Mat-No Leash-Wind?

I plan on purchasing one of Dale’s mats as soon as the exchange rate on our colorful, but otherwise worthless Canadian dollar improves ( Want a cheap holiday in an American friendly country?). I, however, am wondering why experienced riders don’t use a leash. As a child I can remember borrowing my American cousins new mat only to see those wonderful California winds carry it far off to sea, never to be seen again.

I plan on purchasing one of Dale’s mats as soon as the exchange rate on > our colorful, but otherwise worthless Canadian dollar improves ( Want a > cheap holiday in an American friendly country?). I, however, am wondering > why experienced riders don’t use a leash. As a child I can remember > borrowing my American cousins new mat only to see those wonderful > California winds carry it far off to sea, never to be seen again. I am learning the art of mat riding, and so far I have had little to no trouble without a leash (and I am usually out in windy conditions). As Dale said, a partially deflated mat is easy to hold onto. I think a leash would just get in the way as they do when riding a surfboard. p.s. Dale, I have had the mat out in all types of conditions and I am stoked! So different from any stand up, well worth it. Thanks- ryan

Thanks Ryan. While your comments are reassuring, I will probably go with the leash at first. I just know if it can go wrong on the water it will happen to me. On Monday, I managed to toss a crab trap and myself out of the boat. Take care. Patrick Shannon

I’ll admit it, this talk of surf mats has piqued my interest. I am always open to new methods of riding waves, but I just can’t picture a surf mat on a wave, well that is to say, riding the face of a decent wave. Anyone got any pics? How does it hold an edge? I do bodyboard, surf, and occasionally bodysurf.>>> Thanks Ryan. While your comments are reassuring, I will probably go with > the leash at first. I just know if it can go wrong on the water it will > happen to me. On Monday, I managed to toss a crab trap and myself out of > the boat. Take care. Patrick Shannon

Thanks Ryan. While your comments are reassuring, I will probably go with > the leash at first. I just know if it can go wrong on the water it will > happen to me. On Monday, I managed to toss a crab trap and myself out of > the boat. Take care. Patrick Shannon Patrick- Don’t mean to laugh at you but the visual image of you going overboard with your crab trap is hilarious. I, myself, have managed to fall overboard whilst throwing my anchor overboard while trying to anchor my sailboat.

I’ll admit it, this talk of surf mats has piqued my interest. I am always > open to new methods of riding waves, but I just can’t picture a surf mat > on a wave, well that is to say, riding the face of a decent wave. Anyone > got any pics? Check out Dale’s add for 4th Gear Flyers here at Swaylocks…Russ Hughes doing the highline boogie… Newbs

Dale has this seemingly sticky rough surface on his mats that glues you to the bag. He also puts grommets on the corners so you can tie a booger chord if you want to. I’ve pushed through some 5-6 foot white water walls and never came close to being separated. Dale’s mats are as far from those old rentals as a biplane is from an F-14.

Dale has this seemingly sticky rough surface on his mats that glues you to > the bag. He also puts grommets on the corners so you can tie a booger > chord if you want to. I’ve pushed through some 5-6 foot white water walls > and never came close to being separated. Dale’s mats are as far from those > old rentals as a biplane is from an F-14. I love newbalonie … have fun

Patrick- Don’t mean to laugh at you but the visual image of you going > overboard with your crab trap is hilarious. I, myself, have managed to > fall overboard whilst throwing my anchor overboard while trying to anchor > my sailboat. SC, Good to hear from a fellow man overboard. I have not at this point gone over with the anchor. I, however, have managed to securely anchor to a fellow boaters anchor chain more than once. They were not amused. In addition, after these posts, Dales lawyer has probably advised him to deep six any orders from us. Take care. Patrick Shannon

I am learning the art of mat riding, and so far I have had little to no > trouble without a leash (and I am usually out in windy conditions). As > Dale said, a partially deflated mat is easy to hold onto. I think a leash > would just get in the way as they do when riding a surfboard.>>> p.s. Dale, I have had the mat out in all types of conditions and I am > stoked! So different from any stand up, well worth it.>>> Thanks- ryan Thank you, Ryan! Build any new surfboards lately? How have the waves in the Great Lakes been? I often imagine you paddling around a headland, and discovering some completely new, freshwater surf spot! Dale

I’ll admit it, this talk of surf mats has piqued my interest. I am always > open to new methods of riding waves, but I just can’t picture a surf mat > on a wave, well that is to say, riding the face of a decent wave. Anyone > got any pics? How does it hold an edge? I do bodyboard, surf, and > occasionally bodysurf. Slider, Surfmats dont "hold an edge" in the same way that a surfboard does, i.e. penetration/slicing of the surface... once up and running, high performance mats are literally shaped by the constantly changing curves and textures of the wave itself... being drawn to the water by subtle degrees of contour in the bottom and rails. For photos/information on high performance mat surfing, see: <a href="http://www.georgegreenough.com">www.georgegreenough.com</a> The Surfers Journal, Late Spring 2000, Vol.9, No.2, “Inflatable Dreams”, by Paul Gross. Greg Hughlin`s 1980 film, “Fantasea” has some good mat surfing footage I also have photos. Contact me at Dale

I’ll admit it, this talk of surf mats has piqued my interest. I am always > open to new methods of riding waves, but I just can’t picture a surf mat > on a wave, well that is to say, riding the face of a decent wave. Anyone > got any pics? How does it hold an edge? I do bodyboard, surf, and > occasionally bodysurf. Slider, These two emails may help explain… recently received from Tony (ajl808@yahoo.com) in Hawaii: “…I’m proud to say that I experienced my first legitimate high-speed fly-by this afternoon. There was a little wind swell wrapping around from the East. Most of my rides consisted of an early take off on the outside, flying across the dead section in the middle and then letting the surfmat shift into autopilot to race the closeout reform inside. On one of my last rides of the day I hooked in to a big set-wave. Although the drop was fast and steep, the wave really flattened out in the middle. The surfmat didn’t slow down a bit; it just kept cruising through the dead water! I could see the swell was going to double up on the inside and I was in danger of getting stuck behind an impossibly long closeout section. As the mat began to accelerate into the bowl, I noticed a surfer dropping-in way down the line. We must have both been thinking the same thing, that I didn’t have a chance! I have learned that in situations like this, it’s best to just let the surfmat do its thing. I lowered my head, eased my grip, and the surfmat yanked me across the feathering wall. I was coming up fast on the surfer, who was pumping his board and flailing his arms to beat the pitching lip. He was totally shocked to see me effortlessly blast right past him, laying motionless on a limp nylon dishrag. It was a real contrast in styles. I heard him let out a stoked hoot moments before getting eaten up by the foam behind me.” – “The “fly-by” incident really surprised me too. I rarely try to force my way past surfers that have dropped in on me. I find it much easier to just pull out and take the next wave or keep a safe distance behind the snaker. On this particular occasion, I had so much speed coming in that I felt I could easily overtake the guy. While I was sliding up behind him, I could just imagine a fin or sharp nose tearing into the surfmat. Amazingly the surfmat planned so far out into the flats that the surfboard couldn’t even get close to me.” –

Thank you, Ryan! Build any new surfboards lately? How have the waves in > the Great Lakes been? I often imagine you paddling around a headland, and > discovering some completely new, freshwater surf spot!>>> Dale I’ve seen George out, many a time,on the windiest, ugliest, overhead surf kickin and bouncing around, having a blast and not once did he loose his mat!

Thank you, Ryan! Build any new surfboards lately? How have the waves in > the Great Lakes been? I often imagine you paddling around a headland, and > discovering some completely new, freshwater surf spot!>>> Dale Hey Dale! Still making surfboards for the sweetwater in my backyard shop while finishing school. The surf has recently been on the increase, averaging 4-5 days a week. Your imagination is not far off; my buddy and I recently stumbled onto a nice new right point at 3-5’ and pretty clean. Probably the first guys to ever surf it, and the mat does so well in making sectiony waves! Fellow surfers here think I’m paddling out on a beach toy, what’s funny though is when they see what it can do. Keep up the good work Dale, and thanks for turning me on! Take care- ryan

Hey Dale! Still making surfboards for the sweetwater in my backyard shop > while finishing school. The surf has recently been on the increase, > averaging 4-5 days a week. Your imagination is not far off; my buddy and I > recently stumbled onto a nice new right point at 3-5’ and pretty clean. > Probably the first guys to ever surf it, and the mat does so well in > making sectiony waves! Fellow surfers here think I’m paddling out on a > beach toy, what’s funny though is when they see what it can do. Keep up > the good work Dale, and thanks for turning me on! Take care- ryan Ryan, That`s great news! How exciting to discover a new surf spot, and in fresh water, no less! Thanks for the update… I hope we can see a few of your boards in Swaylocks some day. Dale

Ryan,>>> That`s great news! How exciting to discover a new surf spot, and in fresh > water, no less! Thanks for the update… I hope we can see a few of your > boards in Swaylocks some day.>>> Dale Dale, when the board archive is back up I will try to get a pic of some of my work on there. I will also try to find time to send some lake pic’s your way. I have been lucky to get advice on surfcraft from many people including yourself and others here at Swaylocks. Thanks again- ryan P.s. I will try to post a pic/link below a fellow surfer took of a nearby point I frequent often. Scroll down towards the bottom; this is on northern lake michigan (hopefully it works).

Dale, when the board archive is back up I will try to get a pic of some of > my work on there. I will also try to find time to send some lake pic’s > your way. I have been lucky to get advice on surfcraft from many people > including yourself and others here at Swaylocks. Thanks again- ryan>>> P.s. I will try to post a pic/link below a fellow surfer took of a nearby > point I frequent often. Scroll down towards the bottom; this is on > northern lake michigan (hopefully it works). If that does not work try this?; http://lakesurf.infopop.net/2/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=362092563&f=962092563&m=2053011286. If that does not work I give up [smile]! See ya- ryan http://lakesurf.infopop.net/2/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=362092563&f=962092563&m=2053011286