Swaylocks: old vs. new

General Discussion
21

Mark,

I think alot of the old guys get tired of all the newbie posts saying “Can someone tell the steps to make a surfboard?”. Swaylocks seem to be getting a bit more of that lately. Also, when newbies get pissy when someone tells them to search the archives, talk about the $5 beggar.

How about you start a thread asking some specific questions about kneeboards and mats? No doubt, Halsose would jump if he has anything to contribute.

Actually, this thread got me thinking of Herb’s Superchargers and I’ve posted a thread asking for updates or reviews from people using the setup.

Kind Regards,

Matt.

22

sounds like it wasn’t glassed right-and an exact copy???doubt it…

23

you would have been surpized—this was in the late '60’s and i had just returned from living in calif up near carpinteria working on my masters—had a full set of numbers and photos—i was riding an Le pipeo kneeboard from newport when i met up with george-----and dan herritage was a master craftsman—it was a good board—ahead of it’s time by far----so yep it was exact and well glassed—don’t get your panties in an uproar… :wink:

24

i am not questioning the craftsmanship.it’s just that i have seen many “exact copies” that weren’t even close(perhaps in template only).but, it sounds like you had all the right things to make it so…

25

Ode to Swaylocks verse #1

I’ve been a craft’s man for a longtime, I’ve not been surfing for as long as I’ve been making things, and I’ve not been making surfbaords for as long as I’ve been surfing. It was natural progression

When I realised that I really wanted to spend my live (future) making surf boards I already had a lot of transferable skills, mainly the attitude and patients needed for craftmanship, But little way in the knowlege to apply these. Before I stumbled in to Swaylocks I had never found such a comprahensive source of skill and knowlege, that far surpassed anything I had concieved proir and was shared so freely. Previously I’d scratched around for snippets of info, and harrased as many shappers as I could for more, bought vids and guides all of which said different thing, and I felt a bit clueless,

The Archives are great for finding the info I’ve needed and I’ve had no probs as a Newbie with this, The archive, resource and glossery combine with the forum is a powerful tool and has saved me from making an arse of myself on more than a few occations

The way I see it (and this is just my 2 bucks worth on how I use swaylocks), The archive, resource and glossery

is for research, while the forum is for sharing and caring, bouncing ideas off other people to get feed back, show and tell, current events and of course getting help when your stuck or just panicing coz you mess somthing up and aren’t of the present state of mind to have the answer,

“Oh shit I messed my new board up, used resin as shampoo, hot coated the nabour’s pet ect”, break in to sweat - first point of call for a answer in a crisis who comes to the rescue Swaylocks thats who.

Swaylock’s is also great for insperation and motivation, and I’ve seen lots of cool stuff that I want to try and no doubt will screw up on the first attempt in some unexpected way and will then turn to swaylocks for help.

26
Quote:

" you would have been surpized—i was riding an " Le pipeo “ kneeboard from newport when i met up with george” VERY surprised, indeed ! [… you were riding a WHAT, now ??] An “el paipo” , perhaps ? [or el panties ? ]

27
Quote:

Ode to Swaylocks verse #1

The archive, resource and glossery combine with the forum is a powerful tool and has saved me from making an arse of myself on more than a few occations

getting help when your stuck or just panicing coz you mess somthing up and aren’t of the present state of mind to have the answer,

“Oh shit I messed my new board up, used resin as shampoo, hot coated the nabour’s pet ect”, break in to sweat - first point of call for a answer in a crisis who comes to the rescue Swaylocks thats who.

Swaylock’s is also great for insperation and motivation, and I’ve seen lots of cool stuff that I want to try and no doubt will screw up on the first attempt in some unexpected way and will then turn to swaylocks for help.

You FUNNY bugger, 'fatbaslardass 's mentor !

… Are you SURE you’re not part Tasmanian or something ? Geez, man, you even spelt ‘arse’ right !!

" 10 out of ten …go to the top of the class" … miss palmer [AND her five daughters, what a relief !]

 chippy
28

(hot coated the nabour’s pet )<------hot Dam!!! i’m not the only one to do this! fluffy(not longer with us) walked under the glassing tee one afternoon and plop! resined art cat! next door was soooooooo pissed!

29

Where are all the surfers who really investt their time and money EXPERIMENTING WITH NEW IDEAS? Not the same old tired thrusters mid range boards longboards paddleboards the same old fins. Have surfing and surfboards design and contruction really “MATURED”?? Is RETRO all tthere is left? A generation of surfers are getting older-- so where are all the younger (AND OLDER) guys with fresh ideas? What’s new? So epoxy is way better than polyester resin-- then why are so many bascially building the SAME OLD BOARDS with it? Why should new materials and construction have to eequal better ways to just build the same old boards? Are their any surfers around who are visionearies anymore? Rreally taking chances with their ideas? Study through the archives and ask yourself “where has all the great diversity gone? Has Swaylosks become the home of half- hearted hobbyists?” Just thinking out loud-- thats my rant. Whatevers…

30

I don’t know, sorry to disagree with your rant but I think if you pay attention here, you will see lots of examples of out-of-the-box thinking. Yes, there’s also lots of retro fish and other standard thrusters & longboards, but there’s “oddball” stuff too…

PS what visionary stuff are YOU working on?

31

Huh?I have been around here for a long time and I see tons of new ideas compared to 3 years ago when everyone was learning how to piss of Coral,do a free lap, or put in fin plugs.One thing I like about the “new” Swaylocks are all of the pictures.(unless it gets stupid…Holy sheeeite my cat is caughing a furball,get the camera!)Another thing I have noticed is that the backyard boards are looking a lot better.Guess we gotta thank Mike for that. RB

32

a bit ago upon completion of a strange night con session flying kneelo thru the cove w/ two other stranger standups in rotation lined in front of the house with 3 symmetrical windows and sup-par lighting; the nearly pitch black walk back up the path I was startlingly caught up to by one of the said standups, who absolutley ripped standup better than I in the standard shortboard thruster discipline…the walk was strange, so dark that most focus was on not tripping and beating the winter cold back to our respective vehicles so that we may go on our own separate peaceful ways, none of us knowing each others face or name but the conversation along the way somehow drifted to spoons and mats and different approaches to surfing…greenough and mr solomonson name came up as well as someone I never heard of from a glass shop who made himself a graphite spoon. Then it was a ‘take care’ and all were back on their own path, no egos or reputation involved, just pure surfing.

so i guess just because it isn’t represented here doesnt mean the true spirit of surfing doesnt exist out there. Just look at glass love and to a lesser extent the sprout.

I reckon many don’t post lots of that stuff on the internet because it may come off as an arrogance or self-promotion, of which it is not. lots of that stuff is personal and really special to just throw on the billboardesque internet. I think those that are truly into it are just truly into it and shy away from an excess of attention or self-promotion. be it real or imagined.

The other side of course being there is no denying the cool aspects of swaylocks as a method of sharing and learning, but therein lies the conflict

good waves to you all (sorry for borrowing a feeble impression of your style mr ambrose wherever you are)

33

Complaints?

You get what you pay for

or in the case of Swaylocks:

you get out of the system what you put into it.

A history of Complaints doesnt count as generating quality content:

for surely the burden of responsibility towards quality content must ride more fully upon the complainers

in a voluntary forum.

Swaylocks is not a Hi-gloss , advertiser paid magazine.

Where is your ‘over the top’ contributions in this regard Hegmann?

frankly if I didnt know better, I think this whole post

has bordered upon troll territory.

Think of the univited wedding guest, brings no gift for the newlyweds, hits the buffet,

drinks from the bar, but complains about the poor choosings in the Wine Category.

…and yet we take him seriously!

Welcome to the HeghBangers Ball!

34

My questions have all been sincere quesstions. Frustrated questions, too. I know have asked a lot. But instead of trying to answer them point by point you attacked me personally. Why? That’s against Swaylocks rule (1): No personal attacks.

If you are a kneeboarder and a mat surfer then why don’t you share more about them ? What are your “over the top” contributions to Swaylocks? You are right I have no “over the top” contributions". But I sure wish I did! Please understandf that some people in this life really enjoy reading in depth about subjects. Because theyre subjects they’ll probly never get to do. Especially if they have a disease like MS. It’s a big cruel closeout you never want to ride.

35
Quote:

Complaints?

You get what you pay for

or in the case of Swaylocks:

you get out of the system what you put into it.

A history of Complaints doesnt count as generating quality content:

for surely the burden of responsibility towards quality content must ride more fully upon the complainers

in a voluntary forum.

Swaylocks is not a Hi-gloss , advertiser paid magazine.

Where is your ‘over the top’ contributions in this regard Hegmann?

frankly if I didnt know better, I think this whole post

has bordered upon troll territory.

Think of the univited wedding guest, brings no gift for the newlyweds, hits the buffet,

drinks from the bar, but complains about the poor choosings in the Wine Category.

…and yet we take him seriously!

Welcome to the HeghBangers Ball!

Okay, I just read your last post Mark. I’m sorry to hear you have M.S. …a painful and life threatening / debilitating condition, to be sure.

It must be frustrating for you to not be able to shape a board and do some things we sometimes take for granted. I have worked with people less fortunate than myself for close on twenty years, so I have felt some of their pain at times.

So, I hope you will be encouraged and inspired by the posts here , while going through a difficult and painful time. And yes, the forum does go in cycles sometimes…like artists / writers waiting for creative inspiration, some days may seem a little ‘flat’…other weeks, the creative juices are flowing, and the creativity is amazing !

Stick around, give it time…hopefully you’ll see things moving along !

regards !

ben

36

photos will be coming in the near future…

37

I agree that you get out of the sysstem what you put innto it. So I’m putting into it by opffering sincere questions.

Here are some talking points for “quality content”- based on prior posts by the named individuauals:

  1. LeeD: What “controverial design can YOU conjure?” What are YOU doing NOW “in the present”?

  2. MattS: How a bout posting YOUR “wild stuff” to generate some discussion? Inspire us!

  3. HerbSpitzer: Oh yeeh, Mr Serious… … I CAN’T go surfing! P.S. to Herb:… … … MS is a bitch.

  4. HalSose: Where are YOUR “over the top” contributions? “Trolls” don’t usually use their real names. Whats YOURS?

  5. cleanlines: Please list those “tons of new ideas compared to 3 years ago”.

  6. KeithMelville: Please give us YOUR definition of “out of the box thinking”? P.S. what “visionary stuff” are YOU working on?

  7. Ben: YOU ARE THE MAN! Enough said!

Take notes on #8 guys (go back and study his posts)… …

  1. run: AAWESOME IDEAS AND PROJECTS! YOU are INSPIRING! NOT part of the PROBLEM! KEEP UP THE GREAAT WORK!!

Ignore my questions? OK. whatevers… but everybody can resspect somebody who at least tries yto answer point by ppoint. Agree or not! “Swaylocks: old vs. new”.

PLEASE- no more name callling.

Peace out… … … …

38

Howdy Mark.I thought your posts were OK and I was not "hammering"you at all.As a matter of fact I didn’t even read the other things…I was comparing the “OLd vs. New Swaylocks thing”.Here are some things that are new(at least in my mind) compared to three years ago.1)Lots of pictures and an easier way to post them2)Greg L. showed up and clued us in about epoxy.3)Lots of info about vaccum bagging and sandwich construction from folks that actually do it.4)The archives are better and more user friendly after Mike reworked the site.5)“Coral” took off.(now she could start some crap lemme tell ya).Peace Buddy. RB

39

Mark,

If youRs is a B then hit-TER HARd oveR-Head, like I doo.By the timeX-B comeS-2,My suits are dry!Herb

…The place : A very crowded Sunday morning at Blackies,Newport Beach,Ca.

…While pointing at me,a disgrunted,local surfer asks Kim Hammrock,“Who is that guy…Jesus FREAKING Christ !”

Kim’s answer:,“NO,Even Better,…HerbSpitzer” !

40

Well, OK, since you asked - What does it mean to be “out of the box”: I don’t know about an exact definition, but on Swaylock’s there are guys who make their own mats, hydro-foil paipos, and those certainly qualify.

Me: I’m not the visionary type, my surfboards are fairly normal (but then I’ve only built a few dozen of them). However, I have built a couple of tow-in boards, which is at least borderline out of the ordinary. And a tandem board. And boards for little kids…