Hi guys,
I'm reasonably new to stand up paddle boarding and loving it! I'm starting to get into some decent waves of about head hight on my Naish Nalu 11'4. I'm wanting to drive off the bottom a bit more with some bottom and top turns but manoverability is quite low (I'm used to very direct foot steering from windsurfing). At the moment I'm just cruising along the wave which is awesome but I'm getting to the stage where I want to lay into the wave a bit more. Some of the things I'm thinking I need to do include.
1. some more back foot pressure
2. getting the front foot on the inside rail to help in adding some rail pressure.
3. Moving the middle fin forward (it's currently set up towards the back 3rd of the fin slot.)
Any other tips, Youtube clips etc would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
Jason

Yes, you're on the right track. Rail pressure is best added via the back foot though.

This board I'm riding, while not a SUP, isn't you're average little "white" surfboard either. Rear foot adding pressure to inside rail...

Also pump with your legs... bend the knees, and extend... this gives you drive that you used to get from your sail....

my two cents. with the right technique you can bottom turn any board.

a couple of tips for the big boards. yep, you'll have to be back a bit

actually be at the bottom of the wave or the flatter part before the turn. you can start preparing for the turn by 'feeling' the wave as you start to bend your legs as you are dropping down the wave

load the board up by getting down lower over the board facing the beach as much as possible, then extend and rotate towards the side you are turning.

this should feel really good as you push up against the g forces and the rail digs in. the extension through out the turn gives you the control as the board the 'pops' up off the rail or 'lightens up'. usually the front foot is loaded more in the compression stage then transfers to the back foot through the turn as you extend

to many people have turned and are facing the direction they want to go before they have even started the turn. what that does is leave you nothing to turn with and you fight for balance and control.

you should see this from any good surfer on any board on vid

hope that makes sense, hope that helps
cheers

Nice shot Simon!!!

Yes you should try and move your fin forward to losen up the board your riding as its kinda long.
What you should really concentrate on is to make sure your back foot is right back over the top of the fins as if your trying to turn and your foot is forward of them makes it hard and the board seem really stiff!
It will also help you if you put your toes or heels out on the rails depending which way your surfing as you can get more pressure on the rails which will help you out. The best way is just get out there in an an empty line up and practice practice practice dont worry bout falling even if you push so hard you turn of the back of the way at least you will learn how to turn!
Also if you look at my pick below you will see im right down over the fins with my back foot and heels on the inside rail to help me out
Hope any of my radom jipper helps???

? WTF Teach me to crawl! I am a baby.Wow you all know how to surf so well , what surf school you learn from? If you need a lift i am the person in the trainsporter with the personal plates ,i.e (wind .surf,play, yes it should be toss) Love you guys, catch for a coffee,Loooooooooooooooooooving it!

Hey Puffy what book you learn your english from. What is a trainsporter?



h

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puffy said...

? WTF Teach me to crawl! I am a baby.Wow you all know how to surf so well , what surf school you learn from? If you need a lift i am the person in the trainsporter with the personal plates ,i.e (wind .surf,play, yes it should be toss) Love you guys, catch for a coffee,Loooooooooooooooooooving it!

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Twimby said...

Hey Puffy what book you learn your english from. What is a trainsporter?

I thought it was the guy who carried your bags to your cabin when you were traveling on a train overnight.
Judging by the name "Puffy" I'm guessing someone was off smokin weed during english class.

Maybe because he loves us and wants to catch up for a coffee he was thinking of another kind of bottom turrn

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Bnaccas said...

Twimby said...

Hey Puffy what book you learn your english from. What is a trainsporter?

I thought it was the guy who carried your bags to your cabin when you were traveling on a train overnight.
Judging by the name "Puffy" I'm guessing someone was off smokin weed during english class.

I love to see a good bottom turn..

DJ

I started on an 11'4" Naish Nalu and whilst it is a great first board it does take a bit of effort to crank a good bottom turn.
I moved the original centre fin a fair way forward in the fin box to start with then bought a thinner more surf orientated fin, think it was a future fin.
This combined with getting your weight right back on the tail /rail helped heaps.

I bought a Jimmy Lewis Mano next and found that it is way more responsive but at times I wish I still had the Nalu as well, it picks up waves so easy and is a great allrounder.

McMahon,

Some real good stuff about foot placement and bottom turns here from Blane Chambers. I do this with my Nalu 11'6" and can get if cranking off the bottom.
You don't really have to go to a shorter board! Nothing like the big board 'on the rail'!

www.paddlesurfhawaii.com/cgi-sys/suspendedpage.cgi

Phil

heres a bad photo of dale with great technique

he has the front foot over on the outside rail and the back foot inside.

surf coaches talk about working the diagonals- say a natural footer doing a forehand turn will have pressure on the toes on the back foot and pressure on the heel on the front foot. that gives him the guide control.

on a sup because it so wide you have to shift the feet across the diagonals.

having two feet pressuring on the inside rail gives way less control and you lean off the board. the photo of that girl dj posted is a perfect example of it going wrong.
thats another reason why so many people fall off doing cutbacks- they are off the centre of the board and then drop their inside shoulder and they fall off.

this was explained to me awhile ago by a australian team coach.

try it when you surf- i think you will be surprised how good it is
cheers

i've just watched a dogman vid. he is very active moving his back foot from one side of the tail to the other creating that diagonal effect even though the tails on his boards aren't that wide.

great controled centred surfing (now he owes me a beer/pie when i ever see him again). goatman and casso work the back foot across the tails creating the dia effect too when watching their vids and most of jackos photos show it
cheers

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puffy said...

? WTF Teach me to crawl! I am a baby.Wow you all know how to surf so well , what surf school you learn from? If you need a lift i am the person in the trainsporter with the personal plates ,i.e (wind .surf,play, yes it should be toss) Love you guys, catch for a coffee,Loooooooooooooooooooving it!

Puffy wasn't moderated in the last round of cutbacks. But then again - what the hell is puffy saying?

Don't forget your paddle. If you lay your paddle on the face of the wave and flare it up, you can really lean on it and put some pressure onto it helping you get over the rails.

You should check out the C4 learn to stand up paddle board DVDs. They are pretty good at showing you techniques. Just so happens that someone is selling a copy on eBay (ok it's me selling it - shameless plug).

M

Moving your back foot around the tail of the board and also forward of the tail is a must.
Side to side to get a good tight turn on the rail, and forward after coming off the top to
keep your speed.

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Piros said...

thanks rob

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laceys lane said...

i've just watched a dogman vid. he is very active moving his back foot from one side of the tail to the other creating that diagonal effect even though the tails on his boards aren't that wide.

great controled centred surfing (now he owes me a beer/pie when i ever see him again). goatman and casso work the back foot across the tails creating the dia effect too when watching their vids and most of jackos photos show it
cheers

...lol....nice lacey......... what do you want a 6 pack of tooheys or a 6 pack of 4 n 20

lacey is right you have to use all your ballet lessons to good use to get that board dancing

ps. a few pies help delivering the payload

rock on

Thanks for all the feedback guys, I tried the angle thing as well as getting my back leg toes closer to the rail. It made a massive difference and I was able to do a lot more. I managed to come off the bottom and set myself up along the middle of the wave, awesome fun. The waves were also the best I've had this weekend which also helped heaps.

Thanks again.

stoked for you

Just had to add this , one of OG Phils pics of Dean (Yoda)

thanks for this post i have got alot from it really getting a better feel for the board
thanks heaps
j