On Saturdays mornings session out at Palmy, I had the biggest wipeout of my life. And it was doing something I have done a million times before.

Paddling out, a head wave peaks up in front of me, I make the split second decision to bail over it as it breaks on the nose of my board. Normally this goes pretty well, and I get a minor drag backwards. Not this time! As I am flying through the air in my superman pose I cop a massive hit to the guts as my board that has decided to bounce up through the closeout and smack me in the guts! The hit was hard enough that it flipped me mid flight, and being a 95 kg person, this takes a lot! The hit left me winded beyond belief, I have been surfing for over 20 years and never been this scared in the water before. I thought I had really done some damage. Not being able to take a breath for about 4 more waves, I lay there in the impact zone, stunned and thinking my last moves (sounds gay, but no shyt, I was scared). I unleashed my board, and threw my paddle and lay back on the water trying to relax. I finally got a breath in, it felt like I had been without for hours, but I can remember going under about 4 waves. Trying to regain my composure, I start looking for my gear. Surfer calls out, mate you dropped your paddle, not really that concerned, I nod as words didn't seem to work out of my bruised lungs yet. I made my way to the beach and stood tall trying to get some air in. Returning to my car wondering if I need to go to the doctor. Some mates rock up, and I tell them of my ordeal.

I had promised to take a mate paddling that morning for his first time, so stupidly I go back out, but down the beach were it is considerably smaller, and take it very easy.

It is now Tuesday, and I still don't have full breath back, I am assuming I have some internal bruising and am very tender around my chest, hips and abbs.

So a very serious note to all riders, if you bail in the surf, make sure you jump clearly away from your board. I am always very consious of this and still got hit, it waas a very freak motion from my board, but this hit was a definite wake up call to take more effort next time.

So again, take care for yourself and others, these boards are big, and will hit you hard! And it hurts, a lot.

I head off to Maui on Saturday, and am hoping to be in full health, fingers crossed.

Regards,

JB

JB....You really should have gone to the doctors and been checked for a pneumothorax...( www.healthfirst.net.au/ )

I gave myself one not long ago..I fell while on rollerblades..Not wanting to risk a wrist injury I fell flat..I jumped up hoping no one saw..Though I have just winded myself..but after skating home and walking up the steps at home I had to stop and breath for each step..I had a check up and they had to put a chest tube in..To help re inflate my collapsed lung..

Thanks for letting us know JB..and hope you're feeling better soon.

There seems to be a lot of chest and rib injuries in Hawaii with SUP'ing and many now use a PFD just for the rib protection.

DaKine make a good one.. The Matrix vest...Looks a bit like a Batman suit..

I've not seen them here but I'd love to get one myself..You should get yourself one while you're in Maui.

DJ





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ouch


any tips on bailin from oncoming breakers.....i try to go at a bit of an angle over the top...


but what if that aint possible...should you do longboard liedown roll over??? chuck the paddle and dive deep or htfu and paddle straight in???

should you where leashs in BIG surf at all?


what about when ur in the water, taking a set and there's other people around you doing the same, nearly broke a finger trying to hold onto the velcro strap of leach.

Funky things can happen.

I was trimming with speed a few month ago and a slight backwash hit the board side on - kick flipped the board up so that the rail was now at 90 degrees to the water - landed on my thigh square across the vertical rail - resulting in a nice cork.

This board flick has happened to me a few times - all the drive that these boards create when riding normal waves can unfortunatley be turned into negative energy in weird situations.

One of my mates chicks kept saying when i first got my 11 6" ( you guys must be worried about bailing and hitting the board, looks really suss.) I hadnt really giving it much thought, and even went unscathed in the solid session i had at yellow rock. A couple days later i was in smaller surf , really clean and great conditions i caught a nice wave and tried a cutback, the board caught a rail popped back out of the wave face and smacked me clean in the ribcage. I now have a cracked rib, and try to keep well away from hitting the board , its not like i was bailing it was catching a rail and having the thing slingshotted straight at me

hope you are feeling better JB.
SUPS certainly are capable of doing some serious damage although all surf craft do in some way or another i guess.
There isnt a lot you can do when its big and you are caught inside but if i know i am not going to make it over and have time to get prepared ill sit on my board with legs dragging over the sides and turn around pointing to shore. you do get dragged in a bit but with your legs and the paddle digging in it stops you pretty quick.
I find it easier that way rather than bailing or rolling over as you dont have to climb back on the board.
But i definitely wouldnt try it right in the impact zone.
Probably the safest bet is to dive deep down under the wave rather than over it if you are really get stuck. at least then the board wont be able to hit you.
I made the mistake one day of trying to paddle over some a set that had broken in front of me where the whitewash was about head high. It still had quite a bit of momentum as it had only just broken and when the front of the board hit the whitewater it just sprang back towards me, collecting my paddle in the process - which proceeeded to smack me square in the adams apple.
The force of the board hitting the paddle put an inch deep gouge in the rail and the hit from the paddle left me unable to breath and wondering if i had just shattered something in my neck. there were a few other surfers around, but we were 1km offshore surfing off an island.
Needless to say I was packing it, getting ready for the blood to start dripping and wondering when i would be able to breathe again.
Luckily it wasnt as bad as first thought and i managed to recover and paddle back in shaken with a severely bruised neck and a board in need of serious repair!
You definitely have to be carefully, especially in bigger waves.
hope no one else has had that happen!

I was just about to post a thread asking the same question about bailing out before I read this.
A similar thing happened to me sunday morning. Luckily Greeny didn't have his camera on me at the time! I bailed out hitting a wave and the board shot up hitting me high on the thigh. It could easily have hit me in the stomach or somewhere worse between the stomach and the thigh!! Close call!
It's been helpful reading peoples responses, cheers!!
All the best for the trip to Maui JB

I had a similar experience but when I told Miller he just told me to HTFU! Fell off a wave in front of my board and the wave slammed the rail into my chest leaving me winded as well. Just like JB I seriously struggled to get my breath back. Had to lay on my back in the water. Thought I had cracked a rib. Couldnt get a proper breath in for weeks. I was short of breath for days after the hit. Couldnt sleep on my side or stomach. My work suffered as I was limited to alot of movement. This happened a few months ago and even now if I take a real long deep breath to fill my lungs up... it still hurts. There is no external bruising but when I press on my chest I can feel where the board hit. Ive definately done something wrong but thats just another injury to add to the surfers ear, crook neck, sore back, golfers elbow, ganglion wrists, dickie knee and weak ankles... and im only 30! HTFU will ya Greeny... now im talking to myself

Ciao JB and all friends,
that actually happened to me already twice and to another of my instructor at least once that I witness.
That was the way we like to bail when the wave breaking in front of you... Just make 2 steps to the front of the board and jump over the white water!!!!!
Big mistake the first time the board hit my knee and I thought that I didn't jump high enough or bad timing... Wave about 50 cm.
The second time in a wave about 1 meter I did the same move ( actually looks quite cool and fun!!! ) and the front of the board hit em on my crouch not really cool...
It was not as bad as JB but definitely teach me a lesson....
When I saw the same happening to my friend I decide to change style...
Now we bail out on the side of the board about 30 degrees like you dive in a pool trying to go under the white water. Then wait for the board to start to pull and enjoy the ride.
Sometime I hold the paddle side way to break a bit the run....

So far this is been the best way.
Get a good leash.... we already broke 2!!!!
Bye Jankie