Magazine
SHOCKING DING REPAIR TIPS: STICKER AND SPACKLE YOUR WAY TO RIDEABILITY! I don’t know about you, but for years now, surf wax has been my go-to ding repair tool. Mostly out of sheer laziness. I’m about to paddle out, I notice a little crack in the rail, I smush a little wax over the ding and paddle out anyway, intending on fixing the ding later (I never actually do). The wax fills the hole, it’s easy, seems to keep water out. Perfect, right? I recently chatted all things ding with Alex Martins, Mavericks charger and wonderful ding repair shop owner in San Francisco’s lovely, fogbound, rapidly gentrifying Outer Sunset neighborhood. I have a buckled semi-gun that I was inquiring about and he was doing such a good job of explaining the technical side of complex board repair, I asked him about hum-drum daily ding fixes, the kind busy-ish, easily distracted surfers like myself are likely to take on. Here are the highlights: Wax—no, never. Ever. Wax must be completely dug out of a ding to fix it properly. Resin won’t adhere to wax, so throwing a small layer of resin over a waxy ding is useless. To properly fix a ding then, you’ll have to cut out the foam that’s touched the wax, making what was maybe a small repair job much more complicated. Wax apparently doesn’t seal as well as I’d think either, ’cause Martins says boards with wax-filled dings often have foam rot. Oops. Ding repair guys hate dealing with duct tape, don’t use it. Solarez or Suncure or pick whatever brand of quick, UV-curing resin you like — “Doesn’t really work” Martins says. Not in the longterm anyway. Stickers can work in a pinch, “The really good stickers that are thick and hard to peel off.” He likes these for a super-last-minute stopgap if you don’t have time to deal with a ding. Spackle—yes, spackle—can be used to fill little holes in surfboard foam if you don’t have Q -cell or some other traditional filler. Speaking of Q-cell, mix it thicker than you think you need to. It should resemble the consistency of toothpaste, which helps it hold the shape of the space you’re trying to fill. Too thin, and it’ll run and drip all over the place. The wider you distribute fiberglass cloth, the stronger your repair will be. For a buckled board, for example, Martins will use about a foot of cloth over the patched foam. Nothing is more important than prep. Sanding, cleaning, properly mixing resin and catalyst. If you don’t prep well, you’ll be back fixing the same spot soon. If you’re on a surf trip, don’t even worry about dings. “You already paid a lot of money to be there, just don’t worry about your board and make sure you get your waves,” Martins says. Source: Surfer Magazine by Justin Housman
The Surfrider Foundation launched its nationwide United States and Oceans of America (USOA) campaign to rally Americans to join the bipartisan fight to protect our oceans and coasts for the future. “We invite coastal defenders across the nation to join the movement to protect our oceans from urgent threats like plastic, offshore oil drilling and water pollution,” said Surfrider’s Marketing Director, Eddie Anaya. “The Surfrider Foundation’s USOA campaign is a call to action for each of us to stand up and do our part to keep our precious coastal environment clean and healthy for this and future generations.” America’s oceans cover nearly 4.5 million square miles, which is 23% greater than U.S. land area. More than 100 million people visit the nation’s beaches annually. In fact, coastal recreation and tourism constitute 2.2 million jobs and contribute more than $115 billion to the nation’s economy every year. However, our oceans and coasts are increasingly at risk. Pollution at recreational beaches costs the U.S. economy more than $2.2 billion and results in 20,000 health advisories annually. At least 5.25 trillion plastic particles are currently floating at sea. This year, the Trump administration proposed opening up more than 90% of U.S. coastlines to offshore oil drilling, putting the nation’s economies, jobs, communities and livelihoods at risk of a catastrophic oil spill. “We have more water than land in the U.S. and it is up to each of us to protect it for the future,” said Dr. Chad Nelsen, CEO of the Surfrider Foundation. “We all have a stake in taking action to defend the places where we surf, swim, play and live. Together, we are the United States and Oceans of America.” Notable USOA coastal defenders include world-renowned musicians Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam, G. Love and Jack Johnson; world champion surfers Lisa Andersen and Carissa Moore; Academy Award-winning actor Tim Robbins; big wave surfing legends Greg Long and Kai Lenny; supermodel Carolyn Murphy; and speechwriter for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Dr. Clarence Jones, who co-wrote the historic ‘I Have a Dream’ speech. “I have seen the impacts of plastic pollution and sea level rise at my local breaks,” said three-time surfing champion, Carissa Moore. “I believe we all need to become aware and do our part in taking care of our oceans. I’m proud to be a Surfrider Foundation coastal defender and believe in their mission to protect the oceans, waves and beaches.” The USOA campaign was developed in collaboration with the brand agency, Activista, and their award-winning creative directors, Roberto Fernandez and Paco Conde, who are committed to driving social, economic and cultural change through the power of ideas. For more information, view Surfrider’s USOA video narrated by Sal Masekela. Join Surfrider and take action at Surfrider.org.
#1. The average annual revenue that is generated by the global surfing industry is about $7.3 billion each year. (Statistic Brain) #2. The sale of hard goods is the largest segment of the surfing industry. Surfboards and accessories account for over $3.1 billion in annual sales. Footwear is the largest specific product segment, accounting for $1.6 billion in sales each year on its own. (Statistic Brain) #3. The global market for the surfing industry is projected to reach total sales of $9.5 billion by 2022. (Global Industry Analysis) #4. The United States has the largest share of the surfing industry from a global perspective, accounting for 49% of total sales in the average year. (Global Industry Analysis) #5. More than 1 million people say that they go surfing at least 8 times per year. (Fortune) #6. The average surfer in the United States earns about $75,000 per year. With popularity rising in Korea, China, and Europe, the global forecasts for sales could reach as high as $13 billion. (Fortune) #7. Locations with consistently good waves bring in high levels of economic activity from surfers. Trestles in San Diego, CA have an economic valuation of $24 million. In Rincon, CA, the waves generate an estimated $52 million in economic activities. #8. In the United States, the average surfer is 34 years old and will drive about 10 miles to go surfing. Every surfing session results in spending about $40. (Surf Park Central) #9. The average surfer in the United States owns 4 different boards and will spend about 2.5 hours surfing during each local session. (Surf Park Central) #10. The average surfer in the U.S. has 16 years of surfing experience and will generate a total of 108 surfing sessions per year. (Surf Park Central) #11. The average price of a surfboard can be anywhere between $700 to $1,300 for a good board. Longboards tend to have the higher prices. Shortboards average a price of $400 to $800, depending upon the quality of the manufacturer. Skimboards are one of the cheapest options, with high-quality boards priced for $200 or less. (Surf Bait) #12. In the United States, surfers in Hawaii tend to be the oldest, the most experienced, and the most avid. They surf an average of 144 days per year. (Surf Rider) #13. Although surfing takes place in every coastal region in the U.S., the six most popular states for surfing are California, Hawaii, Florida, North Carolina, New Jersey, and Texas. Cold weather Pacific surfing, in states like Oregon and Washington, is less popular than cold weather Atlantic surfing in Maine. (Surf Rider) Source: https://brandongaille.com/22-surfing-industry-statistics-trends/
From the NSSA, ESA, ECO Pro, Gnarly Charley, USA PRIME, Single Fin Showdown‌ you name it these kids are there. What a great time we have traveling around with all of you at contests, up and down the cost. These are just a few of our, and your, photos taken along the way. Send in your photos.
Clark qualified for the women’s halfpipe finals at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang — her fifth Olympic appearance. However, after three magnificent runs, she landed just out of medal range at fourth place. But due to one remarkable moment of spiritual revelation a number of years ago, Clark became convinced that falling short in her career should never get her down. The moment came about at a competition over a decade ago, when she heard someone tell a young female competitor who wiped out, “It’s all right, God still loves you.” The simple remark captivated the snowboarder, and she returned to her hotel in search of a Bible. When she couldn’t find one, Clark tracked down the fellow athlete to ask her more about her faith. “I think you might be a Christian and I think you need to tell me about God,” she remembers saying. That encounter changed her life, and Clark ended up giving her life to Jesus. “He was very real, very present in my life,” she told the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. “I gave my heart to the Lord that day.” This former Olympic gold medalist even declares her love for the Lord on a sticker attached to the underside of her snowboard, “Jesus, I cannot hide my love,” it reads. “It became this thing that I was made to do and I could actually enjoy, and there was so much freedom in it because I wasn’t doing it to prove to people who I was,” she wrote of her snowboarding career. “Through my relationship with God I learned who I was, and was comfortable in who I was. But I’ll tell you, I’ve never had more fun snowboarding, and I’ve never been more free.” But this champ is not confined to the competition slopes. Clark is also committed to running her foundation, which seeks to help underprivileged children get a start in snowboarding. She is also devoted to encouraging other young snowboarders in their careers. One such talent was Chloe Kim. Around nine years ago, an 8-year-old Kim was tugging at Clark’s jacket as she stood in a lift line, desperate for some words of wisdom from her snowboarding idol. Despite this being the first time Clark has finished outside the medal table, she was able to keep the whole experience in a healthy perspective. “I think the medals are wonderful, and I’ve given my life to pursue them, but seeing a life that’s changed, that is the best use of influence,” the snowboarder added.
It wasn’t a fairytale ending this year, nor did she receive the prestigious coronation as an “Olympic champion,” but, importantly, Clark knows that this does not alter God’s love for her. “I started to understand that I didn’t get my worth from people or from the things that I did,” the snowboarder explained to Fellowship of Christian Athletes. “It was from Christ. If I hadn’t had that shift in my life, I think my world would have come crumbling down.” Source: Will Maule of Faithwire
NORTHWEST REGION Whitefish, MT Spokane, WA Snoqualmie Pass, WA Bozeman, MT La Grande, OR Sun Valley, ID
Snowboarders & Skiers for Christ USA (SFC USA) is a grassroots organization that exists to bridge the ski/snowboard culture to Jesus, partnering with the local Church. SFC’s vision is to be the light of Jesus in the ski/snowboard culture.
SOUTHWEST REGION Summit County, CO Denver, CO Vail, CO Salt Lake City, UT Big Bear, CA Mammoth Lakes, CA Tahoe, CA
SFC USA leaders believe God’s Word calls them to find their identity in Jesus, to engage those within their culture through genuine, loving relationships and to do selfless acts for others as they share the Gospel message.
MIDWEST REGION JSAW Grand Rapids, MI Alexandria, MN Minnesota Grand Haven, MI
The million dollar question is, “What does SFC do?” We’re glad you asked! The first thing to know is that, “SFC is a VALUES-BASED organization opposed to a PROGRAMS-BASED organization,” meaning that SFC looks different in every shred town because each group responds to the needs of their own unique communities. Each location is not a cookie-cutter or franchise-modeled group. Rather, SFC USA encourages its leaders to know and live SFC USA’s B.R.I.D.G.E. Values, and dream big and hold meetings/events that will most effectively BE THE LIGHT OF JESUS to the shredders in their area.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION Liberty Snowflex, VA SW Pennsylvania Mountain Creek, NJ Boone, NC NORTHEAST REGION Adirondacks, NY Loon Mountain Ministry, NH Wolfeboro, NH Southern Vermont Northern Vermont Maine
This is on an international level as well. SFC USA is part of a growing movement across the globe! To find out more about this go to www.sfc.international.
So we define SFC by our VALUES as opposed to what events we do, and for that reason, the national office has taken on the effort to provide Values-based TOOLS and RESOURCES to help our leaders create more effective events and opportunities to BE A LIGHT ON THE HILL.
In Summer of 2018, The Inertia traveled to El Salvador with Kassia Meador, Leah Dawson, and Lola Mignot, three outstanding women who are inspiring the next generation of ocean lovers through their alternative approach to both surfing and life. Each has developed a strong voice as a leader in surfing, and managed to do so on her own terms. They ride the boards they want, spearhead projects that speak to their passions, and keep their eyes peeled for interesting ways to engage that fascinating nexus where surfing and the rest of the world collide. We wanted to better understand each woman’s approach to living a fulfilling life and to meaningfully engage with El Salvador’s beautiful culture. We had the good fortune of meeting Sindy Portillo, a standout surfer at Las Flores, one of El Salvador’s best waves. And as it turns out, Sindy is the only local girl who surfs in her town. “For many, it’s difficult to be a woman in El Salvador,” Sindy told us. “Women work and struggle to make a living. It’s not easy most of the time. My dream is to be a longboard champion and represent El Salvador and Las Flores all of the time.” “Pretty much on the first day we met Sindy out in the water,” said Dawson. “She had the biggest smile on her face. You couldn’t not see her. We were communicating back and forth really finding out about women and life in El Salvador and by day three of four of our trip we realized that Sindy was the purpose of our trip. ” “The seed is planted,” said Meador. “Now it’s just going to sprout.” In Alternativa, Dawson, Meador, and Mignot share their perspectives as leaders in the surf community and the exciting opportunity ahead of them. “We’re in a very powerful time in history,” said Dawson. “I’ve felt for a long time that the women’s story has been a bit misguided by the men that have run the surf industry. I feel like for myself, I have a duty to nurture our culture becaus e I love it so much. Because it’s given me so much happiness and opportunity throughout my life that I feel like a mother. I want to be a mother of our surf culture, because we need as many mothers as we can get.” “Since I started surfing, there have been so many more women getting into it,” said Meador “Whether it be in shortboarding, riding alternative boards, longboards, there are so many amazing girls. You pull up to Malibu in the summertime, and there are so many girls out there – young and older just shredding. You go to SanO some days, there are more women in the water than men. It’s such an exciting and inspiring time, and I think on a larger global scale women are really stepping up. Men are really embracing that and being supportive of that. I think there ’s a really awesome thing happening where there’s a lot of support on all sides.” “To any of the young girls out there or even to women getting into surfing at a later time in their life, it’s such an empowering tool,” said Meador. “It’s something that’s so beautiful to gain your own personal energy and strength and push yourself and own every aspect of yourself, and surfing helps give you the tools to navi gate that and navigate life in different ways.” Dawson also addresses many of the environmental concerns that she believes surfers are uniquely positioned on the front lines to battle. “I want to see my grandkids being able to play in a clean ocean,” said Dawson. “Am I honestly scared of what the Earth is going to look like in 50 years? Yeah. It’s more than consumption. To me, it’s addiction. We have to get better about what we do with our trash and the trash we create. A plastic bag is not free. A plastic straw is not free. At least not for the earth. I thin k surfing makes us stewards of the earth and protectors of the earth. I’m just excited for surfers to really step into that role, and I ’m doing my best to learn every day how I can do that better and more effectively, but even more so, how can we bring each other together so o ur voice maximizes and goes to the ends of the earth.” We hope you enjoy Alternativa. Source: The Inertia
Warm water, traveling and serving with friends. A Christian Surfers Surf Missions trips combine your favorite parts of a surf trip, by partnering with great local organizations to serve and make a meaningful impact on both the local community, and you! Come see the world, surf the world, and change the world on a CS Surf Missions trip. Check out the trips below, and grab a friend or your local CS chapter crew and join in the mission of connecting surfers to Jesus! Find out more, log onto https://christiansurfers.com/get-involved/surf-missions-trips/ Surf and Serve: We’ve done the work of identifying and partnering in some key locations where fun waves and great opportunities to serve are plentiful. All you have to do is be ready to surf and willing to serve. Come for a life-changing experience as we work together to connect surfers around the world to Jesus. Surf and Search: ‘Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer” Luke 5:16. If it’s time for you to get away and spend some quality time with God as well as other like-minded surfers – consider going on a Surf and Search trip with Christian Surfers. Come yourself or bring some friends on a surf trip with an emphasis on two things: surfing, and providing an atmosphere for time with God, searching His Word for what He has for you. Trade Shows: At the largest trade shows of the year, CS shows up not to sell anything or to network, but to serve vendors and the industry. We have the privilege of being invited to events like the Surf Expo and Boardroom show and need you! These partnerships are a great opportunity for us to serve in practical ways that not only directly impact surfers with the love of Jesus, but is a fun time together as a community.
Surf Expo January 10 - 12 Orlando Florida
Indonesia March 27 - April Sumbi Island
Nicaragua June 22 - 30 One World Health
Girls Only Trip Summer 2019 El Salvador
January 14 - 20 Florida Pro Sebastian Inlet
January 26 Gnarly Charley Surf Series Briney Breeze - Namad Surf Shop
February 2 Gnarly Charley Surf Series Deerfield Beach
February 23 Gnarly Charley Surf Series Stair 35 in Jupiter
March 2 - 3 Surfing America Prime
March 9 Gnarly Charley Surf Series Pepper Park, Ft. Pierce
March 14 - 17 Beach N’ Board Festival Cocoa Beach
April 4 - 7 NSSA East Coast Championships New Smyrna Beach
April 20 - 21 55th Easter Pro / Am Cocoa Beach
April 26 - 28 ESA Southeast Championships Melbourne Beach
Lord, Please clear my head of all distractions, and my heart of burdens I may bear, so I may perform my very best, knowing that you'll always be there. Please lift me up before the moment, so through your eyes I may see, and have a clearer understanding, as the game unfolds before me. With great courage I will meet this challenge, as you would have me do, but keep me humble and remind me, that my strength comes from knowing you. Then when all eyes are upon me, at the end, I will turn their eyes to you O' Lord, to glorify of your name. -Amen
Blank: Somewhere at the southern edge of Cocoa Beach, Larry Mayo takes his caliper to a slab of US Blanks foam. “The classic 6’2” C fish blank," Mayo says. “Blue foam.” The face of the slab is factory shorn, rough, pitted. He skids his hands over it. Somewhere in this block of foam, a stub-tail diamond quad is hiding. Mow: Mayo's planer drones like a siren, stings the ears. He cross-steps, barefoot, through two passes, blending his cut bands. “Flat rocker,” he says. “Fast and wide.” He checks his notes. “The kid wants three logos on the deck.” For some reason, this amuses Mayo. Outline: Mayo is shaper, sander, glasser, hot coat man. He laminates, tints, tapes, pinlines, embeds his own fin boxes. He pencil-marks the stringer, pulls in an eighth, lets out like a bespoke tailor. Traces curves along Masonite. Marries templates. “It will go,” he says. “Get on a plane quick.” Behind the jigsaw, foam dust on his arms and his feet, he shears away the edges, until only the board remains. Sand: "Turns out Greenough was right all along," Mayo says. "You fit the board to the wave." Foiling the vessel, peeling it clean as apple flesh. Student of the old new school. Take what you've learned and move on. At the Milwaukee grinder, sweeping it in flourishes, Mayo smooths the deck to fuzz, shaves stringer, curls wood, blends and blends until it is smooth as eggshell. Cloth: In a corrugated, mangrove-fringed marina on the Banana River, the glassing room has the look of a dojo: minimalist, clean, razor blades in the wall like throwing stars. “Another burgundy board,” Mayo says, unspooling the six-ounce Volan over his most recent sculpture. “Just when it stopped looking like a crime scene in here.” His scissors are a foot long. He slices the cloth with wrist-driven cuts. Glass: Coke-bottle greens, persimmons, saffrons, mosses. His tint jobs breed collectors, inspire fetishism. Straining the burgundy now, gentling it like a sommelier, Mayo meditates on viscosity and proportion, in respirator and rubber gloves, slicks his squeegee over his fish. Fresh-air fans inject cold air. He wants the foam contracting as he lacquers the resin over the Volan. This takes time. This is what Mayo Surfboards are about: time. The extra pass. Hot Coat: The crest of County Mayo, Ireland, features a rockered-out ship a roll on blue waves. His forbears, a maritime people. For his own shield, he employs a circle of psychedelic, cloud-patterned letters. Jimi Hendrix meets the White Album. He papers a single logo over the stringer. Elegant enough. Mayo does not put three logos on a deck. A four-inch paintbrush for the hot coat. As if resin is pouring from his fingertips. The color resurrects. “The closer you get to the old school way," he says, "the better the job.” Gloss: Mayo has made it perfect, then sanded it down again. The board now has the matte finish of a red delicious apple. “You have to sand deep into the hot coat to get good clarity on the gloss coat," he says. Lost art in a spray finish age, the gloss coat––a residual of artisinal times, of muscle cars, Stratocasters. Mayo pulls the hardener up through a straw with a chemist's touch. He eases it on in long, sinuous strokes, the final coat, brings the board to an impossible, seductive shine. A '71 Porsche. Polish: Mayo takes a grinder to the board, sands down the gloss coat with 320-grit Rhinolux paper. Switches out to 400 and hits it again. Sands it again with the 600. Mayo's hands have passed over every inch of this board, by my count, forty-three times. He blows the board clean, ties on his apron, brushes on the polish like an old country woodworker. Forty-four. The buffer clocks around at 6000 rpm, riding the deck to Wilco's "Whole Love." The surfboard fulfills its own destiny. Mayo is just here to see it through. Source: http://www.dan-reiter.com/Mayo.html
Job 16:9 “He tears me in His wrath, and hates me; He gnashes at me with His teeth; My adversary sharpens His gaze on me.” When we find ourselves in times of great trial, it is often difficult to discern the voice of God. In Job’s case, the voices of pain, sorrow, suffering, and loss were screaming so loud, the voice of God was drowned out. He could no longer hear God’s Word reminding Him of the great love with which he had been loved. He could no longer hear the voice of compassion, mercy or providence, explaining He would make all things right. All Job could hear was the voice of his anguish, and it was screaming, “God must hate me.” While we may never face trials as grievous as Job endured, we will no doubt, encounter difficulty that will call into question the character of God. We will all experience times when looking at our circumstances will make it difficult to perceive the love and mercy of God. It is in those times, I lean upon the advice I received from my pastor. He told me when I do not know, I should always fall back on what I do know. In other words, there are foundational truths about God we can cling to in difficult times. Having a grip on those truths will take us through our darkest hours. First, we must remember, God is good and everything that flows from Him is good. The psalmist put it this way, “Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped.” Psalm 73:1-2 He declared the circumstances he faced brought him to the brink of falling, but the cure was to remember the goodness of God. Not only is He good, but He also promises to work all things out for our good. That means He has a plan to work with the circumstances we are facing, in order to accomplish His best for our lives. Often, we fail to see any value in the trials we endure, because we are by nature shortsighted, we cannot see into the future, or understand the big things of God. Another important, even foundational truth, to rely upon in times of confusion is, God is in all this for the long haul. He is making decisions that will effect, not just the moment we are in, but the generations that will follow. Abraham was promised descendants as the stars, but at his death only Isaac had been born. It was not that the promise failed, but that the vantage point of God was much more far-reaching than Abraham could see. Keep in mind, the way we choose to react to the difficulties we face, will have an affect upon those who come after us. Finally, no matter how loud your trials may scream that God hates you, the cross cries out emphatically, God is love. The very fact that God initiated the steps to redeem man back to Himself, knowing those steps would lead to the brutal death of His only begotten Son, are proof enough of the magnificence of His love. In your sorrow, pain or confusion, take the time right now to focus upon the majesty of the cross and allow God to bathe you in His infinite love. Pastor Jim
Why Blank? Like a surfboard, we all begin as a raw blank; scuffed up, yellowed and not so pretty. God works in us to shape us for His glory and according to His plan. We don’t know exactly what our final shape will look like, but He is the master shaper and we have to trust in his plan. You may want to be a big wave gun and he may be shaping you into a fish. Why a fish? He has a plan to use you where a wider outline, slightly thicker rail and fuller tail is needed. How well will you work, for His glory, if your outline is for Pipe and you are surfing Ocean Ave.?
In this shaping bay, we will never be glassed. The Master Shaper is never finished with us.
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