C-Forum

OK so I take the Slasher to the beach to get a piece of Fabian, and once I figure out a few things I get some nice rides.
But I always have to cut left because I need the brace (not to mention the roll) when the wave breaks on me. So I end up way down the beach and I have to paddle backwards to get back where I started. (I know I could have paddled out past the surf but anyway...)
Anybody got any tips on bracing, particularly while sidesurfing, on the offside?

Thanks,
Tommy

It takes time. I have gotten to the point where I "brace" with just my fist and Tgrip unless it's a really bumpy ride. In easy holes, probably not the ocean, you will start to figure out balance and then you can brace just with your fist. If you're getting bounced around a lot then I just do like a "cross-bow" brace, although it scares be because I don't feel like that puts my shoulders in a very safe position. In friendly holes though it works pretty well. Obviously the other alternative is to switch hands, but I usually reserve that to really sticky-icky nasty butt boat munchers because I have no control paddling with my left (i paddle right usually). It may be difficult in a slasher because its so dang long, however in a playboat if I'm sidesurfing I try to always be on my onside while I'm getting set up. In a playboat, especially a short and/or slicy playboat you can usually flick your stern under you to spin around, it's pretty easy. Again, this is not in a big ol' boat like the slasher. As far as surfing ocean waves and whatnot, if i have to carve out on my offside I usually just try to clean it, and rudder on the "upstream" or beach side of my boat. Don't surf ocean waves much though, and on river waves you aren't usually carving that long so it doesn't matter as much. Hope that helps some.
Will

When the wave breaks I end up side surfing and bumpy is a real good word for it. Even with a pretty good brace out I seem to go over fairly often though it's fairly effortless to come back up and even continue the surf.
When you say you "just try to clean it" are you going over and behind the wave? Before it breaks?
I should probably work on that and not try to ride the breaker offside. Maybe work on an offside roll for when I get caught

Thanks,
Tommy

hey tommy --
how is the new boat working out? how do you like the flat hull for surfing?

the offside side-surf is definitely one of the things that makes c-1 so dam cool. so you are paddling at a crowded play hole, you peel out into the hole on your offside and don't even use a brace -- you just lean into it so deftly and assertively that all the kayakers are left with their jaws dropping. silly extra blades!

one good way ive found to work on offside balance and to feel out the brace is to do offside peel-outs. i imagine that you dont peel out without some cross-brace, right? if you are in the 99% of guys who do leave the eddy with some kind of funky brace hanging out there, then that's exactly what you are going to use to brace in a hole. so . . . peel-outs.

how was the dryway?
take care
Alden

Well I haven't had the Foreplay out yet. Hopefully Saturday.

The Dryway in a rred rrubber rraft was a rriot. Boy is rubber forgiving I watched a couple of open boaters run dragons tooth. I might be able to take the Outrage down that OK. I've got to go back and look at Labrynth some more. That was pretty wild in the raft. Boy is rubber forgiving

Offside Peelouts, I'm paddling (carving) on my offside. Not realy bracing but the power strokes do provide some support. In a side surf I think I'd trip over the paddle.
Yeah ballance is key for side surfing. I can do that in smaller more even holes but when things get all bouncey and I'm getting tossed about I use the brace lots.

See ya
Tommy