Being a surfer guy dad with a surfer guy son. 

It probably all started because my son liked the beach and, like most boys want to be like their ole man or do the things that dad does when they're young. So my son  Robin wanted to surf same as his dad.

Robin started getting in the water with a surfboard when he was around 6 years old. His interest in surfing grew as he grew. And lucky he lived just a few blocks from Ventura point until he was in the 11th grade. Then lived on Kauai.

Now that Robin is a father himself with 2 young girls, and responsibilities, the guy he hangs with surfing is his dad. It's a father and son surf buddy thing. He'll text me when he's down at the point on his lunch break and tell me to get my butt to the beach if the surf is good. And vise versa. Honestly it's a really cool thing for me. Seeing my son grow up and enjoying surfing together. 

This year was the 7th year doing our surf - camp out during the first week in June. And as usual we got surf. There was a swell in the water the whole week. The lineup got really crowed this year for some reason which made things a bit hectic. Being a dad surfing with my son I had 2 memorable moments this year that where apart of surfing but didn't directly involve riding a wave. 

One was watching Robin move into a crowded hectic lineup eyeing a set wave. Paddle threw the pact with confidence and look of determination. As I watch, seeing the pack of guys back off any inclination that they would stroke for the same wave just in case he wouldn't make it or just drop in on him as the wave scoops him up and off he goes.

The other time during that same session was when a good sized set wave I started to stroke for with Robin just a little inside my position. With Robin's site line into the crowd  he could see if anyone going after that same wave was either not going to make the drop or catch the wave. So he gave me the 'go dad go' signaling me that the coast was clear. We were not only surfing together but with the crowd, surfing became a team effort.

That all may sound corny. But Robin and I have been surfing together on a regular basis for over 30 years. I'm allowed... and besides, it's Fathers Day.

D.R.

Robin took this pic of me from his skateboard. A surf check via skateboard.

Below is a paragraph from the second post I did in September of 2K6.. it's about the blank I got to make a surfboard when I was all of about 13.

Dave Sweet made his own blanks in the sixties and made them available retail.  My parents with the help of my older sisters boy friend Jerry, a surf guy, got this bright idea to get me one of the Sweet blanks for a Christmas present in ’62. I still remember that Christmas day. Everyone opening presents including me, then I get maybe a shoe box size gift. I open it to find a key inside and am told it’s a key to the lock on the garage door.  Everyone says go out unlock and open the garage door.  I have no idea what is going on but go ahead and go out side, everyone following me and open the garage door and what do I see?  A surfboard blank! I was so stoked, a blank put me one step closer to having my own board.

So yes, it was Dave Sweet that made it possible for me to have my first surfboard. I have no idea how I actually figured out how to cut the blank down the middle, glue in a stringer, get the resin and fiber glass laminated on the blank with color, get a fin on it and then get it all smooth and ready to surf.... some how I managed.

I remember going in the Sweet shop in Santa Monica a couple times and vaguely remember talking with him. I was a grom, that's what groms do, go to surf shops all excited, gawk at surfboards and talk story with the top dog if possible.

It would be interesting to know how many of Sweet's blanks were bought to do just what I did. Then I wonder how many guys went on to work for a surfboard company or start their own label.  

I'd have to say Dave Sweet impacted my life in surfing. It's sad that he passed away last month. The surfing world will continue on but once again without one of it's icons.

R.I. P. Dave Sweet.

D.R.

The model 50. A recreation of my first surfboard that was made with a Dave Sweet blank.