How about this: Pass laws that oblige Surfers to safely control their craft.
Put an electronic device on or into the legrope that gets activated when the legrope stretches, i.e. when safe control was lost.
Depending on severity of local crowding and dangers, the consequences could vary from “one wipeout and you are out for the day” to “Thee wipeouts before forced 30 minute break, auto reset after 15 minutes”. The device could blink, beep, communicate wirelessly with lifeguards or police, and could even be reprogrammed wirelessly by lifeguards if crowd factor or conditions change.
Those surfers who loose their board too often would be paddling around with a beeping, blinking ankle strap, announcing to other Surfers that they are currently illegal in the lineup.
And it maintains all the safety advantages of the leash.
Are you serious…
The distinction between the modern surf leash and earlier versions has to be made. As mentioned Georges Hennebutte made an earlier version of the leash, but he was an inventor of all manner of things including a zodiac style boat - l’Espadon (Swordfish) and reportedly added nose lift to the wooden “plankys” ridden around Biarritz…
Even earlier in the early 1920s Nigel Oxendon from the Isle of Jersey tied a leash to his belt which was attached to a metal loop on the tail - http://mypaipoboards.org/interviews/JeremyOxenden/JeremyOxenden_2011-0822.shtml
There were other early pioneers.
Bob
.
The distinction between the modern surf leash and earlier versions has to be made. As mentioned Georges Hennebutte made an earlier version of the leash, but he was an inventor of all manner of things including a zodiac style boat - l’Espadon (Swordfish) and reportedly added nose lift to the wooden “plankys” ridden around Biarritz.
Even earlier in the early 1920s Nigel Oxendon from the Isle of Jersey tied a leash to his belt which was attached to a metal loop on the tail - http://mypaipoboards.org/interviews/JeremyOxenden/JeremyOxenden_2011-0822.shtml
No doubt there were other pioneers.
Bob
.
The first I saw advertised by Pat Oneil attached to your wrist and nose like a spongers
we used nylon cord stuffed in a surgical rubber tube like the ones used for hawaiian spears attached to a hole in your fin
many eyes and accidents later we were glad for the urethane ones which came after the urethane skate wheels
we were more of a tribe in the lineup before the leash
guys would sacrifice themselves to go in and get a friend’s board and paddle it out through the white water while your friend did their best to body surf in
we were all great body surfers then taking off on the biggest waves just to get in to try and get to your board before the rocks did.
this was also brfore the concept of “duck diving” when we used to “turn turtle” or turn around and get blasted from behind while sinking the tail
I don’t remember duck diving back in the early 70’s maybe the boards were too thick…
Hi oneula,
I don’t remember duck diving either. Just pushing the nose under and getting the suicide grip. Arms and legs wrapped around the board. Forehead placed firmly against the deck. Explosion! Mike
Jim Folley in Santa Cruz had a leash in the mid 60’s
Arron Wright surfed Sunset with a surgical rubber one , no nylon cord inside to limit extension .
Ditched his board on a huge set , it went to the beach , came back thru the pack 110 miles an hour 
, told to go in . :-)
That’s right. There were leashes around before that, but those were the first “factory” style leashes I had ever seen. Just the mention of Select Surf Shop makes me yearn for the day. With “Tugs Tavern” and Taco night. Or was it Tostados??
It’s what it is. This argument has been worn to a frazzle on this site many times before. F38k!n’ Einstein or the Three Stooges maybe? At this point it’s like Hilary said "What differance does it make?
Leashes? We don’t need no stinking leashes…
Ha - this is the old thread! Someone posted a new reply on this old 2003 thread, so I moved it to general discussion for awhile, will put it back in archives later. A lot of these old topics come around again and again. Kinda funny reading through the old stuff, guys talk about the good old days on Swaylocks but there was a lot of the usual drama back then too, LOL.
Funny because I remember others. But I tire of these type of debates so fast that I cannot be considered an on their content. If this were the only time this came up you’d think once would be enough. File it in the circular file next to " Who invented the twin fin?"
I recall the first leashes sold commercially as being nothing but bungee cord with a nylon, non-adjustable webbing strap that went around your ankle. The surgical tubing with nylon line style came after. We used to drill a hole through the finbox, much like is done today for a leash loop. But, we’d put the cord through the hole and tie a knot on the underside.
Pre '70 for sure, in both LA and SantaCruz.
Jan. '70, RockyWhite and I used homemade leashes for a tiny day at Bolinas, the Channel. We read about it in SurferMag., or some other mag. The issue must have been printed mid summer of '69.
Yes, leashes can take blame for the influx of surfer’s today. Imagine paddlng out at SloatOBSF without a leash on a 8’ day breaking in the outside sandbars.
Imagine almost anything North Shore, in the 20 foot +/- range. Separates the men from the boys, real fast!
Huge difference. I surfed Sunset when RickyGregg was sitting 200 yards outside the next outside guy, me. Surfed Wiamea the morning before Booby got his tube ride in '77 on his red board, saw it from the S cliffs eating a KuiAina Burger after that morning sesh, passenger seat of RockyWhite’s car, with his fellow ex SEAL teamer in the backseat…who didn’t go out with us that morning.
OBSF is much hairier. You get wet paddling out at OBSF. You can’t just stand there and time the sets, run and jump aboard to glide out with two tiny backing off punchthrus.
OBSF, on a 8’ day, you WILL get to attempt to push thru a 8’ wave, every single time you head out. 51 degree waters, 50 degree airs, make a difference.
Jeff Clark is afraid to surf OBSF at over 8’. Every SanFrancisco big wave surfer knows this.
‘Jeff Clark is afraid to surf OBSF at over 8’. Every SanFrancisco big wave surfer knows this.'.
Hardly.
Surfed OB year around from 1962’ to 2006 which is when I moved to Oregon. And still surf it whenever I can on my frequent visits back down. Not claiming biggest days, surfed plenty of mid-beach TOH bluebird days.
Have known Jeff since he was a teenager, and have surfed hundreds of sessions with him over the decades, from OB to points south.
2 years ago met up with Jef mid-beach OB and surfed hella fun DOH-TOH with him and Grant Washburn. Until I rode one in too far and just couldn’t make it out again.
Last winter saw him out in TOH north sloat, scoring bombs on his SUK.
If the point you’re trying to make is OB is tough, it sure is.
At size it is the most brutal and demanding paddle out anywhere, often requiring 45 minute relentless battle against non-stop stacked white water walls, trying to penetrate to the outside zone.
Once outside, a constant paddle to chase down waves and fight currents that suck you north or south at the rate of a fast walk, often ending a session in which maybe you caught 3 waves and ended up a half mile or more from where you originally paddled out.
But trying to frame just how brutal OB is by saying Jeff Clark is afraid of it is just wrong.
Easily the least afraid guy I’ve ever known.
If it’s because Jeff isn’t seen on the really big days at OB, it’s because he’s spent his time at Mavericks on those swells.
OB is a wave that can beat the crap outta ya. Mavericks, however, can kill you.
No, Jeff’s not afraid.