Difficulty Looking Behind

[ManxSUP]

Hi all

Looking for some tips...I have always struggled in surf whilst waiting for a set. I found it tough looking over my shoulder, thought it was due to either my age, tension or lack of ability. But having thought about my previous career as a golf coach, i remember that I used to suggest to pupils who struggled with a full extension and follow through, for them to open their stance a little, as having your hips at 90 degrees to direction of movement impaired them turning fully.

This made me wonder if the same applied SUPsurf? Is my normal SUP stance the cause of the issue, should i adopt a surf stance whilst waiting for a set so I can look around easier?

What do you guys do? Is this the norm, or have i got the basics wrong by having my back to the sea whilst waiting, should i point off shore and practice my turns so i can identify the wave and then spin round to catch it?

[stoneaxe]

I have a tough time turning my head as well. A staggered stance definitely helps.

[Badger]

I always face out to sea whilst waiting for waves.

As the wave approaches, I turn the board sideways to it and start turning toward shore. I don't look back much, just to the side a bit as I watch the wave and make the turn.

Once I'm lined up to catch the wave, I paddle straight ahead by reaching out to the side and pulling the paddle towards my back foot instead of parallel to the board.

You should be able to do that in six or eight strokes depending on the length of the board.

A surf stance helps. You'll gain stability by keeping your feet near the rails. One foot ahead of the handle and one behind. Toes pointing more or less toward the nose or at a slight angle.

.

[ManxSUP]

thanks both, that's great advice

[PonoBill]

Learn to do a one or two stroke spin and the problem goes away. My neck and shoulders are so stiff that I can't turn more than about 45 degrees. Practice stepping back and doing a quick turn. When you go out to surf, before you go for your first wave, do a couple of fast turns, just to get the notion in your head. Face the waves, look for the peak, paddle towards it, pivot right in front and then step forward a bit to paddle. My best wave today was an aborted attempt to get over a DOH outside wave. I realized I wasn't going to make it over so I turned on the face and made the drop. Eighty percent accident, but if it took me five strokes to turn instead of one I would have been hammered.

[ManxSUP]

many thanks PonoBill, great advice. Can't wait to get out to practice

[Wetstuff]

"not bad on a motorcycle though"... as an old Goldie rider, I'd call your location an unfair advantage!  To the question, in the quick shorebreak we get there's no way you could be pointed shoreward and tell when/where a peak was going to popup.  The best guys here seem to 'prowl the fence' waiting for dark lines to appear, then do like Bill says.  Kiting, I could lurk outside ..power-up and chase the buggers down, but this requires much more finesse.

Jim

[PonoBill]

Ah, I didn't notice the IOM thing. I need to dust off my bikes this summer. It's just sad and silly for them to be just sitting. I've got more than a few, mostly vintage, which in some cases means I bought them new and got old. NOT a collection, just an accumulation. At the very least I need to ride my Vincent and my Goldstar.

[mrbig]

Bill, If you ever bring any of your "old crocks" to the Cape let me know!

Will exercise English iron in exchange for paddling tips!

[coldsup]

Wait on your sup looking out to sea, when wave approaches paddle roughly along the direction you hink you might want to surf it....then just a wee bit before it gets to you I turn towards shore ....doesn't have to be perpendicular but more or less. You will feel the sup start tilting....and then the fun begins. Just becomes second nature....not to say I get it right every time ....far from it.

[FloridaWindSUP]

+1 for pointing out to sea while watching and waiting for a wave, then turning around to catch it before it arrives.

You still need to glance over your shoulder a bit to make sure you're paddling hardest right as the wave reaches you, but that's easier to do when you're paddling than when you're just standing because the paddle blade pushing in the water serves as a kind of like a crutch for balance. 

You can also try pointing parallel to shore while waiting. Only 90 degrees to turn to catch a wave, then, and sometimes it helps if there's a sideshore wind or longshore current that you have to paddle against to stay in position.

[ManxSUP]

thanks everyone for your input it is greatly appreciated, for those of you ever coming here for the TT races make sure you look me up for SUP/surfboard loan, bike ride and a beer. Any SUP'er on this forum is a friend of mine. Top group one and all.

[RATbeachrider]

I used almost the same strategies as prone-surfing: (1) face out to sea; (2) paddling toward the wave and more specifically toward the peak and not waiting for the wave to come to you (unless the wave starts breaking near you); and (3) turning (as per PonoBill) and stroke hard.  Surf stance helps, both long and short SUPs.

Most SUP surfing videos on Youtube, etc, edited out the waiting and paddling toward the waves, etc.  If you can, search for SUP surfing contest videos such as this one ....

Warning: you'll be catching many "choice" waves and will be "hated" so be nice and share.

[ManxSUP]

great video, many thanks 

[ManxSUP]

great video, many thanks