Why more volume isn’t always the answer

Keiller · September 28, 2026

All too often, I see newer surfers struggling to catch waves and thinking they can’t paddle hard enough, so more volume must be the answer. While easier paddling definitely can help beginner’s surfing, a more helpful question to ask is “How can I get into this wave with even fewer paddles?” Or really the question is where do I need to position myself to catch this wave. Most beginners paddle for waves that they’re going to have no hope of catching.

Look at the bottom of the wave

One of the most helpful tips I ever heard for positioning and wave selection was to look at the bottom of the wave. Newer surfers tend to look at the top of the wave to see how big it is, but the bottom of the wave tells you a lot more. The waves that you’re going to be able to catch are the waves that have started to suck water out of the bottom of the wave. Once you see that trough, that’s a good sign that you’re going to have an entry point into that wave. Looking at the bottom of the waves helped save me from a lot of useless paddling for waves I wasn’t going to catch. Once I actually managed to conserve my strength, I started having more paddle power for when it actually mattered, and I started catching a lot more waves. More float can definitely help you paddle faster, but make sure your wave selection and positioning is dialed in before taking the default route of buying a board with more volume.

Check what volume actually fits you

Once your positioning is dialed, check what volume actually fits you. Put in your weight, how you surf, and the waves you ride. The Setwave calculator gives a documented volume range and shows every adjustment.

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