Who better than Australian hell-man Kyron Rathbone to talk you through getting slotted on your sup? The Shipstern’s Bluff tamer lays out a rapid fire ten tips to get you standing proud atop your steed in the liquid cathedral, lance in hand. 

With Kyron Rathbone

This feature originally appeared in the Spring 2013 issue of SUP International. Print and digital subscriptions for readers worldwide are available HERE.)

1. Position in the line-up, you’re already standing so that’s a massive advantage in finding a wave that’s gonna get you slotted!

2. SUP boards are fast and hard to stall so you want to be super deep, if it’s a right, you want to look like you’re going left on the takeoff and vice versa!

3. Fade, fade, fade, basically you want to be pulling away from the peak until you can see it draw off the reef/sandbank and that’s when you want to scoop down and under the pitching lip!

4. This part is crucial, the most important part of tube riding… STYLE! It’s hard to not go straight to poo-man stance and look like you’re holding on for dear life! A slight thrust forward of the pelvis should get you looking like Kelly Slater raking leaves in no time.

5. Next step is keeping your paddle in a safe spot, maybe give the lip a kiss with it or throw it between your legs and whip your thigh while screaming “Yeeeeeehaaaaaaaa” at the top of your lungs…

6. Depending on the wave the paddle can be a real blessing or nightmare, when surfing Shipstern’s I have my paddle more out to the front of me feeling the wave for impurities and sometimes using it to pry myself back up after the step.

7. Coming out can be tricky, especially if it’s a closeout! (Lol –Ed) Stay calm, usually the line you take into the tube will be the line you take out.

8. Backhand is a whole new kettle of fish. The bigger the wave the better your chances of fitting in, if you can have your paddle on the wave face it really helps guide you thru the barrel and you can grab a rail if needed with your outside hand, but if it’s on the outside it can make things a bit trickier…

9. After exiting the barrel the first thing you’ll want to do is throw your arms up and scream, and I say you should do it! Claims have died lately and I am all for bringing it back! Share the stoke!

10.  If no one’s seen it, then feel free to exaggerate everything… Size, length, the dolphin in the face hooting at you, the sexy back packer whose bikini top you pulled from the lip midst barrel and repaid you with an arvo full of beach lovin…

Yeeeeewwwwwwwwwww, now get out there! X

“  Backhand is a whole new kettle of fish. The bigger the wave, the better your chances of fitting in… “