Late Drop Ins

[WB_BB]

When I miss a wave and then try and catch the wave behind in the set, I have come to far in and often have a very late drop and end up taking a hard nose dive. I am use to surfing shortboards so this is not as big of a deal and can be made up easier but with a 10' board it is a little more difficult.

I am just wondering if anyone has any advice other than just being more patient and paddling back out waiting for the next set. (Its just so tempting to go for it)

[csx355]

Get a 9'3" Naish - seriously!!

[NCBA]

I've found trying to paddle faster is better than standing still or slowing down to free fallon the drop. Our waves get only up to head high but are steep beach breaks, big boards don't do so well on steep faces. Getting out in front is critical. If your surfing big waves then grab your balls and hold your head!

[Blane Chambers]

If you have to take off late, put your board on rail and angle down the drop.     Lean and get it off the wide bottom and you have a much better shot at making it.   Stay away from other surfers!

[Deb]

Blane's advice has worked for me, and try planting your rear foot back enough to be able to shift your weight backwards  to pull the nose up, in case you need too. I find a wider stance at the take-off works better  instead of walking back, as I've often walked off the back of the board from momentum.
Deb

[kurtr]

Maybe because I'm tall and on the heavier side, a narrow stance with just a couple small steps back at the right moment works for me on my 10'8, then lean in hard as Blane said.  I have a shortboard background too, but once I got the timing of stepping back like that, late takeoffs started to become much easier and my wave count went up a lot.

But this is on head-high max.  At the breaks I surf, any bigger and it's too hard for me to get out through the whitewater at my skill level.

[Honolii]

Also when you going down at an angle, while dropping, have the blade of your paddle in the face of the wave to help keep your balance and help you track. Don't put it in too deep as it will pull you off the board, just enough to stabilize you on the drop.

[PonoBill]

For some reason I get a lot of late drops, and I've gotten very used to stepping way back--so much so that I frequently stepped off the back of the board until I put a handle on it that tells me I'm back as far as I can go. Stepping back is one saving move, the other is turning as you drop. If I start turning as quickly as I can and I usually avoid the two biggest problems I have--pounding a hole straight down or not gaining enough speed down the wave.

[Paddle-Plappe]

I've found trying to paddle faster is better than standing still or slowing down to free fallon the drop.

I'm working on that. It has something to do with faith.

You can look also this thread: late take off