helluva lotta fun. 

A good day is like today: I went out, I caught waves, had fun and lived to surf another day.  Stoked for life!  Carl - I saw you over there at Privates this morning, but I didn't get any farther than Trees today.  Which goes to prove I'll take whatever I can get. 

[bajasurf]

When I used to prone shortboard, I moved my feet all the time... Maybe not much, but moved them I did.  When I surf, I might move my back foot backward or forward only 6" but its enough to change the trim of the board, and make the difference.  Same goes with the front foot...  I know that I can surf my Tomo or Simmons standing in one spot, but not as effectively if I move my feet... On the other hand, when you surf a 5' mini simmons, or 6' McCoy, you do stand in one spot.

Anyway, its all about fun, and more fun...

[jumpfrom13k]

People adjust their footing even on a 6' shortboard. I don't see how you can just stand on a one spot and surf on a 7'5"

[SUPcheat]

When I started stand up surfing, I had so much trouble with just a simple step back. Now, I love walking all over the board as much as possible.  It's like resolving a paralysis.

Three out of four waves I trim, try to step the rails, or just move to different parts of the board on purpose to see what happens and what it is like.  One in four I might just enjoy the ride.  I am hoping to have the dancing skills someday.

I would miss moving around now on a board that didn't allow it.

[stoneaxe]

I still move a lot on my Vec. The movements aren't as big and hard surfing is off the rails but I also like stepping up and gliding it and I can make long swooping turns just shirting my weight around.

[eastbound]

lots of little steps--and def not just front to back, on my wide-assed simsup

[surfcowboy]

Yeah, to be clear I move a ton when I surf, even cross step, but I was more talking about how planted people are, as everyone says, "surf from the tail."

I answered my own question last night. I caught a couple up around head high and:

Focused
Paid attention to the wave, not my board
Got still and let the board flow

And it was really fun. Little step forward to drop it in, step back for the bottom turn. As was said, it really only takes about 6" on this board. I was really over reacting and once I got a bit more still, it felt great. The whole key to standing, paddling and surfing this board is smaller moves. But yeah that back foot has to move around a bit more than usual.

The bigger wave was a revelation, I can't wait for tomorrow. Trust the Force, Luke.

[stoneaxe]

Tha'ts exactly it is for me too. When I 1st got my Vec I would completely screw up and over do my bottom turns any time I tried going hard I'd blow out the back of the wave or stall and lose the wave. The big tails push a lot of water when you get back on them. has to be surfed different.

[madeinsantacruz]

These boards do have a large sweet spot but surfing from the tail is key .  One thing to consider is moving your back foot closer to the rail for more leverage and bight.  Oh, and hang on as these things are like wet bars of soap under your feet (as I'm sure you're discovering!)  Enjoy the swell this weekend!!

MISC

[surfcowboy]

Oh man, it just gets better.  Outran a fast runner today and really am seeing what these things can do. It's been cool to adjust to this board.

Oh and got my first ding today. Didn't quite make it out of that runner and got a rock to my rail. Came home, got it started and I should have it back in the water tomorrow or maybe Monday. If it's windy, I'm gonna rock my 9'er and take a break.