Author Topic: fastest way to catch a wave  (Read 10191 times)

kwhilden

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fastest way to catch a wave
« on: May 18, 2009, 08:00:14 AM »
For those who have good paddling technique, let me ask this question...

Which gets your SUP up to the fastest speed to catch a marginal wave?
 - Standing paddling with a SUP paddle?
 - lying prone (or on knees and paddling with the arms?


I made it out yesterday for a session on marginal rolling waves that mostly never quite broke. It was deep water point break at higher than optimal tide. I found that I could catch waves much easier by paddling with my arms (lying prone or on knees) than with the paddle. I am a total beginner SUP surfer, and it felt like I just couldn't get my board up to speed using the paddle. I'm curious how much this will improve with better technique. I felt like a total dork lying on my SUP paddling with my arms to catch waves, and then popping up with my paddle in hand.

Thanks,
Kevin

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diesel

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Re: fastest way to catch a wave
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2009, 09:44:15 AM »
I have been SUPing about one year. I have surfed my boards both ways and found that I can lay down paddle about as fast as standup paddle with the same board.  Most people on this forum probably think that paddling with the paddle is way faster but you would be suprised if you try it both ways.  Granted, I am 5'11 and my arms are long enough to get around the wide board.  I do this all the time when I am paddling in from outside reef breaks with my friends and my back feels tired.  Lying down paddling seems to wear you out faster like it is pushing your heart harder for the same speed so that standing up paddling seems easier and more cruising but speed seems to be about equal.  Standing up to catch the wave is way more fun and the way to go unless you are going into 25 mph headwinds.

Paddle-Plappe

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Re: fastest way to catch a wave
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2009, 09:55:44 AM »
may be paddling on the knees would the best technique for you now. Keep on paddling then you won't have no doubt any more.

Shawn Michael

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Re: fastest way to catch a wave
« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2009, 07:44:51 PM »
I am finally figuring out that if you are standing behind the center of your board it is hard to catch anything...I dont surf per se but I get some wind and swells at my back and they were all passing over me till I moved forward...

so with the disclaimer that I am a beginner too, maybe when you lay down your weight is distributed in such a way that the board will accelerate in the swell better even if you are getting less thrust with your hands than you would with the paddle???  Just thinking aloud

Byronmaui

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Re: fastest way to catch a wave
« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2009, 09:58:01 PM »
I am finally figuring out that if you are standing behind the center of your board it is hard to catch anything...I dont surf per se but I get some wind and swells at my back and they were all passing over me till I moved forward...

so with the disclaimer that I am a beginner too, maybe when you lay down your weight is distributed in such a way that the board will accelerate in the swell better even if you are getting less thrust with your hands than you would with the paddle???  Just thinking aloud

My guess also.....A paddle will give more thrust if you are weighted on the board correctly.

Aloha

Byron

PonoBill

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Re: fastest way to catch a wave
« Reply #5 on: May 19, 2009, 08:17:21 AM »
When we paddle out at Kanaha the folks laying down go as fast as the SUP boards--when they are paddling--but they need to rest a bunch of times. It takes me fifteen minutes or more to paddle out to the lineup at Kanaha with a longboard, I can do it in four minutes on a SUP.  That's not a guess, I timed it when we were considering doing the board showcase at Kanaha.

The people racing paddleboards are about as fast as SUPs given similar skills and experience.

Catching a wave is the same thing--longboard you paddle like hell and go as fast, and if you have your board trimmed right you catch a lot of waves. SUPs are more forgiving as far as position goes, but you can catch a lot of waves if you're comfortable moving around quickly on the board. When a wave is getting away from you it's easy to step towards the nose and stroke hard into the wave. You can't do that on a longboard. Plus if the wave is at all funky you can paddle to maintain speed and trim into the slot, while a longboard would most likely pull out.

End result for me, far more waves caught, far more waves ridden, far more sections passed, and in a much broader spectrum. If I were a GREAT longboarder and a newby SUPer I think that might not be the case.
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Bob from Brazil

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Re: fastest way to catch a wave
« Reply #6 on: May 19, 2009, 12:52:55 PM »
Bill,

When I'm cought in the inside, I feel that I get out there faster if I'm prone paddling (with arms) when it's choppy, or knee paddling (with the paddle) when it's glassy... In two different ocasions I've surfed without the paddle and I find the boards where SUPER fast (9'3 PSH Ripper first time & 11' Laird the second time)... Maybe that sense of fast motion was due to proximity to the water... Anyway, I don't get that feeling when prone paddling a longboard...

Mahalo from Brazil,
Bob.

Southbay

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Re: fastest way to catch a wave
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2009, 12:41:57 PM »
This is interesting timing on this post for me.  I have a friend that has been surfing stand-ups for about 4 years and is THE best guy in my area.  He was giving me a few tips, and the one that I have been really thinking about is wave catching.  He was saying that on a SUP you need to work on catching the bottom of the wave.  He was saying that on all modern (prone) boards we "drop in", but that is because we have to.  That when people were riding old wooden surfboards without rocker that they would have to catch the bottom of the wave, but we have gotten away from that with modern surfing because the boards are so much smaller.  Of course, I have been dropping in on my stand up, because that is what my surfing background has taught me. 

Thinking back I always marvel at how easily he catches waves that look uncatchable and that these waves don't close out and he gets really long rides way more often than I do. 

He was explaining how to do that.  Catch them super early by changing your mindset to paddle hard for the bottom of the wave.  I have not mastered this by any means, but have noticed the difference.

Anyone else heard of/tried this technique?

Thanks, Southbay

kwhilden

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Re: fastest way to catch a wave
« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2009, 12:56:09 PM »
hey Southbay,
This is some very interesting advice. Thanks. How do others think about catching waves?
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paddlesurf.net

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Re: fastest way to catch a wave
« Reply #9 on: May 21, 2009, 05:44:46 PM »
One thing that helps for me is to really drop my stance as I'm paddling for a wave. I bend my knees a lot and get my paddle out in front of me- I suspect this gets my weight way forward and allows me to power in- I don't miss many and that's even on a 9'4" stand up.

1tuberider

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Re: fastest way to catch a wave
« Reply #10 on: May 28, 2009, 05:09:04 AM »
It depends on the wave shape and your position. 

Some waves are just spin and go   a no paddle take off.

But in most surf a good stand up paddler will catch around 5 to 10 times as many waves as a prone surfer.  For me a lot of the additional count comes from waves that the prone paddlers are to far outside to catch.  The rest comes from having a better view allowing me to position for them sooner.  I am still sharing with my buds. 

I don't lay on my paddle board to catch waves.  The paddle is a big part of surfing and is used for more than just catching waves.

So my vote for the fastest way to catch a wave goes to positioning yourself early enough to make the most of it.  And for that, where I surf, standing has all the advantages over prone.

diesel

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Re: fastest way to catch a wave
« Reply #11 on: May 28, 2009, 04:00:08 PM »
This is interesting timing on this post for me.  I have a friend that has been surfing stand-ups for about 4 years and is THE best guy in my area.  He was giving me a few tips, and the one that I have been really thinking about is wave catching.  He was saying that on a SUP you need to work on catching the bottom of the wave.  He was saying that on all modern (prone) boards we "drop in", but that is because we have to.  That when people were riding old wooden surfboards without rocker that they would have to catch the bottom of the wave, but we have gotten away from that with modern surfing because the boards are so much smaller.  Of course, I have been dropping in on my stand up, because that is what my surfing background has taught me. 

Thinking back I always marvel at how easily he catches waves that look uncatchable and that these waves don't close out and he gets really long rides way more often than I do. 

He was explaining how to do that.  Catch them super early by changing your mindset to paddle hard for the bottom of the wave.  I have not mastered this by any means, but have noticed the difference.

Anyone else heard of/tried this technique?

Thanks, Southbay


Southbay,  that is a really interesting technique that I have never thought about before.  I'm not sure if I totally understand it but I think he means to get the board up to speed early at the bottom of the wave instead of powering up and dropping in from the top.  What size board does this guy ride?  I wonder if you have to have a big board to catch the bottom of the wave because you need the glide.

JonathanC

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Re: fastest way to catch a wave
« Reply #12 on: May 28, 2009, 08:11:34 PM »
I've found that doing down-winders on longer boards has really helped me catch surfing waves on a short board. During a down-winder (at least where I do them) you don't see the next wave coming, instead you just feel the nose of the board drop down as the wave before passes by - that is the time to paddle, right at the bottom of the wave as the wave starts to lift the tail. It's almost as if you are trying to plough into the back of the wave that has just passed.

Until I got this most of the waves simply went under the board, I also think that leaning right forward and really paddling deep for just a couple of strokes seems to engage the front of the board. For me it's a little like snow skiing, the steeper it is the more you need to lean forward, in the case of the ski to engage the tip and start the ski flexing. Different reason for doing it on a sup but similar feel.


Southbay

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Re: fastest way to catch a wave
« Reply #13 on: June 08, 2009, 07:51:50 PM »
Diesel, good point about the size of the board.  He usually rides a 11'.  I have seen him on shorter boards too, but don't really remember his style changing much.

Southbay

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Re: fastest way to catch a wave
« Reply #14 on: June 09, 2009, 08:00:11 AM »
so, i've been trying a few things to get as tight to the pocket as possible.

 One is to come in under the peak, cause that lets me powerstroke frontside hard,
(switching for me goof to standard easy)....but that just seems like a lame excuse for my pivot turns which suck.

 It seems like you can pivot turn into a drop with one sweep if you time it right.

Preferences of the above and any tips appreciated
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