Laird Hamilton was surfing Malibu today on a 12-13 ft board. He was using a paddle to catch the waves while standing up. Once in the wave, he would dig with the paddle to generate speed when needed and then stuff it in the wave to slow down as needed.I saw one wave(8-9ft.face) where he took off at the top of first point, rode it beautifully through the bay and right through the pier. The hour or so that I watched, he never once was not standing.
i saw him today paddle north from down that way around the point at latigo all the way to little dume, where i was surfing. he paddled, standing with his outrigger paddle, and surfed for a good couple hours. only time i saw him fall was when he tried a helicopter on his 12 footer. he would paddle straight back way out through overhead set waves and whitewater, standing duke style the whole time as casual as could be. simply in a different reality than all the rest of us. oh yeah sunday saw all the big guns at trestles going off; slater, parko, hobgoods, lopez, egan, dorian, etc. quite a couple days of surfing display. managed to catch a few good ones myself too…
Laird Hamilton was surfing Malibu today on a 12-13 ft board. He was using > a paddle to catch the waves while standing up. Once in the wave, he would > dig with the paddle to generate speed when needed and then stuff it in the > wave to slow down as needed.I saw one wave(8-9ft.face) where he took off > at the top of first point, rode it beautifully through the bay and right > through the pier. The hour or so that I watched, he never once was not > standing. What will LaiRd think of next. Standing erect is so evolutionary. No more bananas LaIrd. See how many ways you Laird can do it. He Ride a 16 ft board and drag one of his feet to turn while standing up. Somebody sits on a hydrofail, but he does the Duke statue thing on it. Get Tubed in a dug out canoe with one of those big poles dragging along instead of a paddle. Do The Pose like a hood ornament on the bow of a dory straight to shore upon the billows of a comber. Next hell bodysurf standing up straight and drive his car in a vertical stature, too. LaiR d is too Crazy ripping wild.
Laird Hamilton was surfing Malibu today on a 12-13 ft board. He was using > a paddle to catch the waves while standing up. Once in the wave, he would > dig with the paddle to generate speed when needed and then stuff it in the > wave to slow down as needed.I saw one wave(8-9ft.face) where he took off > at the top of first point, rode it beautifully through the bay and right > through the pier. The hour or so that I watched, he never once was not > standing. seems to me he could have done it somewhere else or at a different time, not when one of the best swells hit at an already crowded malibu.
seems to me he could have done it somewhere else or at a different time, > not when one of the best swells hit at an already crowded malibu. I would prefer Laird anyday to the MSA contest that shut down First Point Saturday and Sunday.
seems to me he could have done it somewhere else or at a different time, > not when one of the best swells hit at an already crowded malibu. It probably wasn’t crowded in front of him…
I saw in the Malibu Times last week that Larry(as we call him but not to his face) rescued a group of weekenders who tipped over their sailboat labor day weekend.He happened to be sailboarding by. I was once surfing Hanalei Bay in what i considered decent size(mainland 9 foot) and he was out goofing around on what looked like a 12’ Waikiki rental Tandem board-reverse fin take-offs etc. Some people just have it down. The guy that complained about him goofing around at first point on a good day would most likely be stoked if he needed some help and Laird happened to be in the area. There can never be enough competant watermen and women around-it makes it better for all of us. P.S. Is the old guy still surfing Canoes with the paddle,the knee pads and the hardhat? what a classic!
i have to say i’ve met laird a couple times including this day and he’s always been one of the nicest friendliest and totally stoked surfers i’ve ever met. some people do have it pretty dialed…
There can never be enough competant watermen and women > around-it makes it better for all of us. P.S. Is the old guy still surfing > Canoes with the paddle,the knee pads and the hardhat? what a classic! I was just commenting on the sight of a 12-13 foot board with a guy standing on it, holding a paddle, coming down the line in good size Malibu point surf. From the beach, interesting. From the water…well, that’s one way to get a wide berth. As for the guy in Waikiki, absolute classic. I saw a guy like that from about 1970-73, and thought he was “retirement age” then. I didn’t surf there again until the mid-90’s, and the same guy was still doing it. I don’t remember a hardhat, but the one I saw used a small, maybe guitar/uke length paddle. Seemed effortless.
sorry nels-my post was for Matt.The last time I surfed Waikiki(3 or 4 years ago) the old guy was still there.I chatted with him and he remembered a mutual friend from the late 50’s.Classic
photo of laird doing this on a small wave on the august issue of outside magazine
I saw in the Malibu Times last week that Larry(as we call him but not to > his face) rescued a group of weekenders who tipped over their sailboat > labor day weekend.He happened to be sailboarding by. I was once surfing > Hanalei Bay in what i considered decent size(mainland 9 foot) and he was > out goofing around on what looked like a 12’ Waikiki rental Tandem > board-reverse fin take-offs etc. Some people just have it down. The guy > that complained about him goofing around at first point on a good day > would most likely be stoked if he needed some help and Laird happened to > be in the area. There can never be enough competant watermen and women > around-it makes it better for all of us. P.S. Is the old guy still surfing > Canoes with the paddle,the knee pads and the hardhat? what a classic! not against what he was doing, just question the timing and place.hell, i have surfed many a wave standing up in a kayak and it’s a hoot! i just didn’t go out where i might bum out the local crew, on possibly the best day of the season.i wonder what would happen if one of us went over to the bay,etc, on a classic day and pulled that stunt?would it be accepted or would we get run out and chased all the way back to the airport? just wondering…
not against what he was doing, just question the timing and place.hell, i > have surfed many a wave standing up in a kayak and it’s a hoot! i just > didn’t go out where i might bum out the local crew, on possibly the best > day of the season.i wonder what would happen if one of us went over to the > bay,etc, on a classic day and pulled that stunt?would it be accepted or > would we get run out and chased all the way back to the airport? just > wondering… i don’t think so. maybe the local crew liked it. maybe he is respectful. does everyone haveto be the same? everyone must ride 9’6" single-fin logs at malibu. no leash. few decals. only drop knee turns. must hang ten. keep an open mind there matty…everyone is someone elses weirdo.
There can never be enough competant watermen and women>>> I was just commenting on the sight of a 12-13 foot board with a guy > standing on it, holding a paddle, coming down the line in good size Malibu > point surf. From the beach, interesting. From the water…well, that’s one > way to get a wide berth.>>> As for the guy in Waikiki, absolute classic. I saw a guy like that from > about 1970-73, and thought he was “retirement age” then. I > didn’t surf there again until the mid-90’s, and the same guy was still > doing it. I don’t remember a hardhat, but the one I saw used a small, > maybe guitar/uke length paddle. Seemed effortless. I believe the person you remember is Bobby Ah Choy. Surfed Canoe’s that way for year’s. If the name sounds familar, Bobby is the brother of Leroy Ah Choy, one of the all time great South Shore surfer’s. Unfortunately, due to a multitude of reasons, Leroy was never really given his due as one of Hawaii’s finest surfer’s. For a time, Hobie produced a “Leroy Ah Choy” Model. If anyone happens to have one and wants to part with it, let me know!
There can never be enough competant watermen and women>>> I was just commenting on the sight of a 12-13 foot board with a guy > standing on it, holding a paddle, coming down the line in good size Malibu > point surf. From the beach, interesting. From the water…well, that’s one > way to get a wide berth.>>> As for the guy in Waikiki, absolute classic. I saw a guy like that from > about 1970-73, and thought he was “retirement age” then. I > didn’t surf there again until the mid-90’s, and the same guy was still > doing it. I don’t remember a hardhat, but the one I saw used a small, > maybe guitar/uke length paddle. Seemed effortless. I believe the person in Waikiki you are referring to is Bobby Ah Choy. Bobby rode Canoe’s for year’s using that method. If the name sounds familiar, Bobby is the brother of Leroy Ah Choy. Leroy was one of the finest surfer’s to ride the South Shore. Unfortunately, due to a multitude of reasons, Leroy seems to have been forgotten in the history and legend’s of Waikiki. Hobie Surfboards did have a “Leroy Ah Choy” model in production for a short time. If anyone happens to have one, I would love to acquire one.
at least when i saw him laird was definitely not in the way. watching him do his thing was totally cool and he was all about sharing waves and having fun.
at least when i saw him laird was definitely not in the way. watching him > do his thing was totally cool and he was all about sharing waves and > having fun. glad to hear that’s what happened.As for an open mind, about the only thing I haven’t tried is that air foil deal Laird rides on open ocean swells, and a modern air mattress, both of which I intend to do at some point.
I believe the person you remember is Bobby Ah Choy. Surfed Canoe’s that > way for year’s. If the name sounds familar, Bobby is the brother of Leroy > Ah Choy, one of the all time great South Shore surfer’s. Unfortunately, > due to a multitude of reasons, Leroy was never really given his due as one > of Hawaii’s finest surfer’s. For a time, Hobie produced a “Leroy Ah > Choy” Model. If anyone happens to have one and wants to part with it, > let me know! One reason Leroy Ah Choy might not have been given his due was he was involved in a murder at rocky point In the late 60’s or early 70’s. I’m somewhat foggy about exactly what year it happened.Aloha Kokua
glad to hear that’s what happened.As for an open mind, about the only > thing I haven’t tried is that air foil deal Laird rides on open ocean > swells, and a modern air mattress, both of which I intend to do at some > point. i hear they are kinda fun
i hear they are kinda fun hahahahah!!! yeah right. an air mattress for WHAT?? for camping, yes. for any real surfing, hardly. that`s funny. get real, guys.