How to Do a Floater While Surfing

Like the surfing equivalent of a no-comply in skateboarding, floaters, or ‘floating on the lip of a wave,’ are a fun and stylish way to pass through the breaking parts of a sectioned wave.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Surfboard

Do a Floater in Surfing

1. Catch a frontside wave.

2. Get as much speed as possible! That is the key to this trick. Stay high on the wave to keep your speed up.

3. Start to turn (the same movement as a bottom-turn, but between the middle and top of the wave) when you see a section that is about to break. You’ll want to turn hard enough to move your board up the wave, but not so hard that you are going vertical (if you do, when you catch the ‘floating’ part, you won’t go anywhere.)

4. Keep your knees bent.

5. Ease your board onto the lip, while keeping most of the pressure on your back foot. This will keep you nose light and make it easier to get on the wave.

6. Lean toward your heelside edge to avoid digging a rail into the lip.

7. Shift your weight to your front foot once you are on the curling part of the lip.

8. Ride until you feel yourself losing speed.

9. Push your back foot down to lift the nose, and angle yourself off the wave. For a more stylish exit, ollie your way off (the same movement as on a skateboard.)

10. Pump to maintain speed for your next trick.

Tips & Warnings

• SPEED, SPEED, SPEED! Hit the lip with as much speed as possible. You’ll be able to ride farther and link into your next trick better.
• This is written from a ‘regular footed,’ or right foot in the back, viewpoint. If you are ‘goofy footed,’ or stand with your left foot in the back, simply switch ‘right’ and ‘left’ in the directions.
• Surfing can be dangerous or even deadly. Please take all precautions and seek professional advice and training before attempting this.