Been a while!

Jobs get in the way. I'm sure we'd all agree on that basic postulate.

As much as I'd love to be able to spend all of my time chasing down rumors of new stand up designs, talking with shapers and poaching forbidden waves- I've had to come to grip with the reality of my situation: I've actually got a gig that pays the bills and every September it's time to face the music. I know I'm preaching to the choir here. So that's my weak excuse for not writing much lately, and yes, to those of you out there who sent me email reminding me that it was my duty to update the site, yes, you were justified; thank you. Happily, I do have some news to report.

A new board in the house. As you can see, I've got a new ride. Tim Stamps calls it the Mahi. As in the fish- not so much for the design (although the tail and gut of this board is wide, kind of like a fish) but more for the paint job- which I'm digging more and more everyday.

This is my first full custom stand up board and it's everything I wanted for the waves I'm surfing here in Imperial Beach. The board is really fast. Best of all, and almost unbelievably, the board paddles better then most twelve footers out there (honestly).

Tim calls this shape the Commander (Check it out at his site)- and after a couple of sessions on it down here in our thumpy surf- I'm starting to understand the reason for it's name. The board takes command of the situation; from sucking out beach break to rivermouth power wedge the board just handles it. This is the stand up board that the Sultan of Speed, Terry Fitzgerald, would ride if he was hanging in California. Remember the power arcs he threw down in Five Summer Stories? That's were this board likes to be, banking high in the pocket like an Indy car swooping into the hip of a banked turn.
This is a ten footer for us thick guys. I've been on many of the smaller molded boards and although they seem to ride well they are a handful in almost any kind of chop. I wanted a legit ten footer that I didn't have to think about every time the wind came up- undoubtedly this board is it. If you are what MichaelF (what's up Michael!) likes to call "tuna class", that's 200lbs and up - this is your short board. If you run into me out in the water- don't hesitate to jump on it.

Tim Stamps: www.surfboardsbystamps.com

Check Back: I've got a little story of Fins that I want to run by you.

Coming Soon: Video from the International Waterman Paddle and Surf Event at La Jolla Shores.