surface spins

I dont really understand how surface spins are supposed to be for beginners. i can jump w2w with some grabs but i have no idea how anybody can do a surface spin. if i want to switch i cut all the way so the rope slacks a bit and switch fast. if i try a switch witout doin that i either faceplant or lean back too far and the board slips out. how can i do anwhole spin with tension on the rope. there must be a trick or something. I ride a parks 138 with 1.1" a-wing fins

I don't know what that boards set up like but when I removed the center fins off of my board and left the two outer fins, it spins around with ease now.

Try centering your weight more in the middle of the board, drop your "back" hand and the pull of the boat should pop you around.

Eric

I have the same problem. I don't see how a surface 360 is possible outside of the wake. I can't rotate fast enough to keep from doing a reverse face plant. I am interested in hearing these replies!!

To spin slowly, with a smooth transition, through a neutrally balanced slide requires pretty good balance and control of the rope (smooth water helps too!). You said you either face plant or slip backward. Well, you need to be in the middle of those. That's where the control comes in.

It also helps to hold the rope down by your waist with your arms in a neutral position. It gives you more control because the pull of the rope is through your center ("hara" if you like Japanese martial arts). Variations in pull here will be less likely to throw you off balance.

start cutting out hard heelside and get used to throwing out your back leg, and get the board sliding, try it finnless first, once you can get the board sliding well for as long as you want, start trying to throw it all the way to 180, get used to riding along backwards, then do a slow handle pass back around, practice makes perfect, looks sweet if master it to, you'll realise how easy it is after a few goes..

I will trade you all of my surface 360 trick variations for one W2W 360 any day.

Seriously slow down the boat speed and remove any fins and you will learn all you need to know in a day. A wake skake finless will improve balance pretty quickly also. I spent a couple months on surface stuff after a blown ACL years ago.

I learned how to surface spin with fins first, and my trick was always riding on the crest of the wake and turning by sliding my back foot forward and whatnot, cause on the crest of the wake the only part of my board touching the water was the middle, which doesn't have fins. For a full 360, I had to take my fins off, and then I was slidin all over the place - way slippery but way easier to do surface spins. Hope that helps!

Be happy you can do a w2w, I'm just starting to figure that one out, but I've got most surface tricks down.

With my 1.5" fins I just have to balance the weight on each foot and the curve of the board releases the fins just enough, but I have to do it in one fast motion or the fins get stuck again. The other day, though, I decided to go faster and my board started planing out enough that it felt like there almost were no fins.

The trick is just to balance on the one spot where the board breaks loose, it feels alot like you're balance a board on a ball or standing on two ends of a see-saw. It may help to speed up if you want the board to feel a little more loose, but it may be easier to just pop the fins off and slow down like everyone said. All boards are different and you just have to feel yours out.

Trust me - Take off ALL your fins. Then practice like hell till you've got it perfect. put your fins back on - then in order to do it with fins you have to center your weight over both feet and realy pull your back foot around.

Don't bother taking the fins off(waste of time). Just center your weight and spin the board. Pull the handle to your trailing hip as you muscle through the spin... Its not that hard. After you do it once or twice you'll get it every time.

I ride the Harris 143 and It was alot easier for me to learn how to do surface 180's than it was when I tried them with the ricky G with all the fins on them because of the smaller built in fins. I would take off the fins until you get used to it. Don't try to turn your board with your body let the boat do the work. Just sit down and put the handle on your back hip and let he boat pull you around.

I'm just a beginner, so take this for what it's worth. I would learn to do a surface 180 with your fins ON. I've done it with six different boards and each fin length takes a sightly different technique, so if you learn finless you may have to change your technique when you add the fins.
If you can slide, you can do a surface 180.
This is the way I learned. Cut outside the wake HS, slowly apply more pressure at the heel on your front foot while pulling up on your toes (some people may prefer to lean back to break the fins loose, this should put you into a slide. To complete the 180 just keep the board rotating while moving the handle from your front hip to your "new" front hip. Just relax and try to keep it all in one fluid motion.
Just practice, you will get it in no time.

As long as you are balanced and have the right rotation.....that board will allow you to spin with your fins on....I ride that board too and I it's not hard

for me, it isnt harder either way, but taking off my fins gave me the confidence to do it. b/c if i didnt have the confidence that i could do it, i wouldnt be able to.

no "rootc" taking off the fins is not a waste of time. obviously it is easyer to rotate the board seeing as there is no resistance, once you learn to do it easily without fins it IS easyer when you put them back on.

i got the parks too and just recently started pulling surface tricks on it. I had been wakeskating alot before doing it on the board, so it helps to just get in the motions. I took some gnarly face plants but got it and you'll nail it too.

John - If you can't figure the move out at normal speed, then I recommend slowing the boat down. Slower speeds will loosen the board up drastically. Also, work on your switch riding. Start out switch if you have to. Once you learn to ride switch, the surface 180 will be a piece of cake.

I learned to do a surface 180 on a hyperlite rebel. It had a 2 inch fin on each tip with virtually no rocker (meaning both fins were in the water for the spin). I learned the move by slowing the boat down to 19 - 20 mph. Did the move a couple times to get the feel and then took it to normal speed.

John O - I just don't understand the concept of crippling a board to learn an easy move. Jake already has the confidence to try the spin. Its just a matter of repetition, and technique. By crippling the board your technique is not gonna impove and you have more potential for repetion by not wasting time messing with fins. I totally disagree with removing fins for a run or two to learn a move that is easily done with the fins on; hence, its a waste of time.

Try them right as you get up out of the water.
If you ride left foot forward, it will go like this-
Have the driver start you off accelerating slower than usual. As you are getting up, and the board is planing above the water, keep it sideways, with your chest, torso and hips directly facing the boat.
Keep the handle down at hip level, if you bring it up, you will slide out on your butt. Hold this for a few seconds.

As you are sliding with the board sideways on the water, rock your weight slowly over onto your left foot, move the handle to your right hip and let go with your left hand. You will be pulled around to riding right foot forward.

with the boat speed still slow, re-grab the handle with your left hand.
In a slow, fluid motion, bend your knees to about 45 degrees, move the handle to the left(keep it low), and start slowly shifting you weight to your right foot. Keep your shoulder lined up over your bindings the whole time, so as your shoulders turn, your board turns with it. when the handle gets over to your left hip, let go with your right hand, and away you go, riding regular!

here is a series of pics...
as you bend your legs and pull the handle to your hips, your weight is shifting to what will be your back foot.
ideally, your board, shoulders and hips should be at 90 degrees to the boat, and the handle centered on your hips as you reach the lowest point of your knee bend. then you slowly start standing tall again as the your board, shoulders and handle come around to the new riding direction.

Ive gota question... When I first started doing surface spins I learned it BS and now theres like a mental block so I cant do it FS... either way I can stil ollie FS 360 but just cant do it on hte suface. Also when doing FS 360 surface spins do you do it carve out HS our TS