Just lent a mate my twin keel. My fave all time board. I thought it would help me get used to my new twinny by taking away the “ah stuff it, i’ll just take old faithful” factor. Now in thinking maybe i shouldnt’ve done it. I trust the bloke definately but, you know, i dont know if i should have. Its only for a few weeks.
So hopefully at least it’ll give me a chance to ride my new twinny. Although i’ve been having some serious fun on my midlength in waist - chest, high tide fun waves lately.
Yes…I need feedback…Some did not like my most fave board…Why?..Hmmm…must be a style thing…
…I’ve learned alot from the critics and a few tips from the stoked bros…
I built a board…gave it to a friend for free…I told him…“no strings attached , this is a gift”…I hoped for some feedback…nothing…no strings attached…I’m true to my word…
Go get some waves for me…I’ll be working…got to pay those taxes!!!
Oh NO!! You did’nt did you? You know that its Cursed now? Damned…DOOMED!
LOL…not really, just Joshin’…
An ol’ buddy of mine currently has two of my absolute keepers. Thing is, he knows, KNOWS I’m angling to get an order out of him, because hes a longtime local heavy so he’s playing me, the bastard!
No, its sweet really, just as long as he does’nt bust 'em…touch wood!
Ha! So true… my bros always are stoked to try out a fish I have (twin, fat, fun) until they get on it, then they say it’s hard to control and don’t understand why they cut the fins and fall on their face when they try to cutback. Had one bro do the switch on the beach, we paddled out and after the first wave he wanted his shortboard thruster back. Gotta TRY it man… Ah well.
I’ll loan boards to anyone that I figure I can trust to fix it if they break it. That said, I feel safer if they’re strong Epoxy/EPS. …And I always do my little paranoid finspection after lol. Get the feedback and don’t doubt your love of the board when all your mates tell you they don’t understand it.
IMHO inclusive activity is always better than exclusive activity.
Lending my favorite stick out is something someone has to be earned. but my judgment is far from perfect. I’ve lent my favs. out many times. The results aren’t always positive but I always learn something. There are both ends of the scale and many gradients in between from: “I want to buy it.” keeps it for a week – trys to work the price down – gives it back with many ding and dents that weren’t there when it went out – followed by, “Well it’s kind-a an old baord.” When I know how cherry it was before you made the errant decision to trust
– OR – Takes to Clouds in Tavarua kills it. brings lots of photos and performance reports and the board is just as it was when it went out.
First experience is one not to be trusted and can’t be considered a friend.
Second is solid gold and a true friend.
Life is full of chances. Some will take them and grow. Some prefer to remain more insulated. We all get to choose for ourselves. For me it’s not about blame or right and wrong it’s about who has character and who doesn’t.
Some interesting comments guys. I was just a little nervous, but im keen for him to try it out for a little while. Maybe i might get some good karma, and i’ll get used to my twinny fairly quickly, and i won’t be thinking about it!.
Cheers
P.S i know him through my other hobby brewing. He brews at a microbrewery, cool job huh??. He gave me a 50kg sack of pilsner malt a few months ago, which is 140 bucks worth, so i guess its a fair trade in a way. I think im halfway through it already haha, my beergut is coming along nicely. My wife is 3 months pregnant, and compared to her im about 4!.
My usual answer has been “i would rather lend you my toothbrush than my board” however as iget older i want folks to see what i’m talking about with the bonzer / epoxy lam’ed boards that i ride==so now, 'maybe? but if you ding it , your a dead man!"
This just made me think of last time I was up at my local shaper’s shack chatting. Some guy rolled up with a nice looking shortboard with the center fin box smashed completely and utterly out. Borrowed the board from his bro that day, annihilated the box and the fin (one of the future hatchets) gone too. He was doing the straight up bro thing and just getting it straight to the shaper to be fixed, but what a shitty feeling knowing you’d just changed the feel of one of your bro’s favourite rides with one bad luck moment. ah well, I’ll still loan my boards out if guys want to try 'em. You ding it, you fix it, no hard feelings.
I think im getting some good karma. My mate convinced me to go out this morning. Was waist high, glassy and holding up beautifully. Had so much fun on my midlength i was actually laughing out loud on one wave because i was up near the nose trimming from the take off to just about onto the sand. The last 3 surfs i’ve had have been small, glassy, super fun waves. Loving it!, and starting to really get the hang of my midlength. The twinny might have to wait!!
You’ve done the right thing. I loan my boards often, including the faves. I’ll echo the “use, it, enjoy it, fix it if you ding” line of thought. I can only ride one at a time anyway…
Definately key is lending to someone who is experienced enough to do what the guy did in your example. I lent my 12ftr to a neighbor once. He brought it back with the nose rail smashed in and didn’t say a word.
Got it back last night. A few small dings but he was good enough to get them patched, although one on the rail was missed. Nothing major, and im not bummed. His dog saw the leash hanging from the rafters and, being a dog, yanked on it haha. All good though, he’s a brewer at the local micro brewery so he’s offered me some Simpson malt from the UK, can’t wait to get that im my mashtun. I’d prefer to have no dings and no malt, but hey, these dings happen.
Can’t wait to get it wet again, though i can’t surf til the weekend. Looks like i might get some ok waves as well. Fingers crossed.
I ended up lending him my new board til next week. Hope the dog stays well away this time !.