Ted the Kiwi said..You want volume when it's big
Last year I managed to punch my 8' gun out the back up north. It was 6-8'. With my extra length and volume I felt like the man. My first wave proved to me - if not everyone else in the line up - that I was the man. Big set wave, no one near it, me using my length to stroke out to it, turn around and stroke into it before it really started sucking up. Easy drop, two barrels, kick out before the close out and paddle fast to avoid the next one. Everyone in the line up saw it. I was feeling rock solid and like I was 20 years younger. So straight out the back again. When you are on the biggest gun the scary bit is you pretty much have to catch the biggest waves. I got another one almost the same and was loving life.
Then the next set came in. Now, I started further out this time so getting to the wave was easier and I had a nice little bubble surging me onto it. Popped up. This is easy. Love my Titanic sized board. I'm owning this. Watch out boys, let me show you how its done. I was on my feet starting to drop...
Then it really sucked off the reef and created another lip. Underneath me. And in the space of a second The Man was now going over the falls in front of fifteen wide eyed surfers who had paddled in front of me to try and scratch over the set. 58L of 8' board with a heavy glass job and 8' leggie. As I went over I hoped I wouldn't hurt anyone. I did hit a 15 year old but he was okay.
The rest of the session - after that almighty bitch slap flogging - The Man was now the Snivelling Little Boy who didn't want to know about getting anywhere near the sets. The SLB only got one or two more waves because my guts was churning everytime a set came.
Yep "You want volume when it's big" unless you decide you don't really want to catch the waves. With a big board you can't use the "If only I had my big board" excuse.
