Bizarre behavior on a 7'6" Torq?

[tdullien]

Hey all,

I am about 192cm / 6'2" tall, in my mid-30s and weigh about 95kg. Not in great shape but not totally out of shape either. I normally surf a 6'6" or 6'8" at the beginning of my vacations, and then step down to my 6'2" high-volume shortboard (Potatonator) as I regain fitness. I last surfed the 6'2" successfully in Morocco about 7 weeks ago.

Last weekend I ended up near Hossegor for a short business trip, and having no equipment with me, I rented a board - the one that was
still available was a 7'6" Torq funboard. Wave size was between 1.5m and 2.5m at 13s, and I went to Hossegor Le Sud. The wave size is at the upper end of what I can deal with on the 6'2".

The Torq gave me the weirdest experience I've ever had with a board: I couldn't catch a wave on it to save my life. Each time I'd go for a wave, the moment the wave would lift me, instead of getting a slight push / acceleration of the board, the board seemed to decelerate. It was impossible for me to get down the face and catch any wave. At some point, I got so frustrated / confused that I started checking everything: No kelp entangled in the leash, the fins seemed OK, I wasn't letting my legs drop to the sides etc. None of it was the case.

The internet is fairly full of positive reviews for the Torq boards, so it can't be a systemic issue with them either.

Now my question is: Has anyone ever encountered a board that is just a total dog like that? Or was I just having a particularly stupid / bad day?

Cheers,
Thomas

[BaNZ]

I surf a 7'6 Torq. But then I never took it out at 1.5M to 2.5M day and the only other similar size board I could compare it to is a BIC board. Yes, I do struggle to paddle fast with it but it is just due to the fact that I'm very unfit.

Also I'm 173cm, 64kg so I'm a lot smaller than you.

From Torq website for 7"6
Recommended Rider Weight - 50-100kg / 110-220lbs
Volume - 52.4 l
My guess is that the board is too small for you. However what do I know, I'm only a kook so best to check with the other surfers here!

[oldmansurfer]

It's hard to say what the problem is but my guess is you are laying too far back on the board. Another possibility is the waves were lurching up and sucking water up the face making it more difficult to catch.

[waikikikichan]

Were you kicking to get into the waves ?

[dtc]

I suspect the above two have it, you were too far back. But also keep in mind that the potatonator is a fat tailed board (not really a step up, but if it works for you...) and the Torq has a narrower tail. The fat tail helps in wave catching; perhaps you were unconsciously just expecting the fat tail sling shot effect and it never came and you never compensated for it.

[jaffa1949]

Sounds like the classic case of short boarder on a longer board being too far back!
The fear of the extra length and nose diving often makes short boarders feel they need to be further back and they just wallow and look like snow ploughs until they get the idea that their positioning should have the nose only about an inch or two out of the water.

[Big H]

Short grovellers have that definite see saw feeling when catching a wave...you're so far forward on them and they are fat little boards that I raise my legs and the nose is quickly up and lower them and the nose goes down....manipulating the board trim is the trick and to get into a wave I paddle with the nose slightly up then lower my legs or even kick a couple of times and the nose drops immediately and the wide tail gets pushed up and I just need one last double hand paddle on the way to putting my hands in position and getting up.....bigger boards don't respond so quickly to the changes in body position and that is one of the differences that takes adjusting to for me when I go back and forth between short and long boards on different days....also, I need to get the board trim sorted and in the right direction earlier than with a groveller....

I would second what the rest of the guys said on body position on the board, probably too far back, and the tail not giving that bang push when the wave arrives is something different for sure.....longer boards take off in different areas than a groveller (outside, not as steep), shape of the wave is different and timing as well....smaller boards I take off on steeper parts of the wave, get more bang from the wave and when I ride generally need to be paddled less to get in....longer boards esp. on fatter waves can and usually do take more energy to get into for me even with good positioning....groveller is small and positioned more critically; usually three strokes is enough whereas a longboard three strokes is what starts the board in a given direction from a standstill....unfamiliar breaks I would say a potatonator would be easier to read where to catch the wave as wherever the wave breaks it's going to be right before that.....longer board will be outside of that and in some places where there is current and the peak is small can be harder to line up consistently to get the necessary force from the wave to catch....groveller you can let the wave almost break on you and just paddle out to meet the wave after getting your bearings/positioning with the first set wave or two, go out meet the spot and spin to get in.....big board is harder to do that with. My two cents....I'm not very good so factor that in as well.....

[drowningbitbybit]

I surf boards in the range 5'10 to 6'2 but I also have a 6'10, and whenever I get onto that, I instinctively (and wrongly) put all the extra length in front of me. And, as everyone above has said, that's way too far back and the board just acts like an anchor.
A quick shuffle forward (and a couple of extra strokes) and all's fixed.

[tdullien]

Hey all,

thanks a lot for the suggestions. It's quite possible I was too far back, although I usually try to find the point of equilibrium. What is *definitely* true is that I expected the fat tail slingshot effect and didn't compensate for it when it didn't come -- I just wondered "wth is happening". Placement on the wave may have also been a problem.

Thanks a lot for those hints. I will probably try to rent such a board again once my confidence is back up to see what happened

Cheers,
Thomas

[oldmansurfer]

One of the problems when you are learning occurs if you use more than one board. Then when you have problems it is difficult to tell if the problems are from you or the board or the waves. If you use the same board always it narrows it down to two possible choices.

[Big H]

One of the problems when you are learning occurs if you use more than one board. Then when you have problems it is difficult to tell if the problems are from you or the board or the waves. If you use the same board always it narrows it down to two possible choices.

Personally, I'm usually pretty confident at pinpointing among those three....I have good boards that are well suited to my size and conditions and live in Bali (reference the photo attached)

......pretty sure I know where almost all issues start and end....

[Jester]

OMG look at those lefts!!!....and not a soul on it

[Big H]

20 min from where I sit in front of the tv at the moment....