Board builder attitude
First board I ever purchased, I was so stoked about getting my own gear, I read every bit about boards on the entire web, in 42 languages, twice. Halfway through the lecture I concluded that there is a hospital for the mentally disoriented waiting for me at the end of this path, and gave it up. Unfortunately I couldn’t even stay upwind, so trying out boards myself would not have helped a great deal. I thought of purchasing a couple of boards and selling the ones I don’t like, but a glance on the price tags told me this is not going to happen. I hated boards already. Got myself a TT of some sort like everyone else, learned to use it, and found that it was not what I wanted. $%&*+. Back to square 1.
There HAD to be a way to break that pimping / bashing BS cycle and get REAL information about boards. Find MY board, see what works for ME.
I was lucky enough to try a board I really liked, some times later. A flat directional, 160×47, could be ridden with or without fins and straps. Now that was different! I did some research in this new direction and discovered a small bunch of people spread over the world, riding all sorts of skims and planks and having fun. YOU GUYS. Yeeeeehaaaaaaaaaa! Back in the 80s, we rode everything from salver trays to dust bin lids on our cable park and had fun, so, I decided, it’s time to cut the crap and fire up the planer.
Several boards down, things are completely different. Now what is it that has changed for me? For sure I know more about boards, but that’s not the point. I get to ride more different boards, easy fixes done in a couple of hours, or more sophisticated ones, which is good fun, but still not exactly the point. The point is, my attitude towards boards has changed. If you’re not a pro lucky enough to be delivered new toys to your door every other day, but a guy who has to buy boards with hard earned cash, you’re not easy about your board getting trashed, drilling holes in it, losing it, or even honestly finding it crap. That is the big difference. Don’t like the board? change it, or get rid of it and build another one, throw fins on or take them off, play with shapes. Break it? So what, make another one. Take a couple of boards to the beach and see what your pals are making with them.
What you gain is a certain disregard for the established, inherent to any child, and lost on the way by most. GO PLAY.
And: building boards teaches a lot of respect for the vintage shapers out there. You’ll find out making yours.
good winds, tungsten
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