Hi i recently receive my HN 7.2 x 28 and my regular board was the Airborne 7.10 x 31.5 and the Wide point 8.10
i Tried to surf in 3 attempts on the HN but is quit difficult to catch a wave, compared in balance is not so different that the Airborne but on the spot i surf the wave change regular so the line up is moving around, tried to follow on HN is feel very slowly and feel you need a late take out, is look you need to be on the exact point for take the wave.
The best i can do is sit on surf position wait for the wave but maybe i wrong...
Or only i need more practice on the HN the only wake i take the HN feel very fast and stable and easy to steer but for first i need to ensure the take off...
Any advice...
Since i start to drop on board size i feel that my paddle need to be shorter is this a normal..or is depend the feeling the only change when i make the bottom downs and dig the paddle for aggressive turns with a shorter paddle is not the same energy for turning due not much support on the paddle in the wave
Welcome to the world of ShortSUPs!
You need practice, do not hesitate to practice on flat water, and try to do accelerations, pretending to take off, to master the row and feel confident to apply power in your paddling.
For the take off, the timing is essential. Just motoring blindly, feet parallel, with the paddle until you feel taking off on the wave is not working anymore.
- "wait to see the white of the wave eyes before shooting". You should move around to position you the closest to the peak, but you must wait and time your paddle strokes precisely when the "bump" of the wave hits you.
- use a fencing stance. parallel feet wont work.
- after the first or 2nd paddle stroke, it is much more efficient to use your body weight, like a shortboard take off "pop", and the fencing stance is especially useful to be able to quickly move tou weight around
- bend your knees. My rear knee nearly touches the deck. basically you want to be in the same position as with a prone surfing take off, just after your hands leave the deck.
I use a paddle at -2" (2" shorter than my height) for small waves, my height otherwise. If you properly bend your knees, a longer paddle will feel totally cumbersome.
I agree with colas, my paddle is the height of my eyes and when I am after a small wave I always end up on the nose of my board and on one knee, and when you start to take the drop just move back to mid board and start your decent - easy, efficient & effective :-)
Thank a lot, i start to thinking in back to my Airborne all the advices that you comments make my senses
Practice and new strategy onboard also re-cut some paddles and swing a lot
thanks for the advice
