Turning for incoming wave

[Bean]

All good tips, I would add that if you time it right, you could pivot off the peak of one of the earlier waves in a set or even on the crest of chop.  But until you get to that point of lifting your nose and pivoting off the tail, the smoothest and fastest way to turn is the simple back stroke. 

Face the predominant swell direction, pick your wave, in your normal centered stance, back paddle 2-3 strokes on the side that you will eventually be riding the wave.  This will not bring you all the way around.  As your board spins, switch sides and begin paddling forward into the wave.  It helps to bend at the knees in a more athletic stance and use a shorter paddle (if you already haven't done so).

[SaMoSUP]

This is my favorite way to turn...

https://youtu.be/uxrpCODi1TM?t=2m24s

[PonoBill]

Every board turns differently, even those that are supposed to be identical. And when you're trying to go for a wave, your mental processes and capabilities are not at their finest--too much going on. As soon as you paddle out to a spot practice turning. Go out past the lineup and do ten or fifteen practice turns. I do that almost every time, and I've been SUP surfing for more than ten years. Gets the cobwebs out and makes your turn more of an automatic thing than something you need to think about.

And every day is different, even in a spot you've surfed a thousand times. A little change in the swell angle and the position that got you into every wave with two strokes the day before is now leaving you flailing. Figure it out. You need to finish the turn aimed the way you want with your paddle on your strong side.

I like shortboard-style, quick turn late drops, it's stupid, but it pumps the adrenaline and saves energy. And it keeps the kooks who might be considering a drop in guessing. "Oh, shit, he made it, and he's coming down the line like an out of control cement truck." Good reputation to have.

[TallDude]

I like shortboard-style, quick turn late drops, it's stupid, but it pumps the adrenaline and saves energy. And it keeps the kooks who might be considering a drop in guessing. "Oh, shit, he made it, and he's coming down the line like an out of control cement truck." Good reputation to have.

Late drops on your tip toes are the best

[SCruzSUPr]

I usually step back onto the tail, fall in the water, and turn the board around by hand before climbing back on.  Presto!

[addapost]

I don't turn around (180 degrees) to catch a wave. I have my board parallel to the oncoming swell, not facing it. When I see the wave I want coming I take 2 or 3 sweep strokes to time a 90 degree (not 180 like if you were facing out) turn so that I am now in position to take off just as the wave reaches me.

[1tuberider]

A simple pivot. Push paddle off nose the direction you want to pivot. Switch hands with paddle and pull board
around with reverse strokes from stern.  Then switch hands with paddle and complete the turn by pushing off nose.
Feet can stay put.
May not be stylish but better than falling off and getting back on.

[Dusk Patrol]

Late drops on your tip toes are the best

I usually step back onto the tail, fall in the water, and turn the board around by hand before climbing back on.  Presto!

props

[Califoilia]

Switch feet into surf stance, place paddle on the opposite side of the direction you want to go, and when you want to turn for the wave, step your rear foot back to sink the tail some (a la Danny Ching video just not as exaggerated), and start paddling...and away you go!

Also, similar to what addapost does....

I don't turn around (180 degrees) to catch a wave. I have my board parallel to the oncoming swell, not facing it.

...since I'm usually on shorter boards that yaw quickly and I only get two (maybe three) paddle strokes before I've gotta to change sides, I will paddle parallel to the incoming wave, and then at the last minute do the above.

Or depending on the situation, I'll at times even use the wave to turn me into it if conditions are big, and I don't want to be heading straight down the face immediately, but rather start off sideways across it. So I'll time my first strong paddle stroke into the wave from the parallel paddling just as I feel myself start to get lifted by the incoming wave. Not something I'd recommend starting right off doing in big conditions, but you can practice it on smaller ones, and see how that feels as well, and go from there.

Let me know when you're heading to Sano or Doho again, and I'd be more than happen you show you a couple different methods.

[fatfish]

Thank everyone for all the suggestions.   I am going to try them out. A lot of good ideas to try out and practice.

And when you're trying to go for a wave, your mental processes and capabilities are not at their finest--too much going on.

 
this was funny as this is usually me, too much going on in my head trying to get feet positioned, get the board turned around, get balanced, get paddling then wave passes me by or i fall.

Let me know when you're heading to Sano or Doho again, and I'd be more than happen you show you a couple different methods.

  Appreciate the offer, i will probably be at Baby Beach tomorrow, taking my son to the DP Outrigger practice.  will probably bring my board to practice around the harbor.  If you see an old asian guy on a yellow naish, come say hi.

[supthecreek]

Hi FFish

Welcome, and thanks for giving us something to do 

I can "pivot turn" but I never do.... I watched a friend do it Sunday, fluid and beautiful.
Mine don't work out as well as his

I simply face out to sea.... keeping my face on the shadow side ( lips don't like sun)
in other words, it doesn't matter exactly where I am facing, as long as it is out to sea.

When I see the wave I want, I simply paddle on the left side only (my strong side)
I time my turn to complete right where I want to take off.
Then I give a few hard digs on the left and drop in.

This can be done in a very short space... or a longer one if you need to draw it out.

Going right, I'll switch the paddle after I catch the wave (pic)

I slow or speed my stroke, to be in the right spot for takeoff
Being a surfer, you already understand the timing for takeoff.

I catch almost every wave of my life this way.
It works for me and eliminates the awkward "paddle switch" just as the wave reaches you (and you miss the wave)

Diagram followed by pics from my last session in Thailand on Sunday

[805StandUp]

When I see the wave I want, I simply paddle on the left side only (my strong side)
I time my turn to complete right where I want to take off.
Then I give a few hard digs on the left and drop in.

What is interesting Creek is that I am regular footed too but my right side is way stronger than my left and I can make aggressive drops from the right side but am much less successful when paddling on my left.  Have been working on it though...

[eastbound]

i am reg footed but paddle switch for lefts and reg for rights--paddle left side for lefts and right side for rights

with lefts as i make drop i switch back to reg stance--sometimes a stay switch for a bit, then switch to reg

dont try this yet tho

one piece of advice--just as you start the drop take another quick couple of strokes as you try to get across the face--works a charm to keep you moving and turns you out onto the face---where a straight drop to a bottom turn might leave you velnerable to closeout

steep acute wave?--those bets are off--gotta drop and get speed off bottom or no go

[fatfish]

Just wanted to round out this thread with some tactics that i have implemented. 

First off had the pleasure of meeting Sanosup and got some 1:1 coaching in the water.  His recommendations and others i received here have markedly made a difference in my turning for the incoming wave but also my level of confidence.  For other newbies that may struggle, just wanted to summarize a few things that I did:

-  Per SanoSup:  Switch feet into surf stance, place paddle on the opposite side of the direction you want to go, and when you want to turn for the wave, step your rear foot back to sink the tail some (a la Danny Ching video just not as exaggerated), and start paddling...and away you go!

-  Changed the paddle face angle to pull away from me as opposed towards me.  this begins the rotation.  The video above explained this.

-  Paddle length.  I have been wondering why my lower back was always sore.  After looking at Creek's pictures noticed that he wasnt hunched over when he was turning or pivoting towards the wave.  I extended my paddle 4 or 5 inches and it seemed to help my rotation towards the incoming wave but also my back wasnt sore.

-  Feet positioning.  Dont put feet close to the rails.  Re positioned my feet comfortably around the stringer and that resolved the wobbliness, which was also probably making my back work harder.

Some what seems to be so obvious tactics made a huge difference.  Look forward to getting out again, just gotta make time with this work thing.

[surfafrica]

When I see the wave I want, I simply paddle on the left side only (my strong side)
I time my turn to complete right where I want to take off.
Then I give a few hard digs on the left and drop in.

What is interesting Creek is that I am regular footed too but my right side is way stronger than my left and I can make aggressive drops from the right side but am much less successful when paddling on my left.  Have been working on it though...

I fail miserably when I try to paddle on my heel-side like Creek does.  I almost always paddle on the toe-side.  But a goal of mine is to get better on the heel-side.  In some setups (wind, wave direction, crowd placement) it would be totally helpful to have that option.