Surfing is a world of endless maneuvers—each as thrilling as the last. Among them, floater surfing stands out as one of the most dynamic, stylish, and technically rewarding moves. If you’ve watched pro surfers riding over the lip of a breaking wave, gliding with speed and balance as water crashes below—that’s a floater. But how do you begin to learn this crowd-pleasing move?
This beginner’s guide to floater surfing will take you through everything you need to know before you launch into this high-performance maneuver. From understanding what floaters are to choosing the right equipment, reading waves, and developing core techniques, this comprehensive guide will ensure your first steps into floater surfing are safe, effective, and exciting.
What Is Floater Surfing?
A floater in surfing is a maneuver where the rider glides over the breaking section (lip) of the wave and continues along the top until they drop back down onto the open face. It’s both functional and flashy—it helps surfers bypass closing sections of a wave, and when done with style, it looks amazing.
The Key Components of a Floater:
Speed: You need enough momentum to stay ahead of the crumbling lip.
Timing: Precision is crucial—you must hit the wave at just the right moment.
Balance: Floating requires staying centered on your board while moving horizontally on unstable water.
Exit Strategy: Knowing when and how to come back down safely is essential.
Floaters can be practiced by intermediate surfers and beyond, but beginners can work toward this skill by developing proper foundation techniques.
Why Learn Floater Surfing as a Beginner?
While floaters are not the first maneuver a new surfer should try, they’re a natural progression once you’ve mastered bottom turns and trimming along a wave. Learning to float serves several purposes:
Improves Wave Reading: Anticipating when a wave will close out trains your observational skills.
Enhances Speed and Flow: You learn to maintain momentum through sections.
Teaches Control Under Pressure: Riding over the lip requires precision and balance.
Boosts Confidence: Successfully pulling off a floater is a major morale boost for any surfer.
For surfers looking to move beyond the basics, mastering floaters is an exciting step into performance surfing.
Gear You’ll Need to Start Practicing Floaters
Your equipment choice significantly affects your success when learning to float. Here’s what to consider:
1. The Right Surfboard
You want a board that balances speed, maneuverability, and control.
Shortboards (5’10”–6’4”): Ideal for practicing floaters due to their responsiveness.
Fish or Hybrids: Can also work if you need extra paddling power but still want maneuverability.
Avoid Longboards for Floaters: Their size makes floaters cumbersome and difficult, especially on steeper waves.
Look for boards with a moderate rocker (curvature) and sharp rails for better control on the lip.
2. Surfboard Fins
A reliable fin setup provides hold and drive through turns and floaters.
Thruster Setup (3 fins): Offers good balance between control and looseness.
Quad Fins: Add speed but can be looser, which may affect balance during landings.
Use medium to large fins to give you control when floating on fast, powerful waves.
3. Wetsuit and Safety Gear
Depending on water temperature, a 3/2mm or 4/3mm wetsuit will keep you warm and flexible. Always use leashes to prevent board loss, and consider using impact vests if surfing powerful beach breaks.
Step-by-Step Progression Toward Your First Floater
1. Build a Strong Foundation
Before even attempting a floater, make sure you have mastered:
Pop-up: Quick, consistent take-offs.
Trimming: Staying high and fast on the wave face.
Bottom and Top Turns: Fundamental for positioning and momentum.
Cutbacks: Helps you adjust and reset for floater attempts.
2. Understand Lip Timing and Approach
The lip is the wave’s breaking crest. Timing your approach is everything:
Watch for Sections About to Break: You want to approach just as the lip starts to crumble.
Generate Speed Early: Use trimming or bottom turning to gain speed before approaching the lip.
Angle Slightly Upward: Rather than hitting the lip head-on, approach at a slight angle for smoother lift.
3. Executing the Floater
Here’s how a floater works in motion:
Bottom Turn or High-Line Approach: Generate speed by carving from the wave’s base or riding the top third.
Approach the Lip: Target the area that is just beginning to crumble.
Lift the Nose Slightly: Use pressure on your back foot to slightly elevate the front of the board as you ride over the lip.
Shift Your Weight Forward: Once over the lip, distribute your weight toward the center to maintain balance.
Glide Across: Hold your line as the water collapses underneath you.
Land Smoothly: Drop back down with bent knees and eyes on the face of the wave to regain control.
4. Recover and Continue the Ride
Re-enter the wave with control.
Shift back into trimming position.
Aim for another maneuver or finish the ride smoothly.
Where and When to Practice Floater Surfing
Learning to float requires very specific wave conditions:
1. Ideal Wave Types
Shoulder-High to Head-High Waves: Offer a nice balance of power and safety.
Fast, Crumbling Waves: Look for waves that close out gradually with a soft lip.
Beach Breaks or Reef Breaks with Consistent Sections: These make predicting the lip easier.
2. Avoid These Conditions
Closeout Waves: If the wave breaks all at once with no rideable face, there’s nothing to float on.
Too Mushy: Without a strong lip to float over, the maneuver loses impact.
Heavy Shore Breaks: Dangerous and unsuitable for beginners attempting floaters.
Tip: Always observe the waves before entering the water. Watch for sections where the lip begins to crumble slowly—that’s your target.
Common Mistakes When Learning to Float
Even experienced surfers make these errors:
Approaching Too Late: The wave has already broken, making a floater impossible.
Too Much Nose Lift: Can result in losing control and falling backward.
Incorrect Speed: Too fast can make you overshoot; too slow and you won’t float at all.
Stiff Knees: Failing to absorb shock on landing results in wipeouts.
Drills to Improve Floater Technique
Progress faster with these land and water drills:
On Land:
Balance Training: Use a balance board to practice weight shifts and core stability.
Plyometrics: Jump training helps mimic the re-entry motion and improve leg absorption.
In the Water:
High-line Riding: Stay high on the wave to gain comfort near the lip.
Short Float Practice: Start by simply riding over whitewater sections and small lips.
Video Review: Record your sessions and analyze your approach, posture, and exit.
When You’re Ready to Add Style
Once you’ve mastered the basic floater, add variations:
Nose Poke: Push your front foot forward for a stylish tweak mid-float.
Tail Stall: Briefly stall with back foot pressure before dropping down.
Combo Moves: Link floaters with cutbacks or snaps for dynamic wave riding.
Conclusion
The floater isn’t just a trick—it’s a skill that improves your overall surfing IQ. It teaches you to:
- React quickly
- Read waves more accurately
- Stay in critical sections
- Flow with power and precision
As a beginner surfer with intermediate goals, practicing floaters builds agility and creativity. Keep practicing, stay patient, and commit to smart wave choices. The feeling of gliding on air above crashing water is worth every wipeout.