Surf Talk Guru

A few weeks ago, we looked at the crucial process of finding balance atop one’s surfboard. Beginners should take baby steps to get better, and it’s perfectly normal to make a few mistakes. After all, the ocean currents and wave patterns are impossible to predict with any accuracy. All you can do is a surfer is to become confident on a board no matter what mother nature might throw your way.

When a surfer applies too much weight to the rear of the board, corking will result. To visualize this phenomenon, think of a motorboat with a bulky, extra-heavy outboard motor. Obviously the front of the boat would be tilted up into the air and the stern would begin to take on water. In surfing terms, corking creates too much drag because of the water that’s being displaced by the surfer’s weight. The problem has nothing to do with one’s surfing gear; it can be corrected by sliding forward gradually and restoring the balance to equilibrium.