Help with Ollie!!!

[sa0303]

Guys i need help with my ollie. I feel like i am really close to pulling it off but can't seem to get the tail out of the water. I think my entry and start of the ollie is ok, but just don't get the tail out of the water. Am i not get my back knee up in time? haven't been surfing for long but i feel like i should be able to do this trick. some make it look so easy, which i know it isn't. any suggestions? i have attached some pics of the entry into the wave. thanks for the suggestions. surfing 3.jpgsurfing 2.jpgsurfing 1.jpg

[Duncan]

Others more qualified will chime in here re your question.

But I have to suggest you pull that loose line into the boat before you fall on it and really get hurt.

[Magnumguru]

to ollie there are a few factors that are probably holding you back, but without video it's hard to see.

I am guessing that you are not lifting your rear leg up while you are pulling your front foot up the board and pushing forward.

For those that don't know, or have never skateboarded - When you ollie you need not only to push down hard with your rear foot and lift your front, but immediately after you push down on your rear foot and you feel the resistance against it you need to "slide" your front foot up and out in a type of arch, up first and almost half way threw the motion arching out while continuing up.

while this is happening, your are raising your rear leg so the board comes up, one smooth fluid motion.

With surfing, I have found that you also want to turn the front of the board to point out a bit, instead of inline with the wave, so as you come down you are going right down the wave like you would do on a skateboard, otherwise you may stay up on the ridge, and fall out of the wake.

A few questions:

are you getting enough speed up driving in, it looks like you are with the front board raised the way you have it.
are you cutting hard and fast? Curving into the wake looses a tremendous amount of speed, so the faster you make the curve the better.

[Surfdad]

Nice Big Boy, btw. Yeah like magnumguru suggests, you need to slide that front foot forward and that will lift the tail of the board out of the water. It's a skateboard ollie. Try practicing with the rope to get the rhythm. The transfer from pushing to pulling up and sliding forward is literally like 1 motion. ALSO, launch further back. You're hitting the spine and that's all rounded and soft. You want to hit the lip where it's crisp and pretty angular. Check this picture of James, he's probably 2 feet back from the spine.


Late October Wakesurfing 326 by FlyBoy Wakesurf, on Flickr

[sa0303]

Magnumguru, thanks for the help. I think I have enough speed on most of my attempts. I can Ollie on a skateboard pretty decent. I think I am waiting for the board to get out of the water before I left my rear leg and it sounds like that shouldn't be the case.

Surfdad,
The board is awesome. So well made and it will do anything you want it to do. I can't wait to keep progressing and actually be able to use the board for what it was designed for. I just got my tige boat and my side (goofy) side of my wake isn't quite long enough so I think that is why I'm probably trying to jump on the spine of the wake. My wife surfs regukar and we have that side dialed in very well. It is about 4 feet longer so I think this will help with my speed and also launching at the correct position. One question. Should I feel my front foot actually slide up the board like you do on a skate board? Also should I be trying to lift my back foot up before the board releases from the water? I have watched James a 1000's times to trying to get the mechanics right. Also love the blog you guys have. Keep up the good work!!

[Surfdad]

I'm using my phone to reply so forgive me any typos. Thanks for the props, also. The front foot should actually kinda of kick the nose of the board out so yes you'll feel it! You should feel the tail release but it's kinda all one motion kick the nose and pull your rear leg up. Hope that helps.