How to handle big whitewater?

[tautologies]

So going though and over smaller waves, over is fine just before they pitch, but what do you do when the waves gets "bigger"? I mean when the whitewater is overhead (I guess there was some wave under it), but it was a wave that had pitched, but kept on rolling with speed and determination...how do you handle it? On short boards it is easy...duck dive. With a kite it is easy..jump it. On a longboard, easy-ish turtle roll...

On a SUP if I get caught on the inside, I usually paddle as fast as I can towards the wave, move back on the board lift the nos (not too much as that can kick it up pretty hard, and then run and lean hard forward as the wave hits....but now I was waiting for a wave, and a large set come in, and it breaks 40 yards further out..I had no chance to get away....but what to do..since I was all alone, I simply paddled towards the wave, and then dove through it leaving my board on my leash...I don;t like to do that though...

I've been considering trying to turtle, but the thought of having to hold on to the board, and paddle is kind of daunting.

any tips are welcome....
thx
a.

[Byronmaui]

Better be careful trying to slam through the whitewash because that board may slam the board back at you. I think Frank aka Lightning bolt had a major injury last year.

Aloha

Byron

[tautologies]

I'd agree with that...I had a nice catapult incident at Lani's..managed to land beside my board though....but then again the North Shore waves are of a different nature than the South Shore ones... :-)

Do you know what happened?

[Byronmaui]

Sorry about my grammar in the previous post but just got out of the water.

Here are some tips that I taught my kids and they may or may not suit you.

Sit a little further out in the lineup.

After finishing a ride paddleout to the extreme right or left to avoid injuring anyone or being in impact zone.

Before entering water look for safe paddlezone.

If a clean up set comes paddle to clear area with no one around and as the whitewash approaches dive at last moment.

Too far inside turn around and kneel down and ride whitewater in to clear zone.

Depending on position in impact zone hit the whitewater then launch over off board.

I am no expert but these are some things I have taught my kids. I am no expert but if it is a huge whitewater odds are you will not paddle successfully over it because of turbulence. I personally think turtling it with a paddle is too dangerous.

Sorry wish I had the answer.

Aloha

Byron

[PonoBill]

I'm not sure this will be helpful, but I generally try to hold position until the waves diminish to a level I can punch through. I hold position by sitting  the board and hanging on. Even if big whitewater catches you it won't generally push you too far. As soon as you see the waves drop to a level you can barely handle you pop up and paddle like crazy for the outside.

I punch through the same way everyone here has described--one leg back on the board, paddle hard and when the board hits the wave face try to reach the paddle as far up as possible, pull upwards and collapse the knees to unweight the board and let it pop up.

And yes, I've nearly had my lights punched out by the board this way, got my forearm up just in time, and still had a nice red splotch on my forehead for about a week.

[tautologies]

Sorry about my grammar in the previous post but just got out of the water.

Here are some tips that I taught my kids and they may or may not suit you.

Sit a little further out in the lineup.

After finishing a ride paddleout to the extreme right or left to avoid injuring anyone or being in impact zone.

Before entering water look for safe paddlezone.

If a clean up set comes paddle to clear area with no one around and as the whitewash approaches dive at last moment.

Too far inside turn around and kneel down and ride whitewater in to clear zone.

Depending on position in impact zone hit the whitewater then launch over off board.

I am no expert but these are some things I have taught my kids. I am no expert but if it is a huge whitewater odds are you will not paddle successfully over it because of turbulence. I personally think turtling it with a paddle is too dangerous.

Sorry wish I had the answer.

Aloha

Byron

there is IMO a lot of good stuff. I usually sit outside and on the shoulders, simply because I don;t want to be THAT guy. I've been reading and trying to follow Chambers kook or kool. I just about always go to spots where there are pretty defined channels. The sets I am talking about was the rogue kind. The big set that you have not seen in the session at all. I usually do not get caught like that, but, I doubt sitting would help. I tried that in a later set, and got smacked. I guess I could try to ride it in, especially since I was alone at the spot, but in general I am hesitant to sit down and ride as we loose control of the board that way.

Just FYI, there was no danger, the set wasn;t incredible big, and I was all alone, so my question is how to handle a situation like that if other surfers are around, and of course, it would look more elegant. I do think it is one of those things that people should try to think through before it happens. :-)

Thx
a.

[tautologies]

I'm not sure this will be helpful, but I generally try to hold position until the waves diminish to a level I can punch through. I hold position by sitting  the board and hanging on. Even if big whitewater catches you it won't generally push you too far. As soon as you see the waves drop to a level you can barely handle you pop up and paddle like crazy for the outside.

I punch through the same way everyone here has described--one leg back on the board, paddle hard and when the board hits the wave face try to reach the paddle as far up as possible, pull upwards and collapse the knees to unweight the board and let it pop up.

And yes, I've nearly had my lights punched out by the board this way, got my forearm up just in time, and still had a nice red splotch on my forehead for about a week.

yeah intuitively I have more faith in the standing up part, but the wave was simply too big for that..I tried, and had to bail. Sitting down did not do any good either. I guess to avoid it in the first place, but the rogue ones are hard to predict. :-)

I'll try more with the back foot back kind of thing...it would be awesome to learn a backwards take off...I did that once, but not at all on purpose...and on a way smaller set

:-)
a.

[stoneaxe]

I love punching whitewater. Sometimes if there is no one else near I'll just stay in the zone for awhile and play. Haven't had to negotiate head high yet but damn close.

On the big ones I'm concentrating on the fact that the board may try to kick up and make sure I put extra hold in the front leg muscles. I find if there is still wave underneath its actually better. With the extra hold the board will ride the wave but slice through the whitewater. Weight helps here as does leg strength, both of which I have in abundance.

I love the adrenaline rush I get when I see big whitewater bearing down...2 or 3 quick strokes to get set and then the final plant and PULL. I've been blown off a lot while practicing but have since learned to get over bigger waves than the ones that did it. Not sure what my upper limit is....I'll probably know when my nose meets my board....

Hehe...I did the backwards take off in the whitewater at the beginning of this summer completey by mistake too. Whitewater and wind gust hit at the same time and the board went vertical then slid back as I pivoted, landed and rode it 10 yards or so. Felt very cool, wish I had that kind of skill. Felt like a little kid....wife was reading her book on the beach 30 yards away...I went in and said "DID YOU SEE THAT". She didn't even look up from her book..."See what?"

[Sam Pa'e]

a wave, and a large set come in, and it breaks 40 yards further out..I had no chance to get away....but what to do..since I was all alone, I simply paddled towards the wave, and then dove through it leaving my board on my leash...I don;t like to do that though...

Please do me a favor......DON'T EVER DO THAT!........I'll explain to you what I do in this situation but.......It's too long to exlpain/type (I'll PM you)....I do it all the time at Makha

Aloha.......Sam

[Dwight (DW)]

a wave, and a large set come in, and it breaks 40 yards further out..I had no chance to get away....but what to do..since I was all alone, I simply paddled towards the wave, and then dove through it leaving my board on my leash...I don;t like to do that though...

Please do me a favor......DON'T EVER DO THAT!........I'll explain to you what I do in this situation but.......It's too long to exlpain/type (I'll PM you)....I do it all the time at Makha

Aloha.......Sam

No PM, we all want to know.

[Sam Pa'e]

No PM, we all want to know.

OK Dwight........I'll try to explain it to best I can. If you have tried everything in the book then try this......

When the white water is baring down on you paddle as fast as you can building speed and power toward the white water (pray to god your cardio is up to par). Just before impact start running backwards giving a little more power/force adding to you board speed. Then kick your board over the white wash then drive under the wave.

Your board should be able to glide over the whitewater with all this power you generated. The key thing is to meet power with power.

Now that you kicked the board over the wave and dove under, two thing are going to happen:

1) Your board is going to glide over with no problem...or
2) The wave is going to take your board and now your getting dragged.

Keep in mind that this is NOT a remedy to cure this problem but a solution that may help. It's a 50/50 chance you either hit or miss..........but at lease you have a chance

Now if your successful...your board WILL be right there by you when you surface. So get up and repeat the process again......More waves are coming (that's why cardio is so important)

If your not successful......while your being dragged position your paddle perpendicular to your body's position of drag and use it to bring yourself to the surface.

Think of it as a fishing lure.......if you drag it from the tail end it won't dive (it will surface).

The good thing is your getting away from the impact zone. Bad part you may have to hold your breathe a little longer.........Again "CARDIO" is the key word.

To be honest.........I'm only good for three to four repeats then I'm dead. But if you do that much repeats then your no were close to a channel for an escape.

Use this technique TO GET YOURSELF to your safe zone.....rest.......then go get your waves.

This is just my two cent and what works for me. I'm just glad to share my "MANA'O

Aloha.....Sam

[Paddle-Plappe]

Byron, your "pehai status" has something to do with an "expert status"  .
Sam's technique sounds like hawaiian good sound.
As the wave get bigger faith gets weeker.
I may ask a question about punching over white water in a stand up stance without diving or slaming:
Is it possible that the board hits you right in your face? Did it already happen?

In theory, while the punching impact, you push on your legs so at least you will be integral with the board. Then you fall in water like for Sam's technique or you go threw.

I've already been hurt once because I dove in front of the board (this is a wrong way) but never had this kind of problem yet while standing up (when possible).

[Byronmaui]

Byron, your "pehai status" has something to do with an "expert status"  .
Sam's technique sounds like hawaiian good sound.
As the wave get bigger faith gets weeker.
I may ask a question about punching over white water in a stand up stance without diving or slaming:
Is it possible that the board hits you right in your face? Did it already happen?

In theory, while the punching impact, you push on your legs so at least you will be integral with the board. Then you fall in water like for Sam's technique or you go threw.

I've already been hurt once because I dove in front of the board (this is a wrong way) but never had this kind of problem yet while standing up (when possible).

I am a beginner and think there are so many variables such as a wave breaking 5 feet in front of you, 10 feet in front of you, 15 feet in front of you etc. Sam's technique is right on but if done incorrectly then as he said Cardio because you are going to be spun. In my mind there is no correct way except make sure you don't get hurt or hurt someone and keep within your limits. Hell I once used my SUP as a diving board because the wave broke near the nose. Anyways stay safe.

Aloha

Byron

[stoneaxe]

I need to remember to preface my comments like the last one with "This applies to east coast waves". I doubt we're all talking about the same wave. Any wave that causes Sam concern enough to do all that is going to have me changing my underwear.

Like anything else practice helps though. I can get up and over the whitewater from an 8 ft wave (face measure) most of the time now depending on where I am from the break. Like Byron said...when its 1st crashing down its very iffy, further back....almost every time.

[stoneaxe]

Happened to be watching some youtube vids and thought of this thread. The wave here that he dives into is about the limit that I've managed to get over. Take a look at 2:12.
http://www.youtube.com/v/tzLu9LIBy14&hl