Things Have Changed

[the.ronin]

Hi guys.

I grew up surfing the breaks between Bay Street up to Ventura County Line. Spent most of my time at Zeroes (goofy) before they lay concrete to the parking lot and gave it an official name. I've been away from the sport for about 4 years surfing only once in a while in Mexico using a 6.0 Becker custom I got when I was 18 or a locally shaped 6.8 Maui thruster.

I've recently started getting back into it and was stoked to find that I still had the paddle in me and more importantly, good keep a center of gravity without breaking my back.

I'm pretty surprised how much things have changed though.

What happened to earning your way to a longboard? I remember the older guys sitting outside calling out waves and catching the last of the set. Now everyone and their mother's sister's parakeet has a longboard. Don't even get me started on the pecking order or blatant lack thereof.

I guess the upside is the technology. I picked up a new Oneill wetsuit on the cheap for less than $80 ... I can get into and out of that thing in no time. And it keeps me far warmer than the 3/2s I used to have ... and I didn't even have to pee!

What kind of upsets me though is the crazy price of surfboards!! Seems the most decent price for a new board I can find is $450 - Becker. All these others are hovering in the $700-$800?!?! Is this because of the Clark foam fallout or what the heck is going on??? How do people afford this??? I really want to get a new board finally too.

Anyway, sorry for the long-windedness. It's great to be back and I kick myself for having been away from the life for so long.

See you in the lineup.

[O_Danny_Boy]

yup boards are a rip-off, no 2 ways about it

the mark-up is extrordinary

[CHarvey]

I went through a local shaper here in san diego and he is very well priced. Got my 6'4" for $400. Also, Shaped my own, cost was around $300 and that was with 'S' type glass with one 6oz schedual on the bottom and 4oz and 6oz on the deck. Had a futures quad fin system installed as well. Check out your local shapers, you may be surprised how much cheaper it is to go custom.

[garbarrage]

you suggesting learning on a shortie? don't really have a pecking order over here but tend to stay off a wave if a better surfer's going for it.

Reckon i'd p**s myself laughing if someone told me what wave i could or couldn't have. hate the idea of people owning waves.... everyone has as much right to be there as the next person.... safety aside.

of course if someone is out here endangering everyone else or themselves then maybe you should point it out to them... but if they ignore your advice then there's not a whole lot you can do about it.
all of this is assuming the Bra boys aren't out there or something similar.

[CHarvey]

Sounds to me like he is already surfing a shortie

[the.ronin]

Oh I can't stand the "get-off-my-wave" types as much as the next decent person ... actually I'm referring to the opposite. I guesss I just grew up surfing when there was a lot of respect for everyone else. Maybe I'm just being nostalgic.

Anyway, what is the deal with these epoxy boards? That seems to be what is jacking up prices. And this firewire whatever??? $900?!?! Oh wow. Just give me foam, man.

[pkbum]

Just let the person closest to the breaking of the wave have the right of way. I expect everybody to respect the way you or I respect them.

[rich r]

There still are some rules out there. Respect the locals and regulars. Don't drop in. Depending on the spot and respect you show will influence the game.

And for garbarrage - used to be *everyone* learned on a shortie. None of this fun board/'minimal' crap. You learned to ride a short board on a short board, or whatever water-logged scrap of wood you could find.

Too many people in the water without the balance to be there on 9-10 foot logs flailing about nowadays.

[garbarrage]

^^ and yet the general consensus on here.... myself included is that its better to learn on a longboard.... just check any of multitude of "what 1st board?" threads.
maybe things are different over here but the only place you find people flailing about is on the inside except on smaller days.

i am learning on a longboard and depending on the day take out the shortie which i'm getting there with slowly... wouldn't be where i am without the longboard. reckon i'm less in control on the shortie tho so only take it out if there isn't a crowd. know that's counterintuitive but i'm way more conscious of the damage it(longboard) can do... plus the range in which it can do damage. 9'4 plus 10' of leash means i have to keep an eye out about 25' ahead all the time.... something i think a few shortboarders out there would be well advised to do also. if it means pulling of the wave of my life then so be it.

[the.ronin]

... used to be *everyone* learned on a shortie. None of this fun board/'minimal' crap. You learned to ride a short board on a short board, or whatever water-logged scrap of wood you could find.

Too many people in the water without the balance to be there on 9-10 foot logs flailing about nowadays.

THANK YOU!!

[billie_morini]

the.ronin wrote:"I guesss I just grew up surfing when there was a lot of respect for everyone else. Maybe I'm just being nostalgic."

Billie: "Keep at it. We need more nice guys in the water"

[garbarrage]

you guys should try over here.... haven't been surfing all that long but so far haven't encountered any really ignorant people out there..
I'd go so far as to say that 90% of the people I've met out there have been some of the soundest people I've ever met.

[Beachbum]

The only thing I dislike about longboarders is that if they're wave hogs. If it's a crowded day and their the usual ones taking em all; that sucks.

[rich r]

garbarrage -

While it may be easier to learn on a longboard, it does not necessarily translate to 'better.'

A number of factors need to be considered - from age, to balance to physical. Also, of course, there are the wave conditions in your area (I wouldn't expect people to try and shortboard tanker waves in Texas)

The popular use of a longboard as a 'crutch' to get into surfing I would argue has contributed to more kooks in the water that want to surf to look cool.

My friend, who is 38, I encouraged to get a 9-6 or 10' tanker as his first board to learn the sport, and I intend to help teach him. However, if he were in his 20's or younger, in good shape and dedicated to learning, I would have had him start on a shortboard.

You are in less control on the shortboard because, well, it's looser, has less float, and goes faster down the face, requires more balance and concentration and isn't forgiving.

Sure, you look 25 feet ahead of you, but are you watching behind you when you take off so you aren't dropping in on me? Because I get into the wave deeper and have a bunch of newbies concentrating so much on kneeboarding down the face straight toward shore popping up in front of me all the time on their 9 and 10 foot logs.

[the.ronin]

The popular use of a longboard as a 'crutch' to get into surfing I would argue has contributed to more kooks in the water that want to surf to look cool.

This is what I can’t stand the most.

Let me start off by saying that I love surfing with women. Good women surfers have a sort of finesse about them that is really cool to watch and a great change of pace from the push hard agressiveness of male surfers.

But if there is one thing I truly cannot stand it is the stupid chick that just decided that morning to have mommy and daddy plop bucko bucks on some pretty, flowery tanker of a longboard that she couldn’t maneuver if her life depended on it just so she can go to class on Monday and say she “surfed” over the weekend.

Don’t even get me started on their male counterparts.

[garbarrage]

rich r - when i take off on a longboard i'm out way further than anyone on a shortboard who hopes to catch a wave should be. I'm in my 20s albeit very late 20s but am fitter than most as i've worked in physical jobs for most of my life. also have above average balance from my job (tree surgeon- climbing) and i would still recommend anyone of any age start on a longerboard minimal... although i agree that an exception may be made for someone with easy access to waves and is truly dedicated. i only get to surf weekends (i am pretty religious about it though) and without that "crutch" i doubt i'd be anywhere near as good (not great!!! lol) as i am.

the.ronin - i think you're generalising here and not being particularly fair to beginners. i know a couple of girls who a year ago you would have referred to as "stupid chicks" and yet if you saw them surfing this weekend nothing would be further from your mind. granted a couple of their friends who aren't as dedicated you might be forgiven for wondering why they are there..... but they too seem to enjoy it and have as much a right to be there as the next person (even if that next person is Laird or Kelly).

I'd like to qualify all of this by saying that none of this includes surfers who go out in waves beyond their ability.... and i know you can find idiots everywhere. if you guys really have such a problem with these people why not just surf somewhere that they can't follow?

[isaluteyou]

I hear where everyone is coming from in many ways a newb is more deadly on a longboard just to the mere fact its harder to manevour and has a lot more weight to the punch. But i draw the line between whitewater newbs and green wave ones. Know one could ever possibly convince me that a white water newb regardless of how fit and athletic they are would be better off on a pencil shortboard - no offence but thats the daftess thing i have heard - green wave is a different field.

Also i see a lot of guys who dont know diddly paddling out on a shortie and getting them selves and others into all sorts of problems. Based on the simple fact its a hella of a lot easier to get a shortboard out than a log.

Newbs in the whitewater should be encouraged and schooled on what to do if you cant handle that ignor it. Same applies to green wave newbs if not more so.

To put it bluntly deal with it or go find yourself a sketchy reef to surf

[northswell]

One thing is you have to push yourself to get better.

Just surf somewhere where people with no ability can't get out. When it gets to 3-4ft newbs are not going to get out back so all you need to worry about is those loggers hogging the waves, then find somewhere they don't surf. Ooh then you have to worry about the bbers.

Glamour wave but crowds still not mega.

Surfed this beyond my capabilities once when it was huge.



Not my pic this day but will see if i can find a few others.

[garbarrage]

nice distinction isaluteyou.... prob fall a little into the latter category myself. im fairly sure i'll always think of myself that way.lol

it is a fine line between pushing and lunacy and i reckon i know which side you're on NS!!!! did something similar myself once... it'll be a long time before i do it again... VERY humbling experience.

was it that big when you were out? what happened? beating... long hold down etc.?

waves don't seem as big as they did a year ago.... when they start looking small i'll know its time to push it a bit further... until then its all about the craic!

[northswell]

Bigger than that i reckon. Thats right at top of my limits and on that size would normally be on a reef a few miles away thats a bit fatter but also has hollow sections.