I normally don't have problems making the drop but every time I caught a wave today my nose would go straight under water when I came to the bottom. Putting all my weight on my back foot wasn't helping and keeping my weight further back before the takeoff was causing me to end up on top of the lip. I was on a 9'9" that doesn't have a lot of rocker but the waves didn't seem overly steep. It was closeout conditions but definitely makeable. Has anyone had any similar experiences and willing to share some advice? Thanks.
Angled takeoff I like because it helps this and gives you the high line to pump for speed, then again you have the 10-footer which is a close second to a WaveJet. Extra paddles to get further down the face before pop-up? That's what I've been told to do in this instance. Were the waves jacking steep? May not have this problem on a SB half that length.
I'll second Tony's advice. In dumpy surf, it's best to skip the pivot and just angle yourself down the line. You'll find yourself right in the pocket and a trim or two will give you the speed to clear those close out sections.
As soon as someone told me in 1988, when learning on a 9-0, to take off on just about anything at a 45 degree angle to the wave, I actually started to learn to surf. It was the single most important piece of advice about surfing that I have ever gotten. I am still learning, and always will be, considering the physical limitations of being 45 years old and having to adjust the way I do things to accomodate an aging body. But that one trick still works most of the time, as only a few times a year do I find myself in overhead surf on a short board necessitating the speed of a straight down the face takeoff with a hard bottom turn to get into the pocket. No matter what board you're on, when it's knee to chest high, just go default for the angled takeoff, especially on a board the size of the USS Eisenhower.
Even though pearling can mess with my head, I try to look down the line and not at the nose. I think it keeps me balanced better and puts less weight forward.
Sounds to me like your not getting to your feet fast enough, sit outside just a little further and catch the wave a little earlier, with a 9' 9" you should have more than enough paddling speed and should be standing up before the wave even breaks...just my 2 cents.
