Frontside top turn help

[kwhilden]

Scored some nice clean waist-chest high waves at an uncrowded sand bar today. Some waves were peeling nicely to my front-side and I could really practice my dynamic top to bottom surfing. What fun to lean on the paddle and make that board carve!

I found that usually when I fell off the wave early, it was at the top of the wave while trying to cut back. I would fall off backward toward the peak of the wave, and my board would shoot down the line. It seemed like the board wasn't carving back underneath my body.

What tips can you suggest for improving this technique? Better footwork, better paddle usage, or... ?

Thanks!
Kevin

[diesel]

You have to make sure you have the pivotpoint/sweet spot down on the tail of your board.  Maybe practice doing a really hard cutback it the pocket from the shoulder so you can get the pivot point down before you attach the top of the wave.  You have to give the big board a chance to pivot down and around when you go off the top.  it pivots slower than a regular board because of the size of the board so you have to slow it down a bit.  If you lean back a nd down to fast than you fall off because the board can't get back under you fast enough.  Try picking a section that broke in front and you are coming at it.  With this kind of section you can pivot and rebound off of the energy coming at you.  It is a good first time off the top section.  I am by no means an expert but I try my best.  Maybe Blane Chambers or some other dudes who rip can chime in.

[Hammie]

I think a frontside top turn would be most easily performed by shifting weight to the back foot and both heels.  This should sink the tail and lift the topside rail...kind of like putting on the brakes with the back foot and steering the turn with the force applied to your heels.
When the topside rail lifts out of the water a bit, the board will sink and turn on the downside rail directly under yer butt.

At least this is my plan for executing a FS top turn...I'll let you know how if it works in about 20 days.

[diesel]

kwhilden,  you should watch that youtube clip of luke egan on his magic carpet boards and you will see a top level professional surfer who is proficient at SUP doing some amazing carves off the top in Indo overhead surf.  That is the best surfing I have seen so far on SUP.

Here is the link.

Magic Carpet Boards

Like I said, this is the best I have seen and most stylish.

[SUPer Dave]

Diesel.. your the man... really liked the  vidio  thanks....
I use the paddle, Kinda lay back lean on your Paddle.. {Sometimes..}
Weight on your heels drive the rail...
The board will also unweight..helping you to push the board back in for the drop...
Heres a bottom turn...Paddle helps to carve harder..get more rail in the turn..
that board 8/10 by 27 by 3 3/4..very thin tail...

[diesel]

I want to see more Luke Egan clips in the future.  That guy rips with huge style.  How much do you weigh because your board is very small?  You probably throw that thing around.  HOw much does your board weigh?

[SUPer Dave]

Who Me ??

[SUPer Dave]

My two smaller 8/10s can be picked up by one hand mid rail...me 165..

[diesel]

My two smaller 8/10s can be picked up by one hand mid rail...me 165..

I'm looking forward to getting a super light board, maybe next year.  Like maybe a custom vacuum bagged under 20 lb medium size board.  I think I can get a real nice one from Island Glass on Oahu.  He is making really nice light boards.

[Deb]

Check out Dave Peterson's boards (Maui Dawn Patrol, LLC) too. He's making super light custom boards. Haiku, Maui. I think my 9'0" is about 17 lbs (with deck pad).

[diesel]

Check out Dave Peterson's boards (Maui Dawn Patrol, LLC) too. He's making super light custom boards. Haiku, Maui. I think my 9'0" is about 17 lbs (with deck pad).

Thanks for the tip.  I will defineitely check Dave out.  By the way, because your boards from dAve are light, are they also quite weaker too dinging?  How is the strength?  I woder if all the really light strong boards are vacuum bagged?

[Paddle-Plappe]

I like the Chuck Glynn's top turn technique. It's really a paddle technique that will allow to go for aerial (should i say "tail flick"?). I've tried this paddle stroke far behind and i often fall like Chuck does at the very begining of the video.