humbled.. and confused

I agree that allot of it is mental, can't hesitate when the lips pitching like that, just got to go with confidence. Angled take offs too.

I'm actually really curious as to what some of you guys think about this...a few of you guys say rude a board with more rocker. I'm sure that helps. But my go to board when it's HH or bigger is a 6'3 single fin with not a lot of rocker, fuller nose, good thickness. I didn't really expect to like it in steep waves but I really really do. And recently I read a article in surfer or surfing magizine about dave rastovich (?) Riding a fish at chopes and how he prefers a board like that in those waves. Pretty interesting read. Board can deffinitly be a factor but your mental state and technique are much more important in my opinion

 

Besides the older dudes- lately it seems that I have seen a local shift with some guys riding a board with a fuller nose and less rocker in bigger waves for more paddle power, which I actually agree with. I have a 6'1 single fun. Not much rocker and a fuller nose and rails. Love riding it in steeper waves- except when it's bigger then 7ft cause it gets too much speed for me to handle! Lol seriously I usually would end up spinning out on turns due to too much speed.

 

When it gets big here a big board doesn't really work like it might other places. The wave stands up too fast. You'll never need anything outside of a 6'2-6'6 or so depending on your frame. Basically your taking off under the lip and free falling into a pit. Your not really paddling INTO a wave, more under one. You never stood a chance on a 7'10, sorry just too much board to fit the curve of the wave. Paddle like mad with your head down and as you fall you pull the board out from under you. If you watch people that do it right you'll notice their upper body doesn't really move too much, it's locked in and squared up before they get to their feet and the lower body adjusts. Dont feel bad, it's not an easy wave to surf, and the under the lip takeoff deal is a tricky and dangerous one to master. I still eat plenty of sh*t.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMSro9c3SzI
some reference viewing.

 

I may be wrong but you may want to look into some larger fins for those days, might fix that issue.

 

I I have this 5'9 diamond tailed thruster I love in anything over waist. It shouldn't work but it does. Key is getting in early for me in the big stuff and the angled paddle in is good advice.

 

I've tried to explain this to people before, to no avail. I know exactly what you're saying, but people just look at me sideways when I say "so when you drop in, the board just drops below you, and you come to your feet when that happens"

 

I'm pretty sure that your right... I just haven't found it yet... Right now it is just a small cutaway fin

Anyone want to send me a fin to test out on a 6'1 single fin (um... Roy...)

 

Yeah I agree that a bigger fin would help. I ride my 6'3 with a 9 tru ames greenburough A. Sounds like a huge fin for the board but the board has a good amount of width. It works for me. I'm actually thinking of getting a board made. Fuller shape, pulled in tail, 6'6 range with a 2 + 1 set up. Performance egg type of shape. I think if really like a board like that. Just got to get the money together

 

Check True Ames website, the Greenough is a good one like dude says, I have one on my HPLB. They have it in a 7" I believe, probably would work well on your 6'1" with large surf, but might need to take it out and put in the smaller fin in small surf. Just my .02, hope u figure it out.

 

what he didn't say.
intermediates - take note:
its easy to move from beginner to intermediate.
it takes FOREVER to move from intermediate to advanced.
can't be done w/talk or hand wringing.
practice makes perfect.

 

Found the article. Wasn't Dave rasta, it was Rob machado and some other guy. There basically the same person anyway.

http://www.surfermag.com/features/rob-machado-ryan-burch-tahiti/

 

Also, in those type of conditions the design of a standard thruster really shines. The pulled in nose (14'' or under) with decent rocker is going to handle the entry of that drop better. A tri fin is going to hold better cause while falling your standing right on the tail then pivoting on a dime. A narrower tail (15" or so) will keep the back of the board from drifting. Thin rails and a thinner board will allow you to bury the rail in a millisecond before the lip lands on your head. And a decent concave will keep the bottom of the board happily hugging the face of the wave. The single fins, fishes, alt boards are fun to try, but design wise last weekend was what a thruster was made for.

 

Big MoneyTeabagger cut and pasted his advice from "The Frontside Carving 360 Article." Just like everything else he's ever posted that sounds credible.

 

Good advice, man. Of course, it doesn't do anything for the OP, like any other posts here because he just needs experience and eating s@#t for some time to get better. Surfing as a skill has a really steep and long learning curve and the thing that is good about it as that there is no other way but time in the water and eating it. With a big spoon. It can be tough when one is dealing with some of it later in life. There is no magic trick. I had a fish out Saturday and for the most part it was fine. Good performance thruster would have likely been better but I made do and had fun.
You know some people look forward to fast conditions for the same reason OP was miserable..it clears the break off people that should not be there. Surfing is a continuous challenge, the guys making drops OP saw would have had their asses handed to them likely at some other place with heavy conditions.
One thing is for sure, if you don't take the beatings, you will never know.

 

dang the worlds best copy and paster

 

That's nothing dude you should see the job he did w/ Mavs and Jaws.

 

oh no, let me find that

 

We all do!

 

Saw a couple of good posts as to why Hatteras breaks the way it does. For many of us, that is the appeal, a steeper, hollower more critical wave. Because it's more critical, it will be definitively more difficult to surf. It sounds like you don't have a tremendous amount of experience in hollower waves. Don't worry, it will come with time if you continue to push yourself into bigger, more powerful surf. As far as making waves like that, I find that it takes a different approach all together. When it's breaking mushy & slow, you can typically drop all the way to the trough of the wave and then angle your bottom turn with no issues. When it's fast and hollow, I find it's best to start my bottom turn as soon as I get to my feet, and start angling down the face of the wave asap, as others have recommended. It's something that will take time and practice to get good at.

As far as where it consistently breaks DOH and barreling...Belmar (but you should know this already)

 

This^
The one thing that many people (including me) forget about Machado (or whoever) riding a fish on a hollow day is that he's a professional surfer. For the rest of us mortals, a board as described above is going to make life much easier.