Author Topic: Riding out the whitewater after a wave  (Read 8867 times)

SurfKiteSUP

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Riding out the whitewater after a wave
« on: March 01, 2021, 04:17:27 PM »
Here is a noob question:

How do I ride out the whitewater after a wave if I can't kick out the back or if I'm finishing up a session and just want to ride the whitewater in?  This would be mostly 3-4' beach break waves.

I'm only about 15 sessions into my SUP surfing journey but I do prone surf.  On a shortboard, if I straighten out on a closeout or just want to ride the whitewater in I can do it no problem.

On my SUP (9'2" Riviera Nugg), if I straighten out on a wave, the second that whitewater hits, I am falling backwards.  I've tried standing in different parts of the board - more centered, more biased to the tail.  Standing centered might be marginally better but the end result is the same.  The board goes shooting out from under me.

Do I just need to crouch down more and anticipate the push better?

supthecreek

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Re: Riding out the whitewater after a wave
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2021, 08:49:59 PM »
Welcome to the Zone SKS!

I use a couple of options.

#1
I use the last bit of clean wave to get a bit of speed up, then run out in front of the wave on an angle, then throw a hard turn and flick my board over, as I fall under the wave. I pop out the back, climb onboard and paddle back out.

This saves you from being pushed too far inside

# 2
I weight the inside rail, back over the sidebite and race across under the whitewater until it dissipates.
This lifts the outside rail, so it won't catch and dump you in front of the board into shallow water.

These pics show what I am talking about to a reasonable degree.

surfinJ

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Re: Riding out the whitewater after a wave
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2021, 10:42:10 PM »
That getting hit by the white water from behind is tough.  Usually a last off the top or cut back can give you the speed to just outrun the white water for a moment.
That’s when you set up for the push from behind.

When I go down it is either because I remain straight legged, not getting down a bit.
Or sometimes I have a tendency to let the wave side rail get buried if I cut off left or right.

Good luck perfecting it.  I am still trying.

Dwight (DW)

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Re: Riding out the whitewater after a wave
« Reply #3 on: March 02, 2021, 04:18:10 AM »
Only 15 sessions on a SUP....my guess, you’re not using the paddle as a third leg/brace. Dig the paddle for balance.


Badger

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Re: Riding out the whitewater after a wave
« Reply #4 on: March 02, 2021, 05:05:46 AM »
Here is a noob question:

How do I ride out the whitewater after a wave if I can't kick out the back or if I'm finishing up a session and just want to ride the whitewater in? 

On a shortboard, if I straighten out on a closeout or just want to ride the whitewater in I can do it no problem.

On my SUP (9'2" Riviera Nugg), if I straighten out on a wave, the second that whitewater hits, I am falling backwards. The board goes shooting out from under me.

Do I just need to crouch down more and anticipate the push better?

If you ride straight down the wave, the board will slow down when you reach the bottom, then the whitewater hits you and you will likely fall.

Try riding the face of the wave as far as you can and turn with the wave at the last second as it closes out.  The board and the whitewater need to be moving together at the same speed.  You don't want to get ahead of the whitewater. Just let it push you and try to flow with it.
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SurfKiteSUP

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Re: Riding out the whitewater after a wave
« Reply #5 on: March 02, 2021, 07:02:42 AM »
Wow!  Thanks for the responses already!

@Creek - Thank you for the detailed instructions and pics!   I think #2 is more what I am looking for since I actually WANT to ride out on the whitewater in this case.

@SurfinJ and Badger - yes, I usually try to do one last turn and come off the face of the wave with some speed.  but eventually the whitewater catches up and I fall. That SUP feels like it's on ball bearings compared to a shortboard though.  I guess I just need to anticipate the push better and crouch down more and keep trying.

@Dwight - Definitely true - I am only starting to use the paddle as a brace on rare occasions, mostly accidentally.  So I should be bracing to the back of the board?


Tom

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Re: Riding out the whitewater after a wave
« Reply #6 on: March 02, 2021, 08:54:02 AM »
If you're trying to straighten out and ride to the shore you need to prepare for the white water to push the board out from under you from behind. Weight the front of the board as much as you can with your front foot, squat down to lower your center of gravity, and place and weight your paddle behind you. Practice on smaller waves first and you'll learn to handle some pretty sizable wave.

supthecreek

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Re: Riding out the whitewater after a wave
« Reply #7 on: March 02, 2021, 10:28:23 AM »
Hi SKS
When you don't want to ride it out...
I'm a big fan of this option  ;D ;D

SurfKiteSUP

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Re: Riding out the whitewater after a wave
« Reply #8 on: March 02, 2021, 01:47:03 PM »
If you're trying to straighten out and ride to the shore you need to prepare for the white water to push the board out from under you from behind. Weight the front of the board as much as you can with your front foot, squat down to lower your center of gravity, and place and weight your paddle behind you. Practice on smaller waves first and you'll learn to handle some pretty sizable wave.

@Tom - OK!  I think this is probably what I am missing - I need to exaggerate my crouch and forward weight-bias.  It is a much subtler and simpler movement on a shortboard and I'm not accounting for the extra float/length/width/weight of a SUP.

@Creek - I haven't caught a wave big enough to necessitate the pin-drop but hopefully someday! haha

surfinJ

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Re: Riding out the whitewater after a wave
« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2021, 11:46:53 PM »
So during yesterday’s session I paid closer attention to this moment and I confirm my above post but want to add the bits I forgot.

As the white water hits the key is to keep surfing. To maintain balance as the push comes and the ball bearings start to roll, anticipate the increase in turbulence, let your knees flex with the bumps. And two key points- head up with a further out focus as the bump hits you, this gives your brain more level data than staring just off the nose of the board.
And brace with the paddle, I lean on it heavily at times during this maneuver as it catches any falling tendencies.

PonoBill

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Re: Riding out the whitewater after a wave
« Reply #10 on: March 03, 2021, 11:20:28 PM »
It's all about the speed. I've started SUPing again this winter since SoCal is not exactly primo for foil unless you go to SanO every day. And everyplace close to where we're staying breaks close to shore--not a lot of opportunities for long rides and finishing up in a lagoon. So I've been riding a lot of whitewater.

I'm not the world's most flexible guy (that howling you're hearing is my friends) so when I get low and braced it looks a lot like younger people standing tall. For me, it's all about speed. I need to be going the same speed as the whitewater. I stay on the green water for as long as possible and turn straight at the last second. If you survive the first punch of the whitewater you can do whatever else suits your fancy. I like to turn back down the line to my strong side (right) and then figure out what's next. It is important to weight the rail facing the wave. If you flatten out the board will probably dig the offside rail and launch you.
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Badger

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Re: Riding out the whitewater after a wave
« Reply #11 on: March 04, 2021, 09:43:56 AM »
Riding the whitewater is not something you really need to practice. It will just naturally happen as a result of learning to surf the board you're on.  If you can surf a wave and pull out of a wave, you should be able to surf the whitewater.

To clarify what Bill just said, surf the wave as you normally would across the face of the wave with the board parallel to the shore.  When you see that the wave is going to close out, you have a choice to either pull out the back or go with it toward shore. If you turn toward shore too soon, you will get hit by the curl behind you.  That's what makes you fall.  You want to get up some speed and at the very last second, turn with the curl that's in front of you and point the board toward shore.  If you time it right, you and the whitewater will be flowing together at the same speed and you simply surf it to shore. For most people, it might be easier to do this facing the wave rather than backside.

If the waves are just closing out all at once with no actual wave face to surf, those can be a bit more difficult. I often just crash and burn on those.

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SurfKiteSUP

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Re: Riding out the whitewater after a wave
« Reply #12 on: March 04, 2021, 02:29:52 PM »
I wouldn't say that I'm going to or want to "practice" riding the whitewater - just wanted to know what to be more conscious of when I do so I can look regal while riding to shore.  ;D

I just re-watched a clip I have of one of my first rides that happened to be captured on a Surfline cam and I actually mostly ride out the wash after finishing a wave so maybe I'm just overthinking it now.

Thanks all for the help!

OkiWild

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Re: Riding out the whitewater after a wave
« Reply #13 on: March 10, 2021, 02:43:08 AM »
I wouldn't say that I'm going to or want to "practice" riding the whitewater - just wanted to know what to be more conscious of when I do so I can look regal while riding to shore.  ;D

I just re-watched a clip I have of one of my first rides that happened to be captured on a Surfline cam and I actually mostly ride out the wash after finishing a wave so maybe I'm just overthinking it now.

Thanks all for the help!

Nah, not really overthinking it. It was the same for me, the push from behind accelerates a SUP a lot quicker than a shortboard, and it feels a lot more unstable, combined with the input from the feet having a lot less/slower response.

Trick at first is to widen the stance (step back), get low at the knees to lower the CG, and keep the paddle out and to the rear to brace off of. As long as you're bending at the knees, and not hinged over at the waist, it still looks stylish  ;D

miker

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Re: Riding out the whitewater after a wave
« Reply #14 on: March 30, 2021, 05:08:02 PM »
Only 15 sessions on a SUP....my guess, you’re not using the paddle as a third leg/brace. Dig the paddle for balance.

This is the key.  What I do is dig the paddle in just as the white water hits.  This does two things.  Firstly, it keeps my speed up.  Secondly, it provides the push for my upper body to stay caught up with the board.  This makes it almost impossible to fall down.  But bend your knees and get lower too.

 


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