Surf Science

General Discussion
41

Hi Guys,

 

Now first of all, I dont know this website or who runs it, and I DO agree that 90% of it is written in BAD english or just PLAIN WRONG.

But at a glance I can see what their trying to do, (apart from promoting their “experts” and very particular brands) on their site.

I would like it as a manufacturer if I didnt have to explain everything about boards to the people ordering, It would help me (and most shapers) a bit if the guys ordering a new model you have to create for them had a bit of an idea of “what does what”
the theoretical side of shaping, before they quote some shit words that they learnt of a freind or by trying to mix their two favourite boards together with no idea on why each boards worked the way they did.

I think if they spoke to “better experts”   They could be doing somewhat of a service to people out there.

As for surfing in PACKS, In my opinion , most PACKs of people are pricks, especially when your young.

That said, (and probably contridictary) When I was young,  really enjoyed geting a group of mates and riding your bikes down the beach and paddling out together, Dropping in and sharing waves with your mates, shouting to them when they got a good wave, (or more likely) laughing when they fuct up a good wave.
But never with any PACK mentality,

 

 

42

hahaha

 

Nothing to add

Surfscience is getting beaten up by his own foolishness

 

 

43

.

44

Don Redondo...ahhh yes. Roy's favorite dummy to show those who do not surf that they are superior...

 

I thought Roy was unique but looks like there are many more on this forum than I expected.

I came here because I was told this was a Roy free forum...I was wrong.

 

You guys sound as if waves are something rare and made of gold.

 For me it's strange because we have huge coast and waves is what we have most.

Hundreds of kms of great coast to surf...and still you have groups in a spot ready for a fight.

Is the board so heavy to walk a little down the beach?

 

This is  my beach, this is my spot, these are my waves...you only surf because I let you and I'm a nice guy.

 

Yeah, yeah, yeah,,,,

 

Long live Don Redondo and all the surfgods for they are jolly good fellas.

45

If you bring **a gang **of any impactful size into the middle of a lineup, you deserve to be run off the break.  Any forbearance shown you by the locals from that date forward should be taken as a gift of grace. 

No comment about serious localism against individuals–case by case, various factors and variables, ability levels, crowd growth curves, etc etc, but bringing insta-crowds to skew the balance your crew’s way is a kind of warfare, so what would you expect?

46
[quote] Woa! I think we had a bit of a misunderstanding here. First of all, nowhere on SurfScience.com does it suggest that you should block waves for buddies who can not catch waves as well as other surfers. The idea was that if there were 30 guys in the water, and you went out with 5 you knew, or even just surfed a break where you tend to run into people you know, those guys will be more friendly and more likely to let you have waves. [/quote]

 

I’m calling BS on this one.  Here’s what the original quote said:

 

[quote] The bottom line here is, when you paddle out with a group of friends into a crowded line up its much easier to catch waves especially if you are goofy and your friends are regular, then you’ve got the right and left side of that wave covered.  You can share waves with each other and put simply, people are just more inclined to let you take more waves because the majority of the crowd out there will probably someone you came with. [/quote]

It’s pretty obvious what the attitude here is and what kinds of people would suggest to novice surfers that they should try to dominate a crowded lineup by paddling out with a support team of their own insta-locals.  

Your crew is “covering” both sides of a peak, and if they’re “letting you” have more waves in a crowded lineup it will be at someone else’s expense.   It’s an act of pack aggression no matter how you spin it after the fact.  And you guys were recommending that to the public as the thing to do.  

 

If I caught my kid doing that with his friends to other people there would be a conversation alright, and it might not be all verbal.   

 

47

Most valuable bit of info I was able to find was here (http://surfscience.com/component/content/article/68-tribal-knowledge/92-how-to-put-that-wetsuit-on-quick-and-easy)… but then again I already knew the bag trick.  Can you at least explain the science of why that works (your site is called SurfScience isnt it)?

48

Gee...it's only a tip.

 

Your very demanding for a tip, aren't you?

Since, you knew the trick, maybe you would like explain.

49

Reduces the frictional coeficient?  Something like that?  Been a long time since College. My suits all have that stretchy rubber that doesn't last long, but makes them pretty easy to get in and out of regardless of if there wet.  Actually, they're easier if a little wet.  I use the bag trick to pull into my black cowboy boots when I dress up. 

What I really think. If you're really concerned about the info on that site.  Is join the site and participate.  Set the kooks straight. Maybe prevent a few black eyes and such. However, sometimes the best lessons are ones that result in 'natural consequences.'  Mike

50

g’day Rooster, sorry for the late reply, just read your post today. My response to you above was meant to be light hearted and was prompted by your suggestion of how other forums view us here on swaylocks and your post made me smile. I didn’t mean to be negative to anyone at all including surf science. I don’t go over to lurk at the surfermag design forum a great deal, but sometimes check out what they have to say about the latest potato chips from say Lost so I was complementing them on their ability to evaluate the market.

and my other remark was just taking the piss out of myself, my tin foil hat is imaginary but I really do sit down with the calculator and plug in numbers for the purpose of say scaling or making proportional adjustments to fin positions compared to other surfers.

cheers,

Mike

51

Dear. Mr Surf Science,

After going through the Board Match feature just for shits and giggles it’s pretty clear to me that Surf Science is a vehicle for selling/ marketing mass produced surfboards. The bad tips and editorials are simply a negative side effect of your true purpose to make money off of mass produced widgetry. Please remember that Swaylocks is intended for people who are self reliant - people who embody the old DIY spirit of surfing that has been somewhat lost with commercialization of surfing. There are newcomers who come here to learn to shape their own boards. They post their progress whether successful or not and learn from the old experts as well as from their mistakes. The people who participate in Swaylocks are doers not voyeurs.

Furthermore, I must point out that the name of the website implies that the information you are providing is evidence based, as good science these days is. So your blaming for bad information on the fact that are several authors holds no water (pun). If you are to call yourself a “Surf Scientist” then you should do your research before you come out and post a bogus thesis statement. A scientist who makes unsupported claims in the public arena is quickly discredited and often ridiculed, as you yourself have seen firsthand on Swaylocks.
The great thing about surfing is that it’s an equalizer. All of the talk and posturing is proved right or wrong as soon as you paddle out. Surfing is experiential, not intellectual.

So please be honest, your website is designed to sell advertising.

52

Don’t forget, remove bag from hands and feet, slip over head and proceed to lineup.

53

"You have good people and bad people all around the world and surfers are no exception as individuals."

absolutely right.

"You guys sound as if waves are something rare and made of gold."

and you sound as if they are not (rare). good waves ARE rare. they are obviously not made of gold but

surfers are willing to spend gold and, more importantly, time to get good waves. but, you don't surf

so you wouldn't understand.

"For me it's strange because we have huge coast and waves is what we have most."

i'm sure it is strange, you don't surf, you cannot understand. try doing it as someone suggested above

'for a couple decades' then come back and maybe your opinion on surf culture might be valid.

imagine that you have been doing an activity for 10, 15, 20, 30 + years usually  by yourself, sometimes with other

likeminded individuals. then you start seeing a lot of new faces. which in and of itself is no problem but,

these new faces are suddenly being rude and not following hierarchy, rules, etiquette, etc. that have all been

in place for a long time. then, they want to start telling other people all about your activity and dispensing bad

info about your activity to anybody who is wiling to listen. ultimately resulting in more of their kind. how would you feel?

to me, just because you surf, doen't make you a 'surfer'... when i was first starting out, first 5years or so, i didn't even

consider myself a surfer. i didn't know jack about surfing, who was i to call myself a surfer? ultimately, it boils

down to respect. just because you have the means to buy a board and paddle out doesn't mean that you are entitled

to special treatment at any spot. i always give waves. every go-out except for solo sessions. i'm talking about set

waves, on the peak, calling in someone (noobie) on the shoulder. but, people with bad attitudes and 'entitlement' get shut down.

not because the waves are 'mine' but because i can and, why would i share with someone like that when i didn't have to?

as far as 'noobs' in the water, (i don't say 'kook' 'cuz to me that's derogatory word which has nothing to do

with a surfer's ability level and everything to do with their attitude) i always give individual help where i can.

which always includes at least one lesson on etiquette. i feel it is the duty of those of us who have  been

surfing for a while to teach newer surfers what's what. that way, lineups are better for everyone...

like it or not, surfing is a culture. we need to make sure that the next generation of surfers is getting taught

that 'cuz we are going to have to share the water with them like it or not. if they don't want to listen, shut 'em down.

54

Got to agree with the comments being posted.

Gone are the days where skills were learned the hard way or taught by someone who really was an expert , local knowledge was developed by years of daily surfing and lineups were regulated by the pecking order where you get better you move up.

I could have saved myself  40 yrs of learning if I had just had the internets and SurfScience at the start. With just a few days of scrolling I could have been ripping like Kelly !!!

SurfScience , just another leach attached to Surfing in the name of ’ Spreading the stoke’ .

Cheers

Mooneemick

55

I read what SammyA wrote and thought that was some good example of doing the right thing. 

I looked at the link to the wet suit thing, saw the word “tribe” and hit the back arrow, and once I cleaned the projectile vomit off my key board and screen I went home.

I’ve been to “the mountain” - aka Swayholix anonymous - and there were many folk I flet I could relate to. 

My feeling is the “tribe” thing is a feel good wank - too many people claim to be surfers.  Maybe the type of guy (No offence to moth of our Sway girls.) who continues to participate in Sways  leads to more of a true “tribe” type deal, we have more in common than just the “surfing life style,” what ever that is.

There was a long board contest in my town they call “The gathering” - I happened to fall on a day with 10-11’@15-16" swell running.  The night before I was on my way to the valley to pick up my youngest son for the weekend, saw so many cars with board heading over, and, not remembering the contest was the next day, was thinking, “I can’t believe this many guys think their up for that.”  I paddled out for a few good sets at the local - thankfully there is a bottom under there at this time - one good friend paddled out w/me.  Didn’t see another soul all session.  Not bragging, just saying, many folk who love the “surf life style” were riding white water and hanging on the beach, and up at the parking area.  Not my trip to go chat with a bunch of strangers about surf stuff.  But, saw a 50 something long time local all stoked on the contest and party to follow.  All fine by me.  To get to my point…

As SammyA, and others, may have been alluding to.  When I was a groom - good loyd I feel like I’m writing one of those stories… Ha! - anyway - I sought out the advice from older better surfers, and listened, and asked questions, etc…  Took it upon myself to educate myself about this thing I was falling in love with.  Now that I’m a middle aged guy who’s made waves, wave riding, and wave riding devices a 30+ year avocation, I’d love to share my knowledge with younger less knowledgeable folk, should they care to know, but mostly I find attitude and branded short/long boards, no desire to learn why they work, why the waves break when and how they do, etc.

I gotta say, bad information is a fucked up deal.  And that site, well, what can I say, I couldn’t stomach looking at it, reminds me of the “pay to play” mentality of some of the local tow boarders, who are not very competent paddle surfers, but will ramble on about the 20 wave they catch in an hour - which only says to me, they are not riding set waves… etc.

Here’s my joke about myself - If there was a “surfer party” in my house, I’d be out back in my shed thinking about my boards…

OK - enough of my rambling…

56

 

Agreed. Use of the word “tribe” has become as lame a cliche as “sharing the stoke”.

As for me, I do not consider myself a “surfer”. Despite 4.5 decades in the water, and in spite of all the crap I have hanging on my walls and stashed away in various parts of my over-crowded, tiny house.

I take offense when someone calls me a “surfer”. I’m not a one-dimensional stereotype, or a cardboard cutout of some media image. And, do not EVER call me a “surfer d*de” ( I refuse to utter, or even type that second word)

57

howdy silverio,

as we heard he was kicked out from sways a while back. you may want to check out the handle, “tomBloke”

 

cheers, 

58

I don’t get the Roy reference in connection to Don Redondo. From what I know of Roy, he wouldn’t know who Don was, nor would he get the joke behind it.

 

Anyone know where I can get some of Rosa’s hot sauce?

59

heya sam,

hehe roy’s old posts in treatosea.org sported a don redondo sticker drawn cartoon-style, mouthing off that famous line : ) 

60

Well, he probably stole the idea from a certain erBB legend (cough-cough) who used a Don Redondo likeness as his avatar, with the quote: “Shaddup, cornflake!!”