Wondering if Swaylock's has ever considered holding a board building challenge???
A guitar website I visit holds a similar challenge each year. It has to be a fresh build started on a set date. Each participant must document the build process with a detailed thread. There is a set finish date. When it's all done forum members vote for the best build based on the finished product, innovation, use of materials and how well the build was documented. Perhaps there would be a requirement of a photo or video of the finished product being ridden.
I understand what you are proposing but with all due respect, I thinks it's an exercise in subjectivity. The Guitar Player challenge makes no sense either. Not everyone has the same likes and dislikes. I think it has to be narrowed to specifics. Everyone shape the exact same thing and all criteria is used: time, method, attention to detail, even cleanliness. Only then it will be the end product that can be judged by a static list of points to have been met. Otherwise it is the cooks and the stew routine. Similar events have taken place at events titled "Sacred Craft" in Ca.
we ALMOST did one for the annual Big Sur Swaylocks event a few years back…but basically it was just everyone who wanted to start with the same blank, and show up at the campout with the finished product, whch we’d all nitpick/admire, talk story, and trade rides on.
Unfortunately the idea came up a little too close in time to the actual event… maybe sometime, though.
PS I like your idea, but “too many rules for the Sway’s crowd” also comes to mind.
Someone decided to camping at Big Sur in the fall. I don't know who started it. When I came on board John Mellor was running the show for the camp out. John got tired of the drama and a few guys took over.....there's a lot of networking going on.
I have suggested/complained that we should have a Down South Campout. Last fall I was told to "pick a date and post it." And I picked a date and a campground. Tim started a thread. We will be at San Onofre May 20-23.
Camping is EZ. What you have suggested sounds cool but someone will have to put in alot of unpaid hours to make it happen.....
It doesn't have to be complex. I was just thinking it would be a great way to inspire people to build a board and to share the process.
Below is the link to a winner of the guitar building challenge I referenced in my original post. You will see that it is as much about documenting your process and techniques as much as anything. It could help everyone and inspire some new boards. Just a way to learn, share and have some fun along the way.
I suggested last year to Mr. Paler that Swaylocks rent a booth at the Sacred Craft surfboard expo. There could be a shared cost for those wishing to have their boards in the booth…and a best of Swaylocks online surfboard contest. Mr. Paler said he could set up a “poll” to track votes from Sway members. I got booth info from Sacred Craft, but then I got busy and dropped the ball. I still think it would be a good idea and it would be good for Swaylocks. Believe it or not there are still a lot of surfers who don’t know what Swaylocks is!! This could help. Plus, I see such incredible work going on here all the time. I realize it would be kind of a West Coast event, but the online contest could pull in people from all over the globe…
bring your boards to SanO and we'll look em over just like we do at Big Sur. Where are all you NorCal and Central Coast guys?? We make the drive up.....c'mon down south. The green glow from the power plant at night makes the camp fire real nice.
I think it would be a great idea for Swaylocks to have a booth at Sacred Craft.
In the booth, they should stock all the hard to get materials that garage builders want but can’t get. Then people can get 5-10yd quantities that no one wants to be bothered with selling.