In the big stuff that will flip you backwards even if you square up to it and have your crew on the bow (from the other thread).....Simply put; Look beyond the next wave. Previously, every time we made it through a set and had a little flat spot, I tried to use it to regain upwind speed and to get more distance away from the beach. I dealt with each wave as it was 10 feet from our bow - which was wrong. Instead, use the flat spots between sets not to get distance from the beach but to regain reaching speed and look to find the valley between the next incoming sets from left to right and use that flat spot to run like hell for the valley. Waves do not span the entire coast line...in fact, they're quite short (20 to 30 yards max). Stay out of the peaks. Go for the valley. Look beyond the next wave and recognize the patterns. Make easy incremental gains. It's amazing to watch the guys that know what they're doing in that stuff. Most of them don't think about it and can't explain it....that's my theory anyway. If you can't win the battle face to face, go around it.