help me become a mal rider.

[steve shearer]

this is a wind-up right?

[oldman]

Obviously on a mal youve got to plan your moves a lot earlier.

Have you thought of Broome? Start planning now.

[Yuke Hunt]

Before we get into the technical logistics of the physics and theory in turning your newly aquired pasha-bulka ... theres a couple of fundamentals that need to be addressed first.

Ideally you need to show the outward signs of age ... a beer gut would be perfect ... but not essential.
Grey haired and balding is another sure fire way to portray the look ... totally bald would suffice.
The clothing is very important ... never underestimate the power of sartorial signage.
A nice bright pair of Okanui's or the Best and Less equivalent is a must for the gentleman logger. A long sleeve rash shirt with old guys rule printed on it. The rashy should be two sizes too big and fluro.
Ok ... where almost there ... all you need now is a bucket hat ... done.

You don't even need to turn the board now ... just take off and go straight.
Make sure you surf in packs of at least six ... and sit right in the middle of the critical section of the wave ... or just in front of the take off.
Speak loudly and constantly ... complain about the crowds ... lack of respect ... and your prostate.

And remember to only drop-in on the good waves.

Good luck.

[marcus_h]

Drop that back knee and get those hands in the air...thats all you need to know

[oldman]

... just take off and go straight.
Make sure you surf in packs of at least six ... and sit right in the middle of the critical section of the wave ... or just in front of the take off.
Speak loudly and constantly ... complain about the crowds ... lack of respect ... and your prostate.

Pretty good.

You forgot - paddle for every wave, make sure no short boarder ever gets a wave. Having taken the wave and establishing that nobody else can get it, flick off, ensuring the wave goes unridden as it peels another 100 metres down the line, and paddle the 15 metres back out and repeat.

Avoid tubes at all cost.

Apologies. I'll go now.

[oldman]

Wave peels for 100 mtrs ? In Sydney?

Nah, not Sydney.

Don't see mals around the Sydney beaches I go to. There has to be some respite somewhere.

This has been more my central coast experience.

[Chillin]

See if you can get a copy of WINGNUTS GUIDE TO SURFING if you can't, pm me and I'll sling you a copy

[BDL77]

Hey Dinosaur,

Looks like you and I had a similar summer with board choice. I have been surfing shortboards for over 15 years and decided to pick-up a 10'1 old school log to play around with when the waves are 1 to 2ft and weak. I've used it about 5 times in the last few weeks and gotta say it is great fun and a completely different sensation.

I have a whole new respect for proper mal riders not the stereotypical aging mal rider that Womble mentions but the guys who can surf a 10'1 like I surf my 6'1. Swapping from the mal (yesterday) to the 6'1 (today) makes the 6'1 feel like a twig but after a few waves I find the mal session has smoothed my style out a bit which is great. Also my attempts to cross step to the nose on the mal has given me a better ability to move my feet on the 6'1.

Just continue to have fun with it and ignore the pointing, sneering and crappy comments, I know I'm trying my best.

[Trev]

Now Dino. Here's the olive branch. Because you described the feeling very well.
This is a ten foot sean wilde nose rider. A real log with a big arse set fin. I only ride it in waves i couldn't be bothered riding a short board in. say sub 2 - 3 foot. I'm loving the feel and the glide of a nice fading take off, jamming the tail and the inside rail, swing it around, walk up trim. Practicing my cross step, working on it its all about style.
marcus_h is right above. And he does it well.
If you have a genuine heavy old log type board it's pretty easy to move your back leg back and put most of your weight back there with it, then lean in the direction you want to turn. It's easier if you are coming off a forehand turn to begin with - sort of like an "S" bend and it'll flow nicely. The moment the board starts to turn slide your back foot forward and even your balance out again ready for the next move.
If the board is a later, lighter version, it's a little more difficult as you can't move your weight back so far or you'll stall. Just takes a bit of practice to get the timing and back foot placement right.
And the arms have to go in the air. Refer my pic below which iggs likes to make fun of. But thats the aftermath of a drop leg cutback into a forehand turn.
And you're right. The fading take-off, hard turn into a trim is magic. Back in the day ( ) we used to call it the 180 take off (as in degrees of turn although of course it's not quite that much)
Iggs is also right about Wands. i've seen some footage of him riding and he's pretty smooth. Shame he's a goofy footer.

[ric_vidal]

Watch Adrian Van Der Wallen, John Gill (Palmie, Avalon and environs), Longygrom (Matt - wherever he surfs these days) and Wanderer, actually all of them can ride literally anything with style, ’cept Wanderer would probably claim noseriding is more his strength on a mal.

Keep in mind J-saur it is a noserider so turning such devices can be a chore.

Dunno but probably more of a pivot than anything else to get it around.

[WANDERER]

sell it and stick to shortboards, mals are uncool, very very uncool.

[steve shearer]

I guess the thing Im having trouble with is timing. Like sometimes im up and trimming and Im not sure what I should be doing, you no do i just stand there till the wave tells me what to do?

Here...do it like this :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-VqTcQa7U0

and don't wave your arms in the air like some try hard Byron hipster .
Thats the biggest load of BS ever.

It's the only legit dance a whitey can do so don't make it ugly.
Use your feet and run through the turns with the hips.

Thats technique sorted, as far as timing doesn't Carroll hire himself out for an hourly rate to stand on the beach with a bullhorn?

[otway1949]

Uncle Otway here, learn the gentle art of back foot pressure with or without the drop knee as far back as you feel comfortable the de-weighted front foot guides the front part of the board in the arc of your choice!
Flat centre line back foot pressure enables a raised nose stall again as radical as you like, hold said stall until the next section lets you know its intentions, cross step forward and feel the true log acceleration.
This can take you to nose rides or backdooring a small section at high speed, scares the shit out of cheeky short boarders.
Contrary to popular belief amongst shortboarders nose riding can be done in highly critical parts of the wave especially on your vehicle of choice.
Bucket hat, zinc and fun become your new attributes .

ENJOY THOROUGHLY

[steve shearer]

this is also required viewing : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBKGPnXL1y4

[munch]

hmmmmm floral breasts

[Trev]

Dino, this guy is right up your alley.
Watch how he stays in the pocket, handles drop-ins and does a couple of good drop knee turns (about the 3min. mark)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tchHtWNZ ... re=related

[BDL77]

I dont want to ride it like any short board.
I want to ride it the way a mal should be ridden. I have more respect for goat boaters than modern mal riders.

Not what I meant, just the ease at which they can handle a board that size. My wife bought me 'One California Day' as an xmas present and that inspired me to pick up a mal and try it out. My goal is surf smooth and fluid, cross stepping, the odd drop knee turn and in time get to the nose comfortably. I certainly don't want to surf it like a shortboard otherwise I've missed the point.

[BDL77]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Been watching 'Longer' - Also a pretty cool sound track to sit back and chill out to, also 'sprout' and 'One California day' plus Youtube.