General
turtle roll
What does turtle roll mean?
Rolling a longboard upside down and holding on underneath to let a breaking wave pass over, since big boards are hard to duck dive.
"On the log I had to turtle roll under every set wave."
Origin
Surf term likening the flip to a turtle rolling over.
Frequently asked questions
What is a turtle roll in surfing?
It's a way of getting a longboard under a breaking wave: you flip the board upside down and hold on underneath while the wave passes over you.
Why do longboarders turtle roll instead of duck dive?
Longboards are too big and buoyant to push underwater for a duck dive, so rolling under is the practical alternative.
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