Author Topic: Gettin' In  (Read 4241 times)

Rand

  • Sunset Status
  • ****
  • Posts: 470
    • View Profile
Gettin' In
« on: October 09, 2007, 05:33:53 AM »
A few years back, the stand up guys were all sitting (standing) furthest out, taking plenty strokes, and in general, powering in from the outside.  What about now?  Boards are different and more refined, skills have come up, waves are the same.  This is a very situational question, of  course, and will be effected by wave, board size etc, but that aside, where do you find yourself in the lineup (or if alone, compared to where you were when prone surfing)?  Why?  Are you there because it feels comfortable, because you need to be due to a board limitation, or because of a crowd dynamic?

A related question; do you think it takes more or less effort/distance/time to get in on a stand up over your prone longboard?  How about your shortboard?

Dwight (DW)

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 4780
    • View Profile
    • supSURFmachines
Re: Gettin' In
« Reply #1 on: October 09, 2007, 06:41:53 AM »
I'm usually one wave out farther than prone surfers. I try not to surf with prone surfers, but I do pass them on down wind sessions. The beauty of SUP for me, is crusing the coast line in search of the largest waves in the set. I pass on all the inner waves the prone guys are waiting on. Sometimes, when there are almost no prone guys out due to smallish waves, I take the waves the prone guys go for.

The stoke is cruising for the biggies and enjoying the view  ;D

Will all my new found coastal cruising expertise, I swear I know all the secret spots where the biggies  ;D break. The cool thing is these spots are not the popular groupie waves the prone guys pack into. I'm keeping my secret spots secret too, unless you own a SUP  ;)

Rand

  • Sunset Status
  • ****
  • Posts: 470
    • View Profile
Re: Gettin' In
« Reply #2 on: October 09, 2007, 07:43:00 AM »
Thanks for the input.

How about this part:

do you think it takes more or less effort/distance/time to get in on a stand up over your prone longboard?  How about your shortboard?

Dwight (DW)

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 4780
    • View Profile
    • supSURFmachines
Re: Gettin' In
« Reply #3 on: October 09, 2007, 08:00:44 AM »
Less effort to get in with my SUP, provided we are comparing getting in at the same spot.

Since I can get in farther out, the effort comes out similar.

Rand

  • Sunset Status
  • ****
  • Posts: 470
    • View Profile
Re: Gettin' In
« Reply #4 on: October 09, 2007, 10:06:34 AM »
Quote
Less effort to get in with my SUP, provided we are comparing getting in at the same spot.

Since I can get in farther out, the effort comes out similar.


Yes.  That is how I see it.  Where you end up sitting may be effected by choice/crowd/wave, but to get in takes less time and distance than on any prone board.  Then comes the additional bonus that we do not have to get up, saving even more time.  To me this means the capability to line up inside the lonboarders and really right with the shortboarders.  This is true even on the smallest boards we have tried.

Anyone having a diferent experience?


Oh, I should note: except in strong offshore, then all bets are off.
« Last Edit: October 09, 2007, 10:08:08 AM by Rand »

Byronmaui

  • Guest
Re: Gettin' In
« Reply #5 on: October 09, 2007, 11:12:05 AM »
I hang in between the long boarders and the short boarders. This is with a 10 and a 10'6 but if there is a crowd I move on. I cannot wait to try sub 9 foot boards and see what these boards can really do and where I will hang.

Aloha

Byron

Dwight (DW)

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 4780
    • View Profile
    • supSURFmachines
Re: Gettin' In
« Reply #6 on: October 09, 2007, 11:15:15 AM »


Oh, I should note: except in strong offshore, then all bets are off.

That brings back funny memories. I've paddled with some laughable crouched stances trying to beat head winds.

Ever try your SUP prone? I have. It really gives you the truest perspective on the advantage these boards have.

alap

  • Sunset Status
  • ****
  • Posts: 356
    • View Profile
Re: Gettin' In
« Reply #7 on: October 09, 2007, 12:29:29 PM »
i just came back from my last trip to the ocean (last trip for the season). Made a great progress. After the first storm of the fall the waves were big.

I had to move to more protected beach, and even there I had very hard time to punch through the last crushing wave. I can go thru whitewater no problem, but if the head high wave is crushing on me, there is no chance. So in this conditions I learned on the inside. I.e. in the white water. I just pass the white water, make a U-turn and then I catch the next white water. I do it in the surfer stance, and if the white water is high enough (say one foot high) I really crouch, really sit (all in surfer position). Just in order to whistand this push from incoming white water. I thought it is impossible, but now I have 80% success rate.

If the white water is higher (say I made U-turn just in front of crushing wave), I then fell on my belly, the boards accelerates, I stand up as a regular surfer does.

If I manage to pass through to the outside I of course try to catch the swell before it breakes. I improved my balance quite a bit. I don't look on the board at all, and I am comfortable no matter where my board points to - shore, parralel to shore, etc.

However I still have a problem catching those swells. Some swells look really step, but only from afar. I make u-turn, they approach and there is nothing steep. I then stand facing the shore, looking back for the next wave. I realised that there is no need to paddle very long, its more important to start paddling just in time, to accelerate. However sometimes there still not enough steepness, I can't take off. I then wait for another one... Still I am sorta drifting in, quite often the next wave crushes just behind me. Then again I just fell on my belly, the white water accelerates me, I stand up...

So basically if it is very strong or very light I surf the white water - in the former case there is no way for me to get out, so I can harvest only white water inside. In the latter case the small white water is the only option that is available. So I can get out to clean waves only when it is kind in the middle - strong enough to have sweells outside but light enough so I can punch thru this last crushing wave...

With regards to other surfers... there is enough room. I always paddle away from others. Don't want to hit anyone, don't want to be hit...


boots

  • Malibu Status
  • **
  • Posts: 74
    • View Profile
Re: Gettin' In
« Reply #8 on: October 09, 2007, 01:13:55 PM »
Sometimes when it's really crowded you can stay inside of all the regular surfers and paddle out when you see the sets. this lets you catch the inside double ups that even the longboarders cant get in to. You have plenty of room to move around and it doesn't look like you're wave hogging. When I sit outside of the surfers sometimes it's too tempting to grab all the set waves.

It all depends on the break that you surf. Sometimes when it's high tide and mushy I can sit farther deeper than the prone  surfers, get in early, and make the wave. This is kinda fun because the surfers can't get in as early as you so they have to sit farther inside and farther over.

I think SUBs get it to waves much easier than longboards or shortboards if you're in the right position. It can be hard sometimes when you're too far out and you have to claw your way into em, especially on a 8-9' board, but it's better than not getting into them when you're prone surfing.
« Last Edit: October 09, 2007, 01:17:05 PM by boots »

Rand

  • Sunset Status
  • ****
  • Posts: 470
    • View Profile
Re: Gettin' In
« Reply #9 on: October 09, 2007, 08:59:33 PM »
Ever try your SUP prone? I have. It really gives you the truest perspective on the advantage these boards have.

I laydown paddled Chan's 9'1 x 26 x 3 3/4 into a few little crumblers last week.  Pretty small for a standup at only 97 +/- liters, but by far the floatiest, fastest paddling "surfboard" I have ever used.  Even the smallest of these boards are huge.

RUSS-D

  • Rincon Status
  • ***
  • Posts: 161
    • View Profile
Re: Gettin' In
« Reply #10 on: October 10, 2007, 06:08:20 AM »
I only use the SUP for small days. I sit way farther out than any prone Surfers though. I can sit in some, but I try to maximize my ride time on the small waves. If it gets waist high or bigger , I take out my Fish or Short Board.

 


SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal