And that point "if they had always been machine-shaped they wouldn't be any good because the machine bases them off of the past 50 years of trial-and-error hand-shaping success..." Damn, that's a cool thought process at work.
When I was a grom the popout du jour was an Aitken and man, were those boards whack. They had a seam all the way around the rails from the mold that was like a razor blade. As much as I hate to admit it, some of the newer stuff like FireWire seems well built and functional. I just prefer hand shaped and glassed boards built in the good old USA.
Just to touch on the CI and merrick comments. He is probably the most successful shaper in world history, both in performance and on the business side. Think about how many WORLD titles have been won on his boards. The best of the best for almost 2 decades have been trusting this guy... So, the reason behind his machine work, was because Slater and the world's best REQUESTED that he do it. They all agreed that the most minor difference in any part of a board is just enough to make it perform differently, so when slater just destroyed J-Bay one day on a custom Merrick, he goes back to al and says hey, I want 6 of those, EXACTLY the same... And even the store board CI's seem to be high quality from me. I dont ride or buy them, but I have tried them out. I have no issue with him. He monopolized the industry a long time ago. There are merricks on every coast, in every nation really. Internationally. So, in his case, he got too big too fast, so he has to use machine. The demand for his services became impossible... And once everyone on the winner podiums had Merricks under their arms, every kid, in every coutry wanted one. Who wouldnt want the boards that the best of the best live by. I think that speaks volumes for Al Merrick... I just feel like I agree with some of people points against his company, but I can't logically oppose him without feeling like im just being a hater.
not saying i'm good or anything but ive rented my share of Bics over the years on trips where i didnt bring a board, and if you can surf you can surf. Like Lee said, they may be popouts but they are pretty much perfect GENERIC boards. They ride better than some crappy home shaped boards i''ve ridden with bad rocker and fins in the wrong place. There are plenty reasons why guys that can surf would be riding sh!tty popouts...I've paddled out on Liquid Shredders and BZ softtops just for the fuk of it...bottom line if they werent getting in your way, who cares?
I dont think CI got too big too fast...they've been huge for like 25 years...i think using machines to 95% shape a blank makes a lot of sense. The first 90% of the foam removed froma blank in hand shaping a board is done in long sweeping even motions with a planer that can probaly be done as accuratly by a machine with less repetitive motion issues, or at least reproduced more effectively with automation.
i'm confused, you've got the Geoff McCoy avator, McCoy quote in your tagline, but it is unacceptable for a Nev Hyman shaped firewire to be sold locally because it steals jobs from AMERICAN shapers. Whats the diff?
Don't be confused. My McCoy Nugget is shaped by Greg Pautsch. A few decades ago, Geoff came to America and set up shop in Newport, CA for a while, then returned to Austrailia. One of the shapers that shaped under the McCoy label during that stay was Greg Pautsch. McCoy was convinced that G.P. was worthy of shaping board's to McCoy specs and signed him on as his shaper in the United States. My money went to an American that purchased US Blanks & shaped/glassed it in Newport, CA. Perhaps I paid $100 above the retail for a surfboard for loyalties? Maybe more? I don't know. I don't know what loyalties Greg pays Geoff and I don't care. An American shaper and an American glasser got paid for their labor. http://www.revolutionsurfer.com/products.php?action=viewcat&catid=15 So......the difference is Firewire has nothing more to do with American shapers or workers than Bic, Tufflite or any other off shore made boards. My McCoy, however, employed an American shaper & glasser. The avatar and quote were free (and don't replace the American flag or Pledge of Allegiance), so nobody loses on that deal. Thanks for letting me clear that up.
you know i once owned a tuflite merrick flyer good board very tough lasted me 3 years the guy i bought from lasted him 2 years so its gone through 5 years of constant abuse they are defiently worth the money upfront as it will last year longer than a standard pu board. but you can also get a custom shaped local board in epoxy as well which is wat im doing now. But everyone must remember this we are in a recession so if someone goes out and buys a popout its gonna last them and they will get there money out of it in the long run.
right on. i was just curious + thought all McCoy's were Australian made. I've always kind of liked the Nugget shape and the shorter/wider template.
merrick is a great shaper.i used to buy his boards,since 1979,but he doesn't make boards good for me anymore because i need more specific shapes and dimensions.i'm really big and ride lots of different designs and his single fin,egg,longboard and fish are truly popout crap compared to what a good shaper will do for me. if i wanted a 5'10"-6'2" high-performance shortboard,yeah,i guess they are good,but not for me. i thought it was funny that these guys were blowing me away on crappy boards,i wasn't angry at them at all,i was frustrated by it,no lie,but it was because i never thought it could be they were rentals,like,flew in to cape may for a wedding and there's a pumping swell so go rent an nsp. makes sense,now.
i know who you are talking about and they guy rips on anything you give him . Shortboard , Longboard, Fish whatever. He is a super cool dude in and out of the water. Plus you should see his collection of boards at home. I asked him why the Bic or the Pop out . His reply was I rather have this get dinged than one of my better boards. He takes the better half of his quiver out when it less crowded or on Dawn Patorls
everyone may laugh at me but i have a 8ft wavestorm costco special. ill ride it on knee high days crowded or shorebreak its indestructible. plus once you get good at it theyre fun to ride. like im able to nose ride, walk backwards, switch stance, cutbacks, floaters. and so on and everyday i ride it i get better.plus its a good board for paddling condition as with the flat days id paddle round and stay in shape for when it does get good and it shows(well not with a bum shoulder). plus for 100$ i can beat the crap out of it and not ding my other boards, and be able to teach other people.
If you believe there's more to surfing than the simple act of riding waves... If you believe there's more to being a good surfer than just surfing good... If you believe there's more to surfboards than foam and fiberglass... If you have the where-with-all to even ask the kinds of questions that are being asked here on this thread... ...than you're already ahead of the game. By that, I mean you have a given surfing meaning within a greater context. Without that, surfing would be just like any other sport. Nobody cares about who put's a piece of wood on a lathe to turn a baseball bat, or where a soccer ball is stitched. And the history of baseball and soccer are deep, just like the history of surfing. But surfing is different because it becomes our identity. And the greater connection we have with the people, and places, and boards, and shapers... the clearer we are able to see our own identity... who we are, what we care about, and what meaning we give to all of it. The guy who rips on a Bic knows who he is, and does not care if people see him riding a popout. The kid who just HAS to have that CI board wants it so it becomes part of who he is... helps to define him. The guy who wants a custom from the guy down the street wants to feel he's put part of himself into that board... had some input and control over the end product. And the shaper... well... you get the point.
Never surfed a "pop-out" until... I never surfed a pop-out until I travelled to Costa Rica a couple of years ago and had a blast on a Walden 9'0" Magic Model there that I rented from Walking on Water Surf Shop in Jaco. After that, I rented and surfed a Bonga/Schaper 9'1" made by Southpoint for two weeks all over Oahu (including Haleiwa at head+ to double overhead). On my last trip to Costa Rica, I ended up renting a Walden 9'0" M-3 and had an absolute blast. Also, the board was pretty near indestructible. So, when one came up for sale on Craigslist, I bought it. I still have hand shaped boards in my quiver, and I still ride them. I also like to try to support my local surf shops whenever possible. But the name of the game is having fun riding waves and treating people and the environment with kindness and respect. That being said, I really don't think it matters what a person rides. Mahalo!
All the boards at most shops are machine made and shaped to a general profile that does a little bit of everything and nothing well. Even the top performance brands have laxed rocker and bloated rails. They are actually nothing like the boards their team riders get. Every person that touched the board gets about 100$ out of it by time it gets to the shop. Nothing can beat a board made for you personally by some one who knows you. Price or quality. Go ride a team board trade in and you will be able to tell the difference.
...the greatest sport on earth, if you ask just about anybody who's been at it as long as I (we?) have...
