What if your never tried something different?

Having a one board quiver was pretty normal when surfing was younger. For one thing most of the labels made only a few, if that, models and, if you didn’t buy a board off the rack the board you bought was custom. It would last you a year or two you’d sell it and go buy another.

When surfing was younger there were long boards and then there were long boards. Only at the time we called them surfboards. Or you could look at it this way… you could have a long board say 10 foot and you could have a short board…. say 9’3. Aside from the length the two boards would be similar. 50/50 rails maybe even the same glassed on fin. But really most everyone that surfed had one surfboard, not many had more than one.

Theoretically if you had a board in the sixties, let’s say before boards went shorter, you could still have that same board and still be riding it. Of course to avoid embarrassment you would have had to surf somewhere all buy yourself between 1968 and about y2k but, lets pretend…. There’s a guy out there that’s still riding the board he got in 1965… and you’re the guy.

Hopefully you’ve got the board wired by now. What do you see when you paddle into a waist high wave? What do you think of doing when you paddle into a head high wave? How do you maneuver your way along a wave with a 10 foot or better face? There are guys, and gals all around you with different equipment but you are riding the same board in all conditions. You’ve watched surfboards change and surfing abilities progress. How much do you think your surfing would have progressed if you rode the same surfboard year after year?

There is nothing wrong with having a one board quiver. For some it may be all they can afford. But it is possible to change and try something different after a time. Why? It surly can help progress your surfing… dare to be different, or at least try something different.

D.R.

Twin fin hull prototype