What do you do when you get caught inside

[bgdkmetzger2003]

I posted this because I think it is entirely relevant with the winter season coming on. Ok, so lets say its a regular 8 feet at an unpredictable beach break (blacks beach in san diego). My buddy and I have always thought if you get caught inside, hold onto your board no matter what and it will always float you to the surface again. This has worked really well for me when I was able to duck dive. I got thrashed around but because I held onto my board for dear life, I always came back up pretty quick. But lets say now that a really big set comes in. You cant duck dive because its just too big. So you ditch. But when you ditch your board drags you down when you are trying to come back up to the surface. So whats the best thing to do in that situation???

[sinistapenguin]

My technique -

rather than hold the board, hold the rail guard on your leash, close to the board.

Flip the board over so it's 'fins up', then dive under the wave and pull down hard on the leash.

I've never found a wave yet that you can't get under using this technique. OK in the bigger stuff you get rocked a bit by it, but it's better than being on the surface!!

Cheers

Sinista

[drowningbitbybit]

In order of preference...

Choice One - Paddle at it and duck it. But sometimes you cant...

Choice Two - Hold the rail-saver and dive dive dive...

Choice Three - Admit you've paddled out in the wrong place and ride the wave to somewhere else

Choice Four - Get pummelled, almost drown, admit that perhaps its a bit too big today

[PapaW]

I hate peole who ditch their board... its bloody dangerious. Sinistas got the best technique if your not rolling or ducking the waves.

Please don't ditch boards!!!

[sinistapenguin]

That's about the only surfing technique I've got sussed!!

[tomcat360]

Ok, so lets say its a regular 8 feet at an unpredictable beach break (blacks beach in san diego).

man, I wish I could call that "regular" around here

[oslo]

If it is on a beach break, the solution is simple. Just paddle in, take a walk, and paddle out a little later.

[Dopey]

[colin]

I also use the same technique as sinista and its worked the best for me. I surf mainly beach breaks and they can get pretty unpredictable and catch you inside on cleanup sets pretty easily. This way you aren't letting go of your board and you are still diving down under the wave enough so that you arent getting beaten.

[bgdkmetzger2003]

so we are saying if you have to ditch (which I'm not saying is a good thing by the way, its a desperate measure), you should grab the part of your leash that is closest to where it attaches to your board and go under?? To me that wouldnt let you go down deep enough. Swimming towards a channel would be good unless there are none. I correct myself, it is not regularly 8 feet at blacks but come this weekend it might be 15 feet. There is a huge northern swell coming in on sun, mon, tues, over here in san diego. honestly, if its that big, i will be taking pictures from shore. ive only been surfing a year and a half. im not ready for 15 feet.

[sinistapenguin]

You can't get as deep doing it my way, but you can get pretty deep - anyway then it's better than being dragged backwards by the ankle when your board gets caught!!

I've got under 8 ft waves using this technique regularly. The trick is that you dive as deep as you can, then pull the whole board under tail first.

You can be loads deeper than your board, because it will at least get washed over.

See my fabulous illustration:

[drowningbitbybit]

Rolf Harris says '8 out of 10, and an A-grade for effort and artistic interpretation'

[Broosta]

Yeah thats quite similar to what I have done in the past when all else looks futile - ditch the board and swim as deep as possible so the leash goes tight and keep on swimming against the pull of the wave and therefore the board won't fly back loads - not that anyone should be paddling right up your ass anyway cos thats just asking for trouble.
I only use this technique when the wave looks like its gonna break right ON me and is erm big-ish enough to flesh you and board up!
If the wave has already broken and its just a whitewater mountain approaching then I just try to duck dive as normal which will probs end up a mess anyway but at least there will not be any actual big impact on you and board!
I have been tumbled in the whitewater loads before and as you can't see which way is up you can just climp up the leash to your board which WILL be upwards.

[bgdkmetzger2003]

thanks for all the input guys.

[grub]

Sinista, lets just have another "Captain Cook" at that one mate!

Do you use crayon and chalk too?
___________________

"its more important to understand than to be understood"

[Phil]

You can't get as deep doing it my way, but you can get pretty deep - anyway then it's better than being dragged backwards by the ankle when your board gets caught!!

I've got under 8 ft waves using this technique regularly. The trick is that you dive as deep as you can, then pull the whole board under tail first.

You can be loads deeper than your board, because it will at least get washed over.

See my fabulous illustration:

that drawing belongs in the tate modern art galery mate