EQUIPMENT CHECK

We bang on about front-loading your preparation in this course, and for good reason.

Being prepared for all events not only does just that, make you prepared, but it also puts the mind at ease too.

And the best way by far to handle sketchy situations in the surf is not to put yourself there in the first place, and control all the variables you can.

THINGS TO CHECK

In the water things can, and do, go wrong.

Some of them are are avoidable, and some of them are not, regardless we’re going to focus on the things within our control to maximise our upside and minimise the downside.

PRE SURF EQUIPMENT CHECK ROUTINE

From now on in, here’s what we want you to check pre-surf (it'll take less than a minute I promise):

LEGROPE

Legropes can, and do snap. This is an unavoidable part of the sport.

However, more likely than not the snap is caused from pre-existing damage - little cuts and nicks from the fins of your board.

These cuts create a weak point that when put under stress can break.

We can minimise the chances of this happening by going through a quick pre surf legrope check.

Simply run your hands up and down the chord looking for any cuts or weak points.

And here’s the important part...

If you find one, go out and replace your leash.

Don’t think about it, just go do it.

Better to have quality equipment you can trust than save a few bucks and risk getting into trouble.

LEGROPE FIN SAVER

The fin saver itself is ridiculously strong and I’ve never heard of one breaking. The attachment to the swivel, and the swivel itself however are often the causes of legrope breaks.

Here’s what to look out for:

Check the area where the legrope connects to the swivel, this is the weakest point.
Check for fraying nylon and any causes of wear and tear.
Also, check the swivel itself, is everything as it should be?

If any of the above don't look quite right, again don’t think about it, just go and replace it.

LEGROPE TIE

Often the culprit of lost boards at sea, the trusty legrope tie.

The most common cause is human error, firstly not knowing what knot to tie, and secondly not doing it properly.

Here’s what your legrope tie knot should look like:

Pro Tip: How to double the strength of your legrope tie:

FINS

Fins falling out during a surf can put you in the wrong place at the wrong time.

So, before each surf just give each fin a quick check over to see if it’s in properly, and tight.

CREASE CHECK

A crease in a surfboard creates a weak point whereby the strength of the stringer has been compromised.

Before each surf run over your board quickly to check for any creases just in case.

WRAPPING IT UP

Is this overkill?

Some might say yes, but considering it takes under a minute to carry out these checks and it could save your life in the process, it’s not a bad idea to get in the habit of it.

Commit to bringing the pre-surf equipment check into your game, and more importantly commit to acting on things should you find any issues with your equipment - don’t just forget about it and hope it goes away.

It doesn’t.

EQUIPMENT CHECK

YOU MUST BE LOGGED IN TO ACCESS THIS COURSE

MODULE 1: UNDERSTANDING FEAR

CHAPTER 1: UNPACKING THE FEAR

CHAPTER 2: MANAGING TRAUMA

MODULE 2: PACIFYING THE FEAR

CHAPTER 1: MASTERING YOUR MIND

CHAPTER 2: BREATHE

BONUS: TRADIES TOOL BOX

MODULE 3: PRACTICAL

CHAPTER 1: EFFICIENCY

CHAPTER 2: FRONT LOADING

CHAPTER 3: THE PILOTS ROUTINE

CONCLUSION