Westbound Boarder

This is a little story about a guy who builds surfboards.

Bob “Ole” Olson recently celebrated his 80^th birthday and as such, could quite possibly be the oldest surfboard shaper on the planet. On a recent trip to Maui, I caught up with Ole as he was being inducted into the International Surfboard Builders hall of fame during the 16^th annual Ole Long board Classic at Launiupoko Beach Park. Talk about an awesome vibe. Some of the best long board riders in Hawaii were there and the ocean cooperated by delivering near perfect waves for the event.  In this elite group of shapers other noted surfboard builders include: Dale Velzy, Delbert “Bud” Higgins and Barry “BK” Kanaiaupuni.

Ole Started shaping boards after teaching drafting and industrial arts classes way back in 1958 in California.  His boards were almost an instant hit when he decided to pack up his shaping tools and move to Lahaina, Maui in 1971. Lahaina was a lot different than the tourist town it is today. Back then Lahaina was a sugar mill town and as a result surrounded by sugar cane fields.  There were also waves! Beautiful tropical waves that broke consistently (almost) year round. Lahaina is located on the leeward side of Maui and faces south and West – which means hot. In Hawaiian, Lahaina literally is translated into Merciless Sun. At the risk of being sounding overly dramatic, it’s hot here. Not in the way that some folks think “hot” should be or seems like.  It’s freaking HOT here. In other words, Anglo’s melt and wine turns to glue. Gecko lizards can be seen cavorting around in kiddie pools. How the missionaries existed here in dark, woolen clothing plum escapes me. However, the saving grace is that in the summer time there is usually a south swell running that blesses the island paradise with perfect waves and perfect island breezes.  Back in the day, and a little way down Front Street there was also a defunct pineapple cannery and this is where Ole first set up shop. The old cannery was really rough. There were all manner of funky little shops, hippies, wild dogs, 10″ centipedes, scorpions and everything in between running around in this place. Ole didn’t seem to mind though and started cranking out some of the most beautifully shaped boards in the world.

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While many shapers today rely on computers and CAD programs to build their boards, Ole still shapes his boards the old fashioned way; by hand and with his heart. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why they have enjoyed such a cult like following by those in the know.  If you’ve never seen a surfboard taking shape or I guess I should say being shaped, it’s an amazing process. Basically the shaper begins with a blank sheet of foam. Much like an artist begins with a blank piece of canvas, the shaper then begins to impart his or her personal preferences into what they believe will be the best shaped board. The big production shops have machines that are programmed into cutting the foam based upon the input from a computer. Ole on the other hand, measures out the board (utilizing his drafting skills) and then begins cutting the foam with a power shaper (utilizing his wood working ability). After he finishes the board and everything looks just right, then and only then he sends it off to the fiberglass shop near Paia and they finish it off with his color and graphic specifications.  Ole churns out about 200 boards a year and has done so for about the last 50 years. So, if I did my math correctly, that’s just about 100,000 boards!

Ole has had a few different locations in Lahaina over the years but has been in his current spot for quite some time now.  It’s funny when you have an image in your mind about a certain place and that place is completely different than what you imagined. On his walls, it’s a little like stepping into a page out of surfing history. Amid the shaping dust and tools, there are pictures of all things surf including Jimmy Buffett standing there with Ole and one of his long boards. When asked what his favorite board is, Ole reflected a moment and clearly stated, “The 9′ 6″ Bumblebee”.  (Gratuitous note to my family here, hint, hint, I have a birthday coming up….)

The time I spent with Ole was way too short but I sure feel fortunate to have met the man behind the brand.  I mean how many times does one actually get to meet one of their heroes much less get to sit down and actually talk story?  I found Ole to be one of the nicest people I’ve run across in a long time but I guess that’s what 50 years of surfing, shaping and living in paradise will do.

Aloha,

Jim

This past weekend, my brother and I headed to South Santa Monica for my first day of surfing this season!  I know, I really have no excuse to have not made it out earlier, but I know I’ll be hitting the waves every weekend from here on out.  Check out my brother’s rash guard below … you like?

This week’s best, from around the snowboard Web:

• Kimmy Fasani Talks Filming: Recently presented with an opportunity by DC to film a part with Standard Films, Kimmy Fasani is on the fast track to film stardom.  Read about her experience!  Kimmy is one of my favorite riders to watch in film parts – I think her moves are so smooth and she has a lot of style – so I’m particularly to see what she is able to create during this immersive experience.
• Surfing Under the Golden Gate Bridge? Yes, it’s true.  California’s insane winter storms are creating waves under the GGB … and some local fellows are using this as an opportunity to catch some serious tube.  Check it out on CNN!
• 2010 Olympics – Learn to Speak Canadian: Fellow WTS blogger at Pretty Tough put together a guide on How to Speak Canadian in preparation for this year’s 2010 Winter Olympics.  So, if a double-double is a coffee with two creams and two sugars, and a triple-triple is, well, do the math … do they call a coffee with one cream and one sugar a single-single?  Sounds like a single shot to me; come on Canada, totally misleading!  I’ll take a triple-triple espresso with a single-single, please.
• Double Mc-What? Just when you thought Shaun White couldn’t pull anything better … he goes and captures an insaine Double Mc-Twist 1260 on video last night at the final Grand Prix practice at Park City, Utah.  Watch it over at Transworld Snow!  Yep, that move’s next on my to do list …
• MICA Minute #5: Some cool stuff from Loren Brinton over at Dan’s blog.

Wow.  It’s hard to believe that it has been more than a year since we published our first post on Westbound Boarder.  My how time flies!  2009 was an extremely busy, but great year, and we’d like to thank all of you for stopping by our blog.  We hope you’ve enjoyed reading!

In case you’re new to our blog, or simply just want to refresh your memory, here is a list of our most popular posts from 2009:

• Spotlight Female: Kimi Werner, National Spearfishing Champion
• Skimboarding, The ‘Shore’ Kind of Fun
• Windells – The Funnest Place on Earth!
• Get Those Ladies Off Yo’ Board!
• Westbound’s Guide To Sk8board Tricks
• Surfing: Longboard vs. Shortboard
• Resort Review: Vail, CO
• Saturday Shop Review – Val Surf
• Featured Female: Chanel aka CC
• Snowboard Buyer’s Guide: First Things First
• Safety First!
• ‘SUP With Your Board?

We’re excited to bring you more in 2010 and beyond!

(Note: If you would like to be a guest blogger or contributor, we welcome any and all female voices in the action sports industry!  Contact us at westboundboarder@gmail.com)

Now that October has past and November is finally here, winter is just around the corner.  But that doesn’t mean you have to trade in the sand for a pile of snow; winter can be one of the best seasons to surf!  But only if you prepare.  Preparing for the cooler temperatures starts with your wax, and ends with your attire:

Winterizing Your Board

Typically if you surf in the summer in warmer climates (no, no, this does not pertain to Oregon ) you will use a warmer wax.  However, if you use the same wax you use in the winter as you do in the summer, your wax will become slippery, causing you to loose your footing while standing up.  So when prepping your board for cooler water temperatures, choose a cooler (or winter) wax.  One good way to pick a wax is to find out the temperature of the water you’ll be surfing in ahead of time (try Surfline) and find a wax that is suitable for that particular temperature.

Winterizing Your Bod

OK, so, we all know winter is, well, cold, so the best trick to winterizing your bod is buying a nice winter wet suit.  Try to stick with something at a level 3 or above, and if you get really cold I’d highly recommend booties and a hoodie.

So now that your board and bod are officially winterized, you’re set!  Now get out there and start (or continue) surfing!

Before I started surfing on a regular basis, I naively asked myself, “long board versus short board; what’s the difference?”  Obviously I knew they were different, but I didn’t know why.  There is, in fact, a world of difference, and in this post I’ll attempt to explain why.

As the name suggests, longboards are much longer than shortboards, often 8 feet in length or more, and are typically a bit wider.  The average longboard stands about 3 feet above its rider.  Given the greater surface area a longboard possesses, it tends to be a better board for beginners, with most beginning shortboard hopefuls gradually working their way down to a shortboard, inch by inch.  Long boards are more stable and easier to pop up on, and also easier to catch waves (especially smaller ones), which is why they are ideal for beginners.

Longboards were the first type of board created back in the 1500′s, and therefore they became and still remain a staple of surfing culture.  However, many surfers nowadays don’t actually ride longboards the way they are truly supposed to be ridden. – in fact, it is fairly rare that you see a person riding a longboard in true longboard style.  Most of the time you’ll see riders riding a longboard as if it were a shortboard, carving in and out of the wave.  Because longboards are easier to stand on and control, traditional longboard style involves intricate footwork, with the rider essentially walking around on the board.  One of the most famous and hard-to-master longboard tricks is called “hanging ten,” where the rider walks to the very front edge of the board and stands with his/her toes just over the edge.  Other longboard tricks include nose-riding and hanging 5.

Shortboards, on the other hand, are the modern rendition of the longboard.  They are much shorter in length – usually 5 to 7 feet or so – and though they are harder to get up on (they don’t catch the wave as easily so you have to paddle harder to get up) they are easier to maneuver.  Therefore, instead of just riding straight and playing around with fancy footwork, you can carve throughout the wave, making it more fun and active.

As I mentioned above, if you’re just starting out, I’d recommend going with a longboard and gradually working your way down to a shortboard (that is, if you even want to ride a shortboard at all).  My first time surfing several years ago was on a shortboard, and I was so discouraged that I didn’t surf again until just last year.  Once I tried longboarding, I was set.  A foamtop longboard is a great beginning board for first-year surfers, because they are even more buoyant than your typical surfboard, and they’re also a lot cheaper so they give you the opportunity to try the sport with less of a monetary investment.

Yes, yes, we know with several ski resorts beginning to open up nationwide, its easy to forget about that so-forgotten water sport surfing.  But fall and winter are actually prime time out in the surf!  The swells are bigger, the wind’s a bit more aggressive, and there are less people out, so as long as you can handle the colder water, late fall is a great time to hit the beach.  So grab a good wet suit and board, and hit the waves this fall, especially if you can’t make it up to the local mountains in the next month or two.

It’s 2009, and if you head to a locals beach where the surf has hit it’s prime, you can look around and see quite the mix of people – young, old, men, and also women.  But it wasn’t always that way.  Women have come a long way since surfing first became widespread.  Women have always been in the picture, but only recently have they transformed their image from the “bikini babes” in the background to true, featured “surfer chicks.”

This summer, Villa Villa Cola Productions and Roxy debuted Dear and Yonder, which hit a selection of art houses nationwide during its launch tour.  Created by Tiffany Campbell and Andria Lessler, Dear and Yonder features some of the most progressive riding to date.  Dear and Yonder follows top professionals including Roxy team riders Sally Fitzgibbons, Sofia Mulanovich and Kassia Meador, as they surf their home breaks (Dear) and travel the world (Yonder).  In addition to chronicling today’s surfers, Dear and Yonder spreads its roots deeper and cultivates a sense of place and knowledge of history, reaching back in time to unearth footage of iconic surfers such as Linda Benson, Rell Sunn and Lisa Andersen.

I got a chance to preview the film this past week, and it was so cool and inspiring to watch a hyped film featuring primarily all female surfers.  The film takes viewers through how surfing got started, featuring top female progressives in the sport and also their struggle to take it to the next level. It opens with a history lesson on how surfing got started and how women first got involved.  It also portrays some of the hardships women had to endure to get to where they are today.  While men were fending off masses of eager sponsors, women struggled to find sponsors to help cover entry fees for an increasing number of competitions, and most only offered little more than men’s cloths and wetsuits.

Fast forward to the present day, where seeing a group of female surfers in the water is ordinary as can be.  I liked Dear and Yonder because it featured present day females, not only surfing as a sport, but surfing as an entire lifestyle, incorporating their own, unique attitude into the sport.  For example, one scene in the film features “Captain Liz Clark,” a surfer who has been sailing around the world for the past three years, living off the earth’s natural resources and experimenting new and interesting cultures along the way.  Another scene features Ashley Lloyd, a women who spends her days shaping surf boards made from sustainable materials.  Another scene features Judith Sheridan, an awesome body surfer (seriously, pro surfers move out of the way for this woman) who recently was diagnosed with MS.  Her disease didn’t stop her though; in fact, it only gave her more of a reason to embrace her life and talent that she was handed.

Aside from surfing, a secondary underlying theme throughout the film was sustainability.  Alongside surfing also comes the importance of being one with the earth and living off its natural resources.  The women featured in Dear and Yonder do their part in giving back, from Amy Clark who uses solar energy and wind power to propel her throughout her worldwide exploration, to Belinda Baggs who sews her own board shorts on her off days from the waves.

All in all, great movie; two thumbs up from us!  It comes out on DVD next month, so if you get a chance the laid-back tracks combined with the strong message, beautiful scenery, and of course, awesome surfing makes for a nice change from the typical surfing film.

I went surfing for the first time since Thanksgiving last week… and man did it KILL!  Seriously, I didn’t last more than 30 minutes, and I was sore for days after (not to mention I only caught a couple waves because my arms couldn’t paddle hard enough to endure much more). Well, as we all know, the first few times out on a board (any board) each season, we feel it.  For days.  This is why it is so important to maintain a balanced workout schedule throughout the off season, so that your first day back on a board feels just as easy as your last day from the season before.  

A couple weeks ago, I caught up with John Velez, the creator of AmpedSurf, and the entire purpose of this Web site is to help people “Ride More Waves.”  John lived in Venice for several years and was surfing 3 to 5 days a week; however, when he moved to Oregon he lived 2+ hours from the beach and really couldn’t get out much.  This site was born out of his feeling that people needed a quick and easy workout to get them going throughout the year.

With personal training videos and a complete, customized workout routine, AmpedSurf helps surfers maintain the workout they need in order to stay in shape for the upcoming surf season.  The site features a personal training room where members receive a new workout routine each week, with videos demonstrating each move.  Workouts can be performed at a gym, or at home with a stability ball and elastic band, and they typically take about 35 minutes to complete.     

After talking to John and trying out the site for 2 weeks myself, I have to say that it’s pretty freakin’ cool.  It is easy to sign up and you get a two week free trial so you can try before you buy.  After that, it’s only $4.99 per month (sure beats a personal trainer!)    

If you already work out on a pretty regular basis, though, this site might be a bit too easy for you.  It does start from the very basics, and it takes some time to get to a hard point.  I work out pretty regularly, and did find the workouts were a bit easy; however, they did get tougher as the weeks progressed.   On a more positive note, too, John did mention he has a few follow up versions and levels of the work out regime in the works, so definitely don’t write AmpedSurf off completely, even if you’re a workout-a-holic.  It’s a neat concept, and I’m totally excited to see what’s next!

I’ve lived in LA for five months now… And I continually ask myself, why don’t I spend more time at Venice Beach?!  Well, this past week (in the 80 degree winter weather we’ve been having here in SoCal, mind you) I asked myself that question once again.

When you think about a winter weekend getaway to SoCal, you typically think of “Hollywood,” “Beverly Hills,” or “Graumen’s Chinese” – The somewhat cold and windy beach is probably the last thing on your mind.  However, winter is one of the best times to hit the sand!  Not only does the cooler weather make for smaller crowds, but the vibe is much more meloncholy and tranquil than in the hot summer sun.  And, if you’re tough enough to brave the cold ocean, winter is the best time to surf!  Venice is a great beach for beginners (I’ve surfed there a few times, myself, before I graduated to the .0025% bigger waves at Zuma )  

If you don’t want to surf, though, there are still plenty of things to do in Venice Beach: There are lots of great places to eat, both sit down restaurants and food to go (pizza, hot dogs, etc.); there are several vendors that line up along the boardwalk, similar to a small, quaint European town; and there are groups of fun street performers to watch and large drum circles.  And of course, plenty of hippies!  During my day in Venice the other day, there was this crazy (and hilarious) group of street performers doing flips, etc.; it was seriously nearly as good as Cirque du Soleil!  (And 100% free Though they will hassle you for a tip if you don’t give one).  

I would go on and on, but I saw this blog post in LAist that pretty much sums up winter on the LA coast for you. (And see some of our own pics below!)  Thinking about taking a vaca yet?  Venice Beach is about as close as you can get from the real Venice without even leaving the US!

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