PLANING

Planing is the process that occurs when a surfboards weight is predominantly supported by hydrodynamic lift, rather that hydrostatic lift (buoyancy).

What does that mean exactly?

Well, think of it like this, a surfboard made of a non buoyant material such as metal would sink, correct?

However, that same metal surfboard moving across the ocean surface at speed creates that hydrodynamic lift we touched on earlier - allowing to plane over the surface of the water - creating float.

Surfers harness this same hydrodynamic lift too, and this is how advanced surfers are able to ride small surfboards with very little volume, yet still maintain their speed throughout.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT

Surfing along a wave is a constant dance of managing speed - marrying the curve of your board to the curve of the wave.

As a wave flattens out weight must be spread out across the board to maintain speed (and the hydrodynamic lift), and as a wave steepens up and speed becomes less of an issue, weight can be shifted back for turning.

This perpetual dance lets surfers ride over flat sections, maintain speed, and ride waves for longer.

BREAKING IT DOWN

Planing is all about maintaining speed by maximising the surface area of your surfboard on the wave - on flat sections your weight must move forward, and on steeper sections your weight must move back.

At all times you're looking to distribute your weight across the board as evenly as possible - 50% weight spread between both feet.

WRAPPING IT UP

Planing is an incredibly nuanced, multi layered subject that scales up its complexity as surfers become more advanced.

However for where we're at right now, we can just keep things simple.

Keep your board as flat as possible, with as much surface area connected to the water as you can for maximum floatation and glide.

PLAINING

YOU MUST BE LOGGED IN TO ACCESS THIS COURSE

BEGINNER

THE START OF SOMETHING NEW...

GOTTA HAVE POP!

SPEED

TURNING

THE SUBTLE ART OF NEGOTIATING WAVES

PADDLING

BOARD DISMOUNT

BOARD MANAGEMENT

CATCHING WHITEWATER WAVES

NEXT STEPS...