Hi guys : )

[WaterLogged]

Hey guys,

Well, after months of farting around, I finally got a kneeboard. I sold my longboard because it was doing nothing but sitting in the rack getting dusty, and put the money towards a KB.

I worked with a local shaper who's built other kneeboards (an anomaly in New York). He was really stoked to build a KB for me. He, like me, is a huge fan of kneeboarding and loves to watch you guys killing it.

He did a lot of research before shaping my board, and he made me something that will be good in cruddy New York surf and fairly easy to paddle - 6'0 long and wide/thick (The dims have disappeared from my brain in the haze of a senior moment. I am going to have to go the garage and look at the board. Pathetic). It has a 5 fin Futures set up.

Tomorrow we are supposedly going to be having some knee to thigh surf with light offshores. A perfect day for my maiden voyage. I'm really stoked to use it. I had the fins off, had the board on my bed and was working on popping up. Everything seemed to flow, but then again I wasn't in the ocean. LOL.

I'm concerned about using my fins, though. If I use my fins, I'm going to have to "skootch" (is that a word?) down the board when paddling and then reposition myself to pop up. Right now, the way the board is, I can just pull my knees right underneath myself, because I am almost 6'0 tall.

How do you guys do it? I'd hate to ruin that "sweet spot" that's on all boards, but fins are really helpful. If I forget my fins when I'm boogin', I tend to have to paddle REALLY HARD to get wherever I want to go, or just walk through the surf and take a beating.

But whatever I end up doing, I am really happy to have my KB, and start working on my "skillz". And Mike, the shaper, is waiting for me to call him so that he can get to work on a faster, bigger wave, less beginner board. LOL.

= )~

Chris

[Kev]

Hi ...
welcome

I too have boards around 6ft and wide and thick
and
the five fin option

on paddling and kicking
I do either
and I do both
good to have the variety to get a break for the aching muscles
and also a reflection of the distances and/or speed you want to travel

this goes for both paddle-out and the take-off

don't let anyone tell you, you must go without
try both ... try everything
do whatever suits you or the conditions ... or both

it's all good

you can see my old man fatboy board at
Kev's Boards
and Dave Parkes has shaped me a new smaller faster one, that is to be sprayed and laminated next week
details and pictures soon

[Mike Fernandez]

Hi WL. I was just at Rockaway a couple days ago for some good 6ft. surf.
As for using fins, you just have to get in and do it. You will get the hang of it, and find the sweet spot.
My next target in NY is Montauk Point.

[WaterLogged]

Hi WL. I was just at Rockaway a couple days ago for some good 6ft. surf.
As for using fins, you just have to get in and do it. You will get the hang of it, and find the sweet spot.
My next target in NY is Montauk Point.

Hey Mike!

We had a good run of surf here lately, but as always, the winds stunk most of the time. Thursday, though, was a great day. Shoulder to head, clean, even sets and dry headed paddle out. I even walked out to the break at one point with fins in hand. That's my kind of day. = ) Mostly the other days were sloppy onshore or crosshore.

Tomorrow is supposed to be light offshores, and knee to thigh. A good day to get my new board in the water. I am going to get on it and paddle around first. I was a stand up surfer for awhile, then took a long break, and now I've been sponging for some time. When I hopped on my KB, I felt that sweet spot immediately. I did a few practice pops, and I was like - I can see this coming together out there. I hope so. Those cold water dunks are brutal!! = ) I did put my fins on at home and try some different placements on the board at home to get an idea, but you're right - I am going to have to just get out there. = )

Montauk is a great place to surf. Which beach were you thinking of?

Chris

[WaterLogged]

Hi ...
welcome

I too have boards around 6ft and wide and thick
and
the five fin option

on paddling and kicking
I do either
and I do both
good to have the variety to get a break for the aching muscles
and also a reflection of the distances and/or speed you want to travel

this goes for both paddle-out and the take-off

don't let anyone tell you, you must go without
try both ... try everything
do whatever suits you or the conditions ... or both

it's all good

you can see my old man fatboy board at
Kev's Boards
and Dave Parkes has shaped me a new smaller faster one, that is to be sprayed and laminated next week
details and pictures soon

Hi Kev,

LOL - yeah, I told the shaper that I was going to need a fat chick's board. He was like - well, I can try to make you a board that floats and paddles like a funboard. The board is 6 X 23.5 X 2 7/8. That's a big azz board. He did a lot of research, I think he spoke with Dean Cleary because the tail is a Quest shape.

I love the 5 fins. It's not a Bonzer set up, it's a Quad Plus One. LOL.

I will have to post some pics. = )

Chris

[Mike Fernandez]

Hi WL. I was just at Rockaway a couple days ago for some good 6ft. surf.
As for using fins, you just have to get in and do it. You will get the hang of it, and find the sweet spot.
My next target in NY is Montauk Point.

Hey Mike!

We had a good run of surf here lately, but as always, the winds stunk most of the time. Thursday, though, was a great day. Shoulder to head, clean, even sets and dry headed paddle out. I even walked out to the break at one point with fins in hand. That's my kind of day. = ) Mostly the other days were sloppy onshore or crosshore.

Tomorrow is supposed to be light offshores, and knee to thigh. A good day to get my new board in the water. I am going to get on it and paddle around first. I was a stand up surfer for awhile, then took a long break, and now I've been sponging for some time. When I hopped on my KB, I felt that sweet spot immediately. I did a few practice pops, and I was like - I can see this coming together out there. I hope so. Those cold water dunks are brutal!! = ) I did put my fins on at home and try some different placements on the board at home to get an idea, but you're right - I am going to have to just get out there. = )

Montauk is a great place to surf. Which beach were you thinking of?

Chris

I was one jetty up from 90th on Thursday. Knee to thigh is a bit small for me to drive out there though. It's 3-4 hour drive for me. As for Montauk, I want to surf the Point overhead, what else!

[WaterLogged]

[I was one jetty up from 90th on Thursday. Knee to thigh is a bit small for me to drive out there though. It's 3-4 hour drive for me. As for Montauk, I want to surf the Point overhead, what else! ]

Ahh I see! I thought you were a Rock local!!

Montauk is the shiznit when it's breaking overhead. Ditch is the most popular beach, but Alamo, Trailer Park and Turtles are more challenging. There are also a lot of other nice breaks along the way in Eastern Suffolk on the way out to Montauk.

Tomorrow's forecast changed to waist high SSE swell with offshores. At first I was hesitant to go out on my new KB and then I was like, oh the hell with it. I've had it for a week and all I've done is wax it and "ride" it on my bed. Okay, that didn't sound right.

[C J Gagner]

Just let us in on how it went!

[WaterLogged]

Paddling out was fine, I just hopped on and paddled. It was a dry headed paddle out today because it was small and light offshore.

But I am so USED to bodyboarding, that when I was out at the break and started paddling for a wave, I held on with my hands and kicked with my feet, which did nothing considering that I left my fins off today and wasn't positioned on the board for fin paddling.

What a moron!

It was a totally automatic response. I was kicking the tail of the board, like someone who just rolled up on the short bus, and ended up in a cold water dunk. About 5 times.

*sigh*

I was finally able to catch a few and ride them prone by arm paddling. I'm going to need to wear fins, and work on my position. Leg kicking is just there for me when I am paddling for a wave, and I really paddle hard. LOL.

The board planes really nicely and it feels great under me. The sweet spot is just *there*. I was paddling and sitting on it like I had it forever.

Not one to be deterred, I am going back out tomorrow. There are a few flat, clean days this week, and I am going out just to work on paddling - with and without fins.

I really think that I am going to love this board. It such a different feeling from sponging. The 5 Futures just grab the wave and it's such an awesome feeling.

I also did one duckdive, and all that board wants to do is float, so I really had to shove it under with both hands and one of my knees!!!!!

I can see myself in stronger surf getting shot out with the wave landing square on my cranium!!

[MIK911]

Welcome aboard, glad you're having fun.
I too transitioned from longboarding to KBing, so the whole flipper thang was foreign to me too.

When kicking to catch a wave, I find myself needing to scoot back on the board, so the tail of the board is above my hip--so I can kick by bending at the hips. Problem is, with the board so far forward, I almost need to hold on with outstretched arms, thereby rendering my arms useless/out of position to paddle. This seems very inefficient--board far forward, with nose pointed slightly up, arms outstretched holding on, and legs free to kick.

Anyone have any advice on how to position myself more efficiently?
If i'm balanced on the board to allow use of my arms to paddle, then the tail of the board is at my mid-thigh, thereby making my kicks just slappin on the water surface.

thanks

[kidrock]

MIK911 & WaterLogged:

Use the fins. Don't be embarrassed.

I'm a decent ocean swimmer, but I find the fins are a help and not necessarily a hindrance. They just plain make it easier to get into the wave, and paddle faster overall. And they really help in big surf, whether going under or around a big set wave.

As far as positioning, if you have bodyboarding experience, I would say to position yourself on a kneeboard as you would while paddling the sponge. Positioning is an acquired taste...meaning, it takes practice. Particularly if you subscribe to either the "fins back" or "fins forward" schools of KBing (fins meaning skegs).

If you plan on KBing without flippers, I would position myself further toward the nose, without dragging my feet in the water---similar to how a standup would paddle his board.

just my 2 pennies

[Kev]

... I also did one duckdive, and all that board wants to do is float, so I really had to shove it under with both hands and one of my knees!!!!! ...

yes
these Fatboy or Fat Chick's boards do require a little more effort to get under a wave

I often use both knees. You can see in this web page ( a work in progress ) the results of warm water, no wetsuit, and rear deck pads ... and two very long sessions
http://www.diyfactory.com/surf/Kev05.htm

as for the paddle out positioning
I do find that a position for both kick and paddle is almost impossible
SO
I favour the arms when sprinting or catching a wave.
When the wave looms close and the drop/suck comes, the fins will entry the water more effectively. Even stand-up boys kick right at take-off.
I also use a board-POP ... coming out of the sit position just as the wave jacks ... great for late drop and often... well sometimes, there is NO need for a paddle or kick.

For the long distance trip I drop back on the board and just use feet/fins ... with crossed arms on the knee pads ... just a slow cruise

[KenM]

With a little practice you can find an inbetween spot that will allow efficient use of arms and legs at the same time, what Doc Strange calls "four on the floor". I usually use this only for catching waves or paddling out in spots where I'll be duck diving alot. Otherwise I move furher back and kick only or move further forward and arm paddle. Experiment a bit and you'll find what works for you. Keep at it, it won't take long.

[WaterLogged]

Thanks for the great advice.

I didn't go out today because there was a lot of west in the winds and there was a nasty sideshore rip at 2 different spots I checked out, and I don't want to have to be dealing with that crap while I am learning the finer points of kneeboarding.

The only concern I have about wearing fins, and then using the board in "sponging" position is pretty much the same concern I had about dropknee sponging. It makes a very pleasurable situation a lot more difficult. As the wave energy picks up the board, instead of getting into position, setting your rail and moving down the wave face, there's time fiddling to get into position. Sure, a lot of people dropknee and love it, but I always found it to be kind of a pain to struggle into position.


I am starting to think that a much shorter board would have been in order, less board to get underneath me and in position. The KBs that Mike shaped were for guys that were arm paddlers - stand ups that wanted kneeboards, so the design is for arm paddling - a longer board, great for paddling, fins back. Mike has incredible prices for hand shaped boards (I paid under $500), so I wouldn't mind working with him again.

I'm going back out on Wednesday - knee high, clean surf again. I'm going to arm paddle and just see what happens. I'm going to actually ride a few waves in kneelo position.

It seems like it's going to be really easy to set my rail into the wave - any suggestions on turning, cutbacks, etc??



I love you guys. You're the best!

[KenM]

Logged, maybe you should fill in some details. How tall are you and how long is your board? If your board is about as long as you are tall, give or take a couple inches, when your trying to catch a wave from the forward position on your board you should be able to still make good use of your flippers for extra push to catch the wave and be able to get up without any fiddling around with your position.