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Original source: TomBrendtCoach
This video from TomBrendtCoach covered a lot of ground. Streamed.News selected 5 key moments and summarises them here. Everything below links directly to the timestamp in the original video.
Getting through whitewater cleanly requires more than just strength. Here's a breakdown of the specific hand placements needed to control your gear in both small and powerful waves.
Tom Brendt Details Duck Dive Technique for Varying Wave Sizes
Tom Brendt outlines the precise execution of a duck dive, instructing riders to position themselves on the sail between the boom and the mast while pointing the mast top towards the wave. Hand grip must adapt to conditions: for smaller waves, both hands on the mast suffice, but for larger, more powerful waves, it is essential to place one hand on the mast and one on the boom to secure a firm hold before sinking the sail.
A key point to practice is this adaptability, as it directly impacts control. This technique is not merely for passage but is fundamental for safety, ensuring the rider can manage their equipment effectively when confronted by whitewater and recover with minimal energy expenditure.
"For a little bit bigger and more powerful waves, one hand to the mast, one hand grabbing the boom. Tight grip, really firm grip, and sink the sail. The sail will sink and you will actually duck dive underneath the wave."
📊 Technical data
Equipment: sail · boom · mast
Post-Wipeout Safety: Always Position Body Between Wave and Gear
Upon reaching one's equipment after being washed, Tom Brendt asserts that the immediate priority is reorientation by turning to face the incoming waves. He teaches a fundamental safety principle: the rider's body must always be positioned between the wave and the gear. Allowing the equipment to be on the seaward side is a significant error, as the wave's force will drive it into the rider, creating a hazardous impact.
This sequence—wave, body, then gear—is non-negotiable. Mastering this spatial awareness is essential if one aims to maintain control and avoid injury in the turbulent moments following a fall, forming the basis of safe recovery in wave sailing.
"One thing you never want to have is the gear in between you and the wave, because the wave can push the gear onto your body. It's quite painful and can be a little bit dangerous. So the sequence will always be wave, body, and then the gear."
Common Duck Dive Mistake: Why Holding the Foot Strap Is Dangerous
Tom Brendt identifies a critical error in duck dive preparation: grabbing the board by the foot strap. He explains this is a hazardous practice because the force of a wash frequently inverts the board, leaving the rider holding a piece of equipment with its fins pointed directly upwards and in close proximity to their body. The safer procedure involves completely ignoring the board initially.
Instead, one must take hold of the sail and deliberately aim the mast top towards the approaching wave. This action is the correct initial step for a successful duck dive, as it positions the rig to slice through the water rather than fighting the highly buoyant and uncontrollable board.
"Don't try to hold your gear on your back foot strap as in many occasions the board, when you get washed, will flip around. So there will be fins up and you will be very close to the fins."
📊 Technical data
Equipment: board · foot strap · fins · sail · mast
First Action After a Wipeout: Face the Waves to Assess the Situation
Tom Brendt establishes that managing the inevitable crashes in wave sailing begins with a single, immediate action. Upon surfacing, before any other consideration, the rider must turn and face the waves to gain orientation. This provides the critical information needed to decide the next move: whether to take another deep breath and dive under an imminent wave, or if a sufficient gap exists to begin swimming for the equipment.
This discipline of facing the threat is fundamental. It transforms a potentially chaotic situation into a sequence of deliberate choices, which is the basis for feeling more comfortable and safer in challenging conditions.
"Whenever you come back up after getting washed, face the waves. Get orientation. Turn yourself towards the wave to see the wave and check if you need to take another deep breath, if you have to dive again, or if you have a little bit of time to go and swim after your gear."
The Duck Dive Secret: Maximum Force Comes After the Wave Crests
Tom Brendt reveals a crucial detail about completing a duck dive, noting that the physical challenge is not finished once the wave crest passes over the rider. The most intense force is yet to come. Because the board remains highly buoyant, the moment the wave impacts it, a powerful pull is transmitted through the rig, which is often stronger than the initial submersion.
Therefore, it is essential that one maintains a firm grip throughout the entire event. A key point to practice is holding on well after the wave has seemingly passed, as relaxing the grip too early is a primary cause of losing equipment during this maneuver.
"It's not over when the wave comes down onto your body. You still have your floaty board, so when the wave hits your board, the pull is even harder. So you have to hold on tight all the way through."
📊 Technical data
Equipment: board
Summarised from TomBrendtCoach · 6:02. All credit belongs to the original creators. Tomb Brendt Coach summarises publicly available video content.