Published: 23 December 2024

Hits: 279

Growing up in the '70s and '80s, my two brothers and I came up with the concept of what came to be known amongst us as "The Club", an ethereal group of men who shared more than a few similar qualities. It was first inspired by a rugged carpenter named Rick Bongiovanne whom our mom was married to, and it was solidified in our minds in the late '80s or early '90s after a mutual friend of ours named Johnny Robertson cemented his place in The Club by A) Playing a swaggering hearththrob in a "soft porn" Playboy movie, and B) showing up at the Denny's restaurant in Big Bear for a ski trip wearing only brand new, stiff as cardboard Tuffskin jeans and matching jacket, with corduroy bedroom slippers on his feet. No shirt, no socks, no problem.

The particular set of character traits that these men and others like them possessed included:

• Rugged good looks
• A naturally chiseled physique (2% body fat max)
• A broad smile with equally chiseled smile lines
• The innate ability to look good doing anything physical, regardless of the end result
• Just as likely to be seen in public without a shirt as with one
• And most importantly, a "quirky" personality, to say the least

Some of the earliest indoctrinees into said club:

• Kris Kristofferson
• Gary Busey
• Jan Michael Vincent
• Nick Nolte
• Rickey Henderson
• Reggie Sanders
• Rick Bongiovanne
• Johnny Robertson

And the list goes on... I'm probably missing a few names here, but perhaps my brothers will chime in to fill out the list. A couple who spring to mind who almost made the cut include Muhammed Ali (disqualified for already being in a league of his own) and Sly Stallone (just a little too Hollywood perhaps). Like I said, there are others that are not coming to mind at the moment.

This morning when I awoke to the news that Rickey had passed away last Friday, I have to admit to welling up a bit. If there was anyone who epitomized Club membership more than Rickey, I haven't met him yet. We'll miss you Rickey, and thanks for keeping us entertained for al these years, both on and off the baseball diamond.

Published: 14 October 2024

Hits: 1600

Published: 10 October 2024

Hits: 361

Written the night the Dodgers drubbed our boys 8-0 in game 4 of the NLDS

Game 5 tomorrow night at Doyer Stadium

My first recollections of being worthy of being called a “Padre fan” are from 1971 at San Diego Stadium in Mission Valley. Here are some things I recall about that season and the rest of the 1970s:

• Pete Rose signing my game program in front a packed throng of 2,000 youngsters skipping school like me (and a few diehards from old the Lane Field PCL days).
• “NummmberelevvvennnnnEnzoooooHernaaaaandezzz!!!”
• Listening to Jerry Coleman calling a game under the sheets with a transisitor radio, when I supposed to be asleep. Most of the time I was also keeping score.
• Getting sick and tired of being sick and tired of being beaten up on by Dodger Blue and the Big Red Machine every single year. It was like the Dems and Repubs coming at us from both sides, and here we are in brown and yellow just trying to get a little respect. 
• If I remember correctly the Reds took us 17 out of 18 one year. I got the feeling they could have beaten us playing only seven men against our nine, and even giving us the choice of which seven.
• Nate Colbert’s home runs. Holy moly. 370 to the alleys and 420 to dead center, with a 20 foot wall from pole to pole. No batting gloves, no ear flaps or elbow pads, and no doubters.
• The “Taco Bell” uniforms. At least there were the Expos, Astros, and White Sox to laugh at.
• My 1975 Boston Red Sox/Cincinnati Reds World Series scorebook, with “FUCK!!!” scrawled across the last inning of Game 7’s box score, professionally authenticated by sub-electron microscopy to be the block printing of yours truly at just shy of 14 years of age. Such language!
• Hawking wire racks full of sweaty dripping sticky Cokes in flimsy wax paper cups with melted ice and hair net lids up Mt. Everest (or was it the upper deck at Jack Murphy Stadium?) on hot summer days for $2.50/hour, plus a comission starting on your fifth rack sold, which never happened even once.
• Getting to go in the stadium before all the fans because I worked there.
• Dave Winfield seeming to only drive in runs after we were behind by 8 or more, in other words pretty much every game.
• Randy Jones. What a shame that we only got him really good for two years. It was so fun to watch him befuddle hitters with 80mph stuff. If only he and T. Gwynn could have squared off, now that would have been must watch TV.
• In 1978 we had our first ever winning season and only finished 20-some games out of first. Woohoo!!! (Which by the way was the beginning of the trend of doing well only in even number years, which continues to this day.)

So Friday night it is... by Saturday morning all of us Padre fans at the PBSC/CSC Tourmaline Club Challenge will either be elated or deflated... I predict the former, and I just hope Chavez Ravine doesn't become Riot Central in the aftermath!

vince

Published: 29 December 2023

Hits: 2504

Yesterday I checked the Cardiff cam on SurfLie at around 8:30am, and aside from the perfect conditions and empty parking lot that was closed for safety reasons, what immediately caught my eye was the insane flock of birds that were attacking the waves with even more fercocity than the surfers! 

Check it out for yourself:

Published: 04 November 2023

Hits: 3583

My buddy Caleb snapped this today... too classic, haha!

Speaking of Steve, maybe somebody will see these and urge him to get back in the water:

Published: 27 September 2023

Hits: 3343

The custom trophy for the PBSC/CSC/TCC 8 Ball Bash pool tournament

What can I say other than i had great time assembling this trophy in honor of my surf club, PBSC, and my fellow members (and the greater coalition of surfing clubs) and their unwavering dedication to stepping forward and helping our friends in need in times of crisis.

Last year the money collected at the 1st Annual 8 Ball Bash at the storied West End in north Pacific Beach went toward one of our most treasured PB locals, Levy Fetiera. And to be quite honest, I saw Levy just today down at the lot, and it struck me that last year around this time I had my doubts that I would be seeing him again one year later, but there he was, enjoying the coastal breeze and soaking in the sun's nourishing rays, and really not looking any worse off than the year before. And maybe our little get together last October played a small part in that. So here's to you Levy!

As everyone in the surfing world knows by now, the fires that ravaged Lahaina, Maui a few months back took a large toll that extended well past the islands and all over the mainlands of this Earth, including right here in Pacific Beach. One of our many local ties to this tragedy is part of the greater Gordon & Smith family, that being Masi Saili, well known as a shaper for his own label as well as G&S, and the father of Mele Saili. Masi lost everything in the Lahaina fires, and though an early GoFundMe reached its goal, there is still so much needed to help Masi and his family put things back together. (By the way, you can still donate to the GoFundMe and participate in the tournament if you're so inclined.)

So it's in that spirit that this year's 8 Ball Bash is dedicated in Masi's honor, with 100% of the proceeds going directly to him. And in that spirit, I spent a little time making sure that the perpetual trophy that will now reside in the West End is worthy of such a storied venue with such a legendary clientele. You can sign up for this year's event here, and maybe just maybe you can get your name on the trophy for posterity!

Aloha,
Vince

Published: 22 May 2023

Hits: 1861

March 27 I went for a surf with my nephew Quinn and I brought two boards along for him to try out. After being out for a while we did a board swap and left the Vr2(b) at the top of the iceplant at Tourmaline, right where the ramp begins and people are all over the place, including lots of my friends who are regulars.

Quinn said that the whole time he was out he kept looking back to make sure the board was still there, which it was until we got out of the water and walked up the ramp. We had been surfing Green Pipe so it was a little bit of a walk and during that time is when it got pinched.

It turns out that a notorious thief who goes by "Kung Fu Mike" had been seen right before then leaning on the railing by the culvert where he would have had a perfect vantage point to watch us and wait until we weren't looking. So it sure sounds like he's the pirme suspect in this case. He apparently bounces back and forth between OB and PB, ripping people off in one location and then selling the fleeced items in the other.

If you've seen this board, please hit me up through my contact form. I'll be glad to compensate you if you can help me get the board back. Heck you're even welcome to print out this high resolution flyer and spread it around for me if you're so inclined.

Thanks,
Vince

Published: 29 July 2022

Hits: 2630

Jeff's photography is always so spot on. He's gotten more great photos of me surfing over the years than anyone else, and I mean the photos are great even if my surfing is average. He always finds a way to make it look like you are really hanging it out there, even though it's just as much about his sense of positioning his camera, framing his shots, the insane clarity of his images, and the absolutely stunning sense of timing that he has on the shutter button.

Everyone please join in via the comments below if you have anything to add regarding this local treasure named Jeff Kerridge!

Hats off to you my friend! 
Vince

Click any thumbnail to see it full screen:

This may be my favorite shot of myself by Jeff. It's December 11, 2018 and I'm on the '67 Surfboards Hawaii V bottom at the Pumphouse at Tourmaline, sliding some serious ass! Man I need to get back…

Published: 05 March 2022

Hits: 2657

One day I'm walking back to my car in my full suit after a session and I run into someone I want to talk to, only I still have my earplugs in and no pockets to put them in. So what do I do? Did you know many surfboards have a secret earplug locker?

I always carry my board with the tail forward so that when I get to the shower I can rinse out the fin box. Guess where I put my earplugs?

Of course the next time I paddled out I couldn't find my earplugs... and then when I got back to my car somebody says "Hey what's that in your fin box?" Duh!

Long story short I have been doing this ever since, and it's now a permanent part of my surf routine, and I never lose my earplugs anymore. And if I forget to put them in before I paddle out (which I used to do ALL THE TIME), all it takes is one wave on the head to remind me to flip the board over, grab them, and stuff them in my ears. Saweeeeet!

Published: 07 November 2021

Hits: 3067

I took a drive up Van Nuys yesterday to find some advice on my 1994 BMW and had a great time geeking out on all the great cars that were there. Here are some photos I shot with my Nikon Df and home made tilt/shift lens. Click any thumbnail to start a full size slide show. Enjoy!

Published: 27 September 2020

Hits: 4873

FULL DISCLOSURE: I was asked to build a website* for Horny Toads Surf Wax by my friends Shaun and Kasie. 

And the story goes like this...

One day Shaun saw me getting ready to paddle out and asked me if I wanted to try some new wax he was making at home in his kitchen.

"Sure thing."
"Let me know how it goes."
"Will do!"

After my session I saw Shaun and he asked me what I thought.

"Worst wax I have ever used. I rate it a 2 on a 1 to 10 scale."
"Thanks for your feedback."
"No problem!"

This actually happened. The bar of goo wrapped in plain wax paper would smear into a slimy mess just from the warmth of your hands. I had to apply it in the water just to get any on my freshly stripped board. Once out in the water I slipped all over the place, but luckily it was a fairly clean day of surf so I never took a rail to the jaw or anything like that. Any messier conditions and I may have landed on my ass or lost a few teeth or something. After all I'm no Pete Peterson...

But Shaun and Kasie continued to work hard on their formulae, and they soon got to the point where the wax was really pretty decent. They didn't add any colorants, so it had this kinda funky look of coagulated phlegm, but they did come up with some great scents including root beer, bubble gum, and pineapple. And the performance of the wax got better too, though it still needed to be kept really cold to get good bumps on a freshly stripped board without smearing. Eventually I finished the website which is here.

Fast forward to a few days ago and I see Shaun in the lot at Tourmaline with a big ass grin on his face.

"Dude, new forumula. You gotta try it!"

"Right on!"

The first thing I noticed was that the bar was bright white. This is something I had hoped they would do because I really like how clean white wax looks on a board. And I think it helps give you a better idea of how much you have applied compared to clear wax.

The second thing I noticed was that the bar was a lot thinner, like a little over 3/8" thick maybe. Shaun told me that the new additives added so much weight to the formula that he had to pour much smaller bars to keep the finished weight at 3 oz. like it says on the label.

The third thing I noticed was how incredibly easy it was to apply to a freshly scraped board with no basecoat. How it creates such even little bumps without smearing at all is a minor miracle in my mind. Not that I have tried every wax ever made, but I can say without a doubt that this new formula blows the big names out of the water when it comes to creating a perfect layer of pebble grain with just the right amount of tackiness, but without smearing or streaking even on a warm afternoon. And no basecoat required! Simply splendid!

And best of all, the fourth thing I noticed was how much I loved surfing on it! Shaun said it may take a month or so to get his next order of materials, and in the meantime I have told him that I may not surf again until he has more available - it's that good!

To think that friends of mine just revolutionized the surf wax industry right here in my own back yard brings a big smile to my face! So glad I could be a part of it!

See you in the water,
Vince

*I also happened to make the molds that they pour their wax in.

Published: 10 June 2020

Hits: 7691

I recently got a request to send out a W.A.V.E.set fin box adapter to the owner of a Wilken midlength board from the late '60s. More specifically, a 7'0" vee bottom with a WS box.

Excited to try out the adapter. I have a Wilken 7' vee that will benefit from some fin diversity. I love waveset, but they're not the most versatile!

So another one goes out the door and into the water, woohoo!

This got me thinking about boards I have owned and let go of. Yeah, another "one that got away story"... but it's a good one, I promise!

When I had LambrettaWorks I stored many of my boards by hanging them from the ceiling inside the shop.

When I ran out of square footage at about 10 boards, I started using up cubic footage by stacking them up. This meant that the longboards were almost always on the bottom of these board pyramids, and the shorter boards didn't get seen as much. The Wilken in these photos is one such board.

I have no idea how I acquired it. Perhaps I got it in trade for some work. Sometimes people just donated boards to me.

I do recall trying to ride it once, sometime around 2009, probably in September when these photos were taken. It was far and away the squirrelliest thing I had ever tried to ride. In fact I recall it being a disaster. I would love to try one again after having more experience under my belt (wetsuit?) with various vee bottoms and transition era boards.

By this time I had started selling stuff off, and this one went bye-bye to some lucky soul via Craigslist, probably right after taking these photos. If I remember correctly it was around 7'4", maybe 7'6". Sure wish I had this board now. Back then midlengths were the forgotten children of surfing's history and could be found pretty cheaply, even free. This isn't so much the case now.

So yeah, I'm looking forward to some feedback on how the adapter works in that Wilken!

Published: 10 October 2019

Hits: 9101

User Rating: 5 / 5

A little while back I got a random but very welcome email from a young lady named Lainey who is the proud owner of a late 1960s or early '70s Hobie surfboard. She told me that she found Qustom via a web search for a WAVEset adapter for this very pristine midlength that bears no model name and just the way cool Hobie logo that you see in the photos below.

After exchanging a few messages we agreed that I would send her one of my test pieces, which she was stoked to try out.

Lainey's experience in her own words:

"Being able to switch out the traditional, plastic waveset fin to a modern fiberglass fin has eliminated a ton of the drag I was experiencing from the back end of the board. The Hobie I’ve been riding the adapter in has super modern rails and design for a late 60s board, so adding the modern fin to it has made the board honestly feel like a midlength from one of today’s shapers.

Plus the board is super bellied, so since I was able to add a true flex fin to the board with the help of the adapter, I got more of a hull like feeling from the board.

I also really love how the adapter opens up a whole new realm of possibility for old boards. I can try all different types of fins and experiment. I can try other templates of Wavesets and I can also try tons of different modern fins in it."

I just find this super cool to hear! Thank you so much Lainey for stoking me out and getting me motivated to jump back on this project! 

I am knocking out a few more examples that will be ready soon. Hit me up if you are interested!

Vince

 

Published: 31 December 2018

Hits: 10184

Tourmaline Surfing Park on a Summer's Morning as Seen Through a Nikkor-Q Auto 1:3.5 f=13.5cm

Everything about this is little project has been a test of will. Nothing wanted to go right without a lot of coaxing. But what would you expect from ancient artifacts, anyhow...?

I had done a little bit of shooting with another Nikon in an Ikelite housing, but that was an N-8008 body with autofocus, auto exposure, and auto film advance. Once that rig was set up, the only thing that really mattered was that the shutter button did its thing.

But with the F, I have to also make sure the film winder (big lever on top) and focus knob (the one with the red octopus) work without a glitch. And just for laughs (and a measure of control over exposure settings) I also decide to hook up the aperture knob (you can see it set at f8 in some of the pics).

Oh and did I mention that when I first put it all together, the shutter button lever was misaligned, and that when I tried to coax it back into position it snapped in two? Luckily it was made from 1/4" round stainless rod, so a little trip to Industrial Metal Supply and an hour or four later on my lathe, and I have whipped up a new one.

To get the focusing working I have to find a better way to attach Ikelite's black plastic collar to the lens barrel than just the little springs that they somehow believed were up to the task. Enter some black cloth electrical tape to the rescue!

The clear plastic geared collar for the aperture ring turns out to be a piece of cake in comparison. They did a pretty decent job of designing that I must say - just find the right position and clamp it down with one little screw.

So now the thing's finally all rigged up and ready to sit in my trunk for months on end until the stars align and I have both the free time and the motivation to use it.

just as soon as I get my shit together

some assembly required

like a bug encased in resin

no need to squint

i'm right over here

nothing lost in translation

where to start

but you're not there

oh that's what it looks like

in my beautiful green room

but no nudity

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That moment finally arrives in early July when everyone's new favorite parking lot sweetheart Josephine (or Joy as she is aptly known) is about to embark on a new journey away from our shores and off to a whole new set of adoring fans on the east coast. But before many tears of joy and sadness are shed by her and those who knew her and love her, we all paddle out for a farewell session at the Pump House. And as a nod to joy from Mother Nature, conditions are absolutely stunning. The camera is loaded with Fuji Velvia 100 and ready to go.

I quickly realize how much shooting this thing requires full engagement. It takes at least two hands. An assistant would be great. Preferably bikini clad.

And forget about fins, you have to stand amongst the stingrays and take your chances. Pre-focusing helps until you realize that people actually move when they're surfing. Oh yeah, and waves are coming. And like most F's I've used, occasionally the shutter button sticks and you miss the Shot Of Your Lifetime. And don't forget to wind the film after each frame!

All that said, I am really stoked on the results. Joy was everywhere and it shows in the photos. Have a look for yourself. And have a FANTASTIC 2019!

with just a hint of sadness

we're all winners

panache, eat your heart out!

rhymes with 'fly'

au jus

shakekai? shakakekai?

charge on

but not out

as if four weren't enough

but it's still a crowd

smooth as silk

all smiles

we all have them

dave hops on a log

lean into the moments that matter

watch out

to his wife that he surfs

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Published: 16 December 2018

Hits: 11046

User Rating: 5 / 5

1968 Surfboards Hawaii 8'0" Vee Bottom

It's going on five years since I bought this board at Bird's, and in that time I've heard all kinds of things said about it...

• "Those things don't work" - Joel T.
• "That was one of the quickest fads in the history of surfing!" - Randy R.
• "What's going on with that tail?" - Joe Blow
• "...before they learned how to make bottoms..." - JT
• "Why would you want to ride one of those?" - Dave L.
• "I've never seen aything like it!" - Pretty much everyone

And yet, every time I get on it, it's a blast! And since they say a picture is worth 1,000 words... well, here are a bunch of pictures that should push the imaginary word count in your head straight into the stratosphere! (Photos by yours truly unless otherwise noted)

Swing it out wide now swing it back inside

we've all been there, at least in our dreams

I'm feeling the flow yo is this a right?

that title says it all and so much more

Here's where Nico walks like this with this board under his arm

Irregardless, skanking has always been in.

Push onward and Persevere

You will see

Kneel de Grass Jiveson would have to agree

not even close

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

boof!

(gulp)

(stealth cool)

(boooooooooooooooom)

(exit stage right)

Ouch, rocks

| photo @gayla__b

It's a secret

| photo @gayla__b

(practice makes pelican)

| photo @gayla__b

nuff said

| photo @gayla__b

tis the season

| photo @gayla__b

look cool

| photo @gayla__b

Can I get a witness?

| photo @gayla__b

buh-bye.

| photo @gayla__b

and what you can see too @jeff.kerridge

(but they sure do like to play...)

| photo @jeff.kerridge

fun times ahead

| photo @jeff.kerridge

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Published: 07 May 2018

Hits: 9931

OK, actually I've made the key...

If you have problems with your spare car key rusting like I do (you would think BMW would make their keys out of something more impervious to the elements...), why not just make a new one out of plastic?!?

At $30 for a new one from the dealer or a locksmith, I decided it made more sense to just make one that can never rust. So one day when I was pouring some silicone molds for the WaveSet fin box adapter project, I dropped the spare key to my Bimmer (and mom's too for good measure) with very little forethought into a little tray and made a quick and dirty mold. 

Now comes the afterthought... How do I get the keys out of the mold and still be able to use it? I didn't come up with any preconceived way to part the mold after it set up, so I just started hacking it apart with an X-Acto knife, trying to keep my cuts as lined up with the keys' shanks as possible.

And it worked! I've made four sets of keys now, and three of them worked. They're just strong enough for locking and unlocking the doors, but not strong enough to use in the ignition switch - which actually turns out to be a nice security feature! I also rub a little Sex Wax on it to help ease it into the slot. After a couple month's use the first one broke when I tossed it on top of my surfboard that was lying on the ground. If not for that I'd probably still be using it!

Published: 12 June 2017

Hits: 15565

And so it begins... the planning for my first hand shaped surfing board:

Building things has always been a big interest of mine. When I was a kid, it was all about Tinker Toys, then model cars, then real cars, then racing Lambrettas, and so on...

Anyone who knows me well will agree that when it comes to short term memory, I can forget my own name at the drop of a hat, and I've also been known to forget how to properly strap a board down to my car now and then, or to grab my wetsuit off the fence at Tourmo before leaving...

Published: 31 May 2017

Hits: 11415

The fiasco that was the sale of LambrettaWorks forced me to sell many of the boards that I had collected over the years, some of which can be seen hanging from the ceiling in this photo from my last blog post.

Of the many boards I had to let go (which included an early '60s Harbour, serial number 753), this Hansen v-bottom might just be the one I miss the most - not because it was the most valuable (especially back then; these boards have gotten a little more desirable since then) - but because I never rode it. At that time I was strictly a goofy-ass longboarder. Of course if you have browsed this site much at all (or looked at this), you will surely know that by now I am a fully fledged goofy-ass v-bottom rider!

The board was not in mint condition, but not bad. I am pretty sure it was water tight at least. The original fin box was gone and in its place the Playboy themed fin was glassed in... or shall I say "pooled in", as in a pool of resin. I think it was about 7'6", but I can't be sure.

Just the sheer brevity of the v-bottom era is enough to make boards like this as rare as the proverbial seagull's teeth. So yeah, looking back on it now I'm pretty bummed I let this one go. The board sold on Craigslist when I was living in LA in around 2007-'08. If I ever run into the buyer, I would sure like to take it for a spin!

Click for full page slideshow:

Hansen V Bottom with Playboy Fin

Published: 09 May 2017

Hits: 10944

User Rating: 5 / 5

Here's a nice snapshot from the old West Coast Lambretta Works days...

Going through my old photo library I found this picture that really shows off the inside of the old shop, including a nice LD MkIII Lambretta and some of the old surfboards I used to have.

About the Blue and White Lambretta:

This thing is about 95% finished after a frame off restoration. It probably came to our shop as a rusty pile of junk! One of the telltale signs that it's not entirely done is that there is no rubber beading on the frame where the side panels go. The panels are probably waiting for the grilles from the chrome shop, or maybe brand new grilles are on their way from Italia...

There is also no handlebar/horn cover. If this were an earlier LD (pre-'57 Mk.III model), it would have the horn mounted below the headlight. Skip forward if you're not a Lambretta geek... hehe.

About the red Lambretta in the foreground:

That's my "Giro d'Italia" model. At least that's what I was told by the guy I got it off of, in much rougher shape than you see here. I worked on that thing for months on end (or was it years on end...?) to get it to this condition. It was a real joy to ride, one of the few three speed models I ever rode that could actually accelerate after the 2nd to 3rd shift.

I spent countless hours on the paint job. It had probably 3-4 coats, maybe more on some parts, with lots of wet sanding in between to get that gloss. No clear coats needed, just single stage enamel with some gloss hardener and lots of elbow grease between coats. Hard to beat that finish!

About the surfboards:

I really wish I could recall what the yellow single fin board in the middle was... I want to say a '70s G&S, but I'm not sure. I do remember it having a domed "S" deck, with lots of nose rocker but a really flat belly and downturned rails. I think I tried to ride it once or twice and flailed pretty badly. I wish I had it now, I'd love to give it another go!

Sitting on top of that board is a kneeboard with a really cool glassed on Greenough-ish green single fin. It had really hard down rails and a scooped out deck. This one had a few open wounds and never saw the water while I had it.

The board on the right was a crazy pintail that had been reshaped from an old '60s log. I wish I had more pics of it. Maybe they will turn up somewhere. I remember it having about a 1" stringer and some really crazy cloth inlay on the deck.

On the left was the first brand new longboard I ever bought, courtesy of Bob's Mission Surf. Looking back to 1995, I remember Bob wincing a bit when I chose to lay my hard earned cash down on this thing. I bought it for two simple reasons: 1) I dug the graphics (Really.), and; 2) I wanted a board with lots of "rocker" so I wouldn't "pearl", which up to that point in my short surfing life was my best maneuver.

In addition to an absolutely crap glass job, the shaper of this barge had quite obviously never met a straight line he couldn't warp. The thing had nose-to-tail banana rocker and not even an inch of parallel section in the outline... like one giant Pringle. Despite being 10'0", it paddled like a ferry to Coronado, and it surely set my surfing back a good ten years or more. Luckily it fell apart before it could ruin me forever.

About the placards and other stuff:

The number plates in the upper right were ASRA seasonal racing awards. We had so many trophies in a case at one point that we had to ditch many of them, though we made sure to keep any of Chris Rogers' around for posterity's sake. We also won a lot of awards for our restoration work, which looking back on it was every bit as gratifying as the racing accolades we garnered.

Anyhow... that's enough blather for one evening, but I am looking forard to posting more stuff from the "Good Ol' Days"...

Vince

Published: 04 March 2017

Hits: 10025

User Rating: 5 / 5

After weeks of spotty weather, San Diego finally came through with one of those amazing clear, sunny days that it's so famous for. The locals took quick advantage of the opportunity to grab their surfing boards and head down to their favorite hiding place, far away from the maddening crowds of tourists that flock to our fair city like so many ants to honey. 

Yours truly had just finished up a two hour session as the boys paddled out, so I grabbed my trusty old Nikon and fired off a few snaps, in between fits of laughter as they showed what's up to the few brave souls who dared stay in the water during the shenanigans... Enjoy! ;-)

Ben shows us how to NOT get snaked:

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And Ben shows us how to NOT get snaked, again...:

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Matt Dalton - a living, breathing highlight reel..:

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Matt finds out that people will snake you when you're not looking...:

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Nick D. shows how to snake your friend and still get the last laugh:

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Speaking of putting on a show... Heeeeeeere's Nicky!:

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