duck diving - getting clobbered

[tkane2000]

what, in your opinion, is the best trick for getting out past the waves?

I generally get clobbered in big surf and there's been times when i couldn't make it out at all...generally if i'm already pretty tired. turtling is the best method i've found, but if the wave is big or your in the wrong spot you're gonna at least get pushed back real far. i've read about a method for getting your board sideways and pushing it down, but have never been able to make it work.

[dondiemand]

depends on what kind of board you use..for shortboards, duck diving is the best method in my opinion..for funboards/mini-mals or longboards, turtle roll..or if you're strong enough, maybe you can try to duck dive..for larger waves, i would suggest paddling out outside of the wave..if it's a right hander, go paddle on the left side, and paddle fast so the wave wont break when you reach it..passing the breaking wave, make your way back to the line up..hope this is clear, not really good with words

[surfinforlife]

There are bucket loads of replies about duck diving just use the search option, as to getting your board sideways and pushing it down, im really not sure, never heard it/tried it.

If you have a shortboard anything below about 6'6" you should be able to duckdive easily. I ride a 7' and i struggle to duck dive it ( http://www.surfing-waves.com/surfing_lesson_three.htm ), its a little floaty and doesnt like being pushed under, so i normally turtle roll.

As to getting out past the waves, either find a rip and let it take you out ( i dont recommend this if you are a beginner or unexperienced) or paddle out where the waves arent breaking ( http://www.surfing-waves.com/surfing_positons.htm ). If you cant do this then you will have to learn how to either duck dive or turtle roll. All it takes is practice, practice, practice and CONFIDENCE!!! Good luck

[drowningbitbybit]

I think the 'sideways' one goes like this - its basically a modified duck-dive, not getting the board properly sideways, 'cos that so wont work!

Once you've ducked and you're under the water, if you put all the weight on one rail, the board tips to one side, and consequently one side goes slightly deeper. If you time it right, and then push on the other rail, you can then sink the other side further. So you can 'shuffle' the board further down during your duck

Not sure that in the real-world its gonna make a huge difference, but you can sink the board a little bit further, if thats your problem

[IslandA]

once the swell gets to a certain heigth, i wont surf an area that i cant get around the shore break. headlands and reefs i can usually paddle back out to the line up without getting thrashed by set after set of waves, also if you surf a 8-10 foot beachbreak your asking for a snapped longboard. Ive seen too many longboards snap because people had to abandon them, and ive had too many close calls with greeners letting their boards get away from them and come at me like a U-571

[tkane2000]

sounds like the real trick is finding a way out there w/out confronting any big waves. i think that occaisionally, you're bound to find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time though...especially if it's choppy. ditching the your board should never be an option. I'm gonna work on tipping the board sideways, see if i can get anywhere w/ that.

btw, i have a 9'4" wingnut II and usually surf a lot of beach breaks.

[IslandA]

Dude, beach break+longboards=styrofoam cups
at my fav longboard spot when it gets huge there are nasty,closed out hollow waves bitch slapping the sand bar ,you dont want to get caught in the middle of that!!! if the waves arent over 8 foot and i cant paddle around the i just barrel roll so i am holding my board under water. you cant do this when it gets too huge because the wave will be like that crazy dude on mortal kombat and say "GET OVER HERE"and pull you into its wrath

ps keep practising your paddling and timing the sets!! thats the ticket longboarder!!

[DayWalker*]

if the wave is small enough you can plough right through it but when it gets big and messy, IMO,
best thing is to turtle roll coz unless you got arms of steel, duck diving a long board is quite a mission!

[tkane2000]

i have arms of toothpicks.

[trails surfing]

i've seen poeple on 9'0 trying to duck dive but when the wave hits them thier tail is still way up in the air so they get pushed back a good bit. when i am using my longboard i use the turtle roll and done right it works great. this is when the waves are like 3 foot+. any smaller and i just do a push up so that the white water goes over my board and under me.

[tkane2000]

sounds like the turtle roll is winning out here ...along w/ just avoiding big waves altogether.

I guess i'll have to perfect my turtle rolling.

[bluesnowcone]

theirs a method that i heard about where you tilt the board on its side push it down hard enough and when you level it out it submerges the rest of the board, its like the longboarders duck dive, but iv never tried it or even seen it.

[simon luck]

I surf a 9'6" and at beachies I roll but I have managed to duck dive on steep reef breaks, Its a power thing and really great positioning and exellent timing are needed , bury the nose and one rail by placing one hand forward and the other on the rail about where you pop up from you must also be paddling right into the pitching lip, just after you sink the nose stand on one straight leg and lift the other to direct pressure through the foot thats on the board almost like a one legged press up and if you timed it right the lip should throw over on the back of your board forcing you out the other side....really complicated to explain but I hope it helps,
Trigger.

[dougirwin13]

Positioning. Timing. Awareness.

Itty bitty waves I plow through.

Getting up to knee high (and clean to slightly crumbly) I just push up/sit up.

Bigger than that? Say waist high.

If it's clean I duck dive. Harder on a longer board, naturally. Get your weight forward, approaching the wave face at a slight angle. Now push the side of your board closest to the wave face down into the water and lean on it. As that edge slices under water push the other side down. You'll feel the whole front of the board get sucked under water. Move your weight back somewhat to bring the rear with it. There's more finesse here that duck diving a shortboard so you need to practice in smaller waves (head to a beginner's beachie). Once you have the knack it works very well. Be aware that the more volume there is in your board the less you'll be able to get the tail pulled under with you, so it works best with a progressive longboard or progressive/traditional hybrid.

When it's not clean? Getting rumbled by a stack of whitewater? You can scoot/frog through it a lot of the time. But sooner or later you'll have no option but to duck dive :D

-doug

[trinisurfer]

i would love to c any human being duckdive ah longboard and he must not b arnold schwarzenegger's size.

[borneng]

I think the 'sideways' one goes like this - its basically a modified duck-dive, not getting the board properly sideways, 'cos that so wont work!

Apparently it's called slice 'n duck. This is probably the best possible explanation on how to achieve it.



Like dougirwin13 said;

Positioning. Timing. Awareness.

is the key.

edit note:
The picture above is scanned from a book called "Longboarder's Start-Up" by Doug Werner. It's an informative and pretty good read.

[bluesnowcone]

iv got that book that you got that from, its very handy

[borneng]

iv got that book that you got that from, its very handy

It is, isn't it. It's one of the best book I bought.

[bluesnowcone]

its so informing, and its said so simply

[LovintheSurf]

yah i think its mostly a matter of technique to, like first time i took my 7'4'' Gun out it was almost impossible for me to duckdive it. Four sessions later i could duck dive it no problem, and the waves were gettin up to 6 feet, which is pretty big for me.