My Blog

The Maverick crew shared this photo with us on the net. The Cliff angle of Peter Mel. Courtesy of "Big Daddy" Don Montgomery. In addition to big, we must remember that that is a dark, cold, shark-infested monster.

If you are a grom ,or an up and comer who is in need of images for your sponsor(s), let me know and I will come and shoot you. No charge (FREE) for you, but you will need to have your sponsors already. Let me know.

Action Surf Photography-Doug

www.actionsurf.net

doug@basiclink.com or dwaguillard@gmail.net

 

 

Come check out the all new Captains HElm...right next door to the old one! Its bigger, its better and were having a 50% off sale  a free cookout and music by the cormans the day we open what more could you ask for? Come stop by next friday the 5th and check it out...

"SSPN" is having a meeting this Thursday Jan 28, 2010 10am - 11am at Ki's Restraunt accross from the Cardiff Chart House.  Come and participate in a group of Surfing Business Owners and Professionals who get together once a month to share ideas and network to grow their business.  Let me know if you are interested.

Aloha,

Tom English

(858) 677-0577

Tom@AlohaWealth.com

As all of San Diego, and for that matter Southern California, probably knows by now, Scripps was firing over the past weeks with the north west swell, especially in light of the south winds howling early on. Justin McBride, Corban Campbell, and others came down in droves to hit the waves south of the pier. Here is a glimpse of what went down.

 

Can this surfboard work finless? Jeff Doc Lausch shared these photos with My Local Lineup and got me thinking. A few thoughts come to mind on the finless project. Alaias, retrospective endearment but performance debacle. Modern attempts, thrilling possibilities but mission still to be accomplished. Perhaps, this is the one ...

 

 

The XX chromosomes have joined the line up and they are here so stay -- for after all, when the magic of surfing "hits you" it gets you all the way. Anyway, that might make some sense after you watch the trailer.

It's incredible how the wahines have put up with their beastial counterparts all these years in the lineup. And for that, they definitely deserve huge kudos from one of these very abominations. 

Sean Mattison, Carlsbad local and assistant coach to the US Surf Team, just returned from a trip to Nicaraga where he score some killer surf on his newly designed board, "The Shadow."

Mattison ranks among the most stylish shortboarders of all times, by my lights. Typically, shortboarders (and I'm one of them) are so obsessed with performance -- pulling that killer turn, air, etc -- that they are completely oblivious to style, or at least relatively indifferent to it, as long as "I get to land that air!" Mattison is a breadth of fresh air.  

Devon Howard shot me this nice clip of the last leg of the world premiere tour for Rob Machado's film THE DRIFTER. By the way, Ian O'Roarty is the mastermind behind the outstanding shortclip below -- congrats on the excellent job of putting it together.

"Catching up with surfing legend Rob Machado in his hometown of Cardiff by the Sea Caifornia, on the final stop of his film premier of The Drifter. Shot entirely on 2 Canon DSLRs 7D and 5D mark 2 respectively."

As I watch this, I can't help but ask myself if my viewing of these types of clips is partly what drives these big wave riders to put themselves in unreasonably dangerous, death-defying situtations.  I don't have problems with big waves, but why go out with all that ridiculous chop?

In other words, are my media consumption habits subsidizing what in many cases ends in death? I'm sure the athlete is partly to blame. But aren't we also partly to blame? For if no body watched these things, the industry wouldn't be subsidizing insanity.

Some have suggested "inverted reversal." But I'm still trying to figure out how the surfboard is able to stay attached to his foot as he pulls off that turn inside of the white wash. Surfer: Josh Kerr.

 

Remember when Kelly and Rob played dual in the water and music on the stage, with lead singer and local surfer Peter King in the mix? Click play to go down memory lane. 

That's part of a killer show that is airing this coming week on Shortboard TV on My Local Lineup. Hobgood's announcement, Kelly Slater's secretive stop by England, and Jordy Smith's revelation on beautiful women are all the feature of next week's show.

Scheduled times: Mon 7pm, Fri 6:30pm, Sat 8am, and Sun 5pm in all San Diego County and Monday through Friday at 12m in all San Diego but North County. It's all on iTV San Diego, ch. 16.

The Hull Theory. Here I will competely rely on my audience's expertise, for I'm certainly shooting in the dark. So what is the hull theory? In principle, based on various different things I've heard, the hull, which is located on the bottom of the surfboard, is supposed to generate a water displacement that in turn gives a lift to the surfboard.

If that is it, then here is an illustration. As the boat glides through the water, the hull gives the vessell a lift, making it cruise slightly above the water level at which it sits when resting.

But so what? Assuming that's correct, how does that translate to water performance. Here is my shot in the dark. As the surfboard gains a lift, the friction drops, since there is less board surface touching the water, resulting in a faster ride. Is that the Hull Theory? If so, does it actually work?

Note: I'm showing this surfboard because (if my memory serves me right) it's supposed to heavily rely on the hull/displacement idea. But due to the poorly skilled photographer (don't let him know about it, please), you can't see the accentuated hull. It's a Gypys model by Micah Wood: 6' length x 24" x 2-5/8".  

In an attempt to make the surfing professinal tour more profitable and more mainstream, "Slater, his manager Terry Hardy and fellow backer, former boxing promoter Matt Tinley, are planning to lure the world's top surfers and sponsors away from the Association of Surfing Professionals," according to a recent report on The Australian.

In addition to Slater's support, which comes from years of discontment with the ASP-run circuit, the project was bolstered by a ESPN agreement to provide full media support and a commitment of independent investors to finance the rebel tour. According to The Australian, the rebel tour "would consist of 16 surfers (eight permanent, eight wild-cards) in eight events run over five months in the latter half of next year. Each event would have prizemoney" of $US1.5 million. The biggest existing events on the ASP tour have only $US340,000 in prizemoney, which is shared between 45 competitors." The new tour could start as early as next year (read more).

Josh Oldenburg (or Josh O' as I like to call him) is a great guy to surf with and has a great attitude in and out of the water. Lately, he's been putting out some pretty nice boards out of his shaping room. Check this one out ...

 

Check this out ...

 

Kelly's perfect 10 tube ride at the US Open ...

 

But the 9x world champ lost in the quarterfinals to current WCT #3, Adriano de Souza (Sao Paulo, Brazil). Event winner was Huntingto Beach local, Brett Simpson, taking the $100k winner purse (read more).

Coverage of the Volcom surf contest at Seaside has arrived with photos, videos, and more ...