|
SeaCliff
|
 |
« on: March 17, 2008, 09:38:10 PM » |
|
I know this topic has been covered before with some mixed impressions, but last saturday presented near perfect conditions for testing it some techniques in this area and gaging response...no one around, surfing virtually alone. It was small, clean, and rather weak, meaning there were plenty of waves that I had to grovel hard to try and catch, which I did with varying levels of success for about 2 and a half hours or so...
Well, here's what seems to work for me - a fraction of a second before the wave arrives, two swift hard kicks. That's it. Definitely felt as if gave boost and made difference. More kicks and/or kicking sooner seemed to actually have a detrimental effect, and a significant one at that.
Thoughts?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"I could not help concluding that this man felt the most supreme pleasure while he was driven on so fast and so smoothly by the sea…" 40.58°, -73.70°
|
|
|
|
sublimelbc
|
|
« Reply #1 on: March 17, 2008, 10:09:58 PM » |
|
If my board is small enough for me to get a solid kick, for me my 5'11, I find it helps to kick, as you said, at the the last moment. I don't kick on a consistant basis, but rather if I feel I need every last drop to get into a wave. I'm not quite sure if its the actual kick that helps, or just the fact that my body is striving so hard to catch the wave that my legs can't quite help but kick. Now thats an interesting proposition, subconscious feet kicking out of extreme stress? haha
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.
- Thomas Jefferson
|
|
|
|
Smith St. Surfer
|
|
« Reply #2 on: March 17, 2008, 11:03:52 PM » |
|
whatever it takes to get in the wave. I find kicking much more effective with the booties on, but also much more necessary with the dead weight of the wetsuit.
That being said I discovered a hazard on the kick. End of the summer this year I was kicking hard for a wave on a crowded day out at the jetty and smacked the hell out of my foot (swelled like a tennis ball) on back of the board of the guy padding out behind me... Still hurts in the mornings.
|
|
|
|
« Last Edit: March 17, 2008, 11:21:21 PM by Smith St. Surfer »
|
Logged
|
Barack Would Go
|
|
|
|
box
|
|
« Reply #3 on: March 18, 2008, 12:52:28 AM » |
|
i paddle AND kick to get into a wave then again my board is 41.5"  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
little_nasty
|
|
« Reply #4 on: March 18, 2008, 01:50:56 AM » |
|
i contend it's just ooching
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
SeaCliff
|
|
« Reply #5 on: March 18, 2008, 08:52:03 AM » |
|
i contend it's just ooching
Perhaps - but it truly felt like a discernible extra bit of thrust if, and only if, the timing was exactly right. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"I could not help concluding that this man felt the most supreme pleasure while he was driven on so fast and so smoothly by the sea…" 40.58°, -73.70°
|
|
|
|
Wave Dancer
|
|
« Reply #6 on: March 18, 2008, 09:14:39 AM » |
|
I kick at the last moment with joy when there is no one to the left or right of me.Not sure what it does.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
north st.
|
|
« Reply #7 on: March 18, 2008, 10:07:40 AM » |
|
I've always thought it looked stupid, but lately I've come around to it. A couple of kicks might not make you go any faster, but it seems like you end up pushing your weight down a little further down the wave. I think you are changing your center of gravity forward when you pull your feet back for the kick.....
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
jscottk
|
|
« Reply #8 on: March 18, 2008, 11:18:50 AM » |
|
You kick on a swing set and it works
So the same theory of weight should apply right?
That said I find kicking might speed up your forward motion, but at the drawback of control while getting to your feet.
And it looks bad
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Bubba
|
|
« Reply #9 on: March 18, 2008, 11:31:53 AM » |
|
I'm a kicker.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
McFloater
|
|
« Reply #10 on: March 18, 2008, 01:28:42 PM » |
|
i'm a last second kicker.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
manbearpig
|
|
« Reply #11 on: March 18, 2008, 01:29:54 PM » |
|
i def kick at the last second. i feeel it helps get a littel momentum going
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Looseness
|
|
« Reply #12 on: March 18, 2008, 01:37:05 PM » |
|
I swore I didn't kick but NYCWIPEOUT caught me doing it on my firewire and pointed it out. Now I realize I do it unconsciously when I'm having trouble getting into a wave.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
“You’re ruining it for everyone, going across the wave like that!”
|
|
|
|
little_nasty
|
|
« Reply #13 on: March 18, 2008, 03:08:28 PM » |
|
You kick on a swing set and it works
So the same theory of weight should apply right?
that's exactly what i'm saying. momentum/inertia not propulsion |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
UNCLE!!
FOF
Local Hero
 Offline
Posts: 3244
local riff raff
|
|
« Reply #14 on: March 18, 2008, 11:34:24 PM » |
|
I'm a kicker... I could feel it today giving me that last little omph to get in the mushy ass wave before it jacked and closed out on me.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
 OK, ok.... So maybe multiple fins are a good thing. |
|
|
|
