Well I did it. I ordered a custom surfboard. I have had no less than 30ish surfboards since I began surfing 25 years ago. (has it really been that long? You'd think I would be better a it.) The last, and only other board I had shaped, was a CHAS, shaped by Charlie Wickwire in 1992. It was 6'1" and as skinny and thin as you could imagine. Although, I was tall and skinny as you could imagine back then too. Looking back, I can't imagine ever riding something that thin, we're talking 1 7/8" thick and 17 7/8" wide. Hey, that was the dimensions Kelly Slater and the New School were riding, and we are about the same age, so they should work just as good for me, right? Yeah, not so much.
It's funny how back then EVERYBODY rode primarily the same type of board. No one went outside of the basic shortboard dimensions. You would never dare paddle out on a fish, hybrid, fun board, or any of the classic shapes from the 60's or 70's, you would be immediately dismissed and ridiculed. You rode a skinny, thin thruster, and old guys rode logs...that was it. End of story.
It is amazing today to travel to ANY surf spot around the world and see the different shapes people are riding. At my local spot, a classic shortboard with 3 fins is a rarity....and I don't surf San O'. We see classic fishes, rocket fish, hybrids, with 2,3,4, and even 5 fin bonzers everyday in the line up. Even the biggest brands of boards, Channel Islands and Rusty, have embraced the idea we need different shapes for different surfers with their production of the Buscuit, Fishcuit, classic fish, and Piranha. Or maybe Rusty and Al are getting a little older and softer nowadays. It's cool when hanging in the lot after a surf and everyone is checking, asking about, and discussing every one's equipment. I have a twin fish, a quad rocket fish, a 6'8" pumpkin seed thruster, and of course 1 shortboard, but it's a quad at least. I have a blast on everyone of these boards. Every one has a different feel and a different riding style. Sometimes I get bummed about how much fun I have missed out on by riding version after version of the same board. It's like an old pilot told me when I showed him my flight logbook, as I was proud I had reached over 200 flight hours, "Shit Man, you've only flown one kind of plane?!" "Yeah", I replied. So he says, "You have only flown the same hour 200 times!"
Oh, so what kind of board did I order? One type I have never ridden before. 6"6" single fin, 19 5/8" x 2 5/8. Mid point moved forward a bit.......oh, you see where I am going with this, huh?.... beak nose, turned down rail, high volume, low rocker, pin tail, and red with white pinlines. Only thing missing is the lightning bolt. Can't wait to ride it, and introduce it to the rest of the family.
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