I read a critique of Mark Occhilupo’s surfing style. The author wrote that Occy’s carving, full-rail style of surfing comes from the fact that he learned to surf on single-fins. It’s interesting to consider that the way we surf today, may be directly related to the first surfboard that we paddled out on, on day 1 of our surfing lives. The board shaping the surfer. How much of an influence does a surfer’s first surf-craft have on his individual style? Are there advantages or disadvantages to learning on a certain type of board? Will the kid learing on a 6’2" thruster develop a different style from the guy who starts off on a single-fin longboard? What about the surfmat rider vs. the fish surfer? Bodysurfing?.. What kind of surf-craft did you guys start off with? Imagine taking your daughter or son to the beach for the first time. What would you like him or her to start off with? “Dad, why did you have to teach me to surf on a ****board? Now all my friends call me a dork!”
How much of an influence does a surfer’s first surf-craft have on his > individual style? Are there advantages or disadvantages to learning on a > certain type of board? Will the kid learing on a 6’2" thruster > develop a different style from the guy who starts off on a single-fin > longboard? The first surfboard would have enormous influence, or at least the first surfboard which allows the person to actually surf. The “thrill” would be memorable. The “wrong” board would make learning a horror story of discouragement. The kid learning on a 6’2" thruster would learn how to ride the board; the guy on a single fin of the same length or larger would learn how to ride the wave. The preference is totally subjective. The difference is huge.
I think you make an interesting observation. I started my eight year old daughter out on a 7’ mini log. After a year she was on an 8’ high performance longboard. When she started shortboarding on a 6’2" thruster at ten, I noticed a difference between her and a lot of the other groms. A far more fluid style, much smoother. The longboard influence is definately noticeable, but to my admittedly biased eyes, it’s for the better. My experience anyway…ymmv
What a great entry, AJ! A definite influence on the way we ride, and an important thing to consider. (great comment, by the way, Nels!..“ride the board/ride the wave”). In my own case, I started with LONG singles…went through the shortboard revolution (still single fin); got heavily into twins (the “radical” departure of it’s day)…back to single fin…then the modern “standard”, the tri/thruster. (yet still in love with the modern longboard approach). I feel very fortunate to have had this line of history under my feet. Regardless of how we’ve progressed, seems like there is some “persistence of memory”…a “feel” we carry with us, and habits or signature things that we do which make us unique. It’s all been really GOOD!..laters, T. (P.S. I DO feel better for having started with a single fin…I concur with NELS’ comment - to a great extent…ask anyone who’s maintained control while making minute corrections and adjustments when releasing their fin and side slipping down a heavy wave). {you REALLY appreciate the innovations when they come along}!
To take it a step further, I skateboarded as a kid long before I started surfing. I skated every day for a number of years. I definately think that shaped my surfing style (i.e. I love riding loose fish type boards).
The kid learning on a 6’2" thruster would learn how to ride the > board; the guy on a single fin of the same length or larger would learn > how to ride the wave. The preference is totally subjective. The difference > is huge. My thinking is the single fin teaches about the free ride of trim (the minute adjustments Tom V wrote of). While I haven’t had a single fin in years I find myself perhaps craving that trim feeling again, which may be what leads me to make these terrible remarks about squashtail thrusters
What Que wrote about skateboarding is real too. It would be a major adjustment for a contemporary skateboarder used to pump and glide to switch to the stand and trim of a single fin. It is natural for the hardcore skaters to go small and for airboards. Whatever first gives the buzz probably imprints us like baby ducks. I’m thinking also that this can make changes/adjustments in equipment years down the road more difficult.
Nels, I’m actually kind of worried about changing equipment down the road. I gravitate toward small boards, but I’m 30 now and I realize that I won’t be able to ride shorties forever. I guess I’ll deal with that when the time comes.
I read a critique of Mark Occhilupo’s surfing style. The author wrote that > Occy’s carving, full-rail style of surfing comes from the fact that he > learned to surf on single-fins. It’s interesting to consider that the way > we surf today, may be directly related to the first surfboard that we > paddled out on, on day 1 of our surfing lives. The board shaping the > surfer.>>> How much of an influence does a surfer’s first surf-craft have on his > individual style? Are there advantages or disadvantages to learning on a > certain type of board? Will the kid learing on a 6’2" thruster > develop a different style from the guy who starts off on a single-fin > longboard? What about the surfmat rider vs. the fish surfer? > Bodysurfing?..>>> What kind of surf-craft did you guys start off with? Imagine taking your > daughter or son to the beach for the first time. What would you like him > or her to start off with?>>> “Dad, why did you have to teach me to surf on a ****board? Now all my > friends call me a dork!” Too funny! I was called a dork for riding my old man’s log during the early 70s, before I could afford a shorty. Grew up stoked with both but sure enjoy the glide now as the years are catching up with me. I have two youn teens of my own now. One long boards while the other rides a shorty, neither will try the other. Go figure?
What a hoot. My son is 12, I started with him tandem on a 9’6" so he could get a feel for surfing. He got “too old” for that and rode a boogie for a while. Next was the shortboard, had to be just like…whatever he saw in Surfing. Now he is talking about learning to ride a longboard. It will serve him well I believe. I learned a long time ago that he is driving all I can help him do is steer. I guess I’m lucky he will at least accept what I can produce myself. I rode my first wave on a rental surfmat, then my dad made me a “board”, from two 1x12" cleated together about 6" and a rough outline. My first real experience on a surfboard was a used Hansen 50/50 rental. I bought my own first board for $65.00, a Hobie cutdown to look like a falsa kind of Aussie V-bottom about 8’6". It had to be Christmas one year, the hotcoat the guy used on the surgery had multicolored glitter flecks in it. Don’t think it was on purpose, they just happend to be in the coffee can he used. TS>>> Too funny! I was called a dork for riding my old man’s log during the > early 70s, before I could afford a shorty. Grew up stoked with both but > sure enjoy the glide now as the years are catching up with me. I have two > youn teens of my own now. One long boards while the other rides a shorty, > neither will try the other. Go figure?
Nels,>>> I’m actually kind of worried about changing equipment down the road. I > gravitate toward small boards, but I’m 30 now and I realize that I won’t > be able to ride shorties forever. I guess I’ll deal with that when the > time comes. It’s much easier to go bigger than to drop down in surfboard size. The mental barrier is the large hurdle. Once you find enjoyment back it can be like learning all over again. Trying to drop back down into MUCH shorter equipment than you’ve been riding is a lesson in physical fitness and the deterioration which age brings us all. The sound you hear is the clock ticking, and unfortunately sometimes you can hear all the ticks you missed previously.