Pro Surfers Boards - Why so plain?

[Bub]

I've been watching alot of surfing on TV lately. X-Games, various videos, Huntigton Beach etc. and one thing I seem to notice is that most of the pro-boarders ride very plain looking (usually boring white/ no artwork with a few stickers on them). Do their sponsers make them ride a plain white board to show off a few sponser stickers (like a billboard). It just seems to me that a surf board is a great medium for artistic expression of an individual (like getting tatoos, designs on skateboards, snowboards etc) and most surfers you would think would like the option to have a great design on the board. I just don't see it on the top pros boards and was wondering why? Money obvoiusly is not a factor for them since they get the choice of the top technically designed boards.

[surfer16]

It just seems to me that a surf board is a great medium for artistic expression of an individual

I agree. I'm designing my artwork for my new JP board. Its guna look awesome.

[kitesurfer]

It's just a matter of personal taste really. Some surfers like plain white boards as they look just so clean and pure, kinda like the waves they're surfing. As for the pro's, maybe they're sponsers insist on it.
But i remember when tom curren split with ocean pacific he went for plain white boards with no logos at all and he wasn't sponsered by anyone.

KS

[libby]

I think as well its because they break their boards so often and often have 50+ boards in their quiver, many very similar or identical just waiting for breakages...not like us poor sods who worship and cherish our boards cos if break 'em we cant replace them....maybe thats part of the reason too.

[pat42]

Yeah, like Libby says........a pro could go through 50 boards a year!!

That'd be a lot of spraying!!

[Brian]

I reckon pat and libby are right. I am sure pro's have boards decked out in funky artwork for freesurfing, but they have the lightest, thinnest glassed easy to break boards for maximum performance surfing.

[Driftingalong]

Good points listed above...

I also heard a theory:
Plain White is easier to see by the judges.

[Bub]

So in summary the theories are:
1) Pro surfers break so many boards each year on tour, that the board manufacturors don't want to spend the extra money on artwork
2) Sponsers want the pros to ride plain white boards so their stickers stand out for marketing and advertisement
3) Its a "cool" or cultural thing amongst the pros that we are unnaware of....plain / no-frills boards are to be ridden in surfing competition and the artistic/colorful boards are only meant to hang on a wall as artwork or ridden only for fun/non-competition
4) Judges can more easily see and properly score competitors if the boards are white.

Just my opinion but I think theory #1 doesn't hold up but the others have potential. Whats an extra $50 per board for paint and color when the plain one is still way over $1000 each? The artwork cost seems immaterial to me. Plus pro skateboarders break probably 50+ boards a year on tour (probably more than surfers) but the manufacturs don't omit paint and design from their boards.

[pat42]

Put yourself in the shoes of a sponsor........your main goal is to get the best surfers riding your boards.

So you want to make sure everyone know's they're your boards. A big sticker with your logo .....that's it!!

And if you're a sponsor, what's in it for you by spending the extra money on spraying a board that's only going to get 6 months maximum use.

There is no monetary gain for a sponsor spraying the boards of his riders......the opposite applies. He's going to lose money!

Especiallly if they've got 20 riders times 50 boards a year times $50 you reckon a spray job costs (It'll be a lot more than that!!)

That's an extra $50,000.........would you fork out $50,000 minimum for your boards to look nice?

[pat42]

And there's nothing "cool" about a white board

I got a new board and asked for it to be plain with a small shapers logo because that's my style.......I try not to wear clothes with logos or just very small ones.

I like to keep it plain and simple............but that's just me!

[bluesnowcone]

surfboards cost money, paint cost money them together is more expensive long story cut short theres no point wasting money

[WooD]

And there's nothing "cool" about a white board

I got a new board and asked for it to be plain with a small shapers logo because that's my style.......I try not to wear clothes with logos or just very small ones.

I like to keep it plain and simple............but that's just me!

Were a lot a like. I also love the pure clean lines of a plain white board. I do have one board thats kinda a orangish yellow on the rails, and bottom, but I bought it off the shelf that way. I'd never order a board any way but white.

[Patrick__69]

Ya I might go for a plain board not too, plain but not too plain I want to be concentrating ont the wave not my colorful board and screw up the perfect wave.

[kitesurfer]

I think my next board is going to be super garish and loud, just because i can.

[libby]

Brent's like that too, or I say WAS like that. All is shortboards are plain white with either black or blue deck grip and thats it. However all has changed with his new fish, its pea green and he loves it. He always said he hated show offs, but he loves the attention he gets for his new board (it stands out at alot of breaks in NZ). But then a fish is slightly different as its more traditional to have a coloured fish (resin tint etc).

At the moment i have one pink and one plain white board, if i got them again i'd get the pink in a different colour.

In the future though i want all my boards to be fun and bright

[dougirwin13]

A lot of the more creative pros also like getting plain boards so they can put their own art on it.

Anyone check the spray technique in Surfing Mag 47-2 p150? I LIKE it!

-doug

[FishKid Wales]

I love colour on a board especially if its something unique i find its good to have something that is both functional and stylishly colourful.

[Broosta]

Fanning's boards are mainly white with blue edges.
Hedgey rides a yellow board with green outline sometimes.
Jake (the snake) Patterson's boards are predominantly white but always with a fkn great multicoloured snake design on them.
Tom Whitaker often rides boards with garish designs on a white background.
Paulo Moura same as Tom.
Jarred Howse ditto.
Richie Lovett ditto.
Brooko ditto.
Pederson Rosa often rides a red board.
Darren O'raf multicoloured bits on white background.
Marcelo Nunes often rides a predominantly yellow board.
Sofia Mulanovich rides multicoloured boards as well as white.
Layne Beachley often rides red/pink boards.
Melanie Redman-Carr rides multi coloured boards.
Keala Kennelly often as above.
Samantha Cornish ditto.
Jessi Miley-Dyer ditto.

But yeah apart from the above you're right and yes I am bored, just waiting for the tide to come up a bit more then its yeehaa time in the water !