forward trim

I've been really diggin the longboard again lately and the feeling of forward trim. saturday morning I surfed alone for a little over an hour on some little knee high rights. the waves had just enough wave face to allow for perfect trim. the feeling of standing on the board motionless while gliding across the wave face is like no other. there's no posturing, no macho antics, just the board beneath your feet and the passing of time as energy through water.

this year I've resolved to learn to surf all of the boards I have and to not acquire any others. with the exception of the mini-gun, my quiver consists of high volume boards -from the 5'8" fish, to the 6'0" speed egg, to the 6'3" old yeller seventies singlefin, my shortboard quiver is made to catch waves. so that's what I plan to do. I want to take the time to learn what it is that I like and dislike about board design so that I can get closer to the feeling of surfboard as extension to my body.

one thing I know for certain, the high performance shortboard is not my idea of the most fun to be had. I prefer the ease of paddling and instant speed of a board with a wider front end. performance shortboards can be super fast with constant rider input but I find that that approach does not allow me to notice what's going on around me as my focus is singular. with the high volume shortboards speed is built in so that I can focus instead on the way that the wave forms and unfolds in front of me.

I am also a fan of style like Jay Adams skating a pool or Gonz skating a rail or as in the photo below, Tyler Warren in forward trim. style is harder to come by when your shakin yer tail feather trying to keep the board from boggin. and there's nothin less stylish than me struggling to surf a performance shortboard -the hops and wiggles are more akin to a red wriggler on a hot summer sidewalk.



inspiration:

Picaresque
Warbles