Sure, you go on trips to sample ‘the culture’. The cuisine. To walk around ancient market places in thin canvas slacks and thank eldery merchants earnestly in their native tongue. To make new friends… perhaps make new friends and see them naked. But also – we’d like to think above all – you go to get tubular. To tunnel. Here are a few common tunnel mishaps, and means to their remedy.

Tuberiding might be the sole human endeavour for which Sancho could offer you useful advice. Photo: Timo

Common Mishaps

Line too high. The too high line leads to pulling through the back without meaning to. Rather than get travel time inside, you dig into the face and abort. Common for tube sections that come upon you suddenly, or from take off after the bottom turn. Board issue: It could be too long, extending your bottom turn line. Remedy: Get further up on your board, get your nose pointed down. Sancho says: “Once you’ve pulled it, raise your back arm to get your shoulders aiming down…”

Line too low: The Guillotine. Getting too low means getting a lip to the head and a certain wipeout. Can be common on those sections where you cutbackand faded into the pit, like a double up section on the inside of a beachbreak where you pull in without down the line speed. Board issue: Are you on a single fin? If yes then don’t be, if you are getting lipped to the head. Remedy: You gotta get up to get down. Hug the wall. Kiss it. Stay close to it and tuck in. Sanchis wisdom: “Stay as close as possible to the curl by staying tucked…”

Not really in there: You know those tubes where you’re not really sure if you were in it and had to ask? Well, you weren’t. Board issue: Don’t blame your board.
Remedy: Slow down, keep your eyes open. Anticipate. Don’t play too safe. A hundred wipeouts from inside the mystic eye are better than tube avoiding out in front. Sancho says: “Anticipating earlier will get you deeper, react too late and it’s a mere head dip…”

Hopelessly deep: You’re claiming ‘the view’ but never making it out. You are too deep. Board issue: Perhaps your shooter is a tad short on drive. You need to have enough grip and drive to pump in time with the fall of the lip line.
Remedy: Watch the lip. Wave selection. Sancho says: “Pulling into closeouts is fun but at some point you’re gonna break all your boards and be bummed. Look for those triangle peaks rather than really long take off sections…”

So…
1. Get forward, point your nose down
2. Park it with a purposeful stall
3. Get tucked as close to the face as possible
4. Watch the lip line and match its speed with pumps