I haven’t owned a surfboard over six feet since I was around 15 years old. Every single custom or used board I’ve picked up has been in the 5’7 to 5’11 range. You may call me close minded, but I like what I like. At least I used to.
Maybe it’s a part of getting older. I remember when my taste buds changed. I used to hate ketchup. Avocado too. And then I grew up. My surf journey is now experiencing a similar transformation. Again, maybe it’s maturing. It could be the industry’s movement and acceptance towards more forgiving, “fun” surfboard shapes. Whatever this phase is, it’s got me questioning exactly what I want to order for my next board.
A good friend of mine recently hand shaped his own board for the first time. He took a lesson and it came out looking pretty sick, but it is an alternative sort of shape. Something that could be looked at and given that generic ‘funboard’ label. A board that never needed to be perfect. The rails didn’t need to be an exact match, the tail maybe a little offcentered, the concave not completely balanced. These details weren’t of the utmost importance. What was important was that it worked (floats) and it was fun to ride. Check both of those boxes. I rode it at some point recently, and hell yeah it was fun. I had a blast surfing that thing. Shortly after that, he got me out for a surf on a foam longboard. Thing must have been 30 pounds, and 10+ years old. I completely sucked on it. Still had fun.
I learned two lessons from these sessions. One, I have a horrible style. I already knew this, it was just much more evident on something that is not wiggling around underneath your feet. And two, progression is not strictly reserved for shortboarding. Anything other than squatting like a crab when trying to bottom turn on a longboard would be progress for me. I’ve now realized that every board shape is going to come with its own unique challenge. Ah, the beauty of surfing.
I was listening to this podcast over the weekend where Beau Young explained how his dad (‘66 World Champ Nat Young) thought we should try to find the best surfer on all boards. The ultimate waterman? What an interesting idea. Would SUP’s and Foils be included? Prone paddle only? I like the sound of it. Which is why I’ll definitely be attending the Retro Surf Series this year. A local run “Triple Crown of Retro Surf” that includes the Sunset 60’s, Surfside 70’s, and HB 80’s where each contestant must ride a board from that era. Would you be interested in watching the ‘Worlds Best’ compete in a series like this? I recently wrote about how I believe the Seniors Tour would be a hit. This idea too, might draw some eyes. A lot of content coming out right now has a feel of nostalgia, especially in terms of equipment. We have …Lost’s series 5’5 X 19 1’4…Century, Tanner Gudauskas’ Finders Keepers, this episode of the Couch Surfing Show, and I believe something similar is coming from Chapter 11 soon.
Since I’ve been back in the water a lot I have been itching to order a new stick. I obviously have a lot to look at and think about. Do I step out of my comfort zone and get something different? Shortboards and grovelers are all that I know. I plan to browse the local used market. I don’t want to completely commit to a brand new style of board that I’m going to struggle for 6 months on. I’m not looking for anything specific, maybe something catches my eye. If you’ve got recommendations for a board model or something you have preference for please drop a comment. Until then I’ll be on my shred sled.
Cheers,
hwilsin