Duckdivability?

[AM_Glass]

As someone who surfs Ocean Beach, SF I think I can speak with authority about duckdiving, although I'm not much of a kneeboarder.

I ride what some(most) would consider an undersized board (5'8" narrow-ish and I'm 175lbs+) but love it. Consider that you need to duckdive not only to get out, but also when you get caught too far inside on a set. I say this because when I'm kneeboarding I usually sit deeper inside and wait for the ones that sneek by the rest of the crowd. This results in getting hit by sets, but because I can duck under waves easily (compared to my footboards) I don't mind it. It also puts me in position if a medium wave comes through at the tail end of the set. This ability helps me get waves when it's crowded.

Being able to duckdive well also gives me the ability to pull another trick when surfing the reefs in Santa Cruz. When a set comes through and everyone is paddling for the shoulder I will, on occasion, stay put. I take the hits and recover any lost ground, but don't try to get any further out. Sometimes if I'm paddling out around the shoulder I'll even head deep instead of for the shoulder. Then, when the set passes I'm in position and everyone else has to work there way back to where I'm sitting.

[skansand]

Hey AM are you still riding that spoon? Bet that technique works great when you can dive to the bottom!

[Scott]

Travis, nice tips! Still takes a lot to intentionally take sets on the heads to get the positioning.

[AM_Glass]

Skaandsand: I broke the rail on the spoon, put many layers of glass over the whole board and now need to sand much of it off. I don't have the right tools and when I'm at my Dad's place I just want to surf, eat and lounge, so I havn't been doing the work. I did take it out one day and found that even though I could get under waves easily, I couldn't swim against the current very well, which leads into my response to Scott...

Scott: To be honest that sitting deep thing hasn't been happening lately. I'm becoming a middle aged man with a full time job living too far from the beach. I'm out of shape! and trying to motivate myself to do something about it.

But I STILL think a kneeboard should be easy to duckdive.

[stonefish]

duckdivability was a real consideration when i ordered my new romo. it turned out great!. when i sound for the bottom under an impending wave i have my right hand on the rail down by my hip and my left hand on the rail about where my head is. i kick hard and kind of use a controlled corkscrew motion under water, this works good except when its so shallow you just pile into the bottom. if im going to take a direct hit from the lip ,ive been known to wrap my legs around and lock my ankles, grabbing my forearms around the board with both hands and pressing my cheek hard on the deck so i dont get a broken nose.
paddling out is a skill in itself! enjoy

[Bumps]

Stoney, you sound like a starfish when you grab your board prior to a pounding. Might be easier to bend over and Kiss your Arse goodbye..

[szrbloke]

Interesting conversation - have just ordered a new board and never even thought about duckdiving - maybe because I am so rubbish at doing it!! Only really works well 30% of the time, and if the wave breaks well before me, forget it, always goes pear shaped.

[Howard Lorney]

There are obviously a few of us that have never mastered a good technique for duck diving.

It would be fantastic if a few of you who have a technique that works could add some simple tips to this thread.

Always good to learn from the masters.

[stonefish]

yes , i believe in clamping on like a barnacle. left over method from no cord days. i will say this for all who bail and ditch their board, look behind you first. dig it.

[AM_Glass]

One thing I found that worked when I was trying to learn to duck dive was to push the board down in the water keeping it level. One foot (knee) was holding the tail down and the other leg was up in the air. When the wave hit my leg that was in the air it would push on it. If I kept my body ridgid the pressure on my up leg would rotate me and my board so I was coming up the back side of the wave. This has limitations in that the wave can't be too big, otherwise you're coming up too soon and in the middle of the wave.

Some people are suggesting to dive for the bottom. When I hear this I'm thinking about pointing the nose to the bottom and swimming down. This doesn't work!!! You need to be level or nose up when the wave passes over you otherwise you'll pop to the surface tail first and be all out of sorts trying to balance and start paddling again. Also if your tail is to high when the wave hits it will pull you further back than if you're deep and level.

As for ditching, I whole heartedly agree with stonefish. L:shock:K behind you first. Know who's around you. Also, if you don't give it a whole hearted effort to duck dive, how do you know if you could have made it or not? Even the nastiest waves will sometimes let you through easy.

[K-man]

Speed is another factor. I'll definately go the extra burst,to overcome as much of the waves energy as possible.The mistake I most often see, are surfers slowing down or stopping in the wrong spot.And there is a critical spot...before or after that spot can be a disaster...I've been there.... :lol:
If I'm in the wrong spot and I'm gonna take it on the head,I'll duckdive,twist to the right to lessen the amount of body/board exposed to the wave.If the board gets ripped out of my hands so be it.Lessens the chance of a broken cord,long swim

cheers

[surfhorn]

I agree- paddle harder just before you dive. One only needs to get down 2'-3' at about a 45 degree angle. Its that top layer of water/wave you need to get under.

[surfnut]

Biggest problem I have with duck-diving is keeping control of the board once I'm under the whitewater. I lose traction of my knee on the board. Board gets ripped sideways, does a spin so I come up NEXT to it, rather than on it -- I'm still hanging on, but then have to climb back up. By time I'm back up, I'm getting hit with the next wave! Good to know I'm not the only one.

I'm newer to the surfing world, but it seems to me that if you can't get the board outside without heroic effort -- what fun is it?
--Nicole (surfnut)

[gumby]

Sounds like you need to get deeper under the white water. You may be diveing too soon. I am 1 to 3 ft from oncomming white water befor dive. Extend your arms forceing the nose down then just as the white water comes tuck your head down to the board. All of my boards dave death grip dings from the big days.

[RMcKnee]

All of my boards have death grip dings from the big days.

Right on Gumby.

You ain't a surfer until you have a board with a depression matching the size and shape of your nose in the fwd deck area.

Seriously Nicole, just keep plugging away. Console yourself with the thought that every last expert participating on this forum was a complete and utter kook once. Best advice anyone can give you about duckdiving is to always be aware of who's behind you and never ditch your board unless it's absolutely necessary. Best way to find out what's necessary is to surf without a leash for a while. Teaches you all about control and avoidance. Much of surfing is to do with the conservation of energy. The quickest way between two points is not always a straight line.

If you ever get the chance to watch a true expert surfer in the water you'll notice two things.
1. They're always relaxed, purposeful and economical in movement.
2. They're always looking for a way to avoid that which is working against them by going around, under, with ... or by turning superior opposing force to their advantage.

Surf experts? RK Slater, S.Farrer, dolphins, penguins, seals, small fish.

A single session bodysurfing (yes, that's right, leave the board in the car) will teach you an enormous amount about how waves work and how water moves around a break.

I know this sounds like the mysteries of the Shaolin Masters, but it ain't. 5 minutes sitting on the beach watching and thinking will save you ages paddling once you're in the water.

As for heroic effort, what you're aiming for is to come out of your first barrel with your hair still dry.

Madame Kook ... love it!