Last November I purchased a LUFI surf board. During the winter I
purchased one more this time a Noose Secret 9.6. With this board
I was surfing some 1.5 meter waves on the West coast during the
winter. What surprised me most was the ease of holding
the board when Eskimo roling. The ease of dropping down the wave
and rarely pearling. The ease of starting down the wave has
something to with the special design of these boards. They
simply work well with our wave conditions. On the following
video you can see how easy the board is turning along the wave ,
just by me leaning a bit to the side I want to go. Of course
I should be on my feet a lot earlier, but I do not find it
that easy maybe the age of 71 years has some to do with it.
Well, I am sure it has.
On the next video I am using the white water from the wave to
get me the first push. From then on I surf in front of the
running white water, where there is a clean wall section. The
board is remarkable stable, even if we are engulfed in white
water.
I have learned to do pop up in one sweeping movement. I can do
it quite well on a board with a lot of rocker. Also I try to pop
up just before the board start accelerating down the wave. On
video 1, wave 1 and 2, I am struggling to catch the wave .
Wave 3 and four , I am hardly paddling, and still catching the
wave. The 3 and 4 wave were steeper and had better shape, and I
seem to be getting it at the right place , that is, where
the white water start. Also I am getting better at staying low
just after pop up. Video 2 is just for fun
An other change. This fin is actually a nose rider fin. Makes
the board very stable. Funny thing is that the board moves
faster. I later removed the 2 small side fins.
It is a bit frightening when you try to pop up correctly and
then fall in front of the wave. Next thing the wave is breaking and you
are sinking into the white water. I am using a surf life vest for
the same reason. I blow it up when I am sitting at the line up, using
the mouth piece. Also i tend to lie on the board and " body board" down
the wave, to see how things develope.
Here is a comment
from my log:
I found
that popping up without a good steep wall of water, is
difficult. There I prefer to use my knees. Big green waves takes
les paddling and it is easy to pop up as the board is falling away
under you, so you only have to pull the legs up under you.
Update after 780 days
of surfing>>
I can now do a proper pop up,
without any discomfort, like back pain. I do not use it every time, only
if the wave seems right. Which is a steepishof surfing wave. It helped a lot
when I started to do more regally exercise. Lying on the floor, then
pulling the legs to a position under my body. I slide the feet on the
floor. Use a pair of thick socks. End update after 780 days>>
I have pretty much given up to do a
proper pop up. Now I first get to my knees. But i am surfing, and
catching a lot of wave.
If you are an older person like me ( 64 years ) you can try doing the pop up more slowly using
your knees.
I am experimenting with surfing the first part of the
wave as a kneesurfer. As soon that I feel that I have the wave, I
get to my knees. Lean to one side. You turn in that direction. If the
wave looks as if it is just about to break, then I go straight down and
lean back to keep the board from pearling. Or hold in one rail (
rail grab ) to get a sharp turn
You then have more time to look around at the line up, if
somebody are trying to take off from the same
wave. Also you avoid a lot of nasty falls.
I believe older people simply have
not got the fast reactions and the flexibility, as you find in a young person. Your surf
style must therefore follow different rules.
A study has been made by North American Journal of Sports Physical
Therapy Also described how you can test yourself if you have
enough flexibilliyty to make a proper pop up.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2953347/
The pop up the way I do it. Video above. January 2012.
It is not the correct way of doing it, but it works.
THE DROP
It took
a long time for me to figure out how to catch the green wave and surf
the wall. I started to take photo series from other surfers and that was
a good help.
Turning, or changing direction with
that surfboard has caused me a lot of problems. This is where I am now
2012 after 6 years of surfing. Board is 9 feet 2 inch.
Easy turn. Press with your toes or heels. Your feet must be at a close
to 90 degree angle to the board diagonal line.
Sharp
turn. Move the back foot more aft towards the fin. Kick the board to the
new direction and move back foot back to maintain or gain speed.
When I say kick, it is because I am not sure what I am doing.
You may not need to move your back foot if your stance is with well
spread feet.
The complete sequence The first thing to do. Balance the board and
find your position lying on the board. make a mark where your nose is ,
or similar. Now you are ready to catch some wave. 1.Lying on the
board with the legs on the board as well ( longboard ) 2. Wave
approaching. Arch your back, Lift your head. Start paddling 3.When
wave start to lift the board, you have a critical moment where the
nose of the board tend to lift and you loose the wave. To prevent this
press torso down onto the board, chin as well. 4.Place your
hands below your rib cage, keep chin down doing so. Then stretch arms
into "snake position" Most of your bodyweight should be on your arms
now. This will make the ends of your board lighter and you will feel the
nose of the board drop down the front of the wave, and the board start
accelerate. While in the "snake position" check for traffic of other
surfers, evaluate the wave, maybe press the rail the side you want to
turn. 5. Pop up. Keep weight on your front foot to accelerate the
board. And off you go.
