Beginner advice to carve instead of skipping sideways.

You got that right, Spicoli!

I've been in the water every chance I've had the last couple weeks, up and down Ventura, and seen surf up to near double overhead at times.

I seem to reliably be going down the line of the wave when I angle the take off, but if don't angle it, a hard-carving bottom turn back to high up on the wave is something I'm still working on.

What a freaking rush!

The great waves have brought out the good surfers, and I've been the only bodyboarder out there every time, though. I've been respectful to them, and they have to me. We need more of us out there!

Thanks for all the help!
Sherm

 

Nope!
I've been drug tested for the last 25 years of my life.

 

I think I'm figuring out this carving thing.
Scooping and carving are great advice and it's probably frustrating for those who gave that advice, but I just couldn't figure that sh*t out for a while.

Now I believe it's like this:

To track straight and build speed, get my torso all the way up on the board. If I start sliding out instead of tracking straight, move my torso over more to the rail that's coming around to the front and it'll straighten out.

Small and shallow turns are easy by just leaning the board.

To carve a cutback or bottom turn, slide my board out in front of me more with the nose more up in the air, and dig the rear of that rail in while holding the board more out front.

Especially cutting back, I gotta keep the nose of the board out of the water when turning hard to avoid catching the downhill rail and tumbling.

If I keep most of my weight on the hand and forearm that are on holding the board, rather than just laying my fat ass in one spot, it makes it easier to slide my torso around side-side and front-rear, but especially to the inside rear to do a hard turn.

Today I was actually able to cut back a few times to bring me back from out past the shoulder, back into the bowl of the wave to pick up speed again and continue the ride when it would've been over before.

That was a great feeling.

So, thanks everyone for all the help!
And for those who just replied to be a-holes, well, go piss up a rope.

Sherm