Here is a paper I wrote for my sociology class. Any constructive critisim welcomed…it’s due on wendsday.
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[ 3]Surf culture may be the most diverse and widespread subculture ever to evolve from a sport. It has had influence on nearly every stretch of coastline bordering every ocean, has even found its way inland to virtually every US state, and world wide to places like Munich, Germany, where small surfing subcultures can be easily recognized.
A possible reason for widespread surf fever is that anyone can become a member of the surfer class (in one form or another) thanks to globalization and the media; Whether they are accepted into surf culture, however, varies greatly from country to country; state to state, city to city, and even beach to beach. The most popular view of surf culture is the one portrayed by the media and its marketing slaves. This view tells people that all they need to become a surfer is to buy $65 shirts at Hollister Surf Co. at a mall in Salt Lake City, Utah, say ‘Dude’ a lot, and act stoned. Here, in the real world, we call people who follow this model ‘Posers’ and they are likely to be rejected in a true surfing society, even if back home in Utah they are considered the “surfiest” kid on the block.
The Hierarchical Scale of Surfers…
The scum of surf culture (even lower than the Utah surfer) is the “Lying Poser”. This individual, who has all the trendy clothes, says he shreds Blacks Beach on a double overhead day and claims to have the key, in truth can not get past the white wash on a head high day, and pearls on nearly every wave. Above the “Lying Poser” is the bimonthly surfer who ventures out into the water when he has nothing better to do. The problem the bimonthly surfer poses is that their lack of skill is likely to cause an accident of some sort in crowded surf, or at the least, a good wave will be wasted on the unworthy. Newbies typically come in next (depending on previous associations and natural skill level) and have a few classifications of their own. The newbie is much like a student driver learning the ways of the road and is honing in on the abilities of his board and himself. If the newbie or ‘grom’ develops his skills, he becomes more accepted in his community and gets a certain level of respect among his peers. From this point it is a long road of being an average surfer to becoming a good surfer. Eventually one can become a professional and get paid to surf after winning many surf competitions. These people most likely skipped the “average surfer” phase and owe their skill to natural talent or the lack of a job.[/]
Who’s riding what? And what’s what to who?
Surfers often personify themselves through their surfboards, so the types of surfboards people ride say a lot about their niche in surf culture and individual style of surfing. All boards are unique and specific in size, shape, materials, construction method, and function. One could argue a hierarchical scale for a quiver of surfboards, but it would be purely argumentative due to the fact that what is stylistically functional by one surfer is believed to be stylistically un-functional by another. An easier task would be to ask, “What board is best for what break?” for some breaks there is a certain board that really it the best. For slow, small, mushy waves, long boards are best (however, they work well in big fast waves as well.) and on big 30’-60’ waves, the only board that will be ridden is a gun or a hydrofoil. But, for the majority, one could argue almost any board for most any wave because the board will be particular to the surfers style.
Length, width, thickness, planeshape, fin set-ups, and materials classify a board. Boards over 8’ are typically classified as longboards, but endless variables that alter the design shape, both in form and function, determine what type of longboard it is. Other common boards include funboards, penguins, guns, semi-guns, retro single fins, high performance single fins, fishes, swallowtails, quads, and the high performance tri-fin thruster. Each of these boards has a particular design or aesthetic function that a surfer finds appealing and a surfer will choose the board for that reason. Often, a surfer will choose a board based on what their peers have in order to fit in with the crowd. This is especially common in areas with territorial surfers. Surfers also refer to themselves as a product of their surfboard or their style; One can be labeled as a “long boarder”, a “short boarder”, or a “soul surfer”, which identifies them with a sub-culture within surf culture.
Just how surfers are particular about the design of their surfboards, many are particular in the materials their boards are made with, and debates over such matters are very common among board builders and riders. Common materials include pe, xps, and eps foams, balsa, redwood, koa, various other woods, fiberglass, polyurethane, and epoxy resins. Each one of these materials provides a different function, and a surfer will choose and often identify himself with the materials used. For example: those who choose wood for their boards are honoring surf history by trying to keep the old ways alive while fusing them with the new.
More insight into the surfer identity…
The surfer identify has been evolving ever since the sports birth hundreds of years ago in Hawaii. Originally, surfing was a sport fit only for Hawaiian kings and royalty. As time went on the sport eventually trickled down to common people, until the early 1900’s when surfing began to make its way into popular culture. During this time, the only way to get a surfboard was to either build your own or hopefully know someone who knew how. In the1950’s, surfing became a more popular sport with the “Beach Boys” persona dominating the culture by the 1960’s, and by the early 70’s a revolution in surf technology became the foundation for a new counter culture…The foam shortboard. With this new innovation, surfing became loud and rebellious; it was its own entity with it’s own rules. Surfers were now labeled as lazy, deviant, surf bums; a label that continues to dominate the perception of American surfers.
Today, if you’re a high school quarterback you are an all-American hero, if you are surfing five days a week you are a lazy bum. But, what outsiders think of us dose not mater; we know that we have found the source and no true surfer would trade that to become an ‘all-American’ quarterback hero. Outsiders see us more or less as cookie-cutter molds; as copies of the perpetual stoner (We waist our time surfing, we do not contribute to society, we all are taking drugs, rebelling against the system, and we are loud and offensive.). But, the surfer identity is as diverse as the cultures of the world, and varies from person to person. Yes, I do admit the stereotypical perpetual stoner is in existence, but they are just a small part of the surfer identity. There are also spiritual surfers, who surf to find their soul and experience a healthy life; Jesus surfers, who surf for to feel close with God, and to express their love for the world and their religion with others like them; Other surfing personas include the businessman surfer, who gets out once a week to relive some stress; big wave surfers, also known as adrenaline junkies, who surf waves sometimes over 60’, or extremely heavy and dangerous waves such as Teahupo’o to experience an ultimate rush.
Some of these people define themselves with surf culture, while others define the culture. Shapers do the later. To a shaper, surf culture is very much of their own design, and not a product of the media, or how they sell their lifestyle. Those who run in this smallest of circles covet the secrets of the trade with great respect and admiration; and traditionally only pass their knowledge on to the worthy. Shapers are in their own hierarchy based on craftsmanship, life experience, style, and how well they tell stories about the old days. Most shapers begin on a small scale and are referred to as garage shapers. Usually, garage shapers can be found lingering around various professional shaping bays trying to learn anything they can from the masters. This is where I currently fit into surf culture. It began with a keen interest in the sport and woodworking. Slowly, I began to surround my self with people that I admire the most, until I became integrated and accepted into their world. By constantly associating with shapers I became a familiar face and gained their respect, both as a craftsman and as human being, by having them look at my work and taking their criticisms seriously. If a gremmie is really fortunate, as I was, he will get permission from a shaper to watch him on a regular basis. This is the highest honor for a gremmie and gives him a door into a world he is desperately trying to be a part of. When a gremmie first begins to watch a shaper at work there are many factors at work that determine his behavior; the unofficial apprentice tries to stay out of his mentors’ way and tries not to ask too many questions (as to hide his ignorance and not to annoy his teacher). Much of what is learnt is visual, and after hanging around for a while the lingo is slowly picked up through demonstration, repetition, surf stories, and body language. A little while later, the dig repair shop two doors down offers the gremmie a job, and the gremmie accepts in order to improve his board building skills and to become more ingrained into this socity. A few years of dig repair, sanding boards, and building boards on his own time could get him a job as a shaper working for him self, or for a surfboard company to continue the cycle.
