Surfski Knowledge Base

Larry Bussinger
Sep 5 #27527

I had an AHA moment a couple of days ago. Imagine that you're paddling along upwind in 1-1/2 ft waves, nice cadence when here comes that 3 ft wave of 3 set with crests 4 ft apart. Those never fail to mess up my rhythm, slow my momentum, and often make me brace. I was told 30 years ago to plant my paddle into the top of the wave, however this time I was early and planted my paddle into the foot of the wave. Know what? Nothing happened, I just went over the waves like they weren't there. After a couple of days of trying this, I realized I've been doing it wrong all along. Thinking about it when I got home I realized that with me and the wave rushing towards each other, that when I put my paddle on the top of the wave, when I was on the crest, with two feet of my boat in the water, that my stroke was over and I had no stability. Alternatively when I planted my paddle into the foot of the wave, my paddle was in a proper bracing position when I was on the crest and was set up to plant the paddle into the foot of the next wave…..repeat. No stability problems at all!

I've never heard anyone discuss this in all my years of paddling. I'd be interested in what others think. If you've never tried this, try it and let me know if it helps or if its just me.
Larry B

Jeff Hegedus
Sep 5 #27528

Dude, I never dig in on the top of the wave :)

Dennis Mowry
Sep 5 #27529

I put the paddle just before the crest, then again right after. Then your in the meat of the wave where the most power is. You can keep the rythmn by climbing over then surfing down.
I hope you're not saying, the foot of the wave being the bottom of the trough.
:D

Reivers Dustin
Sep 5 #27531

It's like total immersion, man. Be the wave. Wave bye to the being-ness of paddling. All the particles grok each other and so by turning off the awesome mind powers, one must let go of the duality of the wave. All waves are the same. Waves exhibit the character of particles and particles exhibit the character of waves. If one examines Schroedinger's wave equation with no understanding, then one realizes that the cat is a wave. Many waves. With little cat's paws.

The remainder of the lesson is left as an exercise for the student.

Nicholas Cryder
Sep 5 #27532

Reivers, who is your dealer? I want in. Groovy.

Reivers acid trip aside, I often try to apply a little pop of power at the exact moment the ski slaps the back side of the wave I've just crested… the ski is pointing downhill, so I might as well mooch the downhill energy. Try it, you can surf upwind… Just don't use it against me in a race, or I will use misinformation in the future and make you pay. Twice!

Larry Bussinger

Sep 5 #27534

Not at the bottom, but maybe a quarter of the way up.
Larry B

Larry Bussinger

Sep 6 #27537

That would mean you are paddling in the back side of the wave. I think. The waves I’m talking about are too steep to do that. I’d still be in the air comming down when my bow hits the wave in front. I’ll have to play with that and see.

Larry Bussinger

David Scherrer

Sep 6 #27538

Far out!

D

MARC ROBERTA WHITLOCK
Sep 6 #27539

Dang, Larry, now I'll be overthinking this as I paddle upwind. I try to keep my rhythm and form upwind by driving with my legs alternately to rotate. I automatically adjust the catch to what comes available. Most of the time it's like Dennis described, both on the front and down the backside I hit a stroke.

marc

Nicholas Cryder
Sep 7 #27545

Larry, I am talking about putting power down when the bow slaps the wave that I've just crested (not when the bow goes airborne). So I take a modest stroke at the foot of the wave so the ski has momentum as the wave passes underneath, and then I take a more forceful stroke on the backside when the bow slaps down. Have never been a big fan of aiming for the top of the wave, as it seems to be a bracing stroke, and it just kills the momentum of the ski. Also, I try to paddle upwind at a 30º angle to the waves (and not dead upwind) so the ski glides more.

Should have plenty of practice today!