I’m not a hippy, just getting tired of all the negativity out there.With all the debates about boards, materials, mats, boogies, etc., crowds of people on mass-produced souless surfcraft with no respect for others, its almost depressing to contemplate the demise of surfing as we know it. This is not going to happen! It just means that those with the true passion for the surf will try a little harder. Travelling further afield is necessary, but maybe you don’t have to go so far. Get up early - while the kooks are nursing their hangovers, go to cold-water spots that take some effort, educate those who drop in without resorting to territorial warfare, treat visitors to your break as you would want to be treated, try and build your own boards, experiment, be wary of corporations who buy up surf mags by the page and what they are selling you, go on a beach clean up, join surfrider, take that old board, wetsuit, fix it up, and get it to some kids who can’t afford one. Be humble, respect nature and other people, think outside the box and don’t think for a minute there is only one way to do things. Surfing will survive, mutate, ebb and flow. Enjoy the gifts we are given and try and pass them on!!!
the mat changes shape and flex per my manipulations anyway so its almost like riding 1000 boards at one time anyway How can this be? Methinks you`re brainwashed.
the basic design of a boomerang hasent changed alot in a few thousand years only the materials have changed its simple it works and theres not a whole lot of modifications that can be done with out it not being a boomerang anymore thinner or thicker different sizes and materials are all you can do and have it still be what it is.>>>can you spell FRISBEE?
have long told surfers that one of the great things about bodyboarding is that the board has remaind relativly unchanged !>>>Thats how we end up with Walmart bodyboards and Costco surfboards. Its an ongoing curse. Be careful what you wish for.
the IMAGINATION TO CREATE>>>One of the few things that money cant buy. Theres been shitloads of money in the bodyboarding industry. Methinks that`s the problem.
“Dale, did you ever contact any of the top riders of the day and ask even One to ride your boards in a contest?”>>>>I communicated with Tom Morey, George Greenough, and a number of other inventive, creative surfers of several disciplines. My interests have always been focused in the opposite direction from competition. Part of that was me, and part was due to where Ive always lived and surfed. Wide open spaces can be a powerful influence... "I would be more then happy to try one of your tri planes I personally am extremely easy on bodyboards ( havent creased a board in 10+ years last proto i built is still uncreased after 5 years useage) and would happily return the board to you after a breif test . i could even make sure it found its way into the hands of a top rider who could also review it and we would use it in one of our board reviews (cant make promises about how gentle they would be ). i know its alot to ask.">>>>Thank you James, I understand and that is a tempting offer. But my remaining triplanes are worn, cracked and old. Im hoping to preserve them as they are. Most took me over 40 hours of labor each to build, so Ive never been motivated to loan any to others, aside from trading with a few friends while I was out surfing. The main problem was that my triplanes were initially awkward/difficult for anyone else to ride, who might have been accustomed to commercially made bodyboards... I could see it would take someone else many waves, over more than a few sessions, in a variety of conditions. Plus, my surfing has always been much more linear, not geared toward short arcs and tricks. I had gradually developed my triplanes over several years, so it was easier for me to anticipate the handling characteristics and performance that I wanted to extract from them. Thats one of the few “downsides” to true one-off, custom surfcraft. Of course, I could build a new one for testing… Ive always hoped that others would experiment with building their own designs. The internet has made the entire creative process so much easier. "there is another extension to this argument that will be heavily featured in my next ROT article but i cant let the cat out of the bag just yet Dale i know you know what im talking about but please keep a wrap on that part of the argument till i can get the story out." Yes... its an excellent idea… of historic relevance. “just like some of the stories I hear things i have seen about George on mats seem unbeliveable to me. its because i have no idea of the limits of the craft and how to manipulate it properly to get the most out of each situation… mats are even better then bodyboards for this in that the mat seems to have no loss of preformance with time the materials do not break down and crease like a bodyboard or surfboard. I feel i have plenty of time to learn my mat maybe my whole life since the limits are so high and the learning curve being what it is. at least the mat will not keep changing design and feel under me and confusing the issue ! the mat changes shape and flex per my manipulations anyway so its almost like riding 1000 boards at one time anyway”>>>>George Greenough would definitely agree, those are astute observations. The older a mat gets, the more supple, sensitive and quicker it becomes, and the better it operates… except that eventually, even the best wear out. During their lifespan, surf mats endure and respond to an incredible amount of stress… internal, external, bending and twisting in all directions, compression, folding and stretching. Thank you for sharing, James. Keep those insights and questions coming!
UNSOLICITED RECOMENDATION 4612583.921 …hey kid send dale some materials and two weeks pay and watch what happens dont pretend minimum wage appeals to and stimulates the design genius latent in the eternal ether…the hot kids deserve a fresh sparkling revolutionary piece of genius grey matter be prepared to wait patiently …or just order a mat…ambrose…pardon my blindness
100% rail and flex. Ocean Beach, San Francisco, 12-18-2003. Photo courtesy of Mr. Doof. 
Dale is that one of yours?!!
No… but the photographer, “Mr. Doof” (not his real name) is predominately a standing surfer. He also owns two of my surf mats. Small world!
Dale – on a mat that wave must be, something like 19 times overhead!! pretty cool photo, looks fast…