paddle-in speed

[Nick Carroll]

Hi Squid!

Everyone's got good points here. Catching waves is more about positioning than paddling speed -- but greater paddling acceleration gives you more options in the takeoff zone.

It's really more about that -- acceleration, not pace -- which is why some people use the ol' sink-the-tail-and-pop method. It gets 'em from zero to around three knots very quickly.

Three knots is about peak velocity for most fit shortboard and slightly clumsy longboard surfers. This doesn't match any wave's speed. Your success or failure in the first 10 metres of any ride is based on your ability to match the wave speed AFTER standing, not before. This is why thrashing like a mad bastard rarely if ever helps you ride the ensuing wave better; you're just throwing yourself off balance.

Very few surfers are able to reach 100% of their potential paddling pace or acceleration around the lineup. Most of us aren't really that fit, nor do most of us have super efficient paddling strokes. You want to catch and ride more waves, better? Work on the paddle stroke. After a while you'll feel like you're cheating.

[flames]

I can't, CAN'T, catch waves to save my life.

How would you work on your paddle stroke ? Are you talking fitness, strength or technique ? Hand positioning or fingers apart or.....or.....what ?

Any pointers would be really appreciated, as this is my biggest bug bear. I'm a fairly big bloke, and I've progressed down the learner tree from mini mals, but I can't catch waves on anything less than my 7'6" x 22 x 3 'fish'. I had a 6'10" x 21 x 2 3/8 made up as a shortboard, but I may as well set fire to it for all the waves I've caught with it.

And don't even get me started on duck diving..........

[oldman]

Being a shitty paddler certainly improves your late take-off abilities.

[macca202]

flames it sounds like your positioned too far back on your board. Try shift your weight forward more. Thats the only thing i can think of. Of couse you will need to be carfull not to nose dive.
Or maybe you just trying to catch the wave too early. try take off closer to where the waves breaking.

[Morgan The Moon]

Flames, try this:

http://www.surfbetter.com/html/interfree.html

Free lesson, good advice.

[flames]

It's one of the McTavish Carver Fishes, so it's not really a fish. I can catch waves on it all day. The problem is I've just had a 6'10" thruster made up as a short board, and I cannot get on a wave with it. Can't do it.

Just been having a chat with one of the blokes from Bennetts in Brookvale and he was talking about getting a board with more volume in the nose, and the move from the Fish to a thruster meant I'm pushing alot of water.

Either way, I've got to get it sorted out. If you see anyone over the Pittwater side of the peninsula on an oversized fish looking quizically at his hands while he's paddling, it'll be me.

[agc]

I never have any trouble catching waves and i think the reason for this is i put everything everyone has said in this post into action.

Position yourself well - dont be too far out the back trying to get on to a wave that is nowhere near breaking.

Paddle with efficient and long strokes - short fast strokes will just waste energy and you will not get very far.

Position yourself on your board properly so alot of the weight is up the front. Sometimes when im paddling my nose does dip under the water, call me scuba boy!

I advise everyone to swim alot more to build up your arm strength. When i got back into surfing after a huge break my arms would be like jelly by the time i got out the back the first time out of the day. Now i have much better stamina.

Also one thing for me that helped a great deal was GETTING MY NEW BOARD! Amazing how a new board will help over my water logged peice of *beep*

[mudguts]

i read kelly slaters autobiography a while back, he talked about his paddling technique.

he wrote that when paddling you should sort of reach under your board in a sort of s pattern. i tried it but realised i did it unconciously any way. i think the biggest thing reaching underneath your board does is force you to get more of your arms deeper into the water, which gives you more drive. everyone has seen the newbies out there paddling with their arms out almost perpindicular to their bodies thrashing about with pretty much just there fingertips in the water. it looks comical and doesnt really achieve shit.

with flames dilemma, i went through the same thing a fair while back. the biggest thing with dropping to a shortboard i found was losing all the bouyancy through the nose,and always thinking you will nose dive, and compensating by pushing your weight too far back on the board.
you need to move forward lift your chest a bit more of the board and square your shoulders. it may feel unnatural at first but it sorts out your weight distribution and also brings your chesticles into play as well, meaning stronger paddling and better stamina.

just get out there and paddle around, watch other people, both good and bad, and analyse what thet are doing wrong and right and apply it to your surfing. you'll get to know when you feel balanced, and comfortable. And commit to waves, even if you fall off thats the only way to learn. you'll get dumped and think, hey that was better than last time for this reason, or that was just plain crap, but i know what i did wrong. perserverance is the key.

And flames, before you know it you will be doing fully sick vertical re-entry thingos.

justin

[macca202]

i read kelly slaters autobiography a while back, he talked about his paddling technique.

he wrote that when paddling you should sort of reach under your board in a sort of s pattern. i tried it but realised i did it unconciously any way. i think the biggest thing reaching underneath your board does is force you to get more of your arms deeper into the water, which gives you more drive. everyone has seen the newbies out there paddling with their arms out almost perpindicular to their bodies thrashing about with pretty much just there fingertips in the water. it looks comical and doesnt really achieve shit.

thats a good tip, i'll have to keep it in mind and not let my hands drift out too far.