What do you prefer when it comes to surfing style?  The radical fast vertical stuff on shortboards? The slow direction moves of traditional longboards? or ??

When asked, my wife will tell you the sport she likes to watch most is surfing. Not sure why,  someday I'll have to ask her... if I can remember. Or maybe I have asked but don't remember her answer.

For me it's all about style. Good surfing is all about looking smooth even if you are doing radical maneuvers... the good surfers make it look easy, effortless, stylish.

One of the things we all wanted to accomplish when surfboards began evolving shorter was riding tight in the pocket. In, around and close to the curl.  It isn't exactly easy to ride tight in the pocket and be stylish at the same time.  The new board model I've been working on is designed for that cool trim and glide type of surfing that can keep you tight and in the pocket. Even though it is a longboard.

I can get so immersed shaping a new design that once the board is completed I don't want to let it go. Which of course is crazy because usually someone has ordered the board and is waiting for it... so I'm obligated.

I've finished 2 Trim and glide Sliders this past week and both have been hard to let go of. Ok, I could make one for myself but I won't, at least for awhile. Why?  Because I'll be starting another new design next month and the first one is going to be mine.

D.R.

The T and G Slider for in the pocket surfing.

Saw this question on one of the forums this past week.... Shapers that can't use a planer, does it matter really?

Of all the responses only one came back "no".

Watched a movie yesterday called Ride, about an over bearing mother and her son... a surfer. Helen Hunt is the mother. She directed and wrote the screen play. Seems she did her own stunts in all the footage of her learning how to surf in the movie... interesting take on  California and surfers.  Kind of Hollywood....  of course.

So a swell shows up for the holiday weekend. Supposed to hold through Monday and another due Tuesday. I couldn't hold back and went down this morning... I got a couple.

Got back to the van and the guy that parked next to me comes up... he'd just gotten out of the water too. He says ' that was a nice start to the day. I wasn't expecting much and it was actually pretty good, I got a couple nice ones.'  I say ' anymore I think coming to the beach with low expectations is the best approach... that way you won't be disappointed if the surf sucks or you have a bad time.'

I wish I could do that, it seems more times than not my expectations aren't met. Is there a therapist for this problem? 

I've got a couple new models coming. Just finished one, very stoked about it. Funny... I get back to making surfboards and the unmet expectations of going to the beach completely fad away.  That's therapy.

D.R.