SURFING WITH 'TUDE IT TAKES NERVE TO PLAY IN THE WAVES IN A KAYAK.

Kayak surfing takes attitude. That's the consensus among the participants at a two-day clinic conducted by former world champion Dick Wold at San Onofre State Beach near San Clemente.

``You've got to want it,'' said Simeon Soffer, a documentary film director who's in Sunday's advanced clinic. ``If you go out and you're not sure, you'll get wrecked. But if you do have the attitude, it's a lot of fun.

The Saturday clinic is for beginning kayak surfers, though it's clear that you must have some basic kayaking skills before playing in the waves.

Wold first talks about safety, reminding everyone to wear a helmet and flotation device. He tells us never to get between our kayak and the beach when getting in or out of the water, as a wave can smash your boat into a leg and break it. Wold warns us to avoid swimmers and surfers, as ``A swamped boat heading for beach is a weapon.''

Some of our group are in sit-on-top kayaks that don't require expertise in the Eskimo roll to get upright. Others with rolling experience are in river kayaks or surf kayaks. You sit inside the latter type, sealed in with a spray skirt.

``Surfing in a kayak, especially a sit-inside, can be intimidating,'' said Taylor Burch, an architect from Thousand Oaks who is surfing in the advanced clinic. ``You're wedged into a tiny boat, and when the boat goes over the falls, you're along for the ride. Whatever happens to the boat happens to you.''

I was on the beach looking out at some waves that didn't appear to be as big as the ones that beat me up when I was kayak surfing this winter. Just paddling out past the surf line can be an adventure. Wold told us to use the ``ninja stroke,'' which means holding the paddle as if you are going to spear the wave. This allows you to quickly start paddling as the wave breaks over you and keeps the wave from catching the paddle and possibly dislocating a shoulder. I shoved off and headed out into the surf.

Chris Russ of Canyon Country was asked why he kayak surfs: ``Because there aren't any rivers in Southern California,'' he said.

Russ started with river kayaking and finds that playing in the surf with his kayak has advantages, such as avoiding the poison ivy that grows along rivers, and he doesn't have to worry about shuttling back upstream after a river run.

Russ was at the clinic to hone his skills for competitive kayak surfing. Burch, who also board surfs, said about kayaks, ``It's fun paddling out, its fun playing in the soup, and its fun on the waves. Even a day with bad surfing conditions can be fun in a kayak.''

Slicing into the waves in my ninja stance, I managed to get outside without flipping over. I tried to pick good waves. Wold showed me how to position myself near the wave's peak and then I windmill paddled to build up speed to catch the wave. I got a few good rides and my Eskimo roll worked when a wave dumped me upside down, so I was smiling. The speed of even these moderate-sized waves is astonishing as they propel you to shore.

``Feeling the power of the wave, whether you're riding or getting pounded by it, is a rush. It's intoxicating,'' Burch said.

All was not peaceful at the beach, though. We chose a spot well away from surfers, but as the morning progressed one body boarder complained to the lifeguards about the kayak surfers even though we were in the designated kayak area.

A lifeguard paddled out and explained to him that he needed to share the waves with the kayakers. Observing surfing etiquette is vital, said Doug Schwartz, of Southwind Kayak Center, which sponsored the surf clinics.

Learning and following established surfing rules of the road is essential for kayakers, as it is for board and body surfers. Burch, who's done all forms, said, ``I think that in Southern California, it's crowded in the surf already. Any time a new group heads out in the surf zone, there will be some animosity. But when people realize that most of us know what we're doing, we deserve some respect. If we all follow the established rules of right of way, we'll eliminate the conflicts whatever craft we're surfing.''

Sunday, I played in the whitewater closer to shore and watched as the advanced surf kayakers did their ``rodeo'' tricks, cartwheeling and tumbling in the surf. No shortage of attitude here.

SURF ETIQUETTE FOR KAYAKERS

Kayakers and surfers can often find themselves competing for space on the ocean. Here's a list of surf etiquette for kayakers from the Santa Barbara Kayak Association:

--Be in control. If you do not have excellent control, you should not be around other surfers. Find an uncrowded spot to learn and perfect skills. An out-of-control kayak at best will interfere with other surfers' ability to enjoy waves and could easily cause injury.

--When surfing a crowded spot, do not charge into the middle of the pack. Sit on the outside; show respect for the other wave riders. Let the others see that you are in control and then begin to work your way into the lineup.

--Know the right-of-way code that all wave riders follow. This helps eliminate conflict, collision and insures that every wave is enjoyed to its potential. Here are the basics: When more than one surfer attempts to catch a wave at the same time, the one closest to the point where the wave first breaks will catch it first and have right of way. Never ``drop in'' or catch a wave in front of another surfer. The point when a surfer can be considered to have caught a wave is when he or she stops paddling, kicking or stroking and continues to move down or along the wave under the force of gravity. The first to catch the wave generally has the right of way. A wave rider must avoid all other swimmers or surfers who are either stationary or paddling out. But it is considered bad form to get in the way or interfere with someone who is riding a wave.

--See asudoit.com/KayakSurfRR2.html for an illustrated explanation of kayak surfing rules of the road.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1) Chris Russ of Canyon Country, doing a rodeo move at San Onofre State Beach, said even a day with bad surfing conditions can be fun in a kayak.

(2) Geoff Jennings, of Southwind Kayak Center at San Onofre State Beach, negotiates the waves.

Bill Becher/Special to the Daily News

Box: SURF ETIQUETTE FOR KAYAKERS (see text)