Why I ride prone.

In the mid-60's there was a Chinese kid, that rode Ala Moana prone, on a longboard.    His name was Leigh Wai Doo.    He simply ripped.  Climb, drop, cutbacks, tube rides, he did it all.

We had a great discussion about Liegh [thanks for the correct spelling] on the Garbage Hole thread; he was a regular at AlaMo and ripped with his prone style on his longboard.

Sorry, screwed the spelling up; itʻs Leigh; we have all been spelling it different and you seem to have hit the correct version; Iʻm wondering if he still gets in the water; times have changed since the 60ʻs…

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 ''....times have changed since the 60ʻs.....''

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You are a master of understatement!!!

Bob would definitely like to catch up and see what I’m missing out on.

Been looking at Austin’s paipos for years.

I was talking to Dick Van Straalen about how he handles todays crowds as I’m always intriuged by how surfers who’ve seen a lot more than me (especially 50/60’s era surfers)  can handle surfing in crowds.

He said quite often he will ride his longboards prone due to his hips.

RE: Still like to know if anyone in Qld is building fibreglass Paipos?

Cuttlefish, have you tried to contact surffoils (Brett). he makes some really cool looking prone boards. I think he is in QLD somewhere (maybe sunny coast).

 

 

Maybe we should start a separate thread about fibreglass paipo in Qld so we don't hijack this thread,

 

I have had Chris Garrett (Phantom) make me a fibreglass paipo and have discussed a second one with him. He is very receptive to different ideas. Warren from Noosa who had a board made in the US asked a guy in Noosa who said he'd make one, I know a guy south of Sydney (John Kovar) who has made quite a few paipo. There is an interview I have done with John. Tom Wegener who I have also interviewed for the paipo series knows a thing or two about riding prone. There is a guy who posted on Swaylocks (iced vovo) who made boards to be ridden prone - he's from around Cabarita. Last time I was in touch with Surfoils he was in Sydney.

 

I have a diverse range of fibrgelass boards you can look at (mostly finless). Cuttlefish - I'm still on the learning curve but am happy to catch up. I'm back home mid July.

 

Bob

http://dingphotos.com/main/?page_id=1183

Not sure if Glenn is still shooting the Ala Moana Zone…hope he don’t mind the poached piccy

Setting up for that shallow Rock Pile left…I am lucky to have not been injured out there as many times I am inches above the reef!! The round bottom will slide sideways on closeouts…no edge to catch…

With this beast…you either pass em by or they(the smart ones) scramble to get out of the way…as it is obvious there aint no quick stop…once it gets going…

Rogelio

It is killin me to miss this run of south shore surf…tried to get over a week ago…but flights more than full!!!

http://www.surfnewsnetwork.com/

Howie(seems to be my Oahu nickname…not sure how the brah’s came up with it)

double overhead in town today

a little rainy 

go ahead Bernie…rub it in!!! too big for me anyway…maybe 3’s on my semi-gun after saying my prayers!!

Last time I surfed it that size(on that huge hull…major mistake)back in early 2010…I got schooled big time…bounced off the bottom at Ala Mo…took me probably 45 min. to swim in to get it…had to navigate myself into the Ala Wai channel to avoid the reef…as the current was sweeping right into that nasty reef…

It was on a Sunday…or possibly a Saturday…in Feb or March maybe…most of the breaks were unmanageable… I paddled out in the dark and did not realize how big it was…but once out there I said to myself …gotta get one anyway…so I see one that looked like it might have a shoulder…called off a short boarder who was paddeling inside me… he looks at me like I am f’ing nuts(he was right) and hoots me into the wave…the bottom just fell out of it and I mostly freefell on my knees into the pit below…wow…maybe I am better  off here in Texas…now that I think about it!

what are you doing in texas?

SUPing down the along the Riverwalk…and eating good Mexican. High 90’s + every day with a fair amt. of humidity. With a little luck, I should be bringing my Mexican car back to Baja by the 4th of July.

pic…Nayarit…just south of San Blas few months ago…had a great Mainland trip late winter and spring!

the only “pecking order” problems i’ve run into is guys in better shape than me. i stomach board plenty of different crowded spots down here in sd and always get my waves. i was in a discussion with 2 footster guys last time i was out in the water, it went like this…hey dude, you been gettin a ton of waves, guess i should get some fins to help me get in shape…his friend says, dude, you just gotta paddle harder!

 

i want my waves and i will free fall, air drop and take off deeper than anyone or whatever to get them. you gain respect when you “go for it” so i say, pick the big ones and “go for it!”

 

vive la proné!

I have no trouble getting waves but there is the occasional drop in.

 Usually I'll shrug off the first one, but after that, there's plenty of tricks for dealing with hoppers.

I always wear the mondo unaltered UDT's so catching waves is usually easy and my daily ride is an alaia so long, fast rides are common. 

A few months back, I was getting on my bike ready to head home after a very good morning session and I heard a gal ask her standup riding husband just coming up from the beach " Hey honey did you have a good surf?" and he replied while pointing at me " Yeah, it was okay; >THIS guy got all the good ones."     

Gettin' the good ones is what it's all about..........

 

Glad to hear the prone brotherhood is alive and well and getting their share of waves at lineups across the globe; it is very true that a good, positive attitude towards crowds, SUPʻs and our boogie cousins helps to make a session more productive as well as keeping the stress level low; in my neck of the woods summers are very low on the wave count so other means of water time are necessary; but come winter the situation reverses and the winter swells roll in and conditions are the best; but Iʻm stoked for anyone out there riding good waves and having a fine time during this summer season… 

Just finished this and thought it was relevant. Paipo, pine with redwood stringers. Never posted anything that I’ve shaped on here before…

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Cooleye,

In your board photo there look like two nails alongside the rail - are these to keep the board in place? If so, what are the marks on the board? Is there nose lift or is it a flat profile?

 

As for getting your share of waves  - it really depends on the condiitons and the crowd..

 

Uncle G  - I'm curious for your tips for drop ins. My strategy is to avoid crowds as nuch as possible. 

 

Bob

For whatever reason, the local crowd of regulars is more mellow now then 20 years ago...It's the once a month kooks that think they own the place that I worry about.

I avoid the crowds as much as possible as well, usually surfing the local beach breaks instead of the points, but some days there is no avoiding a hopper. I'll let the first one slide but after that it's game on. Of course if I get a chance I'll return the "favor".

If I don't get completely stuffed and can still get into the wave, the inherent speed of the alaia will often allow me to just zip right past people leaving them in my wake.

The leash grab works very well. I have also used the leverage available from being down low to topple people over by lifting their outside rail.  

I never touch the rider.

I try to avoid these shenanigans but it's good to have few tricks in your quiver.