footloose
I've just changed from surfing my dad’s mini-mal to surfing a 6' 4 surfboard. I can get up perfectly nearly every time but when I’m on my feet I don't really know the best place to put my feet. Pease can you offer some advice.
Thanks a bunch.
Jonny Bray, Huddersfield via Carvemag,com

OK Johnny. One foot should be just about above the trailing edge of the front two fins, or between there and the back fin. Everyone varies with the front foot. It's just a matter of time and trial and error really. Every surfer's style and every boards rocker is different. Eventually you'll find the sweet spot by shuffling your feet about and you'll feel the board start to plane and turn better. It's hard to explain, but it's a bit like when you get it just right when hitting a cricket or golf ball. You can just feel it.

Draw a line in your wax and look down when you kick out as to where your feet are. Try different positions and mentally note where feels best. If you feel they are too far forward build a little barrier of wax across the board so you can feel it on your feet. This will remind you to move back.
Good luck! – SE

long to short?
I’ve just been looking at advice page and need some myself! I’ve got a 9'1" Guts Grifftihs long board which I love. But when my pals go to the reefs on the east coast I find the waves are too steep for my board. I can’t decide what to step down to. My thoughts are along the lines of a 7'6" fat boy flyer or a micromal of similar size. Help!!!!!! There is so much out there and I don’t want waste my money.
Thanks in advance Mario, Saltburn via carvemag.com

Guts answers:
Hey Mario,
I know exactly what you mean about these waves as I travel to the east coast as often as possible and for sure they are some of the most challenging waves for a longboard you will find! Now, you are right to want to step down in size as when you are surfing really hollow, powerful waves a longboard can become a hindrance. They are so long that they do not fit in easily with the wave, hence you will find that you are pearling the nose or the board will tend to side slip or be drawn up the face of steep sections. What I would suggest is that you come down in size to around 7'-7' 6" but you keep the wide nosed shape as this will allow you to still paddle well and to catch waves early enough. If you go for a more shortboard shape right off then you will find the transition maybe too great.

The type of high performance mini/micro mal that I use at these spots has the following dimensions 7'x 20-3/4" x 13-1/2" tail x 16-1/2" nose x 2-5/8” thick. This gives me most of the benefits of the longboards that I love (easy paddling, glide, early entry) but with much more performance and an ability to surf more tightly in the pocket without the inherent problems that the longer board creates.
Hope this helps you with your quandary.
Guts

Rocker problem?
I’m a 17-year-old male surfer from Pembrokeshire in South Wales. I’ve been surfing for about six years now. I’m 5’7 and 9 stone.
The board I own is a 6’0” thruster which was shaped by a South African guy. It’s got a large tail kick, a lot of nose rocker, and hard rails. The specifications are 6’0” x 18-1/4” x 2”. Compared to my previous boards, I find paddling and wave entry much harder.
Is this a suitable board for me? Most of the time I’m just surfing typical Welsh waves, so should I go longer, flatter and thicker? Any suggestions would be a great help.
Keep up the great work on the mag.
Stuart, Pembrokeshire

I reckon you’ve got it figured out already, Stuart. It’s hard to offer advice without actually seeing your board, but it sounds like you’ve got one of those super-thin, super-rockered shapes that were all the rage a couple of years ago. It would probably go well in powerful hollow Durban waves, but if you find it ‘pushes water’ (feels sluggish when planing along the wave) at your local break, you’d do best to flog it and get a 6’2” with less nose rocker. Or try a 6’0” fish maybe. Before you buy a new board, ask you friends if you can swap boards for a few waves next time you go for a session, and see if you like the type of board they’re riding. Also, check out our board design feature on page 54. — CP

SHUD I DO UP MY BOARD?
Hey all u guys at carve, im just e-mailin u to ask about sum stuff cos im a complete grom so i was hopin u could help me out. Firstly i have a knackered out big boy shortboard im just starting to find its sweet spot. i had my best session ever last weekend and im beggining to be able to do things but it is in not too good shape. do u recon i should try to do it up or buy a new board? If i were to buy a new board where from? Im 15 I live in Devon near Exeter and I want a good board at a reasonoble price. Also i would like to ask should i buy a long board untill i feel comfortable getting outback and riding waves, because on the board i have got it is queit tiring to paddle and catch waves. Finally i would like to make a request, woulds it be possible for some issue of carve to feature how to repair dings and shape boards fin comfigurations stuff like that id would be really handy, cheers
Sam Lee-Gammage, Devon

hi sam, du u work as a sub on a newspaper? no i thawt not. its a bit hard to say weather u shud stick with yaw big boy shortboard without aktualy seein it. as long as it isnt waterlogged or delaminatin you shud be alrite. a few miner dings will not affekt the boards performance but you shud repair any holes or craks. small repairs can be done with a tube of solarez, while bigga jobs will recquire a ding repair kit which will cost u around 10 quid from a surf shop. dont try 2 save money by getting a fibaglass kit from a car accesory shop, the fibaglass they give you is shite. betta 2 learn how 2 do ding repairs on an old board, than 2 make a hash of it on a nice new board. chek out the carve bookshop ad on page 143 for detales of The Ding Repair Scriptures, an ace book which will tel u how to do everythin. —CP

EASY RIDER
I’m looking for information about boards that split into two haves for transport. I’m planning an overland motorcycle trip through Central and South America and want to surf along the way. Carrying a full size shortboard on a motorbike is near on impossible, but with a two-part board I may be able to manage it. Any light you could shed on this type of board (and where to find one) would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Peter, by e-mail

The design you’re referring to is called a Pope Bisect, invented by a guy called Karl Pope way back in 1964. The company is still going strong in California, check their website at www.bisect.com. Once disassembled the board fits into a bag about the size of a bodyboard bag...but that’s still a big ol’ thing to carry on a motorbike if you ask me! — CP

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