Well , it sounds obvious I suppose , but the wider the tail pod and deeper the “butt crack” [ewww!] , the more leg will be trailing [drag] in the water when I paddle . This explains my aversion to deeeep fish tails, and wiiide tail pods…
Chip… I ride a 5’10" traditional style fish…the swallow tips are at about 12" that makes for lot of tail float… my feet hang out the back… finding the proper balancing point on the board when paddling is the key. you might have to arch your back and lift your feet and legs a bit more on really short fish.
Anyone of average height that rides a shortboard is going to have leg drag. Just be sure to keep your feet together and slightly bent at the knees. You’ll notice it’s much less.
just hit up a traditional fish for the first time this year, coming off years of thrusters in the 6’2"-6’9" range.
I’m 6’2" and kicking is completely ineffective on my thrusters.
My fish is 6’0" and kicking is VERY effective. Not for paddling out or around waves, but for getting from where I am in the line-up to wherever the peak is, and for getting myself into the wave, noticeable difference in paddling speed.
Might even chop down my Vipers and see about doing some mixed/stand/drop-knee!
Chip… I ride a 5’10" traditional style fish…the swallow tips are at about 12" that makes for lot of tail float… my feet hang out the back… finding the proper balancing point on the board when paddling is the key. you might have to arch your back and lift your feet and legs a bit more on really short fish.
hi Ben ,
how tall are you ?
And how deep would the “butt crack” on that fish of yours be ?
I guess I just find this leg drag and paddling difference a lot more noticeable on the fish , coming off a 7’ single fin , where , when I paddle , both my feet are firmly together , the toe tips touch the tail tip, and I can keep my head down low when paddling into waves [less lower back strain , and less nosediving]. All my mates that have seen the videos say “Chip, you need a bigger board” …but I don’t think so . It seems a better technique , and awareness of what I’m doing wrong [thanks , video footage!] will help me work on and improve this issue.
On our hollower waves in winter here , I certainly want to be sure I’m ON the wave, and DRIVING down the face , as I takeoff …three of the waves I watched footage of , it looked as though one extra paddle would have done the trick . The backwash that day , the shorter length , the flatter nose rocker …as you have rightly said Ben , the “balacing point” on the board …critical , smaller [than on my 7’er] , and … KEY !
Okay , here are some “freeze frames” of a backhand takeoff on my " prawn " fish from Monday [thanks , Steve , for filming !]
[sorry if there’s a lot of 'em ! …when they are ‘saved’ , and viewed as a ‘slide show’ , you will see the motion part of it all… I have no idea how to send video , and I would imagine that would take up WAAAY too much “bandwidth” anyway , yes ??]
