Longboard nose dives.

[Kunho5]

Hi I have been riding a 9 footer for a while on beach breaks. Noserider with fairly flat rocker. On the flat sections its great no worries but when its steep dropping in is near impossible.

Is this just a learning curve? Can you really learn to drop in a longboard or is it time to get a shorty?

Regards..............

[WANDERER]

paddle faster, get to your feet earlier, to me it sounds like you are still a noob?? if so, more practice required.

Otherwise, if it is still "near impossible" get something shorter, there is a vast graduation of boards between 'noserider' and 'shortboard' by the sounds of it somewhere in the middle sounds right for you.

Answer a few Q's might help to point you in the right direction:
How old?
How heavy?
Surfed for how long?
How'd you describe your skill level?
details of current board?

[Beanpole]

Try taking off at an angle rather than hoping you can paddle straight down the face and then swing it around when you hit the bottom.

[Kunho5]

Yep thanks for the replies.

Some good advice.

Answers to Questions

1 Surfed when I was a kid and am now getting back into it. So I guess I am a noob.
2. 40 years old
3.70kg
4.Good fitness level.
5. 9'1" noserider. Not much rocker. Single fin. Lots of width on nose. Squash tail. About 2 3/4 thick.

Looks like it could be solved with plain old practise by the sound of it............................and getting on earlier.

Cheers.

[Trev]

Couple of things occur to me.
"not too much rocker". Maybe you need one with a bit more rocker.
Angle take offs will help, as will getting up earlier. You are better able to control your weight distribution with your feet spread than laying on your stomach. You might drop off the back of the wave a few times but you'll find a happy medium if you persevere.
One last thing. If you are only 70 kgs, maybe you could try paddling into the wave on your knees.

[mustkillmulloway]

as much as my 9'1'' tolhurst is a total dog surf

( butts will support this )

it' does handle steep drops surprisingly well

about the only thing it's got going for it

i'm sure it's the rails up front that help it

very, very forgiving

i lack the words describe

post a pic so you can see what i'm talking about soon

[Shaunm]

I had one with a fat nose big concave under it. Caught the nose a lot so had to paddle even harder and arch back then get up early so end up riding on top of the wave so to speak. Ended up trading it. With the 10' er I find on steeper waves I'm scrambling back as I get up which poses another issue when strong off or cross shore winds are present.

[Kunho5]

Really nice for longboards this morning at Maroubra. Made the drop a few times.

Thanks for the advice. I guess it is a combination of a lot of things. waves too.

I reckon a bit more rocker and a smaller nose would help.

Im not ready to give up on longboards yet.

[roy Stewart]

Pull the tail in, this can be done with a handsaw,and will cure the problem

I'm not joking.

.

[roy Stewart]

By the way noseriders are an invention of the devil.

.

[Kunho5]

Pull the tail in, this can be done with a handsaw,and will cure the problem

I'm not joking.

.

What ? More info please . Are u serious.??

[Kunho5]

Hey Roy Stewart I know you you are the guy from New Zealand who makes Ollo longboards. I have seen you on You Tube. Excellent work mate. Your boards are great. I think you know your stuff mate.

Regards

[roy Stewart]

Thanks very much

I tried to post a reply here but the images wouldn't work, so I've put it on the blog over here:

http://olosurfer-woodensurfboardsatpipe ... -rail.html

Perhaps better to make a new board with a narrower tail than to cut up your existing board unless it's an old beater.

[Kunho5]

Thanks a lot Roy I will check it out.

Cheers.

[Kunho5]

Hi Roy

I see your point it makes perfect sense to have less tail area and the board will rise in the front. I imagine the pin tail would need to be used on a board with quite a long length in order to get rolling without much tail area?. Typical mainstream longboards are 9 or 10 foot like mine. This is only a baby compared to your boards. I guess it would be best to take all the elements in combination.

Thanks for the help Roy. Your website is cool. Thanks for sharing it mate.

Regards

Rich.

[roy Stewart]

The pintail in the picture is 9'1" it applies to boards of any length but with shorter ones the wide tail isn't as much of an issue with a flat nose rocker as the rider can force the issue with some success.

[Shaunm]

I had a board with a really thin tail and it lagged like nothing. Got a couple of more experienced riders to test and they struggled as well???

[the kalakau kid]

Rocker can be the killer of speed if its all wrong - ie too curvy in the wrong places. Ditto fins. Too big or wrong angles will make a board surf very poorly.