Hi,
So im looking for anyone who would be interested in showing a complete novice a few tips in SUP surfing. I live at Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast but work away on a 4 and 1 roster. I am the proud owner of a 10" carbon evoke and love it, but now I want get it in the surf! I haven't surfed for about 25 years (was never good at it to start with lol)
If anyone is keen Im home from the 26th October till 2nd November.
Cheers 
Tez, no worries and happy to help but my roster hasn't been released for those dates yet so I can't lock anything in. My mates and I (all ride evokes, but I just bought a runway and a vex and keen to try both) surf at happies a fair bit. There a couple of other regular sup surfers there too. When I find out some dates I'll let you know as I'm way overdue for a surf. Cheers Geoff
Hi Geoff,
I was hoping you would be one of the guys that replied! reading your write ups on the Evoke and dealing with the lads at Mooloolaba SBW sold me on getting one! lol
As I said im new to it, 40 something and 90kegs but keen as to have a crack. Where is Happies? Any spots you would suggest for a novice where I wont piss anyone off?
Cheers Tez
Select to expand quotetezza08 said...
Hi Geoff,
I was hoping you would be one of the guys that replied! reading your write ups on the Evoke and dealing with the lads at Mooloolaba SBW sold me on getting one! lol
As I said im new to it, 40 something and 90kegs but keen as to have a crack. Where is Happies? Any spots you would suggest for a novice where I wont piss anyone off?
Cheers Tez
No worries Tez, I'm about the same dimensions, 44 and 88kgs but started surfing when I was 13. My mates who surf with me are all a smidge over the ton and a few years older, with one who never surfed at all and another used to be only flat water sup.
Caloundra is pretty sup friendly. Happies is the nickname for "happy valley" which is first beach north of the mouth of the passage before kings beach. Great sup wave usually with a few suppers there and some mals too when the wind is light or westerly.
If you can take your board up to Mooloolaba and have a paddle around from the rock wall of the river mouth back down the beach and back again would help too. I've taught a few guys now and one of the hardest things to get used too is staying upright on the ocean and then catching a wave. Flat water is like walking on concrete where the ocean is always moving. Go for a bit of a paddle round there and get used to the swell etc moving under you. Try a few explosive paddle strokes (say 10 or so) on both sides and keep the board tracking straight to simulate trying to catch a wave. Knees bent as you have to get ready for the acceleration when the wave picks you up and lot of learners get kicked off the back as their not ready for it. Also "hybrid" stance is good to start with, with one foot slightly ahead of the other, say left heel in line with right toes if your a natural foot. It gives you a bit more forward and backward balance control.
Hope some of pointers help and when I see my roster I'll let you know. I'm away this week in a fishing comp! Giddy up. Cheers Whitey
Thanks mate ill give those tips a go! going by the surf reports lately paddling anywhere from Kings to Mooloolaba would be like paddling at Currumundi lake!
cheers Tez
Winds blowing up a wave today. Might be at happies tomorrow from 9 for a paddle with some of the boys. Haven't locked it in but will let you know.
Select to expand quoteyt04 said...
Winds blowing up a wave today. Might be at happies tomorrow from 9 for a paddle with some of the boys. Haven't locked it in but will let you know.
Change that mate, my mates will be there but not me. I just remembered I have a Dr's appointment I can't miss.
Maroochy River out from Cotton Tree is also a good place to learn. Some nice little waves and when you improve head out around to the front of the surf club. Need to get wind and tide right though.
Im down at happy valley most weekends with the sup. I'm indeed no pro but get a few good waves!
Only a week and a bit to go then I'm having a crack! If you see a complete novice down at Happy Valley with a shiny new green carbon Evoke come and say hi, it will be me lol 
Hopefully I'll be there this tue and wed trying out my new vex, one of the few good thing about being a shift worker.
Fingers crossed!! It's been a real long time between drinks and I've got 2 new boards to try out.
Hopefully the weather is good Wednesday week!!! Kids at school and wife at work means a day at Happies for me lol
Hey Tez, have you been for a paddle yet? Sorry but working day shifts all the way through to next Thursday so no surfing for me. I had another mate go to happies today and had a great little wave.
Hey yt04,
I'm going down for my first try tomorrow! (Friday) after school drop off. If anyone here is going down look out for the guy struggling on the big green Evoke lol.
Should be fun, I watch a couple today go out and they were having a ball! its good that its not deep water there, you can walk all the way out to where the waves are! very cool 
Anyway tomorrow is the day!!!!!
Cheers
Looking good tomorrow.......at last . Nice little 1 to 2 ft with not much wind should be great
Select to expand quoteKrist said..
Looking good tomorrow.......at last . Nice little 1 to 2 ft with not much wind should be great
Excellent! should be there about 9ish if any of you guys are there!
Good luck tomorrow mate, you'll smash it. If you're having dramas catching a wave standing, catch them on your knees and then jump up. That's what I did when I was learning. That way you still have fun and not crack the **s with it all.
Select to expand quoteyt04 said..
Good luck tomorrow mate, you'll smash it. If you're having dramas catching a wave standing, catch them on your knees and then jump up. That's what I did when I was learning. That way you still have fun and not crack the **s with it all.
I DID IT!!!!!!!! took your advice on the kneeling down and it worked a treat!!!! bit unsteady standing but I figure that will come with practice, I stood up first and paddled out and that was ok but trying to balance while just bobbing around waiting for a wave was a different story, same as trying to catch a wave while standing (a lot harder than you guys make it look!!!!) but I ended up catching 3 waves on my knees then stood up straight away! I even managed to surf the clean face of the wave for rides that felt like ages! once I was standing on the wave I was able to use my paddle and even get a fair few good strokes in! needles to say I am now hooked and will be a regular down at Happies!!!
Best feeling ever!!!
Select to expand quotetezza08 said...yt04 said..
Good luck tomorrow mate, you'll smash it. If you're having dramas catching a wave standing, catch them on your knees and then jump up. That's what I did when I was learning. That way you still have fun and not crack the **s with it all.
I DID IT!!!!!!!! took your advice on the kneeling down and it worked a treat!!!! bit unsteady standing but I figure that will come with practice, I stood up first and paddled out and that was ok but trying to balance while just bobbing around waiting for a wave was a different story, same as trying to catch a wave while standing (a lot harder than you guys make it look!!!!) but I ended up catching 3 waves on my knees then stood up straight away! I even managed to surf the clean face of the wave for rides that felt like ages! once I was standing on the wave I was able to use my paddle and even get a fair few good strokes in! needles to say I am now hooked and will be a regular down at Happies!!!
Best feeling ever!!!
Good work Tez, welcome to the club!! You can't beat the feeling of catching waves, especially if you haven't done it for a long time. Balance and wave catching will come with a bit more practice. Just standing there waiting is hard, you can leave your paddle out in the water beside you to help with balance or just keep paddling around. It's easier if you're moving and you're also getting more practice.
When catching waves, bend your knees a bit more and sort of crouch Ito it a bit to help keep your forward / backward balance with the big strokes and the acceleration when you do catch one. Also try "hybrid" stance while catching waves where you put your front foot a bit forward of the other (front heel in line with rear toes while still facing forward if that makes sense). It helps heaps with the forward backward balance.
We'll have to definitely try and meet up for a paddle but both being on rosters may make it a bit harder.
Great work mate!!!!
Select to expand quoteyt04 said..tezza08 said...yt04 said..
Good luck tomorrow mate, you'll smash it. If you're having dramas catching a wave standing, catch them on your knees and then jump up. That's what I did when I was learning. That way you still have fun and not crack the **s with it all.
I DID IT!!!!!!!! took your advice on the kneeling down and it worked a treat!!!! bit unsteady standing but I figure that will come with practice, I stood up first and paddled out and that was ok but trying to balance while just bobbing around waiting for a wave was a different story, same as trying to catch a wave while standing (a lot harder than you guys make it look!!!!) but I ended up catching 3 waves on my knees then stood up straight away! I even managed to surf the clean face of the wave for rides that felt like ages! once I was standing on the wave I was able to use my paddle and even get a fair few good strokes in! needles to say I am now hooked and will be a regular down at Happies!!!
Best feeling ever!!!
Good work Tez, welcome to the club!! You can't beat the feeling of catching waves, especially if you haven't done it for a long time. Balance and wave catching will come with a bit more practice. Just standing there waiting is hard, you can leave your paddle out in the water beside you to help with balance or just keep paddling around. It's easier if you're moving and you're also getting more practice.
When catching waves, bend your knees a bit more and sort of crouch Ito it a bit to help keep your forward / backward balance with the big strokes and the acceleration when you do catch one. Also try "hybrid" stance while catching waves where you put your front foot a bit forward of the other (front heel in line with rear toes while still facing forward if that makes sense). It helps heaps with the forward backward balance.
We'll have to definitely try and meet up for a paddle but both being on rosters may make it a bit harder.
Great work mate!!!!
Get work Tezz im also new to the SUP surfing great to hear you caught a few waves the tips these blokes provide are outstanding my first time i didnt know about the kneeling trick so just fell off heaps but its all part of it and makes the wave you first catch all the better !!!
Welcome scotchman, good year of birth to mate . Ask any questions you want as the only dumb one is the one that wasn't asked!!
I've only been doing this for about 4 years myself but grew up short board surfing. I've helped 3 mates learn now with 2 never surfing at all before. I'm still reading and learning everyday. Love it!!!
Was a few nice waves around this morning. Was a bit lumpy though. I'll be back down to happys in the morning for a early sesh.
I went out again yesterday, was a bit better with the balance but still had to kneel to get a wave, more time on the water needed!!! Oh well back to work for a month then back on the board!!!
Select to expand quotetezza08 said...
I went out again yesterday, was a bit better with the balance but still had to kneel to get a wave, more time on the water needed!!! Oh well back to work for a month then back on the board!!!
It all comes with time mate. Let us know when you'll be back and I'll try to meet up for a paddle. After next week there's no more stuff arounds in my roster so hopefully something should line up.
Sounds good tezz. And more fun to come .
When catching the waves make sure your moving as fast as you can ,
your board won't take off without you then .as a remembered when I was learning .off the back I'd go.
also if you are side on to the waves .....,it will rock .face your nose out to sea when waiting for the waves .
then turn around when you see them coming .and keep your paddle in the water all the time .its a great sea anchor.
enjoy the stoke . 
tardy.
Just another tip too I picked up when I started a few years back is to cut down your paddle for surfing. Most new guys I see have their paddle quite long which is ok for cruising around but doesn't allow you to get your weight forward as much as a shorter paddle... Start a touch over head in length and see the difference... You will find you have to lean further forward when paddling but this extra weight forward should help to not fall off the back of the board as much on takeoff...
Select to expand quoteLoz79 said..
Just another tip too I picked up when I started a few years back is to cut down your paddle for surfing. Most new guys I see have their paddle quite long which is ok for cruising around but doesn't allow you to get your weight forward as much as a shorter paddle... Start a touch over head in length and see the difference... You will find you have to lean further forward when paddling but this extra weight forward should help to not fall off the back of the board as much on takeoff...
That's a good point, Might take the wife's adjustable paddle next time and give that a try, Thanks.
