Longboard Riding Styles

[Maladjusted]

But freesurfing, i like surfing smooth and traditionaly. In comps you have to notch up the peformance level a bit but that sucks because it really isnt what longboarding is all about.

I've never been in a Longy Reefriders comp, but in the M(anly)MBC, surfers are meant to be judged by a 50% traditional/50% modern styling and manouevres criteria.
Doing well in modern comps means having a diverse mal surfing style skillset.

If you are entering comps, I'm sure you will do pretty well with your commitment to trad styling if it is smooth as, but you may be surfing through life with blinkers on to totally write-off modern longboarding technique (on modern equipment, of course.)

I love walking my board; I also love hitting the lip! Pow!

[platty]

I could'nt give a bugger if people like or dislike the style I choose to surf. I don't surf to impress the crowd. I surf trad because I like the glide of an old style board.

" I have watch so many good surfers on the Nothern beaches do the same bloody thing - cross step to the nose, hang five, back, drop knee, then up the to nose again - boring."

I wonder if Hangten has actually tried to do this on an old school board, it is not easy to do without a lot of practice. This type of board is a challenge to ride let alone master. I do agree with you about Midget. He has still got style, but he had style as a grom. Have a look at Nat Youngs History of Australian Surfing DVD. There is some footage of Midget surfing a balsa in his teens. It is no wonder he became a world champ.

[Longygrom]

I tottally agree with you platty.

[Longygrom]

I tottally agree with you platty. I surf traditional as well becuase i like the glide of the logs. And i think every longboard comp in the world should be judged on a basis of 70 traditional/30 progressive.

[the kalakau kid]

Well, if we are talking traditional, who's riding wooden boards?

Was talking with Warren at east gosford surf the other day about the wegener boards and how one of the big reasons for riding them is that the weight gives a smoother ride with more momentum across flats, through turns etc. He thinks this is really important and gives them a feature similar to the ride of a harley or a cadillac. If you want that feel, you just ride that kind of board.
Saw some great photos of tom curren on one shaped by his dad recently. At Waimea! D- fin and all.

I haven't ridden one yet. Are you guys on them?

[platty]

I hav'nt had a ride on a wooden board yet. I don't know anybody down this end of the coast that rides one. Warren is always raving about the Wegeners, but I never see him down this way. I've been thinking about making a cedar board out of recycled cedar outdoor furnature.You allways see them on junk piles. Got enough for half a board so far. Finding the time is the hard part.Platty.

[Longygrom]

I used to have an old Balsa board with a surf permit on it but swaped it for a D fin Garry Birdsall. The balsa was in shocking condition but i just saw the finished product. It looked great but i doubt it went the way it looked. It was restored by the now passed away John Payne

[Trev]

As I said at the start of this thread, you should do what feels comfortable. Surfing started out as free expression and comps came later. Although I've dabbled in them I don't make a habit of it. Much prefer to do my own thing which tends to be driven by a desire to stay in the power section of the wave. In that spot an off the lip comes as naturally as a head dip. As a teen ager and about 70 kgs I could walk up and down my 9'3" all day long and to turn it I had to do real drop knee turns. I'm a little heavier these days and the board is lighter so - quite simply - more fun!