Blank situation: UNCOOL

General Discussion
1

$$$Now here a little story I got to tell, about three blank companies you know so well…$$$

I was surprised that no one had said anything yet, so I thought I’d start it up…

A very few days ago, some friends and I were discussing the merge of This Guy Foam with Other Guy Blanks , and how they had also aquired Dudeski Blanks all under the same owner. (true or false) We laughed wondering what this guy was trying to achieve. One of us said “he’s got all the crappiest foam out there, now what? Put them all together to make something worse than that!?!? HA-HAHAHA-HA-HA!”

I had also heard about This Guy starting a “factory” to build boards, (T or F)

start to finish down in good ole Baja. Didn’t think much of it at the time.

So today I get to talkin with a buddy of mine and he tells me about some things that I concluded to be called, Situation: UNCOOL. Tells me that said “factory” is actually a mega-glass house capable of numerous but unknown number of glass jobs (130+) per week. Also that employees may be paid an unknown sum per hour.($2.30)

My buddy also mentions that an employee of Other Guy casually cruised into a well known blank cutting shop and promptly began to trace rocker templates of one large surfboard manufacturing company. (T or F) Employees of said “shop” made a phone call or three, and immediately confiscated drawn templates and escorted said “Other Guy employee” away as far as possibly imaginable.

Another employee formerly of Dudeski and recently of Other Guy was noted doing something very similar on same day, but also being escorted far, far away and told not to be seen for quite some time . (T or F) There has also been many strange phone calls to local shapers inquiring about cheap glass jobs with delivery from Ensanada.

Supposedly the idea of said “!$#@&%$#@^^&^%$##ers” is to slow or stop the infiltration of Chinese and other cheaply made surfboards into our country by,what … doing the same thing,… but closer? (If they are gone, can’t we all get along?) “If its not China, its ok”? NOPE. “We are helping everyone by stealing templates”? Are you guys retarded? “Stop China, Start Mexico”? Great idea there, chump, Costco will LUV it.

I agree, it could be heresay. But I believe my contacts are worthy.(said contacts=worthy) I know a few said offenders and, well, see ya. Just when you thought it was too far away all da sudden its in yer backyard. (fire too)

Watch what blanks you buy. Know where they come from. The board may be stronger or something for now but, will it bite you in the ass later, In a BIG Mo’F—IN Way?

And to think I have a Bennett Foam catalog that says “Bennett U.S.A.”

Just want to know if anyone has any info on this weirdness I heard about today…

SUPPORT yer LOCAL SHAPERS, even if it is YOU. (now that just doesn’t make sense, hopefully you will support yerself)

NO POP OUTS

All of said information is partly true or fictional, or fictionally true, or mas o menos verdad, or just an idea to think about when you buy your next blank or board…

Thanks

2

?

3

Almost as tasty as a piece of xps/eps. Most of my shaping friends have passed away now I see machines and burger clones. I need a surf.

4

Absolutely every word you wrote was true, they were nabbed tracing the rockers of “the major mfg.” and plan on having a molded/mass produced operation up and running a hundred miles away.

Still shaping American made custom surfriders

5

Given the business climate of today,

Why are you surprised?

JSS

6

…2.30 per hour in USA is nuthin

but 2.30x8 is a decent salary in most S America Countries (for the Dollar exchange value)

7

here we are the inheritors of the twentith century.

clinging to what we have become familiar.

the twentiety first century will be the undoing

of all we have practied dillegently and cherished as truth.

the abs are gone the lobsters in santa monica

are pictures in a book.

the rolling grasslands of the calllifornia coastline are

museums of natural history.the trestle is a parking lot

santo del Onofre is a line of cars filled with chineps poopouts

alas , alacrity aside ascention to the heavenly host of passed

heroic paseos el Matadors staring into the eyes of overhead

puentes de olas perfectiones

are only an image on the backs of our eyelids

there for the savoring of our thirsty souls.

the casters

the velzys

the phils

the halsleys

the speedo-creedo from los crumpas

duke dana

whity blackie

the yodeler

otto

joro

et

lj

they are all more cherished every day

as the ''I wanna beater ‘’ guys

beat em to death with impunity

and the archivists preserve them and exault

the remaing exmples beyont their rightful station

we are the keepers of the secrets

the pretenders to the throne

are rushing in to usurp the credibility

with campagains of propaganda

eclipsing the craft of public opinion

manipulation…

turning a deaf shoulder to the half truths

and real advancments of ‘new’

we still can appreciate

a good gloss

skip a rub out

paddle way outside

and sit on the old line up

and snag just one more

outside squeeler

and not even stand up

but shoot the curl

the whole way

to the very end.

how long before

the knurled arthritic

hands can’t make another pass?

The business climate ?

the global state of grace?

sixty year old wanna beek’s

with chineps poopinski

yugoslavian,pportugese

surfboards high production

mass market solutions

will flood the tidewaters

the conisuers of the popouts

will sit at chain food stops

eating packaged simulated food

discussing their last great wave

while the truth passes by

on the el camino

in the non descript

old beat up truck

the driver a craftsman of note

dripping history and salt water

from the audio player and his/her ears

load that big picnic basket pal

surfing as a subculture of merit

is on its way to the big picnic

this time it wont be held in the underworld

perhaps it’s to be held at a nice camp site

where you can build a fire

and stand around with likeminded souls

and share the love of surfing

and building the boards to ride them.

…ambrose…

who is the guy that bought huntington

from draper and sold it to the

gilded oscars?

probobly some

hodad from garden grove

8

After reading the 'brose prose I realized the whole time the mood was a sun, low in the sky, setting.

Will it rise again on a bright new day or just dark days?

9

With no names, only inuendo and second hand rumor I can’t get too interested. I do expect some of the current foam companies though to either go under or be gobbled up. There are a few good ones and they, with proper financial backing and a quality product will make it. Right now I am enjoying the variety.

10

McDing,

I agree! Besides I don’t mind here or even Baja (I have spent my life surfing it). In fact there’s been a few glass shops already in Baja for many years just ask Linden and Bissell. My motto is anything but Asia!

11

Read the book “The World Is Flat”. A real brain-popper.

Ride on,

Tom

12

I have and enjoyed the book by Friedmen. It’s tough to apply much of his information to our cottage industry. His advise of connectivity through telecommunications, technology, economics, etc. are all true and happening. But his comment that it will be done by you or to you in regards to surfboards means either jump into this asia deal or it will happen to you no matter what. This is fine for large business’s because in some cases the workers can be educated and trained for new jobs created from the globalization. In regards to surfboard builders what will happen will we all become educated to become surf industry sales reps or managers? I think not because that market is already saturated to the point of who knows who to get in. Globalization can either be good or bad depending on the industry. If in our industry globalization must occur I’d rather see it in Baja where were still involved instead of overseas where none of us have any involvement at all. If were involved we have more control and also opportunity to stay in the industry. heck I’ll even drive to Baja to shape a few days per week if I need to but I’m not flying to Peking!

13

An asian girl worked at surfnsea until she qualified for the generous discount on merchandise at the time bought about 20 g worth of rockers put them in a container then disappeared. I haven’t discovered where the boards are yet but in a way I dont even want to know.

14

Cuttie,

I agree with you about Friedmen’s basic take on globalization. However, when you say you would rather see the surf industry happen in Mexico where “we” would still be involved I think that the train left you at the station a long time ago my friend. If you are referring to Americans as “we” then I think we have to recognize that “we” have been in the vangaurd of the establishment of the Asian surfboard manufacturing complex. Randy French (Surftech) is an American. Clyde Beatty, an American, lives in China fulltime. Bill Bahne, an American, who also happens to be the present chairman of the SIMA Board Builders comittee has spent more months in China this year at his factory there than in the US. The list of “we” in Asia is really long.

You state that “If we’re involved we have more control ( italics mine) and also opportunity to stay in the industry.” I believe you go right to heart of the matter here. This is what scares the bejeebers out of most of us in the industry, no more control! Unfortunately, I do not think the industry is within “our” control. It never really was. Honestly, should it be? The surfing public is who will decide what material type/construction and price point that most boards will be succesfully made and sold for. The location of manufacture, in the long run, will probably not be the USA looking at our current state of affairs. I do believe that there will be a custom, handmade in the USA market for a fairly long time. I do not think that a lot of us who are involved the present market today will be able to make a living in that market. Simple numbers should tell us that.

The sport has truely gone global and the globe gets smaller everyday. It is silly to think that the board industry is not going to go through some major changes. I wish I knew what they were going to be. I don’t, but I just don’t think it can be controlled by “us”. I try not to spend too much time railing about the Asian board trend anymore. I spend a lot of time trying to fill the needs of my fellow American board building customers and trying to anticipate what might happen next so I can stay in business. Every dog has his day and we Americans are historically very good at having a lot of “days”.

SS

15

The other issue here is the lack of environmental controls in China and Mexico. We work in an industry where workers, and neighborhoods surrounding production facilities, can be affected by the safety, or lack thereof, in materials handling, and even by choice of materials. Despite our fairly dismal record with industrial pollution and worker safety in this country, at least today our standards are significantly higher than those of China or Mexico. If you deal with materials actually produced in the US you can at least assume the workers and community where the products are made are better protected than those from foreign sources.

Kip Nead

16

Standard of living, freedom, environmental protection, worker protection are all exactly why China, et al are getting the work. We want is all and we want it cheap. You don’t need gurus to understand that. Until we as a society, global village if you like, start making moral instead of bottom line purchasing decisions, the trend will continue. But what do I know?

17

So why did Oz foam companies start in Mexico…is it for low wages they have to pay? environmental laws they wont have to adhere to or they simply would not be able to blow their foam in the US esp CA, because of the chemicals they use?

Long time lurker, first time poster…but this one has been bugging me for some time…WTF…

If these companies are so interested in the US market they should be producing here and adhering to the rules…and keep it legit.

I have seen pictures of those factories south of the border…it aint pretty…its pitiful…toxic used buckets of TDI soaking into bare earth next to a farm and housing complex. Hope them fruits aint coming to my Vons any time soon. …keep it clean and safe and if it aint then dont even try to sell it here. I suppose it would be like lead in toys…

I dont know if anyone checked out some of the presentations at Sacred Craft a few weeks ago…but there is more to foam than we have been told…

what has been causing those nose bleeds and headaches? …what are they puttin in those blanks??? must be some nasty s**t …funny how those complaining the most do the least. Zombiism.

With all the US alternatives, non clark-like (which was also nasty stuff)… with so many options we keep talking about why are we still stuck on the old ways…how many more health warnings do we need to see first hand? There is new poly out there…clean and safe for the employees and surrounding environment and for shapers too.

Lastly, this cottage industry is an American Craft. It is American through and through…call me a zealot patriot, If the fur’ners cant make a clean safe product… …shove it back… . Come on get mad as hell and dont buy it. Thanks but no thanks. I’m keeping it American,and am not fooled by big industry consolidations by some money bags with global aspirations…I saw it coming and I aint playing… We can turn this around.

The American Surf industry is at risk, for sure…but we need to do what Americans do…innovate, take risks, advance the state of the art to a new level…dont just roll over or zombie out. I love this Sacred Craft. Shapers are artists. America is everyone’s big consumer market…and everyone wants a piece…Keep it American, keep it real… Support your local shaper. Especially those who havent sold out. We all need to adjust in this rapidly changing environment…but it is possible to fight back, too. Who wants to see a million people in the water on ChiMex boards…not I …where is the soul in that. Don’t buy it.

ding ding ding. I’m out…

BD

its so not my nature to rant and chant…but hey this is important stuff.

18

as we se the sun set

some one is seeing

the sun rise.

losing is the way to win.

the copists are stealing the

stuff of the past

and selling it to the

uninformed.

my next board

makes my last board

my less board

but everything I learned from

all my boards will influence

what I learn from this here board I’m riding

what is really missing from thems guys deal

is they aint me…

what would they pay to hear what I say

when the cop stuff they gotta

reverse engineer the design by conjecture

and they never surfed stanley’s

or C-street with three guys out

in the rain in 64

yhey wouldn’t understand any way

an they think they already know

hah the choke’s on dem

19

we are the burger clones

you will be compsanded

imports are futile…

20

Yeah, and the day I can’t make a rocket out of a piece of foam with my hands is the day I die.

nothin wrong with curbing the appetite with a compsanwich, there tasty.