Turning while surfing a wave??

[crtraveler]

Just wondering, being new to SUP, what is the best way to turn the larger boards (11' 6")once you actually catch the wave ?  I am guessing it involves getting more towards the tail of the board and maybe placing your back foot to the side where you want to turn rather than keeping it on the center of the board.  I have only gone out 2 x's and have been able to catch smaller waves OK, but once I start to turn either the rail gets buried or it takes forever.  Any suggestions??

[paddlesurf.net]

Welcome to stand up paddling!

First of all, I'm not sure of your surfing background so I don't know how much of this you'll relate to but I'll try to give you some basic advice.

1. These boards are big- they turn best from the tail so you'll need to get used to moving your feet on the board especially on an 11'6". Do yourself a favor and learn to cross step- this is the only acceptable way to walk a longboard- shuffling is bad form and is basically a sin. Don't shuffle. That being said, when you want to turn take a step back - the board will turn much faster from the tail.

2. Use your paddle! Dip the paddle or drag it- the blade will act as a pivot point and will slow that side of the board pulling you around. Check out all those snazzy snap turns guys are doing where they plant the paddle on the wave side and then snap away from it- it's a powerful tool- use it!

3. Use your legs. Most guys just try to lean the board over- the board will turn this way but if you really want to get some drive out of the board and some projection down the line out of the turn (and believe me... you do- because this is how you generate speed) you need to get your ass low before the turn, bend your knees, drive the board through the turn and spring out of it. This compression followed by unweighting gets the fin and rail working together the result is a turn that's more than just a redirection- it's a torquing setup for what comes next- the blistering top turn! But that's another story...

4. Look where you want the board to go. Look down the line where you want to be, it all starts with the head. Watch any really good surfer- Joel Parkinson is a good one- watch them wrap full round house cutbacks- slow mo the video and watch the mechanics of the turn- they always look where they're going not where they've been- hips follow shoulders, shoulders follow head. Once you get that down go find some Terry Fitzgerald footage and forget everything I just told you (form, function, style).

5. Don't fight it- the beauty of bigger boards like yours is the inertia they've got- that slow, sure steady, thick feeling translates into a clean line- pure in it's simplicity- hard for the casual observer to understand how cool it is to fit all that board and curve into a wave and let it run. Go watch Joel Tudor- clean lines, clean surfing, big boards.

Good Luck- if all that fails go have a board made for you that's a bit smaller and matches the conditions you're surfing.

[Sam Pa'e]

being new to SUP, have only gone out 2 x's and have been able to catch smaller waves

Just remember a baby must learn to crawl before he walks, walks before runs...This is a learning curve that alot of people seem to over look.

This sport is new and they ALL want to get up, run, and RUN HARD. I tell alot of people "you need to learn balance, first before you become good". If you do manage to catch a wave (if it's small) look down the line and make a long drawing turn & use you paddle to catch your balance.

Now once your good at it & catch bigger waves, draw a shorter line, lean on your rail, catch your balance with your paddle, and hold on.........Keep in mind your nose may get caught while doing a round house. But thats another story

This is my two cents.....Good luck......and welcome to the world of SUP.....
Aloha Sam

[SteveF]

What make of board are you using? I have a Naish 11'6". You definitely need to step back to turn it, but on small waves you do not want to be too much off centre.

Have your fun in the waves, but don't expect too much too soon. Make sure you do plenty of practice in flat water to get your paddle technique right before you get too serious in the waves.  You need to be able to balance on the paddle before you can surf well.

[crtraveler]

Thanks Guys, I am using the Kalama 11'6" and it seems that slowly but surely I am able to get it to respond a little better.  Would you recommend tri fin or single?  I know there is a thread about this but how about in knee / waist high waves specifically?  Which setup would be the best?  Also w/ a single fin, how big should it be for the size of the board?  I think it comes w/ a 9" fin - do I need more?

[paddlesurf.net]

I ride a 2+1 set up- I like the balance of drive and flow- plus I surf like a caveman with a heavy backfoot and I have this mental "need" to know that the back won't slide out- like I said it's probably all in my mind but it's what I like.

My board is 10' and I use a 9" center fin and really small side fins. Remember you can move the fin in the box and small changes make a big difference. Forward = looser/squirrely, not as much drive. Back = slower to turn/directional but drivey, solid keel-like feeling.

I run mine two inches off the back of the box and I've marked it- I swear I can feel the difference if you move the fin in the box. Try out some variations. 9" is probably fine although I did run a 10" fin in my 12' board.

[PonoBill]

I like the comment about looking ahead at where you're going. That's a critical skill in race car driving--you can't go fast looking down at the road, you have to look far ahead for your reaction times to match up with the corrections you need to make. Never thought of it for surfing.

[sylvano]

I like the comment about looking ahead at where you're going.

I think it's the most basical movement in any sport.
Looking your target makes your head move to the right direction and it brings the shoulders, the chest and the rest of the body!
SNAKE EYES...

[Nate Burgoyne]

It takes skill to rip on a stand up paddle board. A notable shaper once said, that shaping is the art of compensation. I agree with that and at the same time nothing beats putting in the time. You gotta get to know your board. Getting out in the flat water, sinking the tail and paddling around and around in circles will help you get really familiar with your board, its rocker and how the fins release. You'll fall off over and over at first, but that's part of the fun and the dues. As far as increasing performance, so far, I've personally found that switching to a single flex fin or more of a thruster setup has increased the board's performance turning wise.

[PonoBill]

I'm beginning to dislike thrusters. I'm having better luck and keeping higher board speed by optimizing the center fin. One thing I've found is that once you really get a fin dialed in and get used to it, going to a somewhat smaller fin feels really good. I started off with the little fin that Starboard supplied on my 12'6"--hated it. I added thrusters and they helped, then I added a bigger axe-type fin instead of the flexy drake that came with the board--better yet, but slow. So I took the thrusters off and started playing with fin position. Better yet, but still a little slow. Then I put the original fin back on and fiddled with position, and it's wonderful.

Hmmm.

[Richard]

paddlesurf.net........that was an excellent summation on surfing theory.

PonoBill........ I also find that I prefer to "have a relationship" with only one fin. Lot of thrusters around, though.

Richard

[paddlesurf.net]

Hey Richard- Thanks- I hope it was helpful!