. Obviously, Mr. George knows very little about surfboards. Where does one begin to unravel this mess? As editor of SURFER Magazine, one would think that he would have absorbed at least a working knowledge about the design and construction of surfboards. However, it appears that a knowledge of surfing trivia is no substitute for a solid technical background. I am compelled to go on record as saying that, as far as surfboard information is concerned, both Mr. George and his fellow SURFER editor, Chris Mauro, are the two most prominent Ministers Of Misinformation ever enthroned at a surfing publication. Both are all the more dangerous because they truly believe they know what they are talking about. The uninformed are uninforming the uninformed. http://www.coastalbc.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard/topic.cgi?forum=2&topic=228
Ithought Mr. George ,along with Tina, Mr. Richard, and Mr. Jeff were the premiere hair stylists at Elizabeth Arden’s Soho location… you mean he’s working at surfer magazine that irrefutable encyclopedic biblical ICON of the adolescent facit of the surfing pastime this is shocking who will dispense those FABULOUS HAIRCUTS if Mr. george isnt there…hell in a handbasket comes floating to the surface of the window of the 8-ball…Ibsen 's enemy of the people dialogue:“every generation rewrites their own history” or somthing like that…dont be upset …it gets worse…ambrose
I stopped reading surfer/ing mags years ago for the simple lack of ANY usefull information.
I read Surfer and Surfing every month.How else am I going to find out what’s new in the tennis shoe and sunglasses market? R.Brucker
Rusty is interviewed and has a few nice comments in the current “Transworld Surf Business” regarding the need for media people to pull their heads out of their asses and truly learn about surfboard design. However I think Sam’s head is so far up his own ass it would be impossible. Sluggo PS: Transworld Surf Business is a free publication to industry people. Check it out. http://www.bgf.com/reinsurf2.htm
Poor Mr. George. Frustrated in the ranks of pro surfing, frustrated at creating a successful teen image (even though his teeth were straight), and now this. Imagine giving up the cherished life of a hollywood stylist to trudge thorough the pungent mire of the surf media. Life sucks when you lack balls.
Okay, what did he do now, can never keep them straight, one has hair and one has chrome domer, which one is Matt?
All jokes aside, interesting thread over there Surfhungry, and I do agree with your assessment of our media… but with all due respect, the longwinded Mr. Parmenter lacks certain details as well and has obviously made his stand on our past being our future. Technology does move forward and if minds are closed to new ideas then we run the risk of being yesterdays news. Much of the debate revolves around the molded imports. If the surfboard industry had committed itself to upgrading product, Mr. French wouldn’t have sold the first board five or six years ago. There is better technology available for those willing to search it out. The future of custom boards doesn’t need to be JUST pu/pe.
Id take whatever Parmenter has to say with a grain of salt. I’ve talked to Parmenter several times, he lives on the west side of Oahu and is friends with several members of my family. My general impessions are that events in his past has left him quite jaded (his pro career etc.) My 2cents or whatever its worth.
hear,hear…well said,well said…ET
yeah i remember him(parmenter) as the overly serious outspoken surf contest competitor in the early eighties with his brother “Bam Bam”. When did he become a expert analyst and educator?? I thought he was a 10 a week surfboard shaper with an attitude!!! I couldn’t get through that whole speel, the guy is on a mission or drinks way to much coffee…all i know is Surfer Magazine isn’t even a ‘keeper’ anymore and Sam George is such a dick. Parmenter was/is a damn good surfer, should have stuck with Danny Kwock and the Newport day-glo picture whores of the 80’s he would be rich now with his gift of B.S!!!
Parmenter became an expert by reading Gordon Clark’s propaganda and has parroted that slant ever since. There is little in the Parmenter schpiel that is original or that comes from beyond that one source. I’ve read Clark’s information as well and there are some good points and some pertinent knowledge shared in those pages. But no one of Parmenter’s intelligence and obvious gifts should allow himself to get all his information from one source. Yet this is pretty much the case.
Parmenter is still a good surfer and still charges BIG Makaha as well as an intelligent guy but from talking to him he feels like he didnt get his rightfull place in pro surfing since in his words “you cant win if you dont surf like Tom Curren”. Which is untrue since other guys won world titles i.e. Damien Hardman, Barton Lynch, Potter etc. Parmenter is a good surfer but IMO to put him in the same category as those guys is crazy, he just was never that good. You dont have to talk to him for very long to get the impression that hes anti big buisness/corprate-prosurfing which strikes me as hypocritical since they directly or indirectly help him make a living in the surf industry. just my opinion on the guy.
just for the uninformed, like myself, what is the clark propaganda/perspective ? (is there a link somwhere to his “thesis” or anything ?) thanks, brian
Clark wrote a lot of surfboard related subject matter back in the '80’s. Most of it was very good information but it was definitely from Grubby’s point of view and some of it based on rather old information. One such article was on epoxy resins. It started with, "Well we don’t really know anything about epoxies, we do occasionally use them to fix molds but here’s what I think… Then about 10 pages of “its going to ruin our industry” and “someone idiot is trying to get OSHA involved in the surfing industry,” and “you should NEVER use epoxy on Clark Foam,” and “everyone will get sick and die,” we finally come to the conclusion that this is “propaganda” because he is afraid of a switch in the industry to EPS foam. And epoxy makes the use of this foam possible. And this is where Parmenter’s opinions on epoxy come from. Having said this, there are other very scientific articles and historical references that are quite interesting and informative. These articles are Parmenter’s main reference though, and are slanted to say the least. They used to be available in hard copy from Clark, but I don’t know if that’s true today.
oh, good stuff to know. thanks greg ! brian
I remember there was a contest in the eighties and Dave was in a heat with a surfer that I have to admit was a little kooked out. Not so much for that time, but he had the flourescent wetsuit and board, web gloves, and I think he might have been wearing Zinka. Anyway, Dave was so disgusted at this display, that he tried to make a statement by surfing the heat on a 10’ longboard without a leash. Dave lost the heat, but after that everybody got black wetsuits, clear boards, and never wore leashes ever again. Just kidding, I don’t think many people understood that he was trying to make a point. I personally couldn’t decide who was a bigger ass, the kook, or Dave.
Kenz,thats pretty funny,I remember that but had forgotten till you brought it up…was the “kook” RC by any chance?? Those were kooky times…but I remember thinking it was pretty funny/lame…I don’t think anyone got it but Dave…peace and waves… 
…sorry about the pic…it stayed on the line from my last post…weird?? …I guess you must remove the link??? SW
…all i know is Surfer Magazine isn’t even a ‘keeper’ anymore and Sam George is such a dick. Too much Coke in the 80’s. everyone suffered in one way or another.