Why I still love sways

General Discussion
1

With all the changes in format…

I can still, with a little effort, find the information I need in the archives.

With all the shrill, negative voices…

I can still find comments which inspire me.

With all the bickering…

I can still read a 10-page thread where everyone comes together to share hulls, or resin tints, etc…

With all the same-old, same-old…

I can still find something new which tweaks my mind.

I can still learn something about shaping.

Or glassing.

Or sanding.

Or polishing.

Or fins.

I can still have one-on-one interactions with real geniuses, giants of the industry.

JJR/ProboxLarry/RobinMair/Greg/Bert/Greg/All the amazing guys I’m sure to be forgetting in the rush. Try having that kind of pro-level access in ANY other amateur hobby.

I can still have one-on-one interactions with real geniuses, backyard stunters like myself

oneula/chipper/benny/lillibel/markv/pierreb/johnmellor/hunty/afoaf/maxmercy/synergytodd/janklow/austin/gregtate/brownfish/tomstern/thelistisliterallyendless!! Quality folks, and some genuine friends I’ve never met in person.

The point is…

I’ve seen a lot of comments lately, “this is what I hate about sways these days…”

Negativity is hard to deal with sometimes, especially when it has been rare in the past. But you know what? There’s still a lot to love here.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind, swaylocks has improved my quality of life, orders of magnitude more than any other “virtual” influence.

It is my number one resource for my number one recreational activity.

I still love sways.

2

God bless you my brother!

3

Hear Hear!

4

Amen!

People are people… everywhere.

Gather together a couple hundred passionate craftsmen(and women) in a room and sit back and watch the fireworks fly!

Why would it be any different in a “virtual” room?(not to mention a couple thousand people)

Personalities will always clash…opinions will always differ…there will always be different points of view and debates over versions of history.

In many ways it is worse in a virtual room because people can behave in ways they wouldn’t in a face to face situation.

If I were in a real room full of people and someone was getting on my nerves, I would just walk away and enter into a conversation elsewhere.

We have the ability to do the same here.

As individuals, we have the choice. We can choose to engage in the drama…or we can choose not to.

I had to learn the hard way in dealing with “a certain someone”,
that if you want out of the drama…just don’t get into it. Just walk
away when it begins to become bothersome to you.

Look for the positive…and you will always find it.

Now I try to just look for the positive…and you know what?..I always find it.

I love Sways…and I couldn’t express it any better than shwuz did.

Thanks buddy…I’m with you!

Mahalo

5

Hi Shwuz and Todd, I agree with you guys on all accounts. I enjoy seeing the new ideas from people that sometimes blow my mind, weather it’s with any of my Products or not.

Another very humbling feeling is how everyone makes me feel and appreicates what I have to share. I can honestly say when I have a BUMMER day, which are only a few here and there Swaylockians always are a great pick me up. And for that I really love Swaylocks and my new Brother and Sisters, Mucho Thanks! Mahalo, Larry

6

Swaylocks,

Though I am only garage shaper (in the truest since of the word. you should see my garage floor (: ) I know 9 times out of 10 I can come on here post a really obvious question and get an honest, straight and helpfull answer by the best in the biz.

THANKS!!! SWAYLOCKS!!!

T

7

Kudos to you, Mike!

A great cyber meeting place. I have made more Hullerific connections here then in all of the 40+ years that I’ve been surfing.

I look forward to my daily Sways fix, and I earn points!!!

8

Amen!!!

and thanks to Mike for the hard work!

9

Thanks, Shwuz.

That was a timely and much-appreciated message.

Yes, Sways is a rare virtual place. I have noticed a shift in tone with some posters over the recent past. But I think that there has been a gradual but steady shift in popular culture in America for quite a while now, away from civility and toward a shock jock sensibility. It only figures that it would carry over to some extent to Swaylocks. In about seven years of lurking and occassional posting, I’ve seen contributors come and go, and with each change, a new mix ultimately comes to form another family of Swayloholics with a different collective personality. And ultimately, the overriding atmosphere of support and stoke gets reinforced and prevails.

Who knows, maybe people are coming onboard from the other forums, and bringing that tone with them. I think that synergytodd is right, anonymity is a factor, and also right about the fact that if the best solution overall is just to ignore them. If they aren’t responded to, they will probably lose interest and move on. Who knows, they might even learn something about a different kind of dialog.

And thanks, as always, to Mike, for keeping it going.

10

thanks shwuz

thanks mike paler

thanks all the pros who generously share their skills with amateurs like me .

thanks for photos of your work

keep the creativity alive !!

11

I agree. And thanks Mike.

12

right on Shwuz…

and a big thanks to Mike…

Sways is what we make it.

13

"thanks shwuz

thanks mike paler

thanks all the pros who generously share their skills with amateurs like me .

thanks for photos of your work

keep the creativity alive !!"

And thanks Chip.

14

Sways is still the place for information, ideas and the exchange of both. I feel the new sways is positive. I think the knock down drag out fights are rare.

15

thanks, J.

and as always, thanks, Mike.

16

Bravo, Jarrod.

So true.

17

No internet free-for-all is going to be without it’s messy bits. This is still the best thing going by about a mile (or a kilometer).

It’s up to us to keep it that way.

18

As I went to “lurk” today, this was he first thread I opened…

Why? Cuz I too love Sways. Why? What everyone said…

Two top ones come to mind:

World class knowledge: Exchange of ideas and knowledge on all levels.

Changed my life in more profound ways than I even know.

Love, peace, aloha, and mahalo

19

swhuz - nice post bro. the feeling is mutual.

swaylock - mike, thanks so much for starting this site. i can never explain to you how much this community has meant to me.

bill thrailkill and chipfish - thank you for the fin templates.

to all my friends here - thank you for all your insights and knowledge that you so freely share. i was fortunate enough to find someone willing to show me the ropes, but the lions share of what i have learned has been here, from all of you. i can never repay what you all have given me. you all have my deepest gratitude.

brasco

20

Though I am only garage shaper (in the truest since of the word. you
should see my garage floor (: ) I know 9 times out of 10 I can come on
here post a really obvious question and get an honest, straight and
helpfull answer by the best in the biz.

Some of the best Ideals come from the garage guy’s. Don’t sell yourself short. You would be surprised at how many professional board builders Lurk on this site that never post looking for innovation? Sometimes Sway’s is like eating fish! (Eat the meat and spit out the bones). There is some bashing by the NZ’ers. (Their good guys too) They just like to stir it up a bit. Then you have Synergy Todd who should be called Energy Todd who never sleeps and builds boards constantly looking for the most sustainable way to build a surfboard. ALoaf who is the most stoked grom on a vacuum mission. These guy’s are garage guy’s that I respect very much and we need garage guy’s to help with innovation. It helps everyone. Their are plenty of haters out there and people in the industry that get all freaked out by the garage guy’s. The Good thing about Sway’s it brings out the best in everyone. I think it will only become better as long as we share ideals and concepts to move the technology forward and have some fun along the way and we can even revisit the past as well. The people I’ve met on this site have been helpful and I look forward to return the favors that I have received when I’m allowed to do so!

I almost forgot Deadshaper! That guys knows how to build a surfboard!

SD

PS - Some of us have bigger garages than others. However in the end were all garage guy’s!