Prone vs DK vs Standup Surfing

Kelly
January 2010
I heard an interesting take on riding prone versus stand-up surfing by one of the pro woman bodyboarders who both surfs and bodyboards but prefers the boogie.

I'll post her views next week, but first I'd like to hear some views from people who are competent at more than one discipline - and I've thrown DK in the mix to make it a bit more interesting and invite a bit more participation.

Please start off by noting your competency level in each of the disciplines.

e.g.

Prone - advanced
DK - intermediate
Standup surf - intermediate

And then share your views on what your favourite is and the reasons for your choice.

I look forward to your posts.

Bodyboarding 1,860 views

5 Replies

SmT
January 2010
Interesting Topic, nice one Kelly!
Prone - I can do a few Tricks
DK - I know what i'm doing
Stand-Up Surf - I can handle myself
Speaking purely on my own experience, I know I can ride Prone, the reason for riding DK was because I couldn't flop around in 1ft North Beach doing Roll-Spins and wanted to pursue something I saw as different and exciting, especially after growing up watching Paul Roach killing it and Sacha Taljaard throwing it down in front of my own homebreak. I was hooked and progressed further riding DK than I ever would have Prone.
Stand-Up Surfing was kind of weird, I broke my ankle DKing and there was less strain on it when I tried stand-up after recovering so I spent Summer riding a Surfboard. From there it's been more of an alternative when the waves are small and I get a kick from trying something different, like a grom learning things all over again, getting stoked doing a clean turn or landing a Floater, it's all about having fun in the water.
I will never cross over to the dark side and Stand-Up surf full-time like some of my friends because I've had some of the best times of my life on a Bodyboard, hopefully one day i'll be pushing my Kid into a wave on his Belly
ronald911
January 2010
Prone - I can do the basics..
DK - I can get up but usually fall off as soon as I reach the bottom.
Stand-Up Surf - I Don't even try this.
craigtrilivas
January 2010
ok prone - I do a few tricks
DK - consider myself pretty proficient altho im yet to regain the form & consistency I had b4 i left the sport.
standup - can handle below 5ft i would say.

I choose to DK 90% of the time as I just think its such a unique form of waveriding as one is on the sponge but is doing all the things a standup would do ie: carving the same sort of lines and doing the mad sick cutties and gouging the heck outta sections that dare opose us, and all of this using only a simple rail with a ratio of either 50/50 or 60/40 means soo much to me man.

Basically we have perfected something that standup boards need 3 fins to do and Im really stoked and proud of that fact as we can carve as hard, if not better sumtimes, as they can without the aid of these.

I grew up on the Roachman, AKA, Sasaki, Taljaard was an inspiration in my Durban days, Maligro, Kainoa and the crew I used to surf with from Pinetown (Danny, Phil and the boys we all really pushed each other to get better all the way noting that style was a big factor too), all of them, their styles just spoke to me man and like Sean I just found myself drawn to droppin the knee rather than entering comps and honing the lyin down stuff.

Also i find a surfboard waaaay to hard and a big las to mission around with when surfing with mates.
I have been injured a few times with the fibreglass and just really feel so much more comfortable on a boog, especially when the swell is nigger that 4 ft, then a surfboard can duck yo!!!

Dk for life, Sponge forever
peterbee
January 2010
Prone - pretty good
DK - can ride to the end of a walling wave (up to 5 ft or so), just don't ask for a cuttie. Have managed some close-outs
Stand-up - fall-down

I love prone for the usual reasons: easy to control speed and movement; fun to do some tricks.

When it comes to DK, I love the challenge, but I have no idea why I do it: it seems the most impractical way of surfing! Let's face it, speed is difficult to maitain, and it is totally unforgiving when you are on the wrong part of the wave.

Stand up: will get a board some time for those small wave weekend trips. Why not, it's like playing Trivial Pursuit: I'll pass the time having fun, who gives a damn if it's not quite reading Time magazine! Gotta admit, I have big respect for the stand-ups who handle the sick booger waves like Hoek and K Bay.
papa-d
January 2010
Prone - Pretty average
DK - Average
Stand Up - Average

I've grown up being the youngest of 3 brothers, my eldest boetie started BBing then 2nd eldest Surfing, so what was I to do

I tried a bit of both and soon got to realise that I didn't need to make the choice I now get to the beach with a surfboard and a bodyboard in the car, because from my experience there's a craft for every type of wave... I take my time to sus out the conditions and the waves and do a little mind surfing/booging, then pull out which ever craft looks best suited for the occasion... Yes I sometimes get it wrong, but then quickly go change my equipment... I end up having fun either way.

The ocean has been my playground since I was 10years old and no one's going to tell me how to play in it - I abide by the simple rules of surfing/bodyboarding that are global so not to ruin anybody elses fun while I'm in the water, but when I'm on my wave, the wave that I waited for and have the inside on, I'm going to ride it my way and being on a surfboard or bodyboard shouldn't matter to anybody but me.

To explain my passions for either of the 3 disciplines, is the fact that you're able to see and do different moves on the same part of a wave on the different disciplines and that is where I find myself having the most fun.

Feel the stoke - no matter what you ride

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