I'm thinking of getting out into the surf occasionally after a 16 year break. Any videos on learning to sail in the waves?
I'm old & unfit compared to before so won't be doing a lot of wavesailing as getting munched used to exhaust me when I was young & fit.. but I would like to have an occasional play on a swell.

The Jem hall winner to wavesailor DVD is definitely worth a look

sue,
I reckon it is worth watching some of the wavesailors next windy/swell day. Obviously you won't be ripping up the waves until the end of summer but it gets the adrenalin going and you can see how they negotiate the break, set up on the wave etc.

I would recommend Toowoon in a S/SE and dixon park or nobby's in NE/ENE.

timing the shorebreak is I think one of the most challenging aspects, once you are
out and the surf is not rough/big then it's pretty safe and you'll be smiling!

Where do people launch at dixon park?

definitely work on your fitness and then slowly buildup over the season.

Just have a crack? Over thinking is for suckers...

Peter Hart's Serious About Waves 1 DVD is very good.

A nice floaty (your weight +10kg in litres) waveboard would be ideal. Trad waves from about 4 or 5 years ago are cheap but good for the job.

As a whoose..I was pretty good at waiting for the last wave in the set before I got out + picked the last one coming in to do any surfing. I got cocky years ago and went out really tired in 6-8'. I got creamed in the shore break and decided I'd be better off without the gear and swimming it..no... Thought I was going to drown so after that I got very good at reading the waves and how to get out when it was flat.

My fitness will be the problem. I have a 95ltre ( + 30 of my weight ) I thought I'd try..Tabou rocket freeride.

Its funny I spent 20 years and never uphauled but now I'm scared to go out on a board I can't uphaul ( the 95 or <).

I have a 78ltre Tabou Pocket Wave I use in over 25kts on the lake but I've only used it about 3 x since I got it so I don't feel as comfortable on it as the 95.
I'll have to chase up the Gem Hall vidoe . Thanks! I have the beginner to winner one and its good.I don't suppose Guy Cribb does a wave sailing video does he as I have his gybing one and its been a great help.

The pocket wave sounds an ideal waveboard for you to get back into waves, the 95 litre board does not.

I'd suggest sailing the waveboard a lot to get used to gybing it. And practice fast waterstarts a lot with sails between 4 and 5.3m. It should become your preferred board once you get used to it.

The 95 would be too fast and not manouverable enough. Plus it will get knocked around a lot by the waves and be harder to control.

At anything over 18kts at your weight get on the Pocket wave, even on the lake! You probably don't feel comfortable on it as being a wave board it would be a much more nervous ride than you 95...but seriously better off getting used to that on the lake than in the surf and once you're used to it, way more fun! Bust the cobwebs off

I hate dogging around.. even the previous owner who's a much better sailor than me and weighs the same didn't bother using the Pocket until 25kts +.
I'll prob only going out in the surf in 10-18kts NE as after that it will prob be too lumpy and a handful for old unfit me..
Ill try and give it a few uses but I prefer to be planing.I used to take a 9' windaction slalom board into the surf in the 90's..mind you I was a lot fitter.I can see that the smaller board would be a lot less hassle in the surf ( especially getting it up the beach!)

I try to look on the lulls as a chance to improve my skills. Everyone that sails a small board has to get good at slogging along in a lull. It requires skill to get a waveboard going, but having that skill makes a big difference in how light a wind you can get it planing.

In waves, I like to be using a small enough sail so that I can just swing the sail clear of the water and get back up on the board in a hurry. I hate being in waves with a big sail.

Are you thinking about riding around among the swell outside the breaking waves or riding the waves and jumping them? If you just want to get out to the swell and ride out there, then the 95 could do that. If you want to do jumping and riding then the 78 is the way to go.

Start out just jumping and playing on the swells out the back..maybe if I get confident enough try riding the last wave in the set.I suppose what worries me is I'll trip a rail trying to get the hang of bottom turns etc & get munched. Its silly for me to even consider going in the surf as I'm not a strong swimmer and I've never had much experience in the surf ( swimming etc) so I'm scared of it.
The problem is the amount of times we get a a 15kt + NE here you can count on one hand..Been ok for S lately but I sail the lake in them.
Just found a little handbook from the 90's - wavesailing for whimps..Right up my alley.. Just covers the basics for beginners launching and keeping safe..I've got a basic shortboarding book from the 80's too ..I suppose the info wouldn't have changed that much would it?

Still a complete beginner after 20years in mostly flat water - all new skills to learn in waves, but the buzz from one wave ride can keep me going for a year.

Fresh water is a lot less buoyant than seawater - it makes a hell of a difference - I usually have a nightmare on lakes and wouldn't bother to use the 78L at all.
In waves its the opposite, I only use a bigger board if there is no chance of planing at all.

Agree with everything Terminal has said. Try the 78 in saltwater and light winds and flat water - found a technique for slogging and even uphauling or at least dropping back in on the windward side for a water start.

What actually scared me in the waves was using bigger gear which is more likely to break or break me. Nearly dislocated my shoulder trying to hold on to a 104L freeride in the wash. Have now learnt to let go and go for a swim instead. Far less stress on everything with a smaller board so easier on the way out, even slogging as it cuts through the white water rather than getting smashed backward.

Hi sboardcrazy, great to see you wanting to go out in the surf. I have fstyle wave rrd 94litre which I love up to about 20knt and I weigh 55kg. Pops over the waves and keeps planing, easy to gybe (as I dont like falling off out the back)

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ChopSuey said...

Hi sboardcrazy, great to see you wanting to go out in the surf. I have fstyle wave rrd 94litre which I love up to about 20knt and I weigh 55kg. Pops over the waves and keeps planing, easy to gybe (as I dont like falling off out the back)

Thats why I like the bigger boards..I can see the sense of having a smaller on in the wavezone but to get my confidence I just want to be able to get out of the way of any nasties..which means plane..and not fall off too much out the back.I must admit the one time I took the 125 out ( 10-15kts NE didn't plane much) and c 2' waves I was thinking this could be B scary if it was up and flying and I gybe it on a waveface out the back!

The lake I sail in is Saltwater. I went out in freshwater on the 125ltre last weekend and didn't really notice the difference?

The best piece of advice I could give anyone getting out into the surf is:

If you fall in while trying to get out (due to less wind, bigger waves), make sure that your board is closer to the beach than your rig, because if not, this is the easiest way to break your mast.

If the rig is closer to the beach, then the next wave will hit your board first, and because of it's volume and the power of the wave, will push hard against the rig which can break the mast more easily.

Cheers

Well its not good to be scared in the surf - respectful yes - but scared can cause you problems.

Improving your swimming in a pool can help - including a lot of swimming underwater.

You should be able to do it in stages.
Go out on the 95 in small waves. You will have a small sail which helps for fast waterstarts and you get used to handling the sail and board to get them quickly into a position to waterstart. You always waterstart heading in. You will also get used to how to punch through whitewater and come out the other side at the right angle to keep planing.

Then go out in bigger waves just to get through them out to the back. Main difference is you have to choose the right starting point and maybe run along the wave to find the best place to tackle going over it. You may have to jump as low as you can or punch through, but either way you need to get past in a way that leaves you at the right angle to the wind to get planing quickly to tackle the next one.

If you get to that stage then to go further you need to be able to sail the 78 well.