In this article titled, Caught inside? How to Survive the Impact with a Board and Paddle, at the end of the second paragraph, they describe a sitation where, "There's no way you are going to be able to hold on to your board, even if you wrap your leash around your paddle."
Can anyone shed some light on this technique? Does it work? Sound like a good way to snap a paddle. ???
Here's the link to the article:
http://supsurfmag.com/technique-stand-up-paddle/surfing-technique/caught-inside?-how-to-survive-the-impact-with-a-board-and-paddle-20080326293/ (http://supsurfmag.com/technique-stand-up-paddle/surfing-technique/caught-inside?-how-to-survive-the-impact-with-a-board-and-paddle-20080326293/)
"An easy way to do this is to tuck the blade under you armpit, behind you, and close to your body. With the blade is close to you body, it is less likely to get whipped around hitting you or your board" I know very little about big wave surfing but from a medical perspective having a sharp blade under your arm pit in a collision with a wave doesnt sound good...under the a thin layer of skin are major vessles...loss of consciousness from blood loss in a couple minutes...no muscle to protect.
Gatorboy How you going to surf with your leash wrapped around your paddle? Do you have enough time to wrap your leash around the paddle after you fall off on a little wave? Not!!!
If the wave is that big, you want to get away from the board and hang on to the paddle. Use a good leash and after it stretches out to much, replace it. Keep your paddle in hand and control.
I always wondered about that article. It seemed counter to my experience--that you'd have so much time in a perilous situation. I think I'm in good shape if i remember to get a breath when I'm going to be flogged. I wouldn't be doing macrame'.
I have experimented with this in small waves and its a mess. I wouldn't try it in bigger waves that's for sure. Never ever hold onto the blade end of your paddle while its attached to anything or your trying to get pulled by someone or something attached to the grip. Here's an experience had: 2 yrs a go a friend on a jetski came by. Asked if I wanted a tow. I said sure and handed the handle/grip of my paddle. He grabbed the grip with one hand and gassed with the other hand. My hand instantly slipped down the shaft and the blade slid into my hand, and got cut by the edge of a prototype Werner Carve (sharp edge)-ouch it was deep and I had to go in. No stitches even though I needed them, but my thumb moved in all directions so I figured no lig/ten damage thankfully, but it was about .5 inch deep right in the seam between my thumb and pointer. Took forever to heal... Lesson learned though :-[
Only thing I do with my paddle if I'm going through the wash is to grab it with both hands near the middle and hold it over my head as a shield. That's just for my limited experience with what could at most be called double overhead.
I'd like to hear Blane's thoughts on this for the really big waves.
I think it's a darned good article, and well written. got my heart pumping just reading it. It's just that line about wrapping the leash around the paddle that surprised me. That and all the prep time for an impending working that the article implies. that might be my beginner skill level showing. I know in race cars that there's far more time to deal with situations than novice drivers realize--they freeze and think everything happens fast, while really a few seconds can be a long time.
This article covers more of the leash wrapping approach, and it's really the one I was thinking of when I commented above:
http://supsurfmag.com/technique-stand-up-paddle/surfing-technique/lasso-that-thing%3a-retaining-your-board--caught-inside-20071218198/ (http://supsurfmag.com/technique-stand-up-paddle/surfing-technique/lasso-that-thing%3a-retaining-your-board--caught-inside-20071218198/)
I've added a strap with knots at the end to my board with the aim of having a handle to restrain the board for the first few seconds of a thrashing. i can't always hang on to it, but it helps. I also find that grabbing the board by the nose and wrapping my arms around it, forming an L with the board seems to work surprisingly well in pretty big whitewater. The fin end is too sharp and the nose seems to work better anyway. No idea why.
Cool, thanks PonoBill. I agree, it is a well written article.
My initial reaction to reading about leash wrapping was shock. My paddle might break! Would you even have time for it? And wouldn't you increase your risk of getting hit by your own board by effectively shortening the leash? I thought, no way would I ever do that.
However, depending on the situation, if there was someone about to get hit by my board, I would consider doing it. Risking paddle breakage seems like a small price to pay for saving someone else's skull.
A close-grip on the paddle (i.e. hands closer together towards the leash) I think would lessen the risk of breaking the paddle.
QuoteI also find that grabbing the board by the nose and wrapping my arms around it, forming an L with the board seems to work surprisingly well in pretty big whitewater.
This is what I do when riding a long board in bigger surf and getting caught inside. I get at right angle to the board with my chest on top of the front 1/3 of the board and my arms under the board holding it close to my chest. When the wave hits, I can hold on better than if I was doing a bear hug. The boyancy of the board gets me to the surface quicker, though sometimes upside down. I haven't figured out how to use this technique while holding on to a paddle though.
Quote from: Tom on November 28, 2008, 07:12:03 AM
This is what I do when riding a long board in bigger surf and getting caught inside. I get at right angle to the board with my chest on top of the front 1/3 of the board and my arms under the board holding it close to my chest. When the wave hits, I can hold on better than if I was doing a bear hug. The boyancy of the board gets me to the surface quicker, though sometimes upside down. I haven't figured out how to use this technique while holding on to a paddle though.
I push the paddle under the board and hang on to it with the hand that's wrapped over the board. I wrap my other arm under the board, get my chest on the board and hang on. I did it five or six times today, worked great. It was a particularly easy day to get worked at Kahana. Big surf coming in, and the long period stuff, that pops up double overhead out of nowhere when you're trying to score some inside waves, is first of course.
I also still use the strap hanging off the back to control the board in smaller whitewater or to grab as i turn out of a wave if I realize I've dropped in on someone and can't make a clean, standing exit. That's happening a lot lately, I see people stroking for the wave closer to the shoulder, but it doesn't look like they can make it, then suddenly there they are. I'm getting a lot better at turning out of the waves. I rarely get the nose caught in the whitewater. But today in a big wave with a prone surfer coming up fast I turned sharply up, kicked the board over the lip of the wave but fell backwards down the face.
Knocked the wind right out of me. that'll teach me.
Paddling thru a whitewater standing up is fun. I never go to the water to hold my board, not even turtle dive. There are 4 techniques I use to punch whitewater and holding on to the tail of my board is not one of them.
Wave to big station keep wait inside for lull and then haul ash. If to late dive away from your board.
Caught near impact zone stand up and take it like a SUPer. If to big dive off to side of board. I make some big whitewaters by trying. I surf a beach break so no benefit of a channel. The biggest surf I paddle out in is around 8', anything bigger without a long duration in the swell is a beating asking for injury. There is no time to grab a leash until you are being drug by the board. I also keep my distance from others when paddling out and plan to take the impact zone for a surfer riding the wave in. So I am avoiding close proximity to others especially in front of me or behind me. This reduces your chances of a collision.
White water medium big I can sink the tail and blast over the top in a prone position. If already in the water (due to a trashin) I will put the paddle on the deck and lift the nose over the whitewater hanging on as I go thru. Duck dive the whitewater by sinking the nose and forcefully pushing thru then recovering on the back side. Put your paddle under your body as this is from prone paddling position. These techniques come directly out of the surfers manual. I guess you could turtle dive(flip board over) but that never has a clean exit. Having a surfing background is very beneficial for the surf zone. Experience is knowledge.
The only time I grab my leash is when I am recovering my board and I pull on it to reel it in. Even paddling out how you gonna wrap your leash around the paddle and paddle.
Your focus should be on success not recovery.
Aloha Everyone! Some clarification on the article:
http://supsurfmag.com/technique-stand-up-paddle/surfing-technique/lasso-that-thing:-retaining-your-board--caught-inside-20071218198/ (http://supsurfmag.com/technique-stand-up-paddle/surfing-technique/lasso-that-thing:-retaining-your-board--caught-inside-20071218198/) The article doesn't suggest wrapping your leash around the paddle while you're paddling out or just before you wipe out or while you're paddling through the surf. The article sets the scenario that you've already wiped out or got closed out on, you just surfaced through the foam, you're caught inside, the wave is too powerful to just hold on to the tail pad or to wrap your arm over the top, and unless you retain your board it's for sure going to hit someone on the inside when the next wave arrives. With moving water and equipment, things can go wrong with the technique, but if you have to choose between you or the innocent guy between you and the beach, you'll have to make a decision. I hope we all make the right one. Wrapping the leash around your paddle will shorten it all the way to the tail of your board if needs be and give you a solid grip on the board. It's a worst case scenario technique and things can go wrong but it's better than knocking out a fellow surfer.
One other thing. If your board has significant rocker, when you hold the tail by any means the wave will kick the back up sharply, which can yank the heck out of your arms or snatch the board out of your grasp. If you have the time to flip the board, the yank will be a lot less.
I've seen handles on rescue boards made with tubing and wanted one on the tail of my board. Hopefully this will help when I get stuck inside, which happens a lot!
Maybe I'm just wierd but anytime I grab the tail of the board it somehow makes the tail flip up and out of my grip and I've been close to being decapitated by my fins... Scared the $%$% out of me a few times...
would it make sense to install one of those loops at the front of the board so you are not as worried abou the fin and you could just jump off and grab it?
i have a rope loop hanging off the back of my board, with a big knot on it for me to hold onto while getting thrashed. so far i've broken 2 fingers with this contraption. how'd that happen? despite my best efforts, my fingers slipped inside the loop just as the board flipped over and we all went over the falls. this was about 2 months ago. one of those broken fingers is still giving me pain.
memo to self: get rid of that rope before you break two more fingers, knucklehead!
I guess there's a reason why you're supposed to get a leash at least as long as your board. I think I'll do what I've been doing and stay away from crowds, and not grab the leash at all. After hearing your guys' horror stories of near decapitation and broken fingers. I think I'll stick to using the leash as it was designed for.
Quote from: noworrieshawaii on December 05, 2008, 04:18:36 PM
Maybe I'm just wierd but anytime I grab the tail of the board it somehow makes the tail flip up and out of my grip and I've been close to being decapitated by my fins... Scared the $%$% out of me a few times...
That's one reason to flip the board before the wave does,and a good reason to add some kind of handle you can hang on to. It works, I use mine a lot. Of course i weigh 240--that might have something to do with it.
A handle is a good thing if the surf is small but if you are being spun a lot it is not a good idea. If your hand gets stuck in the handle you can do serious damage to your arm or shoulder.
On my surf Kayak I have a 2 ft length of webbing tied in half on the handle to hold onto. But then again you don't use it much.
I am thinking of doing this on the front of my board as I too don't like holding to close to the tail as the fins are to close when being washed.
But mostly I don't surf big waves near other surfers as I would rather ditch and dive for the bottom holding the paddle with 2 hands. It's hard enough keeping control of the paddle let alone the board.
Russell.
This is my board that had a handle install 4 years ago. It was installed with the intent to help hold on during a wipe out. After falling down I would flip it over, hold on to this handle, and it would drag me out of harms way. I still have it till this day
(http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n396/Sam21_21/fins057.jpg)
Although I never have had any broken finger.......I did have some close calls like "dislocating my shoulders". But I've learned that the best thing to do is, face the board directly to the shore and just before impact (while under water) I would pull down on the handle/tail of the board causing the white wash to roll over.
However, my percentage rate of success isn't as high I would like it to be, but it has worked depending upon were you are, at the time of the incident.
For example: If your right at the point of impact......for get it, dive, and let the board drag you.......or if the wave has already broken and the white water is not as high........then I'll pull on the tail just to get it under water letting the wash roll over the board.........
Just my 2 cents.
Aloha......Sam