Just wondering if anyone with lower back problems ( aka ageing ) has successfully changed to knee paddleing instead of prone to catch waves.
It appears much easier in practice to get to standing from kneeling vs prone..
I'd imagine the board would need to change to phycilatate knee paddling so you don't sink, but would adjustments need to be thickness or width..or both

I would actually say its harder to from knees to feet vs prone to feet in a single stage popup. It would maybe be easier maybe if you did it in 2 steps but then you are creating serious instability when you pop up as you are going one foot at a time which will create left to right roll.

Reality is that if your knee/hips/back wont allow a single stage popup you are actually better off going to a SUP... Take a listen to this podcast with Mickey Munoz, he talks about how he has had to transition to a SUP to stay in the water and keep surfing, really rad if we can emulate even a small part of what he has done, I mean, the dude surfed Desert point in his mid 60's, mind blowing.

surfsplendorpodcast.com/053-mickey-munoz/

Back in the day Andy, knee paddling was the norm on those big ol logs, then came short boards and it was impossible to knee paddle those suckers.
I don't care for a sup and am just trying to get an idea on what would suit knee paddling..I am leaning to 24" wide and 3 1/8" thick.

Maybe Lacey could chime in he had a Clearwater hotdog made a bit wider so he could knee paddle, dam bugger would be out the back in no time

Good idea SB. Popping from your knees is no harder then from laying down and not laying down takes heaps of pressure of your back and neck.

I can knee paddle a 23 x 3 model T, pretty easily so I'd say your dims are about right. Maybe an extra glass patch to protect from knee dings.

Knee paddling is more about finding the spot where the board is balanced. Nose slightly out of the water, tail slightly under then changing the board design. A flattish nose rocker probably helps though, to much rocker feels like you are pushing water.

Oh and stretch those hamstrings and knee joints otherwise your back will tighten up.

Surfbroker i surf with a bloke who is doing what you want and is doing really well

This is only from what he has told me not from a podcast so peoples opinions and replies will be different obviously

He tried 666 and didnt like it,found the paddle ruined his fun,I was more of the you can't teach this old dog new tricks with him,but I did understand what he was saying from my few excursions on the tanker myself .

His board is 24 wide and super thick in the guts,it is a step deck so the rails do work well ,the nose and tail are really thinned out .

He said he found it super easy,more so than popping up from a prone position ,which I still dont understand how, yet when I watch him he is very fluid in his movements and he does do it with ease. Mind you he does not surf fast breaking or sucky waves that I have seen. I will ask him next time and grab a pic of his board. Also his board has a really big ugly hip in the tail,but once again he surfs it well so ugly does not matter

I would knee paddle if my knees weren't stuffed.

ET.

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chrispy said..
Surfbroker i surf with a bloke who is doing what you want and is doing really well

This is only from what he has told me not from a podcast so peoples opinions and replies will be different obviously

He tried 666 and didnt like it,found the paddle ruined his fun,I was more of the you can't teach this old dog new tricks with him,but I did understand what he was saying from my few excursions on the tanker myself .

His board is 24 wide and super thick in the guts,it is a step deck so the rails do work well ,the nose and tail are really thinned out .

He said he found it super easy,more so than popping up from a prone position ,which I still dont understand how, yet when I watch him he is very fluid in his movements and he does do it with ease. Mind you he does not surf fast breaking or sucky waves that I have seen. I will ask him next time and grab a pic of his board. Also his board has a really big ugly hip in the tail,but once again he surfs it well so ugly does not matter

Thanks for that info Chrispy..as I mention I'm not wanting to go sup and your mates board sounds like what I'm thinking of..I'd want it to ride like an ordinary board, as much as a tanker can, much like my 8ball ..maybe the same bottom/chines & rails & flatish rocker but meat in the centre and yes extra glass to support my mamoth 65kg

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surfbroker said..
Back in the day Andy, knee paddling was the norm on those big ol logs, then came short boards and it was impossible to knee paddle those suckers.
I don't care for a sup and am just trying to get an idea on what would suit knee paddling..I am leaning to 24" wide and 3 1/8" thick.

ahh, fair enough, your a lightweight so it will be much easier for you...

I'm not keen to go SUP either but if gets to that or no surf then thats what i'll do. I have 2 mates that have had to go SUP bcs their backs are gone and going bigger in the board meant they actually couldn't carry the boards, but they are 90kg range as well...

so pretty much what SP said then. I'm 85kg and can knee paddle my Hotlog which is 10" 24'x 3 1/4' and does have a "sweet spot" in the middle where it holds the volume for it. I had SDR shape it specifically so I can Knee paddle it at my weight. If you aren't wearing wettie/booties etc you can easy go WAAAAAAY smaller...

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surfbroker said..
Back in the day Andy, knee paddling was the norm on those big ol logs, then came short boards and it was impossible to knee paddle those suckers.
I don't care for a sup and am just trying to get an idea on what would suit knee paddling..I am leaning to 24" wide and 3 1/8" thick.

"Back in the day" I could spring/pop up from knee paddling to my feet without putting hands on the deck. Oh to be young again!!

I have a heap of old kneeboards - for stability surfing on the knees they are all around 2 foot wide by 3 inches thick . Reckon you would need about the same to paddle out . Can get pretty good knee pads through Parkes kneeboards Byron Bay makes it easier on the knees and saves putting dents in the deck .

Thanks for the input guys..my mind is working on it

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surfbroker said..
Thanks for the input guys..my mind is working on it

Heh SB
Knee paddle ..go for it ... at 95kg ..i can knee paddle 9'8 x 23.5 x 3.5... mate has a board with those dims that I can paddle.
Admitting the board carries it width a long way forward and aft... log type big fin , but it is do-able
Knees to pop up ..easy peasy
cheers
Climber