Resin Tint and Lineup Culture

General Discussion
1

I’d like to get some thoughts on resin tinting and lineup culture. I recently put in an order for a blood orange pintail single fin mid length surfboard. I liked the color so I ordered it, simple as that. But I am now considering changing my order because of the following thought.

In localized, or advanced lineups, conforming to the rules of the collective group is an undeniable norm. Step out of line and disregard that unstated structure and you’ll draw attention or possibly scorn. For extremely talented surfers, standing out can be a good thing and draw praise and back patting. But for the vast majority of us this is not the case. The vast majority of surfers benefit from blending in and getting the waves they can and riding them to their ability. Norms and rules are a natural human response from evolutionary forces and are hard wired into our brains to help us reduce risk as a collective. They’re very hard if not impossible to overcome. So my question is this, do you think brightly colored resin tints draw additional attention and scrutiny? 

Thanks from an Average Joe surfer considering changing his order to a less flashy tint.

2

Don’t overthink it. 

The fact that you’re considering this tells me that you know how to behave in a lineup, regardless of your level of surfing.

3

Colorful Surboard=Yes.  Colorful wetsuit=No.  Im just kidding.  Wear a colorful wetsuit if you want but that will probably draw more negative attention than a colorful surfboard.  As long as your not dropping in on people than your all good.  

4

Where will you be surfing this board?  visit the spot and observe what other guys are riding.  Are there other colorful boards out there in the surf?  My guess is that there are plenty.  But if having an orange surfboard is going to make you self concious then get it glassed clear and have no worries.  

5

Ride what you want to.  I used to have a blast in the shorebreak waves when I was tryin to get good on my first ailia in the early 90s. Some folks laughed some folks thought it was cool. Just go have fun. 

6

On Oahu, where I live, there will always be a mix of SUPs, longboarders, shortboarders, boogey boarders, and now an occasional foiler. Many of the SUP riders and longboarders do it because they want to catch as many waves as possible. There is also a terrible mix of very good surfers and total beginners, and at some spots the beginners will go all the way out to the bigger, better waves.

Let your surfing do the talking. If you don’t surf very good stay on the inside and try to stay out of the way. When I was young, you needed to earn your right to surf the outside where the bigger waves are. When we’d come in and tell our dad and uncles, they’d say, well that’s how it was when we were young, get in the way and the old guys will run you over. The only time they’d intervene was if they tried to hurt us for kicks.

A new face in a lineup filled with long time regulars will always be noticed. Bringing out a beautiful board and colorful outfit will definitely call attention regardless of who you are. Being a boardmaker I always notice boards, and I compliment the ones I like, or ask about the ones I’m curious about. It’s a good way to get to know people, just ask about the board their riding.

If you are a good surfer slowly work your way into waves. Sometimes a young pro will come out and I’ll jokingly tell them to give us old guys a chance.

If you are not a good surfer or a beginner, please don’t paddle all the way out and try to get set waves. I can’t tell you frustrating it is having people in the outside lineup with no idea of where they are sitting or when the sets are coming. I missed 2 really good set waves yesterday because a donkey on a longboard sat just in the wrong place and freaked out when he got caught inside. These better set waves took about 20 minutes to come in, so you needed to know where to be and when to be there. I would have t-boned him if I tried to go. If it happend one more time I would have had words with him. This seems to be happening way too often these days. This year, I’ve unintentionally ran over 2 guys doing this to me, and one guy had a 5 inch long fin gouge in his new Merrick. If he didn’t have bail and throw his board under mine, things would have been OK. The other guy’s board was OK, but we went through the washing machine spin cycle and I had to hold him away from me to keep from butting heads. He was a tourist.

I have been surfing certain places regularly for over 30 years and I still give the “regulars” priority if they want it. The “regulars” surf everyday, doesn’t matter if it’s really good or crappy. I used to be like that, but now, I am much more picky about where and when I surf.

I don’t often get back to my old home break where we had 4 acres of beach front land. When it’s really good, I do go there and the younger crew don’t know me, they’ll drop in if they want. Once I get a couple good rides they back off.

 

7

Black Wetsuit!  Clear Board!  Anything else draws too much attention.   But if you need a little attention;  Go with Orange hair, Blood Orange(sic) stick and Red wetsuit.  Surf Fuller’s or Hazard Canyon.

8

The color of someone else’s board doesn’t phase me at all, no matter their ability. But, I do find myself making assumptions about a stranger in the lineup based on the brand they ride. It just seems that certain labels attract certain ‘types’ around here.

If you are worried about what others think, you need to reset your priorities.

9

Yup, over here it’s Wavestorm. So many of those things in the water now. Many are ridden by donkeys.

10

I like orange!

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11

I do not really form opinions on the rider based on board color unless it is a day glow ‘look at me’ type of neon.  But I also did not grow up where I now live  and try to not project any vibe to the younguns or elders or those my age, unless they are simply annoying me.  I judge by ability and style and ability to employ common etiquette,  and whether those I know to be longtimers, acknowledge those of lesser ability, whom  I do not recognize, and who could be long time locals I have simply not yet surfed with. 

 

But it is easier and makes for a better session without anybody vibing anyone else for any reason.  Except for wavestorms.  Ye shall be judged.

 

I ride hollow Cedar boards, and I know I get judged  negatively for it, as most who actually ask about it, usually because of the nose vent, learn it is a very high mileage hollow cedar board  made myself, that it weights 3.73 metric tons and has solid wood rails and a crazy dangerous looking serrated fin, change their attitude instantly, and space opens up around me as I shove my ear plugs back into my exostosis filled canals.

  Perfect.

 

The firewire pawlonia veneers and similar are popular enough now that my hollow cedar does not attract the comments it once did, for which I am thankful. I see a few tuflite style veneers around, some with very pretty veneers wrapping around the rails, but rarely can their riders ride them well.  The few ‘Grain’ kits I have seen around have not been ridden well, and look quite heavy and clunky underarm and underfoot.

 

I just like wood, wood working, and non Disposable things built to last, and soon all my PU/PE  boards from long ago, but for one, will be on Craigslist.

 

 

Ride what ever color you like,  employ good etiquette, be respectful, and with time, and ability, you might even get respect too.  Everywhere now seems so crowded anyway that most of those who would get annoyed and vibe out/curse out/ confront a colorful board rider, have given up.

 

Unless you are on a wavestorm.

 

Though I do occassionally see a surfer of obvious ability riding one. 

Then I feel pity for them, and burn them ;) 

 

12

Some people would say that is “Yellow”.   I like that board and it looks like you do too.

13

Im workig on an alaia for the kiddo. Im using a bunch of wood from a demo job. Im trying to get enough 6"x 2" sticks saved up to build a chambered board for me.  I was gonna used it for a wood strip canoe,  but Im gonna build me a board. 

I used a really cool cedar board for a long time. It was a fun ride, it finally broke one day at pendleton though. 

14

Don’t worry about colors, worry about handling yourself in any lineup.  You could have a clear board, a black wetsuit and no leash; but if you don’t or can’t handle yourself by consistently getting in the way OR if you are so good you paddle around the lineup to take a bigger share of the waves, you’ll know pretty quickly where you stand.

15

true

16

I love interesting boards for their shapes, but I’ve had times when people come up and ask what I’m riding only to find out they were interested in what brand it is, having no interest in any other aspect…