Sorry if it's been covered before. How do you get over big whitewash without the board smacking you in the face or being flipped rodeo style?
I've searched the tube but if anyone has a link to a vid or good advice that would be awesome. Ta...

Ok Dave thanks but not really what I was after. Your always gonna get caught inside at one point or another... So how is it done?

After having to surf a local beach break with a stinker of a sandbar this year and facing head-high whitewash, teatrea's on the money.

If it's a bit big to ride over, I try to jump over the whitewash and have found that most times my board will follow and ride over the wash - I also lose less ground. If it's too big to jump over, I bail just before the wave & drop a couple of feet under the surface with my legs tucked up. If I'm not on my board, I'll slide the board at the wave as hard as I can & duck under (shoot it on a bit of an angle so it doesn't come straight back at you).

As soon as I feel tension on my leggy, I slowly let my leg (and body) straighten to try to take some pressure off the chord. Once I think I've been dragged a bit, I'll either use my paddle as a break or turn my body & start to retrieve my leggy & do it again until there's a lull in the set or I get past the bar.

Where I normally do this is >100m from any surfers so the worst that can happen is a snapped leggy & swim. If the beach was crowded I would probably go elsewhere for a sup.

Just lie down put your head down and go for it when u can get a break if the white wash is to big it's really hard to paddle over but switching to surf stance right before the white wash hits u helps alot .... I don't really have much footage of it exept this old vid of goatman at about the 4.45 min mark there is some good paddle out bits ? Hope this helps ... See link below and it's the vid titled
Goatman riding 8'8 Dtm custom
No pimp intended just trying to help cheers Dan
www.dtmsup.com/videos.html

Or do it like this

Yep, I agree with all the above. Good to have a variety of approaches cos no two situations are exactly the same.

Another technique is on the IK10 DVD where IK is sprinting full bore into the wall of whitewater, and a board length before impact, he steps forward, buries the nose like the start of a duckdive... he takes a stroke... then dives into the base of the whitewater wall. He goes under the wall like a bodysurfer, with the legrope pulling the tail of the board up and over the whitewater. Tried it once and it worked. But only works for the first wave, cos if there's sets behind, your already off your board.

Need to make sure that no-one's behind or beside you.

What I agree with flicking the board over the whitewater if it's over 4', then you won't get dragged back by the wave. If you can get straight up again, do it again if needed or if you can't get back up, stick the blade of the paddle under your chest and paddle like hell straight at the wave, then put your head down and hold on tight. Paddling on your stomach will only work up to 4' and over that you will need to bail out.

If you go at the wave on a angle, the board will be picked up and push backwards.

Waves 4' and under you can paddle over with your surfing stance, make sure you have pressure on your paddle while going over the wave.

Cheers

Cheers. Nice one.

Jhetrick has it right, this is a fun way to get over the wash. Sort of like an Ollie when skateboarding.

Alternatively and if you have no shame , paddle on your knees between waves!

jhetrick said...
The best success I've found is to switch into a surfing stance and push down on your back foot right before the whitewater hits you. Get as much speed as you can and sometimes you can pop right over it.

I've watched Laird do this over 8 foot tall whitewater, but of course, he is a freak of nature.

It's actually really fun popping over waves this way.

This is a good way to end up with a broken nose or forearm.Definately can do this up to a certain size , but you asking for trouble trying it in big surf , expecially if it is powerfull too. Yep Laird might be able to do it

green menace said...
i suggest you build a handsfree paddle holder , for one so you can dive deep under waves and swim, plus you can get back on your board in between sets alot quicker and prone paddle till your in the clear , this is my attempt , i have tried a few experiments.

You have another system here by Gong in March 2009: http://www.gongsup.com/+GEAR-real-Paddelsurfing-on-GONG+.html
www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php?topic=3501.0
www.gongsup.com/+GEAR-paddleclip-with-GONG-surf+.html
In French: jpaction.over-blog.com/article-30240067.html

There are heaps of different ideas on the best way to get out the back in the big stuff.

When its really big, i find that board selection is key - so i prefer to choose something shorter and more manouverable. Around the 6'0 mark, going slightly longer if its overhead.

To date, i have found amazing benefits from making the right board choice. Benefits such as being able to paddle prone, duckdive under the whitewash, I can leave my battle axe (paddle) at home and challenge myself to surf properly and most importantly i'm no longer a hazard to myself and everybody else in the lineup.

LateStarter said...
There are heaps of different ideas on the best way to get out the back in the big stuff.

When its really big, i find that board selection is key - so i prefer to choose something shorter and more manouverable. Around the 6'0 mark, going slightly longer if its overhead.

To date, i have found amazing benefits from making the right board choice. Benefits such as being able to paddle prone, duckdive under the whitewash, I can leave my battle axe (paddle) at home and challenge myself to surf properly and most importantly i'm no longer a hazard to myself and everybody else in the lineup.

Any kook can paddle out on a short board

russh said...
Any kook can paddle out on a short board

True that.

However I've never seen a shortboard that weighs twenty kilos, nor have I ever witnessed one break a leggy and wipe out an entire surf school full of children.

LateStarter said...

russh said...
Any kook can paddle out on a short board

True that.

However I've never seen a shortboard that weighs twenty kilos, nor have I ever witnessed one break a leggy and wipe out an entire surf school full of children.

So frickin true

Here we go