Salomon "S" core Pictures

Bert Bloody Berger,

always shooting your mouth off and one day it will get you into trouble.

You describe yourself as from the SouthWest and like big barrels, yet you live in Mandurah. Before you go righting other peoples boards off and flap on and say things like

“or have been intrigued by my developments over the years before they became salomon workers…anyone on the west coast of oz in the surfboard industry knows the real deal”

Yeh mate they know the deal with you. Crew need to take an eneormous amount of headache tablets after listening to you.

You flap your gums on about how you have the best riders in the state etc, yet only one competes on a shortboard and sure he might make it to a final, but there are usually only 4 to 6 guys in the crusty old demons division.

For a while you were also flapping your gums that Taj Burrow was ordering a board from you? I asked Taj and he laughed.

Your boards when holed suck more water in than the titanic with the foam core you use and it usually takes about a couple of weeks to get the water. Then once they are repaired they usually stuff up because the foam degrades where the water has gotten into them.

You can have thenm any clour you want as long as they look like someones coffin.

Yeh, wood grain. I have ssen one once you done for Rowan and you tried to spray it to hide the wood, geez that looked shithouse.

Mate you surprise me with your statements and I wouldn’t be surprised if you get a summons in the mail from the Salomon crew with some of your dribble. I would if I was them because guys like you dribble on some crap sometimes.

As for the S-Core boards you know Mars from srosurf.com and you know what he surfs like. Go have a look at how he is ripping now, he is on one of their blue bullets and is shifting more water on turns than moses parting the red sea.

I asked him if he has ever ridden one of your boards and he said no, because all the rails are the same.

Just like your boards will not suit everyone, neither will Salomons, but as for them copying your design…well I rekon your tripping.

Jumping up and down on a seven year old board? Of course it won’t break, epoxy keeps on curing for years and at seven years old she would be rather cured.

Kepp you light weight stuff and squabble about who cam up with it first.

Me I will just stick to my PU, because I can’t afford much more than that.

Regards

The Equaliser

P.S. Bert don’t you think it’s about time you longboarders stop trying to do shortboard manouvres and keep the art of longboard riding like the old boys would have wanted it, style and grace, not flick and slash.

Quote:
guys like you dribble on some crap sometimes.

Speaking of said dribble…

Sean, you make me smile. There’s lot’s of sides to every story. I’ll stick to my autobiography, it’s the only true story I know.

Quote:
oh boy, this is nice. reminds me at my days in the sailboard industry. get some old sailboard mags, you will find all there. and more. but keep in mind that in sailboards a lot of weight could be saved because of their volume. this is not the case in surfboards and you will soon create a "popper", something that has too much flotation and becomes too stiff due to the materials/technology used. some of these effects can be conter acted through the shape and more technology. the alternative is a pu blank with little glass, you can make several of those for the price of one high tech thingo. and no amount of carbon,kevlar, r and s-glass can withstand that little dumper. enjoy, have fun, don't take the easy way out. evolve.

hello Miki, to an extent i disagree with you,although i suppose its possible that the s-core’s dampening EPP counteracts the carbon to avoid becoming a “popper” and i do question the use of two opposing materials (one of which is expensive) when i have found that a normal pvc/SAN sandwich give such a nice ride for less technology. But no one could persuade me to buy several low cost light glassed PU boards as an alternative to the sandwich and tolerate the dampened ride and dings that go with it.

your machine sounds fabulous, the sailboard technology surely wouldn’t worry you, i would imagine that your machine could produce undershaped EPS cores ready to receive the thick sandwich skins quite easily?

i’ve decided my last post comes across as a bit one sided and i;d like to add a bit more:

firstly i’ve heard that some ppl think the s-core rides great and as Kenz said that technique does look like some weekend fun for the hobbyist.

also for some ppl the cheaper alternative of monolithic glassed PU is very reasonable, particularly for those who prefer the way they ride PU is also a great way for the psychadelic artists to express themselves with resin swirls.

i guess its just my personal preference that i like the sandwich and enjoy the building process

some questions, can your machine mill all the following materials:

EPS, XPS, EPP?

as I said, do not take the easy way out and evolve. there is a place for sandwich and you get certainly less dents. but as any coin this has two sides too and it is up to the indivudual to suit himself.

some weeks ago I passed the salomon factory (pitty it was closed) but could not resist to have a look in their kitchen, at least in the rubbish bin. there is quite some merrit in what they do and how they do it and you are right too, the PVC sandwich is the alternative. but there is a lot more out there and there are different kinds of PVC foams too, not just different in weight and color.

the materials you describe can easily be cut on my machine, as long as they are not harder than high tensile steel I can not see a problem. and MR J, undercutting, yes as easy as changing a number in the machining parameters.

yes thats what i should have said, less dents, the dings are actually more problematic in a sandwich

i wonder if the future is hand planing a shape and test riding it in monolithic laminate form, then scanning and feeding it into your machine for undercutting. then wrapping it in the skin before feeding it back into the machine to tidy up the rail edges?

i suppose the monolithic test riding step could be optional

i say this coz i found deliberately undercutting by hand quite difficult and deceiving on the eye although i suppose it can be learned with practise

Dear Mr.Equaliser and all that who my comments may affect,

My name is Marz (not Mars, how you spelt it ya Salami), if I was Mars I would be Red and round or I would be a chocolate with a noughat centre.

Firstly I have been brought into this forum as a friend pointed out that there was mention of me.

The S-Core surfboard, firstly let me tell you what it has done for me. I live in Mandurah (where Bert lives) and while we are classed as the South West we are not the South West that you read about in magazines.

Most of the time the waves are small and gutless where we live and I being 5’6" tall and weighing 86kgs (13 stone) my 6’ x 18 1/2 x 2/12 thick board would not give me the enjoyment as it used to on waves that are getting more fickle in our area due to development of our coastline.

I’ am no shaper or expert in making boards, but I have learn’t a lot with my close relationship with my old shaper Darryl Wilkes. I have known him for 25 years and during this period have refined my shapes to what I like.

Now, I was given a S-Core 6’3" x 18 1/4 x 2 1/4 single into double concave square tail by Eric Metrot from Salomon which was shaped by Sel to try out and give a little feed back. Being of short build with Occhy type legs (stumps for legs, where my butt sits about one foot off the ground) I have a problem with my stance as I do not have a very wide one (talking stance not doodle you deviates).

The 6’3" I was given felt like a Mal, not in the way it surfed, but the way it looked and felt really long for me. I had to adapt to it and took me quite some time to get used to how light it was and zippy. The board felt alive and it made me want to go surfing more often. I was now getting in the water three to four times a week and not the usual one to two times a week.

One sizey day down at my local I took off on a wave that was over head and dredging, I went for the keg, got sucked up the face and the lip put me and my shoulder straight through the deck of the S-Core. When I surfaced I looked around and found I had two S-Cores, well two pieces anyway.

Boy I’m in a sh.t, I thought and was tooooo scared to even ring them and say hey you know that board you lent me well I just snapped it. Now if I was on my normal board I rekon I still would have snapped it as it was one of those sand sucking waves that you have to bring your own bucket of water out with you to pour in front of you so you don’t bottom out on the sand bank.

I ended up going to the factory and bringing the board back to them. The board they lent me was one of the older designs and they gave me a 5’10" 18 1/2 x 2 3/8 single into double concave square tail.

I said to Eric it is too small and he said you normally ride a 6’0" so there will be only about 2% difference in overall design. I thought stuff it I will take it and give it a go.

My first surf at my local on it. Clean offshore one to two foot (waist high on average) normally wouldn’t go out in this stuff, but I did.

I got in the water at 8.am got out at 12pm went home had lunch, back in the water by 1.30pm and got out at dusk about 5.35pm.

Why? because it was the sickest thing I have ever ridden and I had a ball (but boy did my misses have a go at me when I got home late).

The board was and still is responsive, drivey, fast and light. My only qualm is I would have prefered a 6’1", but thems is the breaks when some one gives you something to try.

Now I have used the board in 4 to 5 foot surf and I don’t really like it as it felt skatey and really loose, but I don’t care because I will use my normal board for surf of that size and the S-Core for the small days that I never used to go out on, but now do.

What I want to get across is that Simon Anderson came out with the three fin thruster. My first board I got in the late seventies was a 6’8" BK special stinger pin tail with what was called a Bonzer set up. It had a big single fin and two small little fin flaps on the side. Was this the first three fin thruster?

While some may argue it might have been if you look at what Simon Anderson done with it you will see that most of you have or are still using this set up.

So does that mean we are ripping off Simon Anderson? It is called inovation and progression and while everyone else is copying bottom rockers outlines etc from other shapers and then changing them a little, does this mean that the design is now yours and is now your shape etc?

Look I don’t know what all the fuss is about at the end of the day I’ am the consumer and I’ am the guy who ends up buying your products. Stop squabling amoung yourselfs and worry about all these friggin Chinese Boards that are affecting the market.

10 to 15 years ago shapers were getting paid around $50 to $70 a shape and now 15 years later they are still getting paid the same measley amount, you should be getting paid a lot more, but you will always have some backyardie under cutting you. Just like in the old days when you started off as a back yarder.

As for light weight boards here in the West we have a few guys experimenting with designs like Marty Littlewood from Delta Designs through to Bert Berger with his woodies (and I’m sorry if I left anyone out).

The comp heads get a normal board glassed lighter, but it dings a lot easier and when they look horrible with pressure dings etc on the deck their sponsor gives them a new one to make the boards always look fresh and presentable, why? Because it’s called marketing. Grommie sees gut ripping on nice clean new looking stickered out board, then grommie wants one.

While some might not suit everyones needs, I still find in bigger waves I need a board with a little weight as it tends to give you some momentum through the turns and a little more drive. But for the small waves that apear at my local, my Blue Bullet as the Energiser Equalizer calls it will do me fine.

And as for the Equalisers comment about him asking me about Berts boards, I don’t know who you are, but I did say a very long time ago not only in a conversation with a group of us down the beach, but also to Bert Burger that "I did not like his rails because they were too low and triangular just like the old “Energy Boards” now theres another one, who did those rails first.

And while you touched on some other facts about Bert that I have to agree with the truth is, I have met many shapers that think or feel that there designs are better than anyone elses and that the other guys boards stink or he can’t shape for peanuts. But that’s Western Australia for you we are a weird lot when it comes to the surf industry and quite frankly I wish a lot of them/you would grow up.

One more thing, I have no connections or ties with Salomon. I’ am not sponsored by them nor do they advertise on my website and I know that one day I will have to give the board back (well if they can find me).

Please all take it easy, this world is crazy enough with all the crap that’s going on it now and as surfers I thought we would all be better.

Peace, love and Lentils

Mario “Marz” Vassallo

p.s. Bert if you want to end the thingamejiggame on who’s boards are better or whatever, give me one of your boards to try and I will tell you and you know me Bert I will tell you.

p.p.s Equaliser, try dispirin it works better.

equaliser and marz , bit of a coincidence you guys got together , i see you still have your split personality issues going on …kinda funny coz equaliser said things ive only ever told marz…?

marz i feel sorry for you dude your a complex person ,i really think mindless and baseless comments are better left out of this forum …

at the end of the day i think most of us have a similar passion and thats to see surfing and equipment progress …

marz you astound me ,i heard you complaining one day about all the knives in your back ,could it be theyve come from people taking them out of their own backs and giving them back to you???

isnt it obvious that someone on the salomon payroll (their media liason person ) would take every opportunity to sledge the opposition while saying good things about the blue bubble…

and while were on the subject of taj ,did you ask him how much he paid and how long it took ??? his feed back ,did you ask about that to???

or what about ,what hes gettin next ? you wanna come down my factory and see whats curently being built for him??? and some of the new developments going on…

did you ask what he thought about salomons???

considering he gets salomons boards for free but chooses to buy mine …what does that tell you??

and as far as getting your legal eagles onto holly ,he will just come back under another name ,at least he and others who come to this site arent afraid to tell the real story…

what your doing right now is just a prime example of how some big companies act in a ruthless manner …

you coming on here posting under the name equaliser ,then back a few hours later as marz doesnt do anything for the people you represent …

marz do you really think i would give you a board??? if guys like taj buy them from me why would i give one to you???

if you really want one pay the money and get in line like everyone else…

but dont think blackmailing me is going to work …coming in here sledging me on one name and acting all innocent on another …

marz ,no matter how hard you try to discredit me ,you cant undo all the previous successes ive had, thats history now and you cant rewrite it ,even tho you dont stop trying…

get over it dude ,i dont pay people to say good things about me or my boards …

ill be very interested about the type of content you post in the future ?

marz this is a kool place ,please give swaylocks the respect it deserves and keep it professional ,but please dont try pulling stunts like that again or your current reputation will spread further…

regards

BERT

Bert,

Bert, Bert, Bert,

It saddened me when I read this article you posted onto this site re me as I see it as a personal attack. It saddened me to the point that I even phoned you about it and more than expressed my concern at your comments. I have high lighted my responses to your comments with**** and also closed them with ****

equaliser and marz , bit of a coincidence you guys got together , i see you still have your split personality issues going on …kinda funny coz equaliser said things ive only ever told marz…?

**** re split personality issues, what split personality issues. I can’t understand what you are insinuating. What am I skitzo or am I a Mirium in disguise.

Re you have only told me what? If u are referring to what the equalizer said I now totally agree with him. Every one knows you have been blabbing about the Taj thing and how good you say all your riders are and if you think in your mind that I’ am the only one who you told then like the Equaliser said “You are tripping”. Heck Bert imagine if I posted aome of the emails that you have sent me re the SWA GM and how you rekon you were goint to do them for slander etc, then the next thing you are buddy buddys with them (where’s the knives now) or the surfer of the year awards? Huh, hey? I will stop there because now it is getting personal and swaylocks could start a television series like Melrose Place based on the Marz and Bert show****

marz i feel sorry for you dude your a complex person ,i really think mindless and baseless comments are better left out of this forum …

**** I am not a complex person, I think it is you that has the problems and I really truly feel sorry for you. I was not personal to you in my reply to the equaliser, but after your attack on me in your last posting, I find that I think you need help, mate.******

at the end of the day i think most of us have a similar passion and thats to see surfing and equipment progress …

Exactly

marz you astound me ,i heard you complaining one day about all the knives in your back ,could it be they’ve come from people taking them out of their own backs and giving them back to you???

*You forgot the odd pair of scissors too and obviously by your letter you have just placed one in my back to

isnt it obvious that someone on the Salomon payroll (their media liason person ) would take every opportunity to sledge the opposition while saying good things about the blue bubble…

*****Now you crossed the line here mate. I have never, ever received any payment from Salomon for media that I have written on their behalf, comments etc or buffing their product. I was the local media director for the Salomon Masters, Wetdreams Masters and Coca Cola masters. I was paid for this through the event promoter Tim Thirsk from One Earth promotions. I also have done media for other major companys in the industry and events in WA and you are well aware of this. I find your inaccurate allegations and insinuations, slanderous and defaming. Get your facts right.

You know this and you know that I write for a numerous amounts of community newspapers and magazines as well. They were giving boards out at shops for the general public to test and I wanted to try one, this I was given one to try. I wanted to have a go on one and see what it would go like for a kooky surfer like myself and not some pro ripper.******

and while were on the subject of taj, did you ask him how much he paid and how long it took ??? his feed back ,did you ask about that to???

or what about ,what hes gettin next ? you wanna come down my factory and see whats curently being built for him??? and some of the new developments going on… did you ask what he thought about salomons???

considering he gets salomons boards for free but chooses to buy mine …what does that tell you??

*****He chooses to buy yours?? How many has he bought??

No I haven’t even talked to Teebs about your boards or what you are supposedly been making for him. I have had no communication with him in regards to what ever you are doing for him. This you can ask him yourself, when he picks the new board up that he is going to pay for that you are doing for him*****

and as far as getting your legal eagles onto holly ,he will just come back under another name ,at least he and others who come to this site arent afraid to tell the real story… what your doing right now is just a prime example of how some big companies act in a ruthless manner …

***** What the??? Mate seriously what are you on about? I said to you yesterday I posted something on the swaylocks site in regards to something that was said about you and that I had a mention it. I then told you that you guys should be careful what you say on there, as Salomon (or anyone else) would end up getting peeved off or taking legal action or something if some one was looking through their bins.

I also told you that if the bins were on private property eg: inside the factory perimeter that I would must probably end up sueing the Holly guy. If the bins are on the verge well then it’s a different matter. Listen clearly when other people are talking to you and you will understand things a bit better. And I can’t understand why people are looking through bins as everyone knows what the construction of the boards is like? Well I think anyway.

Private investigators and the paparazzi constantly look through peoples bins to gather info on them, just as on bring out your rubbish day and verge collection of junk me and a couple of friends go out looking. Half my house has been furnished like this.

You might want to come around and check my bins out and see if there are any payslips from Salomon or the CIA or KGB or ASIO in there Bert.******

you coming on here posting under the name equaliser ,then back a few hours later as marz doesnt do anything for the people you represent …

*****Do you also have delusions that the US Government are looking for weapons of mass destruction in your factory or that Elvis rides your boards?

At the time of the posting I was around at the Clearwater factory talking with Steve Del Rosso and his wife Nat, trying to fix his scanner.

Steve told me about this website I returned home and logged the url on and rang him about the stuff that the Equaliser had put on there. I asked him how do you become a member and does it cost you money. This you can check with him and check with him schmuck.

I told Steve I was going to reply to this equalizer guys posting and he said to me “Tell it like it is and be careful what you say and tell the truth as I did in my reply.*****

marz do you really think i would give you a board??? if guys like taj buy them from me why would i give one to you???

***** So how many boards has Taj bought from you? I don’t want a board all I said was give me one to try and I will tell you what goes better. I have been offered boards by many people and I knocked them back. I do not want to seem like that I am riding their boards because of favours or friendships. Again you can check with Del Rosso on this as he has offered me boards for the help I give him with his website photos etc The same goes with advertisers on my site I do not buff people out for product in return. If that’s how you think it works I will be returning the board to Salomon tomorrow. *****

if you really want one pay the money and get in line like everyone else… but dont think blackmailing me is going to work …coming in here sledging me on one name and acting all innocent on another … marz ,no matter how hard you try to discredit me ,you cant undo all the previous successes ive had, thats history now and you cant rewrite it ,even tho you dont stop trying… get over it dude ,i dont pay people to say good things about me or my boards …

***** Mate their you go again, I didn’t discredit you and like I said in the end of my posting you know me bert I will tell you. I have not received nor never will I receive a payment from Salomon for buffing their boards or whatever. This year I did not even work at the masters as the local media director as my Father is very ill and myself and Thirsky had a bit of a blowout. And mate acting all innocent, I said what I meant in my posting. You know me there was a time in the younger years I would be smacking people out down the beach, for dropping in on me or paying out on me racially. Gee there was even a time when if you wrote crap like this about me that I would be in the car and around your house using your head as a speed ball.

But times change, when you get older and start having kids your whole outlook on life is different

As for my media integrity this is what I am sworn to as it is called Ethical Journalism.

“Respect for truth and the publics right to accurate information are fundamental principal of journalism. Journalists describe society to itself. They convey information, ideas and opinions, a privileged role. They search, disclose, record, question, entertain, suggest and remember.

They inform citizens and animate democracy. They give a practical form to freedom of expression. Many jouranalists work in private enterprise, but all should have these public responsibilities. We scrutinize power, but also exercise it, and should be accountable.

Accountability engenders trust. Without trust, journalists do not fulfill their public responsibilities” source AMAEU.

I have filed many stories, articles and photos, but this that I have wrote today in reaction to your letter has left me upset and confused. The mere suggestion of you thinking and saying that I’ am on the Salomon payroll or working for them done this, let alone all the other crap you wrote. When I drop my board off tomorrow and they say do I want to keep it a little longer I will simply give them a printout of this *****

ill be very interested about the type of content you post in the future ?

marz this is a kool place ,please give swaylocks the respect it deserves and keep it professional ,but please dont try pulling stunts like that again or your current reputation will spread further…

My current reputation?, now what other innuendo’s are you starting. Quite frankly I don’t care and I wish I didn’t even reply to the posting or put my two bobs worth in. But I thought stuff it. I do not have the time to respond to these forums, I’ am busy enough with other things that are happening in my life at the moment.

regards

BERT

*****And Re: the board I’ am giving back, I still reckon it goes sick in the waves around here and yes keep this site for the shapers and there opinions, not for your personal attacks on myself Peace, Love and lentils Marz *****

Howdy Marz, Howdy Bert, …I think you guys ought to rent an empty gymnasium and have a round of “dodgeball” or “soak’em” with the bouncy red school balls. Or maybe jump on a trampoline together. It’ll get you into sync real fast. But how did my name come up as the “dumpster diver” going through “rubbish bins”? Miki(the CNC king), who seems like a real swell fellow to me, claimed to have explored the Salomon trash can further up this post. I’ve never participated in dumpster diving because it’s too itchy of a hobby for me. Plus I don’t follow my competition, I try to always be a few years ahead. I do catch alot of people in my dumpster though. We actually have to lock our dumpsters at night. I’ve never even been to OZ, but when I do, I will certainly go to Bert’s place and order up a fine balsa/eps/sandwich stick. He’s truly a leader in progression and craft. And heck Bert, the “lower rails” that the “equaliser” ragged on, are just the way I like 'em in combo with a real wide tail. But since this is an S-Core thread going, I could say two words that would make their product outstanding in durablity without changing tooling or anything. But that’s a trade secret that they will eventually discover on their own…a few more $Million down the road. Congradulations to the Salomon employees who get to live on a real nice coast and draw a nice liveable wage while following an admirable dream. Sounds good to me! Love Delbert de von Pumpernickel

Wow, I’m dizzy after all this mad posting. Who knew that 9 pictures would yield such in depth discussion about dumpsters, diving and poaching ideas not to mention slandering and other such things. Give me a Dale Solomon neumatic and a pair of udts. Dale, do you have industrial spies sniffing around your dumpster?

Hey Cheese,

nice atempt at charachiter assanation on Mars. Your ammo should have been drawn to me as I was the one that got the ball rolling.

Leave him out of this and you as many others no the guy goes out of his way in trying to help others and for what like you said to pull knives out of his back.

I am currently working shift so sorry I couldn’t respond, plus if have been getting pretty pissed this week as we are topping up the barrells of red at the moment due to evaporation. You know you pour a bit in the barrell then a bit in your mouth. Maybee you should try pouring some in your mouth.

Mars you should have ripped into him more.

I will hook up with you both when I get back.

Ahhh nuyhin like a good old ozzy bitch fight.

And yeh surf Bears all the time and I don’t see Taj riding any of your short bords, only guys I see on your boards are Mal riders.

later dude as you say

Sam

Hi Cruzin,

Thanks for the kind words.

Industrial dumpster spies? Well, I dont leave a dumpster outside the shop. My mat building process doesnt produce a lot of waste material anyway.

But I have heard that one or two of my clients actually cut holes in their new (black) mats to study the internal structure… maybe I should make a few clear surf mats!

Ha ha!

Ahh Guys I think that’s enough. Sorry to Holly and Delbert de von Pumpernickel

, heres me saying people should get there facts right and I got mine wrong. Wrong names wrong guys or mixed around or something.

I now know why you were looking through the bin. You were after the reward that the US has offered for whoever finds “Bin-laiden” (with goodies).

When you do come over here to WA look me up, as yes I have just started my own surfboard manafacturing business.

It is called “Cake Shapes”. I actually ripped the idea of a cake shop that made a surfboard cake for a friends 30th.

I bake my blanks out of a chocolate mix and glass them with newspapers.

The resin is special it is made out of an industrial strength sugar resin, they cure overnight and are ready to surf next day. Wish me luck I’ am going to take it for a surf tomorrow.

Seriously I do not give a rats buttocks what people ride or whats best or tit for tat.

All I was trying to point out in my reply to the nebuliser is that the board went good for me and made me want to go surfing more around my local beach. I tried something, I liked it and I told you about it.

You, like me and like everyone else have opinions and I respect the right of everyones opinions and they are entitled to there opinions. I’ m not a shaper, I’m not a fighter, I’ m a lover (from the movie Rocky, but I chucked the shaper bit in).

Who knows one day we all might have a light weight board of some type in our quiver, a normal shortboard, a mal, a knee board, a boogie board (not), a skim board and a Pamela Anderson look a like that carrys them around for you.

Don’t dream the dream, live it!© Marz 2004 alrights inclusive under U.S. agreement and international laws, Marz appears courtesy of Heath Cote hospital where he occasionally gets let out of his room with the thick white wallpaper and pyjamas that tie up at the back.

Gotta go someones at the door, it might be Bert with some boards for me (only joking).

Peace, Love and Pizzas (well that’s what we are having for dinner tonight)

Marz

p.s. this is cool do swaylocks do a dating site as well?

p.p.s Please Equaliser check your spelling

sigh…somehow everytime our paths cross marz, i seem to find myself having to defend myself against your constant attempts to trivialise my efforts or belittle my credibility…and now you step into my world once again …

you running 2 user names and creating a fictious person down the coast is so typical of the stuff you pull…

now that youve decided to go one step further in your efforts to undermine me and take it into a public arena ,it forces me to defend myself publicy and because this is my area of expertise and i stick to the facts , i wont be losing any sleep doing patch up jobs and covering my tracks…

ok marz…reality check…

lets see if you can jog the old memory …

remember the light green boards i was building at one stage,the ones with a fine black line around the rail …???

i clearly remember you sitting in your car one cold winters day at doddi’s groyne watching me surf one ,for about an hour you watched me flying along playfully on knee to waist high waves …

ok well here comes the setts on those boards…

i was using 28kg per m3 green dow foam ,made in kuwait ,i was hotwiring 8’ by 2’ 50mm sheets into five 9mm sheets ,then vacuming the lightweight xtr skins onto SL grade eps with a layer of 3oz carbon underneath the carbon would show through on the join line ,creating the black line around the rail…then a layer of 4oz s glass top and bottom …they looked almost the same as what salomon are doing now ,except light green with a black line exposed…they were lighter than current salomons coz of the full SL eps core ,which meant i could run less carbon under the skin coz i didnt have a void to span…

i showed one to sel at surf beach way back when he was working at clearwater …in fact we even shared a peak that day…then over the years i would bump into sel all over the place and show him updates and refinements ,i remember one instance when he was working at 2 surf i pulled one of my boards out of the van and handed it to sel ,he was all over it ,as he held it he said “this is the future bert”…

i have alot of time for sel ,hes eager to learn and a genuine person who has no problems recognising my contribution to surfboard development …

i think you should ring him marz and ask him what he said about me out at smiths one day ,after he started working for salomon…

now ,then theres D MAC another one of salomons r&d shapers , maybe you should ring him and find out what he thought of the boards i was showing him over a decade ago when he was still on the tour ,same , another one of those genuine people ,i would often run into him either up north or down the coast and he was always full of valid questions about the boards i was building…

and webber ,theres another guy you could contact .maybe you could ask him what he knows about me and my history …also some of those boards filtered through maurices hands back in the mid ninties…

then theres chris puls who worked for me back in 1990 glassing and vac bagging ,he went onto to eagle aircraft for a while…go ask some of the engineers at salomon who worked at eagle before starting at salomon…

i think you guys are tripping on your skitzoid drugs if you think salomon can summons me ,im probably one of a handful of guys in the world who could call salomons bluff on the there so called technology ,dont forget i have a full understanding of all the composites ive worked with in most cases down to a molecular level…and as you alluded to in one of your posts marz…trying to legally shut me up would be like someone trying to stop simon anderson from talking about the things he did and the developments he made in refining the thruster…

what are they gonna do sue me for inspiring them???

as for the comments about we can argue about who did it first ,marz we all know dam well who did it first in surfboards …and if it came to the crunch im sure the west oz surfboard industry would stand behind me ,i would even be confident in saying half the salomon crew would be behind me as well ,

the facts are those green boards i was building they were dead and buried and shelved as another one of the many experiments ive done ,in an effort to build lighter stronger boards…long before the thought of salomon even entering the surfboard market was there…

look marz ,the deal is this ,ive never ragged about the performance of salomons,in fact my greenies went off ,way better than a poly p/u …they did have slight deadness ,due to the lack of wood …i have no problem in saying a salomon would out perform any conventional board…the reason i dont build them anymore is performance and durability ,my woodies have way more life and sensitivty coz of the lively characteristics of wood ,and as you know are super durable …

i will say with authority that salomon need to work on their durabilty ,anything with a density of less than 50 kg per m3 is just to light to use as a sandwich…(thatll probably save them a million) and there sandwich layup is in reverse (theres probably another 2 mill)…

another thing as well ,i feel flattered that a company would spend millions of dollars developing something that for years i felt i was pushing alone ,with no help from you marz…

the thing that irritates me the most marz is the amount of effort you put in to bag me …and try to discredit me at every opportunity…this taj thing is just another prime example ,obviously your fictitous friend wasnt at bears the days i was surfing with taj and checking how his current boards were working for him in an effort to analyse what would work best for him ,and hey guess what its even on film you (beep)…rick was in the water ,twig on the lense and vance on video…i heard some one say it was the “taj and bert show”

some of the crap ive heard from your mouth marz is so far from reality its bordering on dilusional …

its bad enough ,the childish pranks you normally pull ,you may have a bit of clout with a few groms down the beach who think your funny…(even i reckon your sense of humour is second to none) but when you come in here and pull a few cheap shots on your first posts ,in my books youve crossed the line…

why do you always force me to have to prove myself and my product to you???

i know a few more people you should ring…midget, mctavish ,nat and mike davis …ask them what they think of me and what i do???

marz these are real people and real dates ,so i have no problem you talking to any of them…nor do i fear any backlash or potential embarrisment…

sometimes i think the fact i grew up right under your nose ,set a new direction in surfboard technology ,built up a full epoxy board production unit and was exporting to 5 countries ,yet never advertized on your 2 bit website really pisses you off doesnt it…im sorry marz if that seems offensive to you ,but you brought it on yourself with the equaliser stunt…for the last 15 years ive been to busy doing R&D working long hours and traveling ,to worry about it each time you had a poke at me ,but now ive semi retired and are spending my days ,surf traveling and doing a little work,ive got plenty of time to give you a poke back…you know what i could give you a list of all the overseas reps who were doing my boards ,maybe you could ring them and find out how many boards they sold for me ,and how about a list of all my former retailers ,you could ring them to…

look marz the only thing i really ask from you ,is you allow me to exist in my own world and tone down the harrasment …let go of this cheap stunt …and just accept what i say ,i never go past the facts ,that way theres no comebacks…

i wont hold this thing against you …id like nothing more than to consider you as a friend …i have alot of good friends all around the world crew ive traveled with competed against worked alongside done bussiness with or some other pursuit not related to surfing…everyone who knows me would say im a gentle person…so by making attacks on my credentials ,you really condem yourself ,in the eyes of the people who i deal with…

regards

BERT

Bert,

I’ve read enough of your stuff here to know someones done his homework. Getting bagged by the avarage joe is, unfortunatly, part of it. It takes balls it takes to be a leader. Industry changes are inevitable and in the long run we are the ones who will be right. Don’t let the bastards get you down.

Word!

And Bert? A huge heartfelt thank you for all the information you provide on this site on board design and construction for people like me who otherwise would not have a clue or know where to start. Mike

Double double sigh,

sigh…somehow everytime our paths cross marz, i seem to find myself having to defend myself against your constant attempts to trivialise my efforts or belittle my credibility…and now you step into my world once again …

you running 2 user names and creating a fictious person down the coast is so typical of the stuff you pull…

Bert you know as well as I know now who it is, sort out your qualms with them not me

now that youve decided to go one step further in your efforts to undermine me and take it into a public arena ,it forces me to defend myself publicy and because this is my area of expertise and i stick to the facts , i wont be losing any sleep doing patch up jobs and covering my tracks…

Geez mate undermine you? You started bagging me personally with the rubbish you wrote about me, I answered back and got all personal too as I think I’ am entitled to

ok marz…reality check…

lets see if you can jog the old memory …

remember the light green boards i was building at one stage,the ones with a fine black line around the rail …???

no? was it the time when your space ship first landed on this planet? (only joking), but no I do not remember honestly

i clearly remember you sitting in your car one cold winters day at doddi’s groyne watching me surf one ,for about an hour you watched me flying along playfully on knee to waist high waves …

ok well here comes the setts on those boards…

i was using 28kg per m3 green dow foam ,made in kuwait ,i was hotwiring 8’ by 2’ 50mm sheets into five 9mm sheets ,then vacuming the lightweight xtr skins onto SL grade eps with a layer of 3oz carbon underneath the carbon would show through on the join line ,creating the black line around the rail…then a layer of 4oz s glass top and bottom …they looked almost the same as what salomon are doing now ,except light green with a black line exposed…they were lighter than current salomons coz of the full SL eps core ,which meant i could run less carbon under the skin coz i didnt have a void to span…

i showed one to sel at surf beach way back when he was working at clearwater …in fact we even shared a peak that day…then over the years i would bump into sel all over the place and show him updates and refinements ,i remember one instance when he was working at 2 surf i pulled one of my boards out of the van and handed it to sel ,he was all over it ,as he held it he said “this is the future bert”…

i have alot of time for sel ,hes eager to learn and a genuine person who has no problems recognising my contribution to surfboard development …

i think you should ring him marz and ask him what he said about me out at smiths one day ,after he started working for salomon…

now ,then theres D MAC another one of salomons r&d shapers , maybe you should ring him and find out what he thought of the boards i was showing him over a decade ago when he was still on the tour ,same , another one of those genuine people ,i would often run into him either up north or down the coast and he was always full of valid questions about the boards i was building…

and webber ,theres another guy you could contact .maybe you could ask him what he knows about me and my history …also some of those boards filtered through maurices hands back in the mid ninties…

then theres chris puls who worked for me back in 1990 glassing and vac bagging ,he went onto to eagle aircraft for a while…go ask some of the engineers at salomon who worked at eagle before starting at salomon…

Geez all I have ever said is I like the way my S-Core board goes, I told you like the normal Joe Blow. I don’t care how something is made as long as it make me surf better etc

i think you guys are tripping on your skitzoid drugs if you think salomon can summons me ,im probably one of a handful of guys in the world who could call salomons bluff on the there so called technology ,dont forget i have a full understanding of all the composites ive worked with in most cases down to a molecular level…and as you alluded to in one of your posts marz…trying to legally shut me up would be like someone trying to stop simon anderson from talking about the things he did and the developments he made in refining the thruster…

what are they gonna do sue me for inspiring them???

***Who has ever said to you that Salomon is going to sue you, again think and read your emails before you come out with comments like this, I said that if you ever bagged me with that bull dung you wrote before about me that I would seek legal advice ***

as for the comments about we can argue about who did it first ,marz we all know dam well who did it first in surfboards …and if it came to the crunch im sure the west oz surfboard industry would stand behind me ,i would even be confident in saying half the salomon crew would be behind me as well ,

the facts are those green boards i was building they were dead and buried and shelved as another one of the many experiments ive done ,in an effort to build lighter stronger boards…long before the thought of salomon even entering the surfboard market was there…

look marz ,the deal is this ,ive never ragged about the performance of salomons,in fact my greenies went off ,way better than a poly p/u …they did have slight deadness ,due to the lack of wood …i have no problem in saying a salomon would out perform any conventional board…the reason i dont build them anymore is performance and durability ,my woodies have way more life and sensitivty coz of the lively characteristics of wood ,and as you know are super durable …

i will say with authority that salomon need to work on their durabilty ,anything with a density of less than 50 kg per m3 is just to light to use as a sandwich…(thatll probably save them a million) and there sandwich layup is in reverse (theres probably another 2 mill)…

another thing as well ,i feel flattered that a company would spend millions of dollars developing something that for years i felt i was pushing alone ,with no help from you marz…

Again there you go insinuating that I work for them, no help from me? Bert you would not know how many orders I have sent you in the past

the thing that irritates me the most marz is the amount of effort you put in to bag me …and try to discredit me at every opportunity…this taj thing is just another prime example ,obviously your fictitous friend wasnt at bears the days i was surfing with taj and checking how his current boards were working for him in an effort to analyse what would work best for him ,and hey guess what its even on film you (beep)…rick was in the water ,twig on the lense and vance on video…i heard some one say it was the “taj and bert show”

some of the crap ive heard from your mouth marz is so far from reality its bordering on dilusional …

its bad enough ,the childish pranks you normally pull ,you may have a bit of clout with a few groms down the beach who think your funny…(even i reckon your sense of humour is second to none) but when you come in here and pull a few cheap shots on your first posts ,in my books youve crossed the line…

Bert you know that I do not surf competivley anymore and have nothing to do with the board riders club or the grommetts, my time is spent with my family, you are the one who has or tried to have the personal delusionary digs at me.

why do you always force me to have to prove myself and my product to you???

Man what are you on? give me some, always force you to prove your product and yourself

i know a few more people you should ring…midget, mctavish ,nat and mike davis …ask them what they think of me and what i do???

marz these are real people and real dates ,so i have no problem you talking to any of them…nor do i fear any backlash or potential embarrisment…

sometimes i think the fact i grew up right under your nose,

there you go again another personal attack, now you are having a go at the size of my nose

set a new direction in surfboard technology ,built up a full epoxy board production unit and was exporting to 5 countries ,yet never advertized on your 2 bit website really pisses you off doesnt it…

***Excuse me Bert, but who came up to me again asking me about advertising on the site and saying look I can’t afford it, but maybe we can come to a deal or something, like I said I do not do buffs like that, and yes it is a two bit website as I do not make two bits of nothing out of it and that is why I’ am contemplating closing it down come the end of this financial year and you of all people should know how many awards it has won, the numerous right up in the paper, the plugs on radio both locally and nationally it recieves etc (now ther you go I buffed myself). ***

im sorry marz if that seems offensive to you ,but you brought it on yourself with the equaliser stunt…for the last 15 years ive been to busy doing R&D working long hours and traveling ,to worry about it each time you had a poke at me ,but now ive semi retired and are spending my days ,surf traveling and doing a little work,ive got plenty of time to give you a poke back…

Mate no pokes I’m not that way inclined. Our wives might divorce us

and you know what i could give you a list of all the overseas reps who were doing my boards ,maybe you could ring them and find out how many boards they sold for me ,and how about a list of all my former retailers ,you could ring them to…

look marz the only thing i really ask from you ,is you allow me to exist in my own world and tone down the harrasment …let go of this cheap stunt …and just accept what i say ,i never go past the facts ,that way theres no comebacks…

i wont hold this thing against you …id like nothing more than to consider you as a friend …i have alot of good friends all around the world crew ive traveled with competed against worked alongside done bussiness with or some other pursuit not related to surfing…everyone who knows me would say im a gentle person…so by making attacks on my credentials ,you really condem yourself ,in the eyes of the people who i deal with…

***It’s hopeless trying to talk with you at times. Making attacks on your credentials? There you go again, I have never touched your credentials even when you are down the beach getting changed, I may look at them and compare them to mine, but hey I have never touched your credentials ***