I just got a new 6’7" x 21 x 2 5/8" epoxy.
I’m 6’0" 180 LBS.
I took it out in solid ,thick 6 foot tubes the other day.The board road great and paddled well. Only problem was it was a mother to duck dive. I could get it down alright but it really wore me out.I had to go in early because I didn’t have any strength left.
I could duck dive my old 6’2" x 21" x 2 1/4" all day with no problem.
I’m wondering if this is not the right board for me?
maybe the rigth board for you but not necessarily the right board for the conditions.
windswell beach breaks == mucho importante duckdive
channel/points = no much importante
its very important to the guy (or girl) paddling out behind you…
I would never ditch my board on someone.
I went to Chile several years back. One day the surf kicked up to 4X overhead at Punta Lobos. I didn't surf those waves, but I did get to watch some of the locals work their magic. In order to get out to the line-up these guys had to jump off a rock and paddle right through the impact zone. Inevitably, a big set would roll through while they were paddling out; but that didn't stop them. They just did a quick duck dive under the massive wall of white water coming at them and kept going. The thing I noticed was that they would duck and then rocket straight up to the surface on the back side of the tube. Their boards were definitely bigger than the one you listed above, but they weren't guns either.
I tried this technique myself (in smaller waves) and found that it actually works. If the wave is too hollow, then you might get sucked back under water for a bit; but at least you can get a nice breath beforehand. The key to a good duck dive is to not hang out deep under the wave for too long while you wait for the turbulence to pass you by. If you do, then you’ll just get dragged in towards the beach and you will have to paddle more to make up for the distance you lost.
I don't have any experience ducking 4xOH, but I know you can get shot out the back quick if circumstances are right - when you can dive just as wave breaks. Rolling lines of whitewater don't afford that (or at least I've never been able to).
Like afoaf said, it's a necessity in decent sized short-interval beachbreak, unless you find a rip. I have my ''good day'' board for here sized out so I can push it deep, no way I'm getting out on anything bigger some days.
You girl....you weigh 180 and can't duck dive a 6'4? WTF keep practicing. I weigh 200 and i can duck dive my 8'6" x 21 x 3. Just learn how to do it.
And when it gets over 2x OH there is no duck diving, there are only degrees of ass kicking
1) bounce off bottom
2) bounce off bottom, get dragged 50 yards
3) so deep you don't bounce, but ear drums hurt cause so much water is on top of you.
4) so deep you break ear drums
5) drown.
As a longboard rider I don't worry about duck diving. When I make boards it is not, nor ever has been a consideration.
I have learned to turn turtle and can usually flip back over and get back on deck in one continuous move. If a big one breaks outside of me, I'm like most of the others around here... I dive and hope my leash holds.
For those guys in Chile duck diving in 4XOH? Sheesh!
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And when it gets over 2x OH there is no duck diving, there are only degrees of ass kicking
1) bounce off bottom
2) bounce off bottom, get dragged 50 yards
3) so deep you don't bounce, but ear drums hurt cause so much water is on top of you.
4) so deep you break ear drums
5) drown.
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ROFLMAO!!
Awhile back someone posted some footage of Derek Hynd surfing finless J-Bay. It shows him before paddling out - he's got two leashes on! On his way out he gets caught inside a pretty big one - he jumps up off his board as high as he can and dives straight down! The J-Bay duck dive LOL! BTW, he's not worried about anyone behind him. Its big, powerful point break surf. Paddling out, caught inside, its just you and the "foaming merciless sea" , they ain't nobody else around!
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I just got a new 6'7" x 21 x 2 5/8" epoxy.
[IMG]http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i287/ekim650/3of3p13l95O05T45R3a9n9acbd2dce1c11d37.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i287/ekim650/3m33p43o65O55V45W2a9ne99779abc2eb10c2.jpg[/IMG]
I'm 6'0" 180 LBS.
I took it out in solid ,thick 6 foot tubes the other day.The board road great and paddled well. Only problem was it was a mother to duck dive. I could get it down alright but it really wore me out.I had to go in early because I didn't have any strength left.
I could duck dive my old 6'2" x 21" x 2 1/4" all day with no problem.
I'm wondering if this is not the right board for me?
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Probably not. Where are you, and how much do you want, to take the dog off your hands?
The first sucessful duck dive I performed was at Torrey Pines on an 8’0" x 3 1/2" x 22"… I distinctly remember the moment: The was lip coming down and I put the nose down, and pushed hard to put that board under. Then I went under the energy and got shot out the back… Thinking oh damn, that was too easy. The next attempt was not so clean. I pushed the board down and then went upside down over the falls… This was many years ago - but I still remember…
I have a 9’ LB that is 2 1/2" thick that I can sink pretty well and then everything else is 7’ or less, so they sink pretty well.
The question is how important is it. My answer has to be: The importance of the ability to duck dive a board should be much less important than the ability to actually catch a wave and sucessfully surf it…
I ride my longboard anywhere from knee height to double overhead and I only wear a leash if it’s crowded or if the shoreline is full of rocks. If you can’t duck dive a board learn how to turn turtle, do push ups regularly and strengthen your grip. I can duckdive my 9’0" log on a clean wall, it’s just learning the technique. Don’t let go of your board, be considerate of others on the inside, swim a lot when it’s flat and if you are surfing a bigger wave with a channel, use it. Sometimes when it’s double overhead and I am too late to duckdive I try to throw my board over the wave to the other side and then I dive under. Sometimes a wave will inevitably rip a board right off your hands, always look back and ask if everyone is alright and try to hold harder next time. Above double overhead I am usually scared but I wonder what the technique of all pre leash Sunset and Waimea riders did when they were faced with a 3 story wall of white water. Did they just let go and dive under? Or did they try to hold on? I would love to know, honestly those guys are my heroes!
True, but I saw it happen. Here are some pictures that I took the day I saw the super macho duck divers.
that wave looks SOOOOO good! i'm sure i'd get my ass handed to me but MAN! my heart is beating fast looking at those pics!
post some more Swied!
Here’s another gnarly photo taken just around the punta.
Here’s a different spot about an hour up the road. It was a bit more managable, and sooo fun.
If you are a local, then you can drive to this semi secret spot; but us gringos had to walk down the beach.
That’s okay because this restaurant wa waiting on the beach at the beginning/end of the walk.
…and they serve these…
Abalone Empanadas!
maybe the rigth board for you but not necessarily the right board for the conditions.
windswell beach breaks == mucho importante duckdive
channel/points = no much importante
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Your probably right. I do surf beach break 90% of the time. I really like alot of foam on my boards,but think if this board was 5" shorter it might be what I'm after.
$280 Huckleberry.And it's no dog!
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that wave looks SOOOOO good! i'm sure i'd get my ass handed to me but MAN! my heart is beating fast looking at those pics!
post some more Swied!
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Here's another gnarly photo taken just around the punta.
Here's a different spot about an hour up the road. It was a bit more managable, and sooo fun.
If you are a local, then you can drive to this semi secret spot; but us gringos had to walk down the beach.
That's okay because this restaurant wa waiting on the beach at the beginning/end of the walk.
...and they serve these....
Abalone Empanadas!
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SOOO SWEET! thanks Swied... was that pre-kids? i want to go to Chile!
If you ride waves, you will eventually end up under a few of them - more than you ride on top of them. Some will register on the “Resinhead Scale”
At your height / weight, a 6’7" is manageable to duckdive, but is a bit of a chore. It sounds like your issue is ducking white wash, not steep/breaking wave face.
IMHO, practice your duckdiving. Try different methods of diving - I use my foot instead of my knee; I feel like I get cleaner, deeper dives with less effort.
Paddle more efficiently - do you let your feet drift apart (causing drag)? Are you on the sweet spot of that board? If you can get two more strokes worth of distance, you might duck a green wall instead of getting tossed by whitewash.
Look for weak spots - We all get caught sometimes, but even then try to find the spot where the wave has expended it’s energy a bit.
Try a shorter board. Less volume on a well executed shape can make a big difference in every aspect.
I find that the nose width and pointiness are the key things for a good duckdive. I have 2 boards all with the same volume - they all float me to above my belly button. The 6’2" with the roundy nose can’t duck dive for shit while the 6’10" standard shortboard shape duck dives fine.
When your duck diving, the pivot point is around your hands so the further you get your nose down the easier to get the rest of the board down.
Saying that your board looks like it should duck fine, maybe it’s just a case of tuning yourself into diving that particular board.
Riding longboards and wide shortboards has taught me two techniques to duck dive without wearing yourself out.
If you have a wide nose, paddle toward the white water and intensionally pearl/dip the nose as you push the board down under the water. Doing a pushup to sink the board is what tires you out, so focus on sinking the board, then just rock your weight back to let the bouyancy pull you through. Like Burnsie was getting at, a wide nose creates more lift, so you’re going to do a pushup before the board sinks. (also why you need to start the duck dive earlier.)
Dip one rail lower than the other as you push the board down to release any lift the board is creating as you move through the water. Keep your weight centered, rock the board on rail, and kinda scoop the water. If you sink it at about a 30 degree angle (relative to flat) and then flatten it out, the board doesn’t float back up as quick.