Where did you surf today ?

[Hatchnam]

At the risk of offering uninvited advice - Small boards like that won't help u one bit if ur learning. Ur better off on a bigger longer board. Get a board that can catch shit loads of waves. U will improve a lot quicker as a result. Get ur wave count up and start to get some flow and lines happening.,Plenty of time later to go for a small board. It's just gonna be a hurdle for now.

[petulance]

I got the 6'4" x 21 1/4" x 2 3/4" JS Blak Box after going too short too soon last year with a 5'10" (or was that a 5'11") Dumpster Diver. I got rid of the DD pretty soon and replaced it with the JS. I also have a 6'6" Miller Waterskate that catches more waves. Wave count is definitely important at my stage but I feel that the JS offers a good compromise between wave catching and "safety" in the lineup. With the Miller 6'6", I struggle to get out through a wall of whitewater and when a set comes in I can't sink the board so I put all my weight forward to minimise the push back if I can't make the shoulder in time.

I know that people on bigger boards don't have this problem of getting pushed back by whitewater / sets so I am all ears for any advice on getting bigger boards out in the lineup. Thanks.

[petulance]

Whoops. Just realised I may have mis-read Hatchnam's post. Were you referring to the 5'6" fish, my 6'4" regular board or both when you said the boards were too short? I only rode the fish today because I have never tried one before and it was a good day to try something different.

[Hatchnam]

Well if it was me in ur shoes I'd be preserving with the miller. Just work on positioning and timing for the duckdive. Do it a shave earlier and use ur foot on the tail if u need to for scooping the board under.

Bottom line is the more waves u catch the better u'll get and sooner. The bigger board will get u into the waves earlier, and let u position yourself deeper and set your line Down the Line (which flattens and draws out the steepness of drop). The take off is mostly a high line sprint from the start. south Maroubra (which u surf most) is a bowly down the line fast sectioning wave. It's essentially a speed run with a top turn off each link up section and maybe a cutback into the reform, where it just does the same thing over again (a speed run).

With a bigger longer board u will simply catch more waves. I'm repeating myself here but it's what u will need the most for now.

[petulance]

Thanks for the input. I was actually going to put the Miller on Gumtree last week but never got around to it. I'll hang on to it for now.

[steve shearer]

There were some fun as fcuk chunky jackhammer wedges down the beach today as the new S/SSE swell combined with complex E to ESE swell trains.

It was sooooo good to feel some power under the board. Take a few late drops under the axe, get hammered, get hammered as hell on the bank paddling out. Under grey skies and a SW to SSW wind that kept threatening to swing SE but never quite did.

[Donweather]

Yes I heard it was looking good down your way this morning Steve.

[steve shearer]

It was nothing amazing and the Point was obscenely crowded but luckily this corner opened up as the tide came in.

it still had plenty of wobble through it but the juice was very welcome.

[petulance]

Couldn't really find anything, he does it in this video but it's hard to see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKfUQ_AsrO4

It's all about just getting that nose under to start with, after that it's a normal duck dive. Try it when you're out the back waiting for waves and you'll get it worked out pretty quick.

Thanks for the link. I'll try that technique on my 6'6" Miller Waterskate once I waxed it up again.

[petulance]

The Waterskate has a fairly wide nose and I have never been able to get it down by pushing down on it, unlike other boards I have tried, so the scooping technique should apply to it as well.

[Karlos]

Just back from a fun session at Queenscliff. Remarkably uncrowded but that'll soon change with the Hurley Open circus in town for the next week or two.

[ctd]

Works with any board with a bit of foam, the pointier it is the less corner scoop you need to do though.

Think of it like pushing a knife through a tomato, do it flat it's kinda hard but possible, turn it 90 degrees and it slices.

Or you can just turtle roll - if we oldies can get 9ft longboards out the back, then you should be able to get a 6ft6 out.

[Karlos]

Theoretically, knife technique should work with penetrating Hurley Open circus crowds too Karlos.

I have a feeling I'll be too far away to need knife technique over the next fortnight. Then again, the skating at the last one was pretty cool & Lance Mountain will be there amongst other vert maniacs so maybe it will come in handy.

Might have to look at the swell forecast as well. Hopefully it'll be better than the shit served up last time.

[petulance]

Works with any board with a bit of foam, the pointier it is the less corner scoop you need to do though.

Think of it like pushing a knife through a tomato, do it flat it's kinda hard but possible, turn it 90 degrees and it slices.

Or you can just turtle roll - if we oldies can get 9ft longboards out the back, then you should be able to get a 6ft6 out.

Good point about the turtle roll. And yes, I did say a few posts back that people on bigger boards don't have trouble getting out the back. I forgot about the turtle roll.

[alakaboo]

Finally got some decent waves.
I'll most likely be a weekend warrior soon, and I sure felt like one today.
No paddle, no pop, botched turns, dropped about a third further down the pecking order and I wasn't at the top to start with.

Sand placement is pretty epic at the moment on the sthern Goldy.

[crabmeat thompson]

Sand placement is pretty epic at the moment on the sthern Goldy.

Uh-oh ... Here comes donweather, and he's carrying a sickle!

[jimmy]

D'bah was fantastic this afternoon.. Had a couple of hours before I had to jump on a plane back to Sydney. Was gonna surf Bondi but decided a beer with Skipper was a better option seeing as he moves out tomorrow.