September 2005 Issue
On Liquid Tracks
Words and Photographs by David Pu'u
I had been on Maui waiting and watching for a special day at Jaws, that now legendary big wave spot that put tow surfing on the world extreme sports map. The previous day had seen some 30- to 40-footers roll through and I had collected a few special images of the place.
The swell this afternoon was on its way down. Archie Kalepa, head of Maui Ocean Safety (remember that, his title reads "Head of OCEAN SAFETY") and pals Victor and son Shawn Lopez were going out at Pier One. The wave is located right outside of the Kahalui harbor. It rarely breaks well, requiring both a large northwest swell and Kona winds to acquire good conditions. It is a somewhat difficult combination to achieve. The guys had good-naturedly dragged me along. Only we weren't going to be riding boards, we were going to be surfing Archie's outrigger canoe.
I had watched with interest as Archie had carefully rigged the canoe, with a group of the harbor boys hanging out Hawaiian style, as the sun began to lower towards the mountains in the West. I was fairly oblivious to the aspects of what we were up to. I knew Pier One would likely be in the 15-20-foot face range. The prospect of paddling a canoe into a wave of that size presented itself as exciting image fodder. The boys on Maui are sort of like that, in coming up with ways to amuse themselves. They conjure up adventurous things to do that they see as fun, and the rest of the world views as lunacy. Lucky me, they invite me along.
Still, knowing this, I had enthusiastically agreed to an afternoon adventure in the notoriously shark-ridden waters off the harbor. I would be on a personal water craft, filming. What could happen?
Perched safely atop the big Sea Doo with Gary Sirotta driving me, I watched as Archie and pals made some runs in the triple overhead offshore bombs, making many of the rides, but dramatically and sometimes hilariously NOT making a couple. I found myself grinning after one harrowing ride, when Archie and Victor had bailed from the canoe without saying a word to Gary's son in the bow, who rode the canoe into the pit and absolute calamity. Archie must've been near drowning from not being able to hold air in laughing as they took a beating in the extreme practical joke. I was still smiles, as, a while later, Arch casually yelled over to me: " Hey Dave! You like go? We are gonna have the ski tow us."
Keep in mind what I was thinking. I have done and continue to do some hairy stuff. I have raced bikes and cars. I've ridden big outer reef waves. I regularly swim huge surf and remote breaks around the world at all hours of the day. Stuff that is pretty extreme to the average person, well, that is sort of my every day life when I am working. So I really did not think much about it when I simply replied over the roar of a set as it exploded on the reef: "Hey yeah, Arch, that sounds like fun!" I can be such an idiot.
My mood soon changed as I was swimming around the canoe a little later. I was shooting some water perspectives of Arch and his craft as we bobbed on the outside fringes of the break. I suddenly felt the hair go up on the back of my neck. This is an instinctive thing that happens when I sense I'm being predated. It happens sometimes, usually right before I run into sharks. It puts me on edge. I pretty quickly hopped into the canoe and settled in second position, right in front of Archie, saying nothing about it. But my mood had changed. Shawn was in the bow. His Dad, Victor, was on the ski and tossed us the tow rope.
Archie is a pretty accomplished steersman and navigator, being one of the occasional captains on the Hawaiian historic sailing canoe the Hokulaiea, that same vessel Eddie Aikau had died skippering. Having paddled and steered all his life in various canoe configurations, he knows what he is doing. Couple that with his prodigious and varied water skills, big wave riding ability, and being head of OCEAN SAFETY: well it had all seemed to make sense. Until right at about that instant.
As the warm afternoon sun began to sink into the Iao Valley, and rays of light fell into the ocean around us, Victor towed the canoe in a semi-circle towards a fast rolling swell outside of the break. As the wave stood up, I suddenly realized, camera in hand, that this was a gnarly and dangerous thing we were doing. Arch yelled: "This one?" I saw that the wave had a bump in front of it and was likely a double wave that would jack and pitch. I could not imagine us making it in a canoe. I found the air expelling from my lungs in one great big "NO! Double wave!"
The feeling of all this was so familiar. I remembered right then what it reminded me of. It was similar to being in a roller coaster at Magic Mountain, about to go over the first big drop! Only I was holding a camera, and on top of that, knew that the wheels could easily come off in our little escapade. Hooleeing the canoe in a 15-foot wave with sharks at sunset? Hmm, NOT a good idea. Arch pulled back. Relief flooded over me. We circled towards the outside as that wicked double-up exploded behind us. I was secretly glad I had my fins with me.
In due course, Victor throttled the little Kawasaki, which complained loudly. The yellow canoe accelerated as it felt the power of the swell. Hearts in throats but grinning, we were into it. The racket of the two-stroke receded as the strain upon it eased. The deep blue wave reared, and Archie yelled at Shawn to let go. He tossed the line. We sluiced forward and down, over, and onto liquid tracks with a sucking, ripping sound. It was mesmerizing. The sun shone onto golden wave face as the lip reared up and pitched out and over us. I was instinctively shooting, while struggling to comprehend what seemed to be a slow motion compilation of a huge number of things going on all at once. It seemed silent when out of the reverie of our dramatic slide came a shout: "Dave, the ama!" Camera in hand I threw myself onto it as we rocketed past the critical part of the wave, water flying in sheets off the front of the outrigger. I kept shooting. Time snapped back into its normal cadence and we flew out onto the flats, a lot like a formula car exiting a turn. Gliding into the relative calm of the channel, stroking, we found ourselves laughing.
Later, in the half-light of evening back in the harbor, feeling the still-warm ground underfoot as night cooled the day, two thoughts occurred to me: this was likely the most dangerous thing I had done, and, that I wanted to do it again! Good steersman, Archie Kalepa, I reflected, as we de-rigged the canoe and loaded it onto the trailer.
Posted September 2005 Blue Edge Magazine. All rights reserved.
Paddling The Isles de San Luca
Words and Photos by Chuck Graham
I wanted to believe La Posesion appeared to me the same way it did to Spanish explorer and conquistador, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, 463 years before, when a small contingent of seafaring Chumash Indians inhabited its pearly white, windswept sand dunes,and native island foxes were still prevalent.
The year was 1542, and Cabrillo and his Spanish fleet of three were exploring where no European had sailed before. A trade route to China was the mission, but Cabrillo and his crew would have to settle for northern California, and as far west as the Channel Islands.
Not big on keeping a detailed log on such a epic voyage that began in New Spain, it’s difficult to determine how far north Cabrillo sailed. However, the Channel Islands were the westernmost landmass discovered.
Now known as San Miguel Island, we put-in off the Truth, led by three kayaking guides from Santa Barbara Outfitters. The route: a leisurely 10-mile paddle from Cuyler Harbor heading northwest to the inside cove of Harris Point, a battered finger of volcanic crags clad in unforgiving crusty barnacles and black mussels. The return would include a quick circumnavigation of Prince Island, a half mile east of Cuyler Harbor. Paddlers in blue, green, yellow and red kayaks fanned out, negotiating wishy-washy waves crashing around Harris Point ensconced in a persistent summer fog.
Guides Garrett Kababik, Joel Mulder and Josh Lewis herded 20 paddlers over slightly submerged rocks, into narrow volcanic corridors, and past rocky pinnacles guarded by juvenile brown pelicans, cormorants and whistling black oystercatchers.
At its most weathered, rugged point, massive cavities carved out the brittle rock symbolized the ferocity of storms, winds and waves that have sculpted Harris Point over the centuries. Some of the inaccessible cliff faces served as huge canvasses of brightly colored lichen. Lime green, burnt chili and lemon yellow lit up the unforgiving islandscape despite the dense haze blanketing San Miguel.
One secluded cove hosted a slew of raucous sea lions and ungainly elephant seals. A cacophony of bellows, snorts and barks could be heard 100 placid yards offshore in our plastic boats. While the lazy elephant seals flipped sand on their broad backs, the sea lion earlings-sleek, fast and curious-ventured from the sanctity of their rookery investigating the intrusion. Their long necks bracing huge brown eyes strained like periscopes for a better glimpse. Several breached. Others porpoised along our port and starboard sides
within the length of our paddles, with the King of San Miguel watching over us from the steep slopes of Harris Point.
Then we left San Miguel, and aided by light winds, swell and current, we stroked with ease for nearby Prince Island-a seabird’s haven. From early spring into early summer, pelagic birds nest, breed and raise their broods on this ominous rock. Pigeon guillemots with beakfuls of silver fish ran on water to reach their chicks. Western gulls hovered
above, and some still weaned pestering chicks on rocky crevices. Fetid seabird guano signified the most popular hangouts, with brown pelicans and pelagic cormorants crowding the best perches. We skirted the inside of thick, protective kelp forests shielding us from the increasing northwest winds. Now only a quarter mile away, the aroma of a onboard barbecue heightened my senses, offering incentive to quickly reach the Truth, the only vessel in the harbor. Frederick, the galley chef, was whipping up the first of many fantastic meals
throughout the trip.
After we stuffed ourselves, the captain chased the glow of a sunset toward Santa Rosa Island, its dunes and windswept terraces set ablaze, then we disappeared around Johnson’s Lee to anchor and count a multitude of shooting stars. At dawn, the fog hovered lightly above Santa Rosa, while the sun burst through warming the island’s rolling hills. As we motored around East Point, we were met by unfavorable winds blowing from the northwest. The Truth maneuvered it’s way to the inside of the southeast anchorage of Becher’s Bay, where we landed on a deserted cove.
Scott Rousch-the onboard naturalist-led a hike through one of the rarest forests in the world. The Torrey Pines overlooking Becher’s Bay are unique to the island. The only other forest of its kind is found in San Diego, at the Torrey Pines State Beach. A new trail meandered upward, weaving through the sprawling pines eventually rewarding us with breathtaking views of the massive, windswept bay.
Weeping Willows
The green-eyed girl paddled toward two towering pinnacles, her long, blond hair swaying lightly on her brown back. The air was dry, the water cool. Atop the sheer, 50 foot high pinnacles, pelicans and gulls basked throughout the dormant giant coreopsis, while another summer escapes into fall. She landed on the deserted beach, this little paradise all to herself. The shimmering water was turquoise green. Bleached driftwood strewn across the dry sand bordered a
fresh trail of recently arrived seashells zigzagging along the peak of the last high tide. While solitude lulled on the beach, guides, Mulder and Kababik, led several eager kayakers to a small reef inside Willows Anchorage, possibly the most scenic cove on the backside of Santa Cruz Island. A playful wave-riding exhibition ensued for the
experienced paddlers, while the inexperienced found themselves negotiating the sharp, slippery rocks to retrieve their lost kayaks.
Eneepah
That’s what the Chumash called Anacapa Island. The word means deception, and in the fog it’s topography becomes easily distorted. One time while making a channel crossing from the Santa Barbara Harbor, my eyes played tricks on me in the fog. So dense, it made a cargo ship appear like the narrow islet, until I got close enough to see whitewater cresting off its ominous bow.
Fortunately the conditions weren’t that extreme at Frenchy’s Cove, but draped in morning fog, deception was Anacapa’s allure. Pockmarked by a proliferation of sea caves, fissures, arches and coves, it’s a kayaker’s playground, and spelunking the myriad of perforations awaits paddlers at every level.
After leading us through the Keyhole, guides Kababik, Lewis and Mulder paddled us down through Cathedral Cove. Dark, narrow caves invited us inside, but a surging west wind swell made entering grottos occasionally precarious. The waves washed through, nearly scraping the cavern’s ceiling.
The guides gave the thumbs up inbetween sets and instructed us on what to do once inside, but some paddlers were caught by surprise. Waiting in a cove after entering a cave and exiting at the other end, I watched the trail of paddlers parade through one by one.
Half way through the procession, a swell lifted an unbeknownst kayaker uncontrollably into the wall of the cavern. It’s speed required a quick decision to make a hard left turn, but it was too late.
“Ah, we have our first swimmer of the day,” said Lewis, as the helmet-clad casualty bobbed like a cork in the mouth of the hole.
After swimming his boat out of the grotto, he scrambled back into his boat. A smile on his face and no worse for ware, he let out a hoot, grateful for the collision while just missing the volcanic rock that makes like a cheese-grater.
Sea lions joined in the fun, obviously better equipped and more adept at maneuvering along the island’s craggy coastline. They’re the clowns of the sea, enjoying anything the ocean delivers. They’re also amazing rock climbers scaling the tricky pinnacles of Cathedral Cove.. We paddled past several yearlings already displaying the ability to hoist themselves up with their powerful necks and shoulders.
As if the caving wasn’t enough, Mulder found a slightly exposed rock and used it as his own personal rodeo, riding high with the surge and teetering on the edge as it washed back out. He maneuvered his sit-in kayak like he was riding a river rapid, never relinquishing control over rock and surge.
The current was pulling us around the southeast end of the island, through the 40 foot arch rock, the symbol of the national park. It signified the end of another kayaking trip to “the Galapagos of the north,” but the adventure never dies with the islands just offshore.
Contact Information
To experience a motherboard trip to the Channel Islands National Park, contact Santa Barbara Outfitters at (805) 899-3010, or toll free at 1-877-526-3273. Visit their web site at www.sboutfitters.com. E-mail: info@sboutfitters.com. For Truth Aquatics, call (805)962-1127, or visit www.truthaquatics.com.
Posted September 2005 Blue Edge Magazine. All rights reserved.
Pismo the Pearl
Words and Photographs by Dr. Craig Hamlin
The year was 1965; the place was the "pit" at Malibu, the base of a sandy slope of beach closest to the old lifeguard stand. If you were good, you hung out there when not surfing. If you were not that good, you walked farther down the beach, putting your stuff along the wall.
The Malibu Surfing Association (MSA) hung out at the "pit," along with Dora and Carson. They ruled the water from that sandy slope. I never understood why "Da Cat" rode for Windensea Surf Club, when he was the undisputed "King of Malibu," but he never wore an MSA patch.
On this particular day, I was walking down the hill toward the wall when I heard Brian Hames, Buzz Sulphin and JoJo Perrin talking about an article that was coming out in the June edition of Surfing Illustrated. The article was about a trip that some of the MSA crew took to a "new" spot called Pismo Beach (see Volume 3, number 3 of SI for the article). The conversation caught my attention because I had surfed Pismo in 1963 and wasn't that impressed. For one thing the water was super cold (approximately 53 degrees) and its shape was fair at best. However, when I saw the article in SI that month, the black and white photo showed some well-shaped, glassy beach break waves. In 1973 I moved to the Central Coast and soon found out that the Pismo Pier was a "pearl with rough edges."
The pier itself has a long history. First built in 1881, it was destroyed in a storm, only to be rebuilt in 1924 and was 1,780 feet long. Now the property of the State of California, the pier stands as one of central California's most popular coastal tourist attractions.
In 1963, when my friend and I surfed the area, there were probably less than 30 guys that owned boards between Pismo and Morro Bay. Most of the time, it was just my friend and me, surfing by ourselves. SI had reported in the 1965 article that Pismo reminded them of a "South Bay" town and it "had its own surf shop." The fact is, in 2005 Pismo views itself as the real "Surf City" (sorry, Santa Cruzers).
Even its public landmarks (see picture) idealize the concept of an "endless summer." It is a unique beach break because both longboarders and shortboarders can be happy with the waves on the same day. Some days, the north side of the pier can be firing and the south side closing out. It breaks year-round and can usually produce some rideable surf on any given day. But some days it can be absolutely amazing. It has shifting sandbars, and during turbulent seas the sandbars around the pier can line up in such a way that it becomes a "pearl of great worth." It can produce barrels; it can produce size; and it can produce long rides. Some days all three of these come together. Then look out! It can also produce crowds. Unlike in the 60s, the Central Coast now has a large surf culture. Pismo Beach, by the last count, has five surf shops.
In the SI article, they mentioned that by 3 p.m. there was no wind and it was still glassy. They made it sound like it was always that way. Oh, how I wish it were true. Wind is a problem. The dawn patrol group almost always gets the best waves at the pier. On some rare evenings it will glass off. During the fall, offshore winds will flow, giving surfers the ability to get longer sessions.
The Central Coast as a whole gets little coverage in surfing publications. In my 40-plus years involved with surfing I can count on two hands the number of photo shots involving the pier. As a result, the talented surfers that ride the pier get little exposure. They include Eric Sodaquest, Walt Cerny, Chey Cojo, Kilian Garland, Rick Gannon, Jonny Boy Grubbs, Dan Hamlin, Pancho, Phil Rueff, Eric Knowles, and Tim Gayda (who won this year's Pismo Longboarder's Annual Contest).
"Shooting the pier" is rarely done. The pilings in the center of the pier are so close together, it is almost impossible. However, once every ten years, the right wave, at the right tide, at the right spot, and the door can open. It is Pismo folklore that if you shoot the pier, prosperity awaits you. If you try it and miss, you will be a beach bum forever.
Say what you will about Pismo Beach, the pier will long remain a piece of the Central Coast surf culture. People are friendly, surfers are friendly, cops are friendly. Fishermen and surfers do clash on occasion. Surfers will sometimes get entangled with a fisherman's line. Most often, surfers bite off the line and the fishermen get mad, but, hey!, it's all part of a day at the pier, a "pearl with rough edges," in the real "Surf City."
Posted September 2005 Blue Edge Magazine. All rights reserved.
September 2005 Issue
September Calendar
Saturday, September 3
Beach Clean Up
The Ventura Surf Club will be hosting a beach clean up today at Surfer’s Point. Visit www.venturasurfclub.com for more information.
Sunday, September 4
FUEL TV
FUEL TV will air an hour of back–to–back sports series. The night begins at 8 p.m. with Project Detention, a show about the lifestyles of up-and-coming skaters, boarders and riders throughout the world who until now have been virtually unknown. Then at 8:30, the series Pull will showcase some of the most picturesque wake-trips in the U.S. and abroad. At 9 p.m. Firsthand, a show about a 15 year old professional skateboarder, will go to Germany for the World Champ Title. Visit www.FUEL.tv for additional airdates, times, video clips and more.
Thursday, September 8
Santa Barbara Maritime Museum Lecture Series
The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum will be hosting local surfer and sailor, Liz Clark to speak about her upcoming sailing journey around the world. The lecture will begin at 6:30 p.m., visit www.sbmm.org for more information.
Friday, September 9
Televised Mavericks Surf Contest
Resort Sports Network (RSN) will broadcast the 2005 Mavericks Surf Contest today and September 20th. The contest took place on March 2 with 40+ foot surf.
Saturday, September 10
Film: Insane Cinema
The film, Insane Cinema, which has been five years in the making, will finally premiere on FUEL TV at 8 p.m. The film documents a new movement in surfing featuring a diverse mix of surfers. Visit www.FUEL.tv for additional airdates, times, video clips and more.
Sunday, September 11
Ventura Hillsides Music Festival
The Ventura Hillsides Conservancy will host the 2005 Ventura Hillsides Music Festival featuring performers Los Lobos, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, and Donovan Frankenreiter. The Ventura based land trust’s fundraiser has become a popular local celebration of music and conservation that raises funds and awareness for the Conservancy’s land preservation efforts. Tickets will be available at Great Pacific Iron Works and Salzer’s Music in Ventura, Blue Sky Music in Ojai and all Ticketmaster outlets. The festival is from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Arroyo Verde Park. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to www.venturahillsides.org.
Saturday, September 17
Aloha Beach Festival
The annual Aloha Beach Festival will provide a spectacular, fun filled weekend of beach sports, live music, entertainment and food for the whole family. Admission is free to the public for the weekend festivities which will include the C–street Longboard Classic, the World Beach Invitational Frisbee Freestyle and K9 disc Championships. Events will take place just west of the Ventura Pier from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information on vendors, participation, or sponsorship opportunities visit www.alohabeachfestival.com.
Volcom Butterfish Series
The Volcom Butterfish Series kicks off at Mandalay in Oxnard. For updates and future results go to www.volcom.com.
California Coastal Cleanup Day
Volunteers in over 700 cleanup sites statewide will once again celebrate the annual California Coastal Cleanup Day. The Guinness Book of World Records has hailed the event to be “the largest garbage collection.” Since the program started in 1985, Californians have removed more than 10 million pounds of debris from the state’s shorelines and coast. This is a great opportunity for families, students, service groups and community members to show support for our shared natural resources. To participate, contact the your local coordinator and simply show up at any of the drop-in sites at 9 a.m. Drop in sites in the area include El Capitan State Beach, Butterfly Beach, Goleta Beach, Jalama and more. For more information, contact (800) COAST-4U or visit http://www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/pendx.html to see locations near you.
Sunday, September 18
A Day at the Beach
Santa Barbara Seals Surf School and The Ride a Wave Foundation are proud to present, “A Day at the Beach,” surfing, bodyboarding, kayaking and beach games. The event hopes to eliminate the barriers that stand in the way of anyone enjoying the wonders of the ocean and the thrill of riding a wave. Come to Ledbetter Beach from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Thursday, September 22
Film: Deep Blue
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents the Santa Barbara debut screening of the nature film, Deep Blue, at Campbell Hall 7:30 p.m. The motion picture presents amazing aquatic scenes, from tornadoes of sardines to psychedelic jellyfish. For more information or for tickets, call (805) 893-3535 or visit www.artsandlectures.ucsb.edu.
Saturday, September 24
Paddle for Clean Water
In an effort to bring attention to the ongoing ruin of the coasts and oceans, the Surfrider Foundation will be hosting its second annual National Paddle for Clean Water. Surfrider Foundation chapters across the country invite people to rally at their favorite beach and paddle out to form a circle of solidarity to addresss their concerns and voice their opinions about the state of our coasts and oceans. The Santa Barbara Chapter is holding its paddle at noon at the foot of Stern’s Wharf. They invite all members and anyone elses who is concerned about the coast to join them on surfboards, paddleboards, kayaks or anything else that can be paddled out safely. For more information about the date, times, or locations of an event near you, go to www.surfrider.org/paddle.com.
NSSA Gold Coast Conference
The NSSA Gold Coast Conference Explorer season will come to Pismo Beach Pier for its 2005/2006 season air show. Visit www.nssa.org for more information and for the full schedule.
Sunday, September 25
Carpinteria Triathlon
The eighth annual Carpinteria Triathlon welcomes swimmers, bicyclists, runners and volunteers to participate in their exciting event. The race will be staged at Carpinteria State Beach and the bike and running courses will travel along scenic mountains, agricultural fields, and the Pacific Ocean. Pre-registration ends September 20th. Pre-race check and final registration begins on September 24th from 1 to 6 p.m., and race day check-in begins at 6 a.m. To register on-line or for more information, visit www.active.com or www.carpinteriatriathlon.com. If you want to volunteer for the race, call Ann Meyer at (805) 684-5405, ext. 432.
Posted September 2005 Blue Edge Magazine. All rights reserved.
September 2005 Issue
Shaper Spotlight: Robert Weiner
By Erynn Im
As an advocate of honest hard work, Robert Weiner, creator of Roberts Boards, has gradually and diligently etched his name in the shaping industry during the past decade. From where he stands now, as an established and well-respected shaper in Ventura, he considers himself blessed for the opportunities that have come his way. “I’ve been building boards full time for 16 years, and as a friend told me once, it takes 10 years to become an overnight success,” said Weiner.
He attributes the continued innovativeness and success of his boards to his large team of “incredibly great riders who give me great feedback about the quality of my boards.” His team of pro and amateur surfers includes Sean Hayes, Pete Rocky, Keith Neary, Kai and Kellon Ellison, and more. “A lot of feedback from those guys helps me get my shapes where they’re at,” said Weiner.
For example, Weiner recently worked with one of his pro riders, Adam Veers, to produce one of his latest designs. “We went out to the lake, got in a boat that puts out about a two foot wave, and we did some surfboard testing behind the boat to watch the way the boards rode.” Weiner gathered information from this experiment and then designed a small board that would surf well on small waves. In the past, pro surfers have won events on Weiner’s shapes, and in fact, Weiner himself won his second national title on the tenth board he ever shaped.
From age eight Weiner was immediately fascinated by the world of surfing, especially surfboard design. He bought his first Surfer Magazine, and from that point on, he read everything he could, accumulating a strong understanding of surfboard designs. He shaped his first board when he was 12 and later worked in a factory in Oxnard where he glassed, sanded, thinned, “did every aspect, learning from the bottom up.” He calls the next years from there “a natural progression to the level I’m at now…God opened some doors and things fell into place.” Weiner’s been committed to a career in shaping for the past eleven years, and has built a successful business around his label, Roberts Boards.
His specialization lies in shortboards, with most of his designs geared toward high performance. Ninety seven percent of his boards are pre–shaped digitally. In the past, Weiner says that the use of computers in shaping was actually frowned upon because people thought the machines were doing all the work sans the craftsmanship of the shaper. “You would become stereotyped as a sellout and that’s sad because it was state of the art technology.” Now the surfing community has become more educated in the use of computers. “I feel like my shaping now is at a point where everything is more technical, working out bugs in design. Now everything we do is fine–tuning.” He now produces consistent high-performance boards.
What has allowed Weiner to stay in the shaping business successfully for so long, he says, is the hard work and strong ethics he stands by. “I don’t mind getting dirty and working with my hands,” said Weiner. “Most kids [new shapers] that I see nowadays, once they see what hard work it is, they’ll get discouraged and give up.” Many misconceive shaping to be glamorous, super profitable, and a profession that allows a lot of surf time. “But words of wisdom” warned Weiner, “it’s a lot of hard work.” When he first started, he was making his own hours and surfing a lot, but now that he’s running a business on a bigger scale, his surf time has been cut shorter than he would like.
And now on top of his shaping, Weiner is also working with one of his pro-riders, Sean Hayes, to produce a movie. Titled Underground, the film is a documentary on the Roberts Boards team riders. The film is scheduled to be released this fall in local surf shops.
The focal point in all his work is to “continually strive to build a better product, work real hard, and gain trust from the surfers I deal with.” His logo, which is an arrow shape with a fish symbol at the top, represents Christ as the center. “Without Christ in my life, I feel like I wouldn’t have a business or a logo, so I put him at the top. I’m really thankful for everything I’ve had.” Roberts Boards is located in Ventura, call (805) 658–6855 for more information.
Posted September 2005 Blue Edge Magazine. All rights reserved.
