Aaagghh! DUCK-DIVING!

[AJ_surfer]

Hi.
Can anyone please give me some advice on duck-diving as I have mastered the art of ripping 2-3 foot waves but I can't seem to get out back on bigger sets.
If you can offer me any advice please do!
Thanx.
AJ_surfer

[deathfrog]

look before you post

https://surfing-waves.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2656

[Guest]

practice...timing & don´t hesistate!

[tomcat360]

depending on the board u can get it under real quick by simply pushin down on the rails at your shoulders and using your foot to push down in the back. after ur under get as close to the board as possible to get less drag. good luck

[Broosta]

after ur under get as close to the board as possible to get less drag

Spot on. You can really notice the difference if you keep arms straight while underwater, hugging the board is deffo far better.
Bassically duck diving is like an art form and can take years to get nearer to perfection.

[AJ_surfer]

Thanks people!
I'll give it a proper go next time I go surfing!

[JfetZ]

I have the same problem and can never duckdive efficiently. My uncles been surfing for over 30 years and told me that after you duck the nose, you let the wave push your tail down. You only use your knee for positioning, but ive heard people saying that they push down with their knees how can one get enough force to do that?

[Broosta]

I used to push down with my knee but found this was wearing out my wetsuit knee pad area so now use my foot.
To duck dive:-
Paddle as fast as possible towards the wave/lump of froth.
Just before you get to the wave move hands up the nose of board (as far forward as you have to to sink the nose) into a press up possition and press down sinking the nose.
The forward momentum you have already created will mean you have driven the board underwater now so you have to level the board out and then point it upwards. To do this I stick my foot on the back of the board and press down - often lifting the other leg out of the water to generate enough down force for the foot pressing on the board.
When you press foot on back of board this levels it out.
I tend to keep the board level for a moment then press harder with back foot to bring nose up to pop out beyond the wave.
Actually I just remembered that when I press down on the nose of the board to start with I'm also pressing foot on the back of the board with my other leg raised out of the water to sink the board level rather than a nose dive - but I can only do this due to the fact my boards are small and easy to sink. If I tried it on a higher volume board it wouldn't work, so I would use the afore mentioned method.

[Dec]

great advice for when your surfing with a board - 6ft, but i hav a 6'10" shortboard (yes it really is a shortboard..shaped like one anyway!) and i cant seem to perfect it...i push up like about to pop..then the nose dives....then comes back up and I get creamed by the wave


please advise

[sinistapenguin]

Get a day that's pretty small - where you might not even bother going out normally and just practise duckdiving.

Then read all the other posts about duckdiving on here and you'll get it sussed!!

[Dec]

well..i am in phuket atm...and its realy flat..like waves as high as my ankle!! so i go to a suclueded beach and tried this but the board keeps popping up. Is this board to big to duck dive, or do i just suk?

thanks

[Dopey]

[Dec]

Dopey...I see on almost all of your posts you have a

Do u speak english? If so, why not register?!

[PapaW]

I always found when I was surfing stand-up, and to a ceraint extent when diving the sponge too; that each break or type of wave requires a different technique.

Heres a little round up as to how I've found things to work easyer..

Mellow/phat waves (eg Saunton)
These ones are both the easyest and yet also the hardest. This is because of the wavelenght of each wave. its longer and the wave hight is spread over that longer distance. When broken they tend to spill and drag more than a steeper wave would.
I found that by charging into the wave and pushing through and along, but not as deep, would let me glide inter the turbulance and not get pulled back.

Steep, or shore breaks (eg low tide croyde)
Now these, often jaking up fairly quickly with thick lips and alot of water moving require a sharper angle down when diving. I've found by keeping a steady foward movment then about 2-3meters before the broken or just broken sections dive at a 50degree angle (roughly :p) and hold the downward motion by pushing the board foward and away from you. The rear upwards movement of the wave motion pulls the board and you with it behind the wave and back up to the surface. You'll know it when you've donw it cause it seems like an effortless duck-dive!!!

Reefs (eg Porth Leven)
Each reef set up differest naturally, and often ducking isnt always an option. Most reefs dend to be draggers after they have broken. so the key hear is a mixture of both the above suggestions depending on the nature of the reef. often I find myself standing in hardly and water and a wall infront of me! Use the rocks!!!! its possible to jump over, through the onslaught. in order to reach the channel shoulder of the break.
If able to dive then do attempt it but make yourself streamlined to prevent the wave draggin you back into the turbulance.


Obiviouly this is only a suggestion as I peronally find works best for me. The concept is the same tho.
Hope that helps people!

[Laguna]

great advice for when your surfing with a board - 6ft, but i hav a 6'10" shortboard (yes it really is a shortboard..shaped like one anyway!) and i cant seem to perfect it...i push up like about to pop..then the nose dives....then comes back up and I get creamed by the wave


please advise

I have a 6'10 funboard so it should be pretty similar. I found duck diving really irritating. Like said above you should read over how to do it, go out on a smal day and practice it over and over again. One day it will just click with you.
What I do is paddle as fast as you can into the wave and just as you are about to hit it move your arms up to the nose, do a push up sinking one side and then the other and sort of dive under with the board under. Try not to think about ducking the tail of the board. Do that once you have dived under the wave.

[drowningbitbybit]

paddle as fast as you can into the wave

That's the key

Don't stop paddling into the wave while you think about the duck dive... paddle paddle paddle duck!!

[GowerCharger]

Duckdiving is definatly more to do with technique than strength, and is a skill which needs to be mastered when you get to heavier spots.

i surf with guys at all levels and some always have trouble getting out even tho they surf well once out, and some of the paddle outs here are famously tough. I think the key factor at the flat beachbreaks we get in the UK with mammoth paddle outs is not just the duckdive, but how quickly you recover after the wave passes and get paddling again. Often i come up next to someone on one wave only to find im a few yards ahead by the next wave simply cos they wasted time wobbling on their board gasping for air and rubbing their eyes after the duckdive and I was away paddling straight away. The quicker you get out first time, the less distance you end up paddling and l;ess waves to duck so paddle hard as you can to get through the whitewater without stopping for a breather and keep thinking of the nice rest youll get when you get to the lineup.

[allrounder]

Dec

Its technique mate and not strength.

I duckdive my 9ft 1 stewart on big days. Its takes bit more practice but it can be done. 6ft 10 shouldnt be a problem.

Follow everyones instructions.
paddle hard towards wave

Push yourslef up into press up position

But now instead of pushing the nose straight down scoop it under.
Push one rail down so that the board is up on a rail probably at 45 degrees and get that rail under and then press down on the other rail to level it up the board should now be under water bring your foot up and press the tail down. When you have it sussed you can do it all in the same time frame as a normal duckdive


It needs quite a bit of balance but if you slide the board under rail first there is less water to displace and itgoes under easier. As I said I do this on my 9ft1 x 22" wide longboard and can get out through some pretty heavy stuff. practice practice practice!!

Good luck!

[Dec]

Mate..Thanks for the advice. Got it sorted!