catching a wave

[adidasonmyfeat]

So, I have caught some waves but I start out on my knees and then stand.  Having alot of difficulty standing, paddling and changing foot stance while trying to catch a wave.  Any tips?

[PonoBill]

Stop doing that. It's all time on the water, and any time you spend doing stuff that is not what you're going to be doing is wasted, It might be fun, but it's wasted.  Get up on your feet, fall some, pay your dues and have fun.

When you paddle into a wave remember two things: Switch to a surfing stance (non dominant leg moved back to brace your body, bend your knees, stay low) and keep your paddle strokes short and up in front. People get excited and start stroking well past their feet and that just pulls you sideways off the board. Reach out, stroke to your feet or less, drop your upper arm and lever the paddle out like a busted chicken wing.

But most of all, stand up and do it. Don't catch waves on your knees. All you get is hickeys.

[Caribsurf]

one of the greatest advantages of SUP is that you are already on your feet at take off.  This is a big advantage over prone surfing and allows you to catch waves earlier and make many waves which may have closed out on you otherwise.  hang in there and don't give up, it'll click with practice.....like Pono Bill says  don't catch waves on your knees...it is stand up paddle surfing....kneeling willl only stunt your progress

[surfpainter]

If you're having difficulty standing and paddling at all, not only do you need time in (flat) water but your board may not be stable enough for your experience level.

[adidasonmyfeat]

I have no problems with standing and paddling in the ocean calm or rough.  I have a hard time switching my footing while I am catching a wave and paddling at the same time.  I think the other posts were right as far as me practicing and being willing to fall and look stupid.  My board is really great for a beginner, its's an eleven ft NSP and it's incredibly stable.

[Tom]

First advice; practice, practice, practice. Secondly, stay in the parallel stance until you've caught the wave, then switch. This doesn't work for late takeoffs on steep waves, but you shouldn't be doing that yet anyway.

[adidasonmyfeat]

no no no steep waves, one to 2 footers maybe 3 for now.

[Deb]

To get used to the surf stance foot placement, when I was first learning, one of my "mentors" told me to stay in the surf stance the whole session, unless resting in the line-up, etc. It was hard to do at first, but it advanced me quickly. Once you're comfortable in the surf stance, then you don't have to keep doing it, but it's handy not only catching waves, but punching through wash, and things like that. No big waves yet. Learn how to turn the board. Learn how to go rights and lefts - safety first for you and others.

[Pureadrenalin]

Another tip that works for me is. Paddle out to the line up and just sit there and watch other guys and there different styles. What works for one person won't work for all you need to find what works for you. How I learned was by watching and I found using a 14 footer I was to far forward. When I took off maybe at mid board or even a bit more since it was a 14' and going about to go down the face I would set one foot back and lean to one side of the board. When I was just about to come to a stop I would set my feet back side to side in the paddling position. Hope that helps. Aloha

[1paddle2paddle]

First advice; practice, practice, practice.

Pretty much says it all.

Practice paddling in the surf stance in flat water, then switch stance and keep paddling; practice walking around on the board while paddling in flat water-push the limit of your balance to acquire the necessary muscle memory; practice doing the kick turn where you have one foot nearly at the back of the board and then spin the board by paddling on one side (this is invaluable for taking off on waves).

Once you are comfortable moving around on the board in flat water, you will be able to translate that into the skills needed to take off on waves.  And as the others have said, learning how to do it is in itself a joy so go have fun.

[Reid SUP'd]

I agree with what everyone has posted so far.

Question, do you have experience prone surfing?

This obviously would help a lot, if not, it might be a good idea to practice popping up on a regular fun shape or longboard.  Once you catch the wave you have to be able to control the board, doing this on a surfboard is easier and I think a necessary pre cursor to paddle surfing.

If you do have experience prone surfing something that worked for me when learning to catch my first waves on a stand up was to jump or hop from the paddle stance into the surf stance. 

Its very similar to "popping up" on a surfboard almost the same feeling and you can practice this on the beach or on flat water your basically doing a small 90 degree jump into the surf stance,  this also creates a little bit of a forward thrust which can sometimes be just enough to catch the wave. 

Hope that helps!

[Chan]

I agree with what everyone has posted so far.

Question, do you have experience prone surfing?

This obviously would help a lot, if not, it might be a good idea to practice popping up on a regular fun shape or longboard.  Once you catch the wave you have to be able to control the board, doing this on a surfboard is easier and I think a necessary pre cursor to paddle surfing.

If you do have experience prone surfing something that worked for me when learning to catch my first waves on a stand up was to jump or hop from the paddle stance into the surf stance.  

Its very similar to "popping up" on a surfboard almost the same feeling and you can practice this on the beach or on flat water your basically doing a small 90 degree jump into the surf stance,  this also creates a little bit of a forward thrust which can sometimes be just enough to catch the wave.  

Hope that helps!

Great advice.  If possible, learn both.   You'll shorten the learning curve and gain invaluable wave knowledge. 

I think the feeling of catching a wave on a SUP is similar to that of getting off a chair lift, or dropping into a half pipe.  You want to keep forward momentum, commit forward don’t lean back, bend your knees and remain balanced. 

[adidasonmyfeat]

thank you everyone.

[PeconicPuffin]

I think the other posts were right as far as me practicing and being willing to fall and look stupid.   

Absolutely.    I've been in the waves all of twelve times now...my early sessions I fell off the board at least 80% of the time while trying to catch waves, but the more I did it, the more relaxed I became and my percentage started to improve.  I was out yesterday (session #12) and was catching more waves than I missed (or fell off for).

As as master of looking stupid, I don't worry about it.   I do try and keep my distance from other people so I don't hit them with my board, though.

[photosettle]

I put alot of time flat water paddling and practicing 180 turns while looking backwards towards pretend surf, 360 turns, walking around on the board, etc. 
There really is alot going on that you have to put together.   I think the hardest thing for me was being able to balance while facing backwards towards the wave and also timing it right so the board was not yawed too much one way or the other when the wave caught up to me.  Both things come with time and practice.

Best luck