creativity

chipfish61 · April 6, 2006, 12:08am

swaylocks is good , because , to my mind at least , it tends to encourage innovation and trying things out , a bit more than “other” forums .

I realise everyone is entitled to their opinions , but I really wonder sometimes why people are locked into doing things ‘old school’ …fishes , 50/50 rails , D-fins , massive old single fins being some examples .

It reminds me a bit of the black wetsuit white board mentality I heard and read about in some places [or was it the whole of cali?] in the 1970s.

My bottom line for experimenting , and trying new stuff , [yes , and revisiting ‘old school’ stuff , too, ] …

besides learning new techniques [eg: resin swirls , for me] …the bottom line for me is

…try what you want to try , ride what you want to ride , see if it works for you in your waves with your style , and if it doesn’t …well… move on …

Before people take up arms , this is a surf design forum , a GOOD one , and I am merely expressing my feelings / observations [which we ARE allowed to do here , by the way ] ,

but …

I would hate to think creativity here is being “stifled” by mindsets such as

"duuuuude , we did that twenty years ago " (implying that it doesn’t work today , even if modified ???), or

"it’s GOT to have glass on fins ‘’ , or

“well , the pros don’t ride them , so they …[?can’t be good " / ? don’t work ?” …insert whatever “stuff” here] you know the kind of stuff …

"you CAN’T put a fin box in a mal , it wouldn’t be “right” [says WHO ??]

So…

Does it work ? and well , for YOU ? in your waves ?

is it functional ? [more than "fashionable "?]

or

Are you worried what people will say / think , if you ride something “different” [whatever THAT means ?!]

Are you riding what someone “said” I “should” ride / what is “in” at the moment / ***** rides it ?"

In closing ,

Are you having …wait for it …FUN , yet ? [that is also “allowed” ]

cheers ,

ben

rooster · April 6, 2006, 2:46am

Stubs is right. Chipfish sucks! Get rid of him! Seriously, I wasn’t aware of a Retro fad until I started checking into Sways. Around here it’s all cookie cutter thrusters or modern longboards. There are a few fish. I ride a fish most of the time because it works well for me and the way I like to surf. I have also re-visited some shapes from my childhood. Just for the hell of it because I can make it and not spend 600.00 clams. I’m not getting any younger and I realized the number of days I have surfed are greater than the number of days I have left to surf. Better have my fun now with all these different boards before the only thing I can do is sit in my beach chair drooling down my chin. mike

TomBloke · April 6, 2006, 3:08am

The perceived age of a shape has NOTHING to do with how it rides, it is in fact, from a design point of view, a very RED herring.

Swaylock’s is good, can’t dispute that part.

soulstice · April 6, 2006, 3:31am

Quote:

but I really wonder sometimes why people are locked into doing things ‘old school’ …fishes , 50/50 rails , D-fins , massive old single fins being some examples .

i ride what i like…i shape what i ride.

that’s not to say i won’t venture outside those bounds on occasion…but i ALWAYS find my way home.

Hicksy · April 6, 2006, 3:57am

Do what you want, when you want, how you want, don’t listen to naysayers and when you do fail hold your head up high and say, at least I tried…

stingray · April 6, 2006, 6:41am

I wear an all BLACK wetsuit.

Currently surfing on a 6’5" mini log. How many 45 year old men do you see riding something other than a long board.

Oh yeah , I also surf a 10’ log. Head out to San Onofre about once a month to do the long board thing…

I’m not a trend setter or a trend follower…

Hmm , If I change that back fin to a cut out…

…Rides good today but I’ve got some old glass ons that could be sanded down and made to fit in those fin boxes…

Love the 7’2" with the glass ons hate to mess with that board…Maybe I’ll make an EPS triple stringer!!!

hiroprotagonist · April 6, 2006, 10:56pm

I tried to think of something to say, but creativity hit me.

I tried again but nothing came out. I force fed the block but it hurts so bad. I don’t know what to say.

Where do I go. Whoo hoo, I dodge it

lemme takin you back to the old school, cuz I’m and old fool and so cool

Here’s a shovel, can ya dig it?

to the underground the sound of

real demanding, unwinding, offshore howling

whoomp shaka lak cracka lack shaka lacking

as I flow next section toes on nose

the D fin holds japanese sun down

don’t frown, as surf beginners a clown

you start somewhere, gonna get down

can you dig it can shoe make it?

but wait, its shorebreaker, AKA the Matt rider

to the lip pound the Sponge bob owns

as Eddie would go , outrigger gots to row

i ain’t going to take dis no mo’

we’re not going to take it, no we’re not going to take it

we’re not going to take it any more!

whoa, wetsuit n board, black n white,

like kelly slater, carving jumping

n jiving, WCT, tow ins to aerial

aerille, Under the sea

Darling it’s better

Down where it’s wetter

Take it from me

Up on the shore they work all day

Out in the sun they slave away

While we devotin’

Full time to floatin’

Under the sea

whahuhuh wuhuho ho whomp rheeee

mix

the dj mixes the technic fader

miki dora, the surf darth vader

later skater, vertical wood lam

fish oh damn, where can I slam

twin keels into the wave, what about big wave dave

in harbour forum, now he’s EPS’ em

single fin yellow, 24 hours lams like hello

oh no, what the, hey Mike, hello

yo sandburg whats craCKIN, show me something

blakesta rotating fin system, no names not M&M

where’d you go I miss you so, its like forever

since i’ve seen postive post, sways here its not lost

matt biolos, sways so hot you roast

in the goodness engineering, steering

me right or color me wrong. color cou-cou-color

me badd, this style is mad, chipfish is rad

like 1980’s T&C, thrilla gorilla to tuxedo cats

and we’re fat like a 20 inch stubb, bub rubb n little sis

but not a panis, or don’t panic Janice

you can’t kill art if you’re in the mart

ket for a BONZer, borrowed aussie word

big bird, no I mean campbell brother

drop the prose, only one, ambrose,

so this is not a copy, doc, hee

proplugs pro props, cuzs it on

like donkey kong, don’t purchase from MR.wong

funky reel fresh mon, or monkey jack radio on

choke me up mon force me nearly dead with laugh

i watch a people rush to it like a bus stop

choko

fulltime dey are a time fin a busrider

sunshine dey are a time fin a busrider

fulltime dey are a time fin a busrider, nooO!

Gi Joooooee

acolyte_of_trim · April 7, 2006, 1:32am

I like to check out older, “obselete” design elements just to find out WHY they might not have worked, figure out the elements that did, and apply them to future designs and ideas, and maybe discover that some things were left behind too soon…to me, “retro” is a meaningless term because it implies obselete ideas. Speed, carving ability, trimming ability, drive, and paddling ability will never be obselete concerns for me. Those that ignore history are doomed to repeat it, right? Or maybe they’ll just repeat parts of it because it’s FUN!

f1f859bda2f2a3ab344c · April 10, 2006, 11:12am

yeh. one of the things i’m sort of playing with now is old templates with new bottoms and modern rails. latest, coupla months old, is taken off an early 70’s greg loehr rocket fish. stretched it 6" kept it thick, very minimal concave to flat out the tail, 3 fin set up. will post a pic when i can.

next in line? i got a 7’3 oceanside transition board from the late 60’s with a big single and a deep v hull bottom. great outline for a mini longboard. it’ll be interesting with down rails and etc…

NormDePlume · April 10, 2006, 7:37pm

Appearance and attitude are high on the list.

To the majority of people who claim to be surfers… FASHION is far more important than FUNCTION.

If you can’t surf and if your board doesn’t work… at least you can look the part.

Two out of three, dude.

hafte · April 10, 2006, 8:12pm

Love many…

Trust few…

And always paddle your own Canoe

Applies more to most of life than paddleing a boat

Especially when you build surfboards from behind the Zion curtain

Good stuff Chipfish61

nativeson · April 10, 2006, 10:13pm

in my mind, a board made today is inherently modern simply because you can’t get the same blanks anymore… rockers are different, rails are different, bottoms may or may not be different, but it is all design no matter how you look at it.

why are people riding older boards? wake up, the modern shortboard is seriously limited in its performance… too thin, too narrow, etc. we are not all super k, we don’t have indo in our backyards, so why should we all ride boards made for him or indo waves?

are big powerful cutbacks lame now? if i don’t pull 720 no footed airs am i lame? what about a solid bottom turn? most ‘modern’ surfing is pretty bland anyway - drop into close out, pump, and punt(usually not landing it.)

who friggin cares?! ride whatever you damn well please, build what you want, its your life. and, your happiness at stake, not the fashion police - who are usually the one’s flailing inside in the way.

this design forum is supposed to provide insight, and inspiration. so, if you want to make a complete replica of a twin keel fish, man, go for it. but, don’t blame the board if you can’t surf like a pro on it. every design has its limits.

you shouldn’t pencil yourself into any design box - old school, hi perf, longboarder - because when you step outside, you may well be left behind. an open mind is the only way you can keep up. ride everything.

CarveNalu · April 10, 2006, 11:06pm

I agree chipper… Be creative! Have fun! Remember this thing I shaped and glassed? It actually rips!

Kai · April 11, 2006, 2:05am

What was the thinking on that tail Carve? Or are my eyes wonky

CarveNalu · April 11, 2006, 3:46am

Quote:

What was the thinking on that tail Carve? Or are my eyes wonky

Haha! Here’s the thread on that board…

http://www.swaylocks.com/forum/gforum.cgi?post=232100;search_string=asymetric;#232100

chipfish61 · April 11, 2006, 5:20am

today was interesting ,

in head high backwashy waves , I rode first popeye’s 10 3/4 x 6’6 x 18 1/4 x 2 1/4 x 13 1/4" fairly heavily rockered pintail thruster.

Then , went home and swapped it for my 15" x 5’11 x 20 x 2 1/2 x 16 1/2" [9" tip to tip] “prawn” fish/ wide swallow tail. A much flatter rockered board.

The 5’11 felt easier on my lower spine to paddle .

They both felt good , but until I got / get the knack of where the sweet spot is on pop’s ‘truster’ , to me the ‘prawn’ felt “easier” to ride .

Iwas able to go more vertical once up and riding on the 6’6 though .

…“horses for courses” , I guess , and matching it / adapting my “style” [haha] to the board and the waves , as well…

I am still undecided if one of these boards made it “easier” or not in today’s waves …if I ride the bushfire as a quad tomorrow , with the same checkered fins I used in both the prawn and popeye’s thruster , that will be a different ‘feel’ again .

I had an interesting p.m. recently …I will ask if I can post it here [name deleted ] , as it ‘rang a bell’ with me …

…to be continued …