Learning to surf a shapers view post 4

I’ve said this before, beginners should not go out when the surf is head high or more. I think I’ll change that to waist high. If you don’t know how to catch a wave and stand up you shouldn’t be in surf over waist high. Why? Because you can hurt yourself and others, damage equipment and generally be a problem in the water.

This past Thursday and Friday we’ve had a small south swell that by Friday afternoon had some slightly over head sets. Both afternoons I was in the water there were complete novices in the lineup.

Thursday I was at a spot that is not a beginner wave, not an easy spot to surf even when the waves are small and unless you can get to your feet and turn your board in the direction the wave is breaking you will go a short distance to a rocky beach. There were three guys and a gal in the water and only one of them knew what they were doing… a little bit anyway. They seemed to be enjoying themselves but it was clear that the one guy had gotten the others to follow him to the beach.

If you’re going to take your friends surfing that don’t know how to surf take them to a place where they won’t get in the way of others in the water.

If you're going to take your friends surfing take them to a place where they won’t get beat up on rocks. A sand beach is better.

If you’re going to take your friends surfing find them surfboards that will float them well enough to paddle around without looking like a fish that’s flapping around on the deck of a boat. You shouldn’t be paddling with you legs, feet and elbows.

Ok, Friday afternoon the surf had sets of head high and better. I was stoked for the chance to work the Stubbie Qaud in some nice racy waves at inside point. After I was out for 20 minutes or so paddling back to the lineup I notice this guy on a soft top that just didn’t look right. He was paddling for waves in the wrong spot and of course not catching anything. Oh well, another novice I thought.

Maybe five or ten minutes later as I’m traveling down the line of one of the set waves and straighten out on the inside wall off there goes the soft top and rider still laying on his board. From out of no where in a split second down the face of the wave, white water chasing him, he slides right over the top of my board while I’m standing on it. I was able to angle out from under him and get away… lucky that. I could have fallen on top of him and who knows what could have become of the two of us and our boards.

You see, when you get in sizeable surf and don’t know what you are doing and don’t know how to catch a wave the wave will catch you, usually at the most inopportune time when someone can get hurt.

It will take a lot of time in the water to get to the place where you can do what is being done in the below picture. But you’ve got to get started right and stay on the right path. Advance one step at a time, be safe and those around you will be safe too.

D.R.

A frame grab of Travis Riley filmed by his brother Matt surfing their dads 15 year old D.R. Penetrator.

Addendum to my story post 36

To put it another way. I’ve been very fortunate to find work when I needed it in the surfboard business. So much of the time when I needed or wanted a job it would all most fall in my lap. This got me to thinking a few years ago that making surfboards should be what I do until I just can’t do it any more.

Now since I’ve partnered in a lam shop and am able to sell boards through Wave Front Surf Shop in Ventura pretty much all I think about is making surfboards. As an example… I’ve just completed a new model we’re calling the Tip Tool. It’s a combination of designs rolled into one board for small summer type waves and nose riding. A nice turning board because of the tail shape but also a good nose riding vehicle.

But, for me it’s not just the shape, which is primary of course, I want to develop a board that has more than the look of the shape. So incorporating color and lamination schemes for a distinctive look is important as well.

I’ve got so many shapes in the archives that to come up with something is not that hard for me but to work up lamination and color ideas can take some deep thought. To do different color work but still stay within the traditional surfboard color and line parameters can take some time to develop. As well, seeing something in my head may not turn out like what I thought.

It’s a great feeling when it comes together. I’m so fortunate when it does.

D.R.

The Tip Tool

My story post 36

It’s really pretty amazing how many times things have fallen into place for me and surfboards. From my first shaping job in Ventura to shaping for Dick Brewer.

After returning to live with my parents in December of ’67 I hitch hiked across the country and ended up staying that winter in Connecticut until spring broke and I found a Surfer magazine at the New Canaan drug store news rack. I saw those surf pictures in the magazine and had to get back to California to surf.

Yeah, I knew I didn’t belong in New England. I needed to be where I could spend time at the beach… surfing. I had this feeling I was missing out on something and made immediate plans to get back to surfing. Which included quitting the factory job I had, buying a plane ticket to L.A.X. and finding my way back to Ventura.

After making the flight back to California and getting picked up at the airport by my brother who took me to our parents house. My parents, especially my mom, wondering what I was going to do with myself. She could see the far away look in my eyes because all I could think about was finding my way back to where I knew I had friends and could surf…. Ventura.

After a couple days staying with my parents I told my mom I was going up to Ventura. “How you going to get there” she asked.. “ I’ll hitch a ride.” I told her. She didn’t like that but what was she to do? And hitch a ride is what I did.

My last ride took me to ‘C’ St. just a few blocks from the Morey-Pope shop where I was hoping my friend Peter was still working. Sure enough when I walked around the back of the shop thinking I’d check in the back door, there was Peter. He jumped up and we greeted each other, caught up for a few minutes and then he asked what I was up to. “I’m back” I said, then he told me that Morey was out at the health food store “ go look him up”.

Actually I think Peter drove me there. I found Morey sitting at the counter having a protein shake and told him I was back. We had a brief conversation and I walked away with a shaping job. And just like that I was back at it.

D.R.

Photo by Nathan Dorn

My Story post 35

Sometimes good things come to those that wait.

I was sitting in my VW bus one afternoon at the point all by myself lamenting the junk surf conditions when another guy pulled up in his bus… then the two of us were looking at the junk surf with no one out and nobody else around.

I got out of my car and into his for the company and to complain about the south wind blowing out the surf. We talked story for a half hour…. maybe longer. The wind had actually died out but a south wind leaves the conditions pretty bad for at least a few hours or longer depending on whether or not a west or north west wind picks up to smooth things up.

It really sucks when all you have is time, there’s surf, but it’s blown out. So there we were the two of us with no one else around. The only guys dumb enough to not find something to do but stare at the ocean when the surf was so beat up.

Then we noticed a sweeper set come pushing through the point that left the line up a fare amount cleaner than it had been… we began to perk up. A few minutes later it happens again and with in a few more minutes the surf had cleaned up and the surface conditions were nothing like the junk we’d been staring at. We both looked at each other and said “I’m gonin out!” Because we were the only guys that knew the conditions had changed we had the place all to ourselves.

That was back in 1967. Fast forward to a day in the mid nineties when I had gotten a ride to Pakala one morning and was dropped off to surf. A friend of mine was coming later to join me, surf and then I’d get a ride back home with him. But, the west wind picked up early that particular day and after I was in the water for 20 or 30 minutes the place blew out. I ended up on the beach by myself waiting for my surf buddy to show up… who was not due for a good hour or so. There I sat on the beach waiting to see my buddy walk up with a disgusted look on his face when he saw the surf was blown out.

It wasn’t long before he was to come walking down the beach when I noticed what looked like spray blowing off the backs of the waves up around the corner in front of Pakala camp… the wind was turning off shore again.

Sure enough within fifteen minutes after my friend showed up the off shores had reached around the corner to the main break and we both were on it. And, because everybody had left earlier we had the place to ourselves.

D.R.

A good way to pass the time when you’re waiting for surf.
My friend Mac and I with our guitars at Salt Pond.