problems with my cutback

[sebastiansurfer]

okay I have been surfing for about half a year. I can almost always paddle into the wave and get a good ride down the line. I've been thinking it was my bottom turn and i want getting enough speed to complete the spray( i live on the gulf coast so my surfing opportunites are maybe 70 days a year)
I just want some other peoples opinions.thanks

[drewdrewdrew]

check out http://www.surfingvancouverisland.com/s ... utback.htm

[Dzondlo]

Sorry, can't help you on your cutback. I think we might need a little more info. But don't worry, I hear in the winter the gulf gets A++ If your ever around the panhandle area in FL, hit me up for sure

[Aloha]

Good on you that you are already trying to do cutties and you've only been surfing for half a year! I live in Sydney and only started doing cutties after a few years and I get way more than 70 days a year .

The trick is of course speed. Best place to learn a cutback is on a point break or reef. Somewhere where you know that the wall is definitely going to stay up and not close on you.

If you've got a wave like that then instead of riding it top to bottom (very hard to not do on a beach break, as how often do you get a nice open face and want to waste it practicing something??) , pump for speed down the line, racing away from the curl, (you don't usually have to race away, but for practicing it'll guarantee that the face isn't too steep when you do the cuttie, otherwise you'll have to do a re-entry instead) then drop down the face to get more speed, do a wide bottom turn towards the shoulder of the wave but rather than swing around fast for a snap, lean on your back heel like you were doing a backside bottom turn.

I think not going backhand enough stopped me from learning cutties earlier. The great thing about them is since I've been doing them I carry a lot more speed by doing little fades and cutties. Keeping your board on the rail reduces friction and keeps your speed up, of course it has to be done on the right part of the wave otherwise all that carving is going to slow you down.

[Mitsven board rider]

Turn your head that's the key

[sebastiansurfer]

thanks for the help guys
I think another problem that is holding me back is the fact that normally im surfing waves that and of you would scorn im talking bout totally mushy or closeouts galore.but anything that makes water move on this coast is good enough for me!
yes it can be amazing here during a hurricane(look at gulfster.com and check out the ike pictures!) but I wasnt experienced enough to ride these type of waves and I had a back problem at the time.and of course we go this whole season without one...