There’s also this strange technique I’ve seen a couple of times on the internet. It involves sliding your back foot up to the tailpad just before you pop up and then you simply move to an upright position with your back foot where it was placed. I don’t see how that can possibly work with any type of wave that jacks up since there isn’t enough time for that maneuver, and it would seem to either change your direction or cause your knee to drag and slow you down.
That board is too advanced for him.
He needs something wider and longer. And maybe even a whole different platform…he sounds like more of a forward surfer. He would do well on a wide point forward center type board. So eggs, fishes, sum modern psb’s -with wide point center, or wide point forward center. Im not one to ask about fin setups. I just like um under foot, or slightly behind… he needs a fuller nose then that board. And May be go a bit wider in tail. His wider stance leads me to believe board is too small for him,or he’s a beginner?Good luck.
What you describe sounds like a complete beginner that needs water time. Talking double concaves and rocker dims makes him think it’s the board but what he needs is 2-3 hour sessions at least 3 times a week catching waves (not a buoy/quantity over quality). This should be done within a year and he’ll be alright.
Bud - I’m no expert, but have six yrs exp. But I agree, he needs more water time. Maybe even something wider and more stable -with sum additional length.
I agree about the water time, longer board, also the alternative designs (eggs, fishes etc) … I will probably go this way with him…I was just trying find a way to configure rocker and fins so the board can turn with the foward stance.
Its crazy but this guy can take off and go … he just cant turn…its funny but its true…I have attached another photo so you can see his stance…too far foward…I was just tripping about this problem…I know there is a curve that will make this guy turn , tomorrow, without more water time…just like magic. Sure if he pratices more and more, he will learn how to move his back foot backward, and get things under control. But I still feels like there is a curve that will make him turn…
Thanks a lot for the ideas guys , hope everyone is surfing a lot.
From someone that has just got over that hump
Buds advice is on the money, I just went(6 months ago) from surfing a short swallowtail with wide point forward to a regular performance shortboard shape.
I found a break to the side of my local break that rarely anyone else surfs, and I could catch a lot of waves with very short rides 3x a week. Since I never had a super long ride, or had to wait to catch the next one, I improved real quick. It also helped me to visualize the correct technique in my head a lot, so that way when it was time I didn’t have to think about it. No substitute for time.
I don’t know if it is a crutch or not, but on boards like that I like a stomp pad to help me know where my foot should be.
Just saw your post. I bought this board from a shaper on the N. Shore, and it is pretty awesome. This was the board I mentioned above. It is wide point forward, but can still turn. It works. Of course when I switch between boards, I have to change my stance either forward or back.
Don’t have an easy answer, but for someone who started surfing in 1970 at the beginning of the shortboard revolution, and only recently, getting back into surfing in my old age (hahaha), tried a longboard - I can say that riding a longboard teaches you to walk the board. If you watch video of really good surfers, like Dane Reynolds, you will see that they walk the board, even on tiny little chips. I think if your buddy rode a longboard a little, he would learn to walk the board, and use the full surface, not just where you ended up when you stood up.
btw, it’s great that he has a friend like you.
Lately I like FISH rocker! It’s prettt flat and lowish…but it can be “tweaked” as -reverb has done w success.
On my jet fish im designing, well, I’m leaving my natural nose rocker alone, but will add sum lift behind my fins… then I’m gonna set a double concave in bcuZ it wont alter my kick + rocker (my thoughts)… and wide point forward center, will actually push a wide stance surfer more back as length is shortened. I’m even think n I should build this same board as a squash, a diamond, a thumbtail etc…maybe dabble w dif rocker setups? The cool thing is, you can build about four dif type of board w same blank! Here’s my list: fish, egg, mini-simmons, psb. That’s a lot more than I thought! Plus they are not all short blanks either. Have
Fun!
I’d, also say jump up to wider widths -starting at 21".the reason being, you get tons of speed In small to medium surf, and enough ability to turn if setup right. Plus the fish blank is WIDE! 25" man! That’s why I don’t think wasting foam is k.
I do have plans of possible thumb tail w kinda a pinny nose/wide blunt tail, but it’s on backburner. I got to build my massiv pig first. Or nose rider? Cant tell the difference?!?!?
He’s low on the face so its not likely he’s going to stomp out a big face hack right there, to me that forward position on the board could be just about right for someone in a speed run, pumping to make a long section or a punt. If he gets out on the shoulder for a roundy or wants to go square into the lip he’d probably move his back foot over the trailing fin(s). But from what you described he’s got about 500 hours of wave catching water time before he gets even near that level. Don’t take this in a supercilious way, but I think beginners are too often helped to believe that its some design thingy or lack thereof, that’s holding them back. It’s great that he’s learning on a shorty, tell him to get back in the water surf every day. the learning never ends but the rewards get better :-)
Old guy jumping in, but I learned to carve on a single fin. It’s something that applies to thruster/ quad turns, but a lot of beginners would be helped if they learned to use the rail on a single.
On a thruster, you can do little turns just by flicking it around. Those type of turns would do nothing on a single fin.
I had one board that I was constantly too far forward on. Anyway, I put a tailpad on it so I knew where my back foot should be and I never had a problem after that.
That particular board was a mini-sim design with the fins way to the side and way back so you really had to have your back foot over the fins to keep it from just spinning out…
Interestingly enough, I have a buddy that surfs the middle of his board and he rips. He is really strong, though and it looks like he puts all that strength into his manuvers…
Anyway, your friend may need a less advanced board or more water time or this or that… Or just having a reference point on the board may help…
EDIT: Saw the pic - tailpad is a no-go… Guess more water time?
horsemouth , you might also like to recommend to your friend …a book worth reading , and studying intently [can’t beat time in the water , obviously , as Bud pointed out , but it could be a good complimenting/ary exercise ] …
Nick Carroll’s
‘surfing your best’
has some really good pointers , experience shared , and photos , on stance and every other aspect of surfing .
Yes… Nick is Tom’s older brother , and a great surfer , in his own right, as well as a great writer.
Huck, i´m sure that a few longboard waves will give some walking on board experience !
Crazyeddie, thats a good tip…wax only on the place you want…
Shapa, I also love fish, and thats one of my ideas for helping my friend due the wide point foward.
Everysurfer , thanks for sharing.The single fin idea was the first thought I had when watching him surf…The narrow tail and wide point foward will probably suit his foward stance.
Fins, I will try to get this book, thanks a lot for the recommendation !
When he catches a wave and goes to pop up, is he wrapping his hands around the rail or putting them flat on the deck? The former will inherently put you standing further forward than the latter.
