In another thread (firewire futures)some of us were discussing what the state of the art in surfboards is and one member used Rusty, Lost, and CI as an example of them because they sell the most surfboards.
Coincidentally while shopping in the bookstore, I noticed Surfing Magazine’s shaper of the year just happened to be Rusty, so I picked up and copy and read a bit (this is the current January 2008 issue in stores now). While reading there was something familiar about the claims being made by Rusty and it dawned on me that I had read something similar by him way back in 1984. (Back when I used to actually buy magazines and read them) When I got home, I called an friend who has every issue of surfing from the eighties and asked him to make send me a copy of both articles to compare. Low and behold the obvious sums up my feelings on the big business part of the surf industry to a tee. Which is….once you make it, you no longer give credit to others that helped you along the way or were instrumental to the success of your craft. Instead, you take all the credit and covet titles bought with your advertising dollars like….Shaper of the year.
I am posting the key paragraphs of the two articles/Interviews with Rusty as the visual for my post.
In 1984 Rusty credits Bill Barnfield with much of his success as a shaper. Bill had been one of the key shaper craftsman to rise as Parrish was diminishing on the scene and in 1984 Rusty was on an rocket ride to the top, but saw fit to give credit where it was due. Good for Rusty for giving proper credit in print in 1984. Notice the difference years later after having made it to the top of the hill. No credit this time around. Just me and I.
One of the reasons I am so outspoken about the big business part of our industry (other than the obvious) is that it literally sucks the character, integrity and soul out of the sport and emphasizes dollars, hype, and self worship. Screw your buddy for a buck or glory and the only folks which deserve credit are those willing or able to pay homage to the magazine gods of fairytales. A book could be written about some of those craftsmen and designers who have never gotten proper credit or due respect for their accomplishments unless it suited some big corporate guy’s wallet.
Those guys toss aside many that have helped them like you and I would toss yesterday’s paper. Many of these have the money and I certainly don’t begrudge them their success, but if they can afford to pay for an article about themselves or via advertisement dollars earn….Shaper of the year. You think they could at the very least be consistent with giving proper credit to an old friend and mentor.
I always kind of liked Rusty. I thought he shaped a functional surfboard with nice lines. I am not saying he is some really bad guy, but I think it’s a long time and a long way from when he was more humble and appeared more thankful. I think I liked the old Rusty better than the current Rusty. Maybe it was just an oversight or that stuff was not still fresh in his mind, but when giving interviews one of the key elements is to speak up for those that helped you along the way. BTW: I don’t see Rusty’s around in too many shops today and his designs have been pretty much along the same lines as everyone else’s. Why shaper of the year?
1984 Surfing Article:
New Surfing article on Rusty January 2008 issue. In stands now.
Just a tad on the predictable side. Not so sure what is so innovative about Rusty’s surfboards, but then he’s had world champs ride his boards. But I do wonder at times if Shaper of the Year should be renamed marketer of the year or I sold the most surfboards this year. Just waiting now for Surftech to receive Shaper of the Year 2009. As an afterthought, I believe both Al Merrick and Rusty were both trained by Bill Barnfield. Also doesn’t Rick Hammond do a lot of the shaping for Rusty?
Just as an afterthought, what did Rusty do this year that was so different? Or is this a tribute by Surfing magazine to Rusty Surfboards becoming one of most well known brands in surfing?
Yep, I’d say its on a rotational basis between those big brands, kinda like the back cover of the mags is rostered between Quikripabong…
But I can tell you that Berts’ award last year was recognition of an outsider getting a break.
No, … did not pay for it, it came well out of left-field for…too.
However, Berts subsequent leaving … left him in the sorry position of having no means whatsoever to capitalise on it. This past year has been a far cry from bucks and glory.
Neither could … capitalise either for that matter, having never allowed Berts name on any of the boards or producing any Burger shapes. Oh the irony…
The accolade never paid the bills for Sunova. But, we are slowly coming to a point where we can get real boards to real people.
No friction intended my man, just wanted to point out an anomaly.
Yep, I’d say its on a rotational basis between those big brands, kinda like the back cover of the mags is rostered between Quikripabong…
But I can tell you that Berts’ award last year was recognition of an outsider getting a break.
No, … did not pay for it, it came well out of left-field for…too.
However, Berts subsequent leaving … left him in the sorry position of having no means whatsoever to capitalise on it. This past year has been a far cry from bucks and glory.
Neither could … capitalise either for that matter, having never allowed Berts name on any of the boards or producing any Burger shapes. Oh the irony…
The accolade never paid the bills for Sunova. But, we are slowly coming to a point where we can get real boards to real people.
No friction intended my man, just wanted to point out an anomaly.
Speedy
Speed and Craftee,
No doubt it’s tied to advertising and I suspect Bert’s was allowed because he was affiliated with Firewire and they needed to pretend to be the benevolent benefactor of Bert’s part of their project.
To most of us out here…we were happy to see Bert in the position…and thought he deserves it as much as any other…but reality is still reality. Even if they toss you a bone every now and again.
BTW: The sad thing is…Rusty can shape and at one time was a real force. Not just shorties either. Too bad he just ends up in the same line as the rest of the mainstream feeding the herd with hay.
Stretch and Bert Burger both have won it in recent years. I don’t know what their ad budgets were or how much of it was pumped towards the magazines but neither was really known by the masses as a big time shaper.
To his credit, Rusty P. hasn’t exactly been sitting on his ass. He has pursued virtually all of the current technologies at hand in an effort to improve his product. I think Rusty labels can currently be found on boards made in just about every type of material - all sorts of polyurethane/polyester, EPS/epoxy, composite sandwich, hollow carbon, etc.
Many of the blank manufacturers have a place in his blank inventory and he has contributed a lot in the way of blank design. The Clark catalog was loaded with R blanks and many of the new blanks are copies of same.
In addition to his quatitative approach to designing and shaping, he apparently streamlines his production as much as possible. I’ve heard stories of shaping proteges being filmed with a video camera. The tapes are reviewed and every wasted step is pointed out and corrected.
“The Industry” is always an inviting target on this discussion board but cut the guy some slack. He’s earned it.
PS - I don’t know the guy and have never met him in person. Just my .02
Stretch and Bert Burger both have won it in recent years. I don’t know what their ad budgets were or how much of it was pumped towards the magazines but neither was really known by the masses as a big time shaper.
To his credit, Rusty P. hasn’t exactly been sitting on his ass. He has pursued virtually all of the current technologies at hand in an effort to improve his product. I think Rusty labels can currently be found on boards made in just about every type of material - all sorts of polyurethane/polyester, EPS/epoxy, composite sandwich, hollow carbon, etc.
Many of the blank manufacturers have a place in his blank inventory and he has contributed a lot in the way of blank design. The Clark catalog was loaded with R blanks and many of the new blanks are copies of same.
In addition to his quatitative approach to designing and shaping, he apparently streamlines his production as much as possible. I’ve heard stories of shaping proteges being filmed with a video camera. The tapes are reviewed and every wasted step is pointed out and corrected.
“The Industry” is always an inviting target on this discussion board but cut the guy some slack. He’s earned it.
PS - I don’t know the guy and have never met him in person. Just my .02
We know Bert’s deal was with Firewire. It benefits them to be associated in some benevolent way. Don’t know about Stretch, but I would bet the same. Glad they tossed a couple of well deserved bones.
Rusty for shaper of the year is silly because his boards are not prominent in shops much anymore.
Look at the double speak on the two articles I posted. They are very close in wording so I expect Rusty left his old mentor out for some reason. Thats the ego driven big side of the surf industry.
Also…it’s not only ads to magazines, but connections with the big money side of our industry. The good ole boy system. Yes…some well deserved credit will slip out every now and again to make it look unbiased.
Since I don’t read these magazines a lot, what is the criteria to be Shaper of the Year? Who was Shaper of the Year last year? Did they get cramps or miss-align their Skil so now they are worse shapers? The whole thing seems pretty silly to me.
Better they took a quarter page to introduce a board maker each issue. No money in that though…
Since I don’t read these magazines a lot, what is the criteria to be Shaper of the Year? Who was Shaper of the Year last year? Did they get cramps or miss-align their Skil so now they are worse shapers? The whole thing seems pretty silly to me.
Better they took a quarter page to introduce a board maker each issue. No money in that though…
Good to see you posting again Lee V. Couldn’t agree more.
solo, I don’t think it’s fair to assume that Rusty left out his mentors when he was interviewed for the current article.
I’m sure his comments were edited to some extent, that’s the way it is in magazineland. I’ve written for mags and
been written about (and quoted) and it never comes out perfect. Few things in this world do.
I think Rusty has contributed quite a bit, and I know he’s a top-notch designer 'cause he kicked my butt at blank design
for Clark Foam. Hell, he kicked everybody’s butt.
Mike
Mike,
I have given all those possibilities in my post. I have also given him credit where it’s due. The fact is Magazine land didn’t leave Bill out of the first one and did on this one. The just of the thread is what should we expect from Fantasy anyway. None of the crap in mags has much truth to it anyway and integrity is just a word.
Others have asked a valid question…how do they decide who is " shaper of the year? " I am not wild about many of the mega shortboard companies…but if I were voting and it had to be based on growth and popularity as a new comer…I would vote for J.S. Thats if I thought what magazines printed was important which I don’t. I write about them because thats the part of the industry that influences the masses and there needs to be an alternative to them. IMO.
Rusty is not the leader or a leader in Surfboards right now. He is a hold over from the mid eighties attempting to keep market share. He has talent, no one doubts that…but I think his priorities are blurred at this point and I would still like to see how they arrived at their decision.
Many of the blank manufacturers have a place in his blank inventory and he has contributed a lot in the way of blank design. The Clark catalog was loaded with R blanks and many of the new blanks are copies of same.
I proposed a quiver concept of blanks to Clark, but at the time they weren’t ready for it. It was composed of having the same blank design (proportions and flow), in different lengths but same proportions throughout the range of lengths. Then each of these sets of blanks would also be done in 2 or 3 thicknesses and widths. Such that there would be total continuity throughout the sets. I had shared this plan with Rusty also when he was ghost shaping for me some of my Japanese boards. I think Rusty did a good job of implementing my plan at a later date when Clark Foam was more flexible and ready for it. Apparently, you thought so too![:)] I bowed out of the blank making scene as Clark wasn’t hungry to go where I wanted to go at that time. Clark was a wonderful company with great people involved but like many large companies, sometimes things move slower then highly creative people can handle. I always have plenty of other projects to entertain myself so I have learned not to stress others out over my premature ideas.
In addition to his quatitative approach to designing and shaping, he apparently streamlines his production as much as possible. I’ve heard stories of shaping proteges being filmed with a video camera. The tapes are reviewed and every wasted step is pointed out and corrected.
I always thought it would cool to film work habits and play them back speeded up to detect flaws or redundancy in systems. In the 70’s video was just emerging over film making this much more possible and being the “shaper of the moment” (Ha!) back then, I had access to early 3/4" video that was being shot of me shaping. I was therefore regularly able to analyze my techniques and systems via high speed play back. And yes… Rusty knew what I was up to back then. I am glad he found good use for my ideas later in his business also.
“The Industry” is always an inviting target on this discussion board but cut the guy some slack. He’s earned it.
What most know about the surf scene is primarily dictated by the magazines and a bit by the local rumor mill in our individual areas. Sadly this often leaves us woefully lacking in knowledge of what is really going on and historically, leaves big gaps that may never be filled in. The magazines like Hollywood are driven by ratings and advertising dollars. Not necessarily by what is true, accurate or healthy. Additionally, those writing for the magazines are often newbees who’s sense of accurate history is simply whatever the magazines said before they were there. There is little incentive to dig deeper or look backward as there is enough today and tomorrow to fill the pages.
When one enters the surfing world, one can quickly become like Truman in the “Truman Show”, trapped inside a bubble where we are fed a certain sense of reality carefully sculpted for a specific purpose. It takes tremendous effort to break out of Seahaven (Truman’s concocted home town) and the economic risks are substantial if you are an inside player in the scene! I have many stories to tell of how deceptive the system is. Do you have the time to hear them? Or would I come out looking more like a bitter old man throwing stones at those I accuse of betrayal? Would it be worth the risk?
The surf scene is incredibly powerful and once you are in it, especially with substantial economic investment or fame, it dictates how you must act to keep your place in it. Sadly our industry is too often petty, juvenile, naive, willfully ignorant and just plain old lazy! And many in it are seemingly fragile personalities that live in continual fear of loosing their position in the pecking order. Consequently, those of us who have to function within it are often driven by forces that are less then respectable but are very hard to resist. Seems no matter how much some gain in age, fame or economic success they still take the shallow path. Our industry or sport doesn’t breed graciousness and nobility, it encourages just the opposite.
That is the primary reason I bowed out of the “scene”. It is also why I enjoy my limited time here on Swaylocks. There is a certain freedom that isn’t dictated by the surf scene. There is, of course, a certain scene here on Swaylocks too but it isn’t nearly so consequential and fellow forum members will quickly sort someone out if they get out of line. There is no such force in place in Surfing’s mainstream media.
PS - I don’t know the guy and have never met him in person. Just my .02
I know Rusty, he is a good man, he is a friend. Sometimes friends disappoint one another.
