Hi

Anybody here mastered or tried the J stroke

Any thoughts or advice of Pros and Cons would be great

SF66

Thanks Gorgo

I gave it a try and yes I did feel like a dork. I thought I must be doing

something wrong.

I have a 220mm fin on my 11'2" Starboard tuffskin has anbody used bigger fins

I have had my board for about a month and go out in all conditions any chance i

can get.

I'm so Stoked about SUP

SF66

Take a look at this topic.

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=39445

I swapped the 8" on my Starboard 11'2" for a 10" Jimmy Lewis fin and it tracks really well.

Just put the paddle in as far forward as you can..pull/push the paddle back keeping it deep and as close to the board as you can.. That's about it IMO..

DJ

J-Stroke doesn't work on a surfboard because the sweep happens at the end of the stroke and therefor is pushing against the fin. And your stroke should only be powered until you reach your feet anyway. Pushing hard past your feet or (god forbid) trying to turn the board with a stroke way back will mostly just pull you off balance.

In flatwater, you can turn the nose by planting your paddle a little away from the nose at a slight angle and starting your stroke by pulling the paddle to the nose. Good way to ding up your board but it works. I still do it when the wind is at a rasty angle. I did a video about it long ago, probably on Ke Nalu somewhere http:www.kenalu.com

In the surf, the best thing to do is keep it all simple. It's easiest if you start off at 90 degrees to the wave, facing the waves with your open side (the side you normally face towards in a surf stance). Look for the shoulder peak and paddle towards it, then step back with your back foot, put a little weight on it, and sweep your paddle from the nose to about 90 degrees with short, hard sweeps to spin the board. When you're facing away from the wave paddle like hell. Try to make your last stroke--the one that set you into the wave--on the side away from the direction you want to take in your bottom turn. That will let you switch the paddle as you start to turn which helps with the body motion.

So if you were going to the backside (left for a regular foot) you make your last stroke on the right, swing your shoulders up, switch the paddle, shift your back foot to the left rail, lean back and slide you paddle along the face. Do that right and it feels like sex in the water.