What's this loose the leash bullshit?

[Bigpete]

Hey guys . Nostalgia is fine in its place, but but you're puttin the rest of us in danger! Oh, You never wipe out? Wish I was that perfect. You might not mind the swim but the rest of the crowd dodging your 10'6" log coming in sideways at them might think otherwise.
Look, if the good equipment was availble in 1960 I for one would have been right onto it. It would have saved me some scarry swims and the embarrasment of confronting people with bleeding heads when I picked my plank up on the beach.

[Longboarder]

Having longboarded for close to 7 years, i believe that not wearing a leash is alot less restricting. However the safety issue is not worth it, i mostly always wear a leash regardless of how i see my surfing ability and regardless of whether i can handle the swim in to get my board.

In this day and age hitting someone in the head could mean a lawsuit.

Although if ya on a beach that is isolated with nobody out why not go leashless...

have fun...safely.

[dicko]

worst experience I had was duckdiving under a clubbie board coming straight at my head after a guy wiped out on a big day. very near miss.

[the kalakau kid]

Leashes? Depends where you are surfing really. A really nice aspect of not surfing in crowds is that you can surf without a legrope & no-one is at risk. Not a good trick to try at Avoca point during Christmas holidays though!

When you can surf at offshore reefs with deep water around you it adds a lot of fitness & general ocean sense to the session for you. Changes the way you approach the waves too.

aloha

[theboat]

Let's not forget that when you are surfing a longboard with a legrope, you are still letting it fly for 3 metres.

When i surf with a leggie i tend to feel that i can go for a move i probably wont pull off because i wont have to swim after my board, but when i have no leggie you surf much for conservativley and make sure your board doesnt leave your grasp.

When paddling over the shoulder of a wave, i would rather see a competent surfer without a leggie coming towards me than somebody who thinks that they can kick their board out because their leggie will make it all okay, because that 3 metres can still put a decent sized gap in your board, or your skull.

[Jamoe]

hahaha Avoca Pt at christmas... what utter carnage!

i always take my leash down, but hy not take it off and practise not needing it when there arent many people around!

[whitey]

worst experience I had was duckdiving under a clubbie board coming straight at my head after a guy wiped out on a big day. very near miss.

I have had to dodge the rowing crew once. About leashes, it depends what break and your experience level, Sand Banks are a definite NO NO unless there are very few people out or you are an amazing rider. On some points (Avoca is a good example) the wave is on the inside of the crowds and its rare you get people paddling from the impact zone, so if you don’t mind the dings leave your leggie at home but avoid people (use a leggie when I’m out though I don`t have good luck with runaway boards). .Whitey.

[the kalakau kid]

Should we start another thread to discuss " Carnage caused by Clubbies" ?
With all due respect to their lifesaving duties and volunteer work....
we shouldn't be short of material.

Episode 1: The Surfboat.

[Longboarder]

I'm a clubby and i cause all kinds of carnage lol

[Longboarder]

But on a different note that doesn't have that much relevance to the topic; i bought a new legrope today.

It's an ocean and earth knee leash, so comfortable i put it as soon as i got out of the shop lol walked to the car with it on and drove home with it on.

Anyway i was about to go for a surf and realised it didn't have a key pocket i was disappointed and now i have to find a new way to ensure my car key isn't lost in the deep blue any ideas...?

[coastie]

Hey big Pete - I think my comment started all this talk. Loosing the leash is cool in 2 ft surf with no one out but I always use one if there is a crowd or its over a few ft. I have been hit by a wayward board myself so i know where u are coming from.

[the kalakau kid]

longboarder,

really surprised that your leggie doesn't have a key pocket....sure you didn't get it from Crazy Clints Bargains?

How to solve your problem?

by a house near the beach and walk down
by a new leggie
buy new boardies with a little bit of cord in the pocket that will hold your key
leave the key in the ignition.
leave it with your clubbie mates on flag duty
ride a horse

aloha bro

[Sinkers]

I usually only ride unleashed at up to 4ft, on my 9'8", but have never lost the board in a dangerous manner. I reckon you don't go for the big 'pose' manouvres without a leash & if I feel I'm gunna come a gutza, I fall onto the board or generally prone out, or if I come off backwards of the tail, you can generally get your legs around it enough to slow it down out of the impact zone of lip meeting trough. It tends to make you a better surfer all 'round.

[Longboarder]

if I feel I'm gunna come a gutza, I fall onto the board or generally prone out.

Hows your board looking after you fall on it...

[Longboarder]

I guess the only thing you can do then is laugh and blame it on the wax

[wayback]

When I was teaching my son to move up from a bodyboard to a shortboard, we had a drill. We'd hit Trigg Beach in the afternoon, when the howling seabreeze had driven most people out of the water. Regardless of size, we'd go out - he on his 5'9" and me on my 9'6" - without leashes, and compete to be the first to ride ten waves to the beach. Apart from the many obvious things he learned, an enduring benefit has been his lovely style. Ten years on, he seems to wipe out less than others - even allowing for a father's biased eye. He instinctively finishes his waves with a cutout, rather than an inelegant flop over the wave - even when he's wearing a leash, which he does in crowds and near rocks. Leashes are acessories and should be used only when needed, not as a habit.

[Longboarder]

Thats an excellent idea, mind if i use it when i have kids?