Messages

76

SUP General / Re: Surfboards (Longboards)

« on: July 23, 2021, 11:42:21 AM »

Now that I have all the extra pieces I needed to finish my cork grip waxless job for my 9'3" Parallax surfboard, it is time for pictures.

Then I'll just take my Parallax down to Surfside, Texas for a little in depth surfing and see how the grip is on my bare feet and hope it works.

And if it does work without rubbing the undersides of my bare feet raw, a surfing report will be in order for the Parallax to see how well the board (and me) surfs together.

77

SUP General / Re: Surfboards (Longboards)

« on: July 10, 2021, 08:17:00 AM »

I have my Flying Diamonds "Involvement" 9.5 installed on my 9'3" Parallax longboard. Now for the wax situation.

I ordered from North Shore (in Hood River, Oregon) two sets of their cork Front Deck Grip 2 so that gives me 8 separate pieces. But instead of the cork Hexa Tail, I went with the cork Front Deck Grip Hexa which gives me 12 full hexagons and 3 half hexagons.

The reason I went with the Front Deck Grip Hexa is because my leash hole on the Parallax is 8" from the tail end of the board. Since the boar is 111" in length, the half way point of the board, which is where the sweet spot is on this board, is at 55 1/2". This length is where the back of both of my hands would rest (where my hand connects to my wrist) on the board for me to do my popups to put me into a surfing stance.

If I would have went with the Hexa Tail, the kickpad would have put me 8" too far forward on the board when I'm laying prone paddling the longboard causing the nose of the board to sink and would also give me trouble when doing a popup.

To make my point; below is a short video, best watched in HD and in full screen, where (about half way through the video) there is a guy on a longboard with a tail kickpad and the tail kickpad is not the way to go. I think he must have come from surfing shortboards since he is pumping the board while trying to shred a wave.

The video is below and it is at my favorite Surfside, TX place. BTW, the best time to surf Surfside is when the wind is coming from the south or southwest and the waves are coming from the southeast. The actual surfing is shot from a drone.



When I'm going to Surfside, I always check the conditions at the site below.

https://www.windfinder.com/weatherforecast/surfside_beach_freeport

Below is a picture of the items North Shore sent me which I got Friday afternoon. I've just got to install them on the board.

78

Random / Re: New ads or malware for me?

« on: July 08, 2021, 07:52:40 PM »

I use an adblocker with my browser because some sites are so over ridden with ads, the page (or pages) come to an almost stand still making the browser almost unworkable.

79

Random / Re: New ads or malware for me?

« on: July 08, 2021, 07:27:22 PM »

When I click on a topic I don't see any ads covering or over laying the topic.

I'm using 64 bit linux Pale Moon 29.2.1 as my browser of choice running in 64 bit Linux Mint 20.2 (Uma) in the Xfce desktop environment. I just installed Mint 20.2 on this hard drive this evening since 20.2 was publicly released today.

I've also got linux uBlock Origin 1.16.4.29 installed which is my adblocker of choice for my linux Pale Moon browser.

80

SUP General / Re: Surfboards (Longboards)

« on: June 29, 2021, 09:12:40 AM »

I thought I would give a little update.

I have outfitted my 9'3" Parallax with a Flying Diamonds 9.0 fin. But I decided to purchase another FD fin in a 9.5 size in Volan Green color. Hawaiian South Shore did not have the 9.5 size in stock. Bummer!

Then I visited FireWire and they did have two FD's Involvement 9.5 fins in stock in Volan Green color so I bought one. As I type this post, the 9.5 fin is in transit via USPS and the tracking number I have says the fin will be delivered to me this upcoming Thursday, July 1st.

If there is one thing that bugs me about prone surfing, it is the use of wax. Wax gives a good grip with bare feet because it is kind of sticky and does not chafe skin.

But in the hot Texas climate I live in where the summer months temperatures of July and August are between 95-106 degrees F, wax melts and since it is sticky, it gets all over anything (board bags, board socks, etc) the wax comes into contact with. It really makes a mess to remove.

So I want to go "waxless'. There are waxless materials available for prone surfboards which give good enough grip, but these materials chafe bare skin with constant rubbing against.

The companies that have these materials are Versa Traction, XM Surf More Clear Grip, GryptaLite and RS Pro. But all of these materials; contrary to website claims which says they do not chafe skin, from the actual users of these materials, these materials do chafe skin.

But RS Pro also makes another material which supposedly does not chafe skin and which is made from "cork". And from reading the reviews of this cork material, it looks like it does not chafe bare skin. This material is 1 (one) millimeter in thickness too.

RS Pro is headquartered in Barcelona, Spain. Another bummer! So I went looking on the internet to see if there was a RS Pro USA distributor/company and they do. The company is North Shore Inc and it is located in Hood River, Oregon. (PonoBill territory). I've been looking at two pieces of this cork material (Front Deck Grip 2 & Hexa Tail) and they are at the links below.

https://www.northshoreinc.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=558&idcategory=226

https://www.northshoreinc.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=537&idcategory=226

BTW, on these two links, look at the Details and Specs for each of these items.

I will call North Shore and see if I can get a "live person" at the company to speak with and ask them (and I hope I get an honest answer) if the cork material will or will not chafe bare skin from rubbing against it.

81

SUP General / Re: Surfboards (Longboards)

« on: June 21, 2021, 10:50:57 AM »

Now for the last picture. It will be showing the placement for the Involvement 9.0 fin. Fin placement is crucial for a single fin longboard. Placing the fin too far back  of the fin box and the board will track straight, but it will be harder to turn the board. In other words, too "tracky".

Placing the fin all the way to to the top/front of the fin box will make the board too loose. In other words, on a turn, depending on how tight the turn is, the back end of the board will "skid out".

The proper placement for the fin is to have one third of the fin above the the rail when the fin is placed, not attached to the board, laying down on the opening of the fin box. On this photo, this is 1 1/2" (1.5") inches from the front of the fin box (going towards the nose). BTW, the hole at the back of the fin box is the "leash hole" to attach a leash from the board to the back leg of the rider. Just hope this picture shows as well.

82

SUP General / Re: Surfboards (Longboards)

« on: June 21, 2021, 10:41:24 AM »

Another update.

My wife returned home from her trip with her iPad. Now for some pictures. Since this site does not allow Previews for pictures, I'm going to put two pictures in this post, make another post and add the third picture.

The first photo is of my 9'3" Parallax surfing longboard with the Flying Diamonds "Involvement 9.0" fin.The second photo is a more close up view of the Involvement fin. Just hope this works.

83

General Discussion / Re: Thoughts on this Gerry Lopez Surftech?

« on: June 20, 2021, 05:35:36 AM »

My "One World" is similar in specs at 11'1" x 30" x 4.5" @ 173 liters to the Big Darling. I run my One World with a 4 fin quad set up instead of a 2 + 1 or a 3 fin thruster. The 4 fin quad setup makes my board loose and also makes it faster than with a 2 + 1 or a 3 fin thruster.

I would imagine the Big Darling might act the same with a quad fin setup.

84

SUP General / Re: Surfboards (Longboards)

« on: June 18, 2021, 12:19:46 PM »

A little update.

Got an email from REAL on June 11th telling me my Parallax arrived at REAL Watersports last Friday, June 11th in pristine condition. The only glich, REAL ships on Thursdays which for that week was Thursday, June 10th. I missed the shipping date of that week by one day. Also in the email, REAL told me they would ship my board to me on Thursday, June 17th.

But "Lady Luck" decided to intervene on my behalf.

I received another email from REAL on Tuesday, June15th informing me of my tracking number for the board. Since the board was going to be shipped on Thursday, June 17th, I didn't click on the tracking number since the board wasn't going to be shipped until Thursday.

My wife left me to go see her immediate family (sister, nieces, grand niece) near Austin, Tx early Thursday morning, June 17th and when she left, I decided to get on my computer and click on the tracking number. When I was about to click on the tracking number, a FED EX truck pulled into my driveway.

I figured it was a package for my wife. When I went outside to greet the driver, he was pulling out a l-o-n-g rectangular shipping carton. The carton was for...........ME! It was my Parallax.

I looked over the shipping carton and it was in pristine condition. Odd thing about the shipping carton, it had a label on it which said, "IAH" which stands for "Intercontinental Airport Houston" so my board came by air cargo on one of those FED EX cargo jets. The label said it was scheduled for delivery on June 18th. On the same label was also printed "Express Saver".

Inside the shipping carton was my Parallax also in pristine condition. I was ecstatic. So I figured my board was shipped on Tuesday, June 15th and this is why I got it so fast.

I called REAL via phone and thanked Ramsey, Randall and Zack who I dealt with at REAL to thank all of them. I think getting a personal phone call to thank each one of them is better than emailing each of them to show my appreciation. Just the way I am.

Now for the "fly in the ointment". I don't own a smartphone. Just an old fashioned eleven year old clam shell flip style cell phone. I also don't own a tablet. My wife on the other hand, owns both. Alas, I can't take any pictures until she arrives home because she took her smartphone and iPad with her. She will return on Monday, June 21st near dark.

Now my next door neighbor, who I help out down at his computer repair shop, owns a smartphone and a tablet. I thought about bugging him to take a few pictures for me with his smartphone and/or tablet and send the pictures to me via email, but I thought better of it.

So I hope to take some pictures of my Parallax next Tuesday, June 22nd and eventually post them to this topic thread.

85

Random / Re: Cover songs.

« on: June 15, 2021, 11:04:06 AM »

I know this topic thread is for Cover Songs, but I'm going to throw a curve ball into this topic thread. This video below will be for a "cover dance".

And this kid's moonwalk is the best I've ever seen for anyone to impersonate Michael Jackson's signature dance move.

Brett Nichols (cover dance of Michael Jackson) - "Billie Jean"

86

Random / Re: Cover songs.

« on: June 12, 2021, 07:43:06 AM »

My cover song for today is by a local group known as Reina del Cid doing an Alison Krause song.

This live cover song is country western, but without the twang. Great song for me when I'm driving down to the upper Texas coast in the dark of morning for a little surfing. Good lyrics in this song too.

Reina del Cid (Alison Krauss cover) - "The Lucky One".

87

SUP General / Re: Surfboards (Longboards)

« on: June 11, 2021, 06:09:07 PM »

About 6:30 pm my time, I checked my email account because Walgreens was going to send me an email when my prescription refill was filled and ready for me to come and pick it up. I did get the email from Walgreens, but I had another email from REAL Watersports.

The email from REAL said my 9'3" Parallax had arrived at their shop this Friday. I knew REAL closes their shop at 8:00 pm EST which is my 7:00 pm CST. I quickly called REAL and spoke with Randall who said my board was in pristine shape, but there was a "catch".

Since REAL is located on an island off the North Carolina coast, they only ship their boards once a week and that is every........(ugh) Thursday.

I missed the shipping day by one day. So my Parallax will be shipped to me this upcoming Thursday, June 17th. Once the board is shipped, I will get a tracking number. I'm hoping to get my hands physically on it by June 23rd.

88

SUP General / Re: Surfboards (Longboards)

« on: June 11, 2021, 03:55:28 PM »

@ Bean

I was never into nose riding. I learned to surf on a 9'6" longboard which was a nose rider at that time because of it's square tail with a single glassed in hatchet type fin which would be akin to a pivot fin.

But I never did any nose riding with it. I was just into the "glide" from the long rides which I enjoyed.

89

SUP General / Re: Surfboards (Longboards)

« on: June 11, 2021, 03:48:38 PM »

@ LBsup

That video was taken on April 6th, 2021. This has been a "cold" Spring for us. The night time temperature was in the high 40's with daytime temperatures in the low to mid 60's in the first week of April in 2021. At that time, the water temperature was warmer than the air temperature.

The surfers were wearing wetsuits because the wind was really blowing that day and surfing without a wetsuit, the windy cold air combined with a low morning temperature of around 60 degrees F makes the body feel cold when the bare skin is wet.

Today is June 11th and the water temperature at Surfside is 86 degrees F. On a side note, June 1st is the start of our hurricane season for Texas. Hurricanes start getting bigger category wise when the water temperature is 80 degrees F and above.

In July and August, the water temperature at Surfside will be between 89-92 degrees F.

90

SUP General / Re: Surfboards (Longboards)

« on: June 11, 2021, 10:38:17 AM »

While I wait patiently for my 9'3" Parallax by the first week of July, I've already shown in this topic thread the kind of waves in a few videos before this post, I like to ride for sup and prone surfboards at Surfside and also at Port Aransas. The nice slow roller type of waves which for me are pure enjoyment.

But those slow roller type of waves are not the norm when the wind is blowing. I've finally found a nice view of how the waves are when the wind is really blowing at a good clip. These waves can best be described as "disorganized" (angry waves). The video is a short 3:44 (minutes and seconds) in length of time.

It is not professionally made which means it has it's good points and not so good points. The video starts out showing the Surfside Jetty and Surfside Jetty Park where I park my truck. The white building with the black colored roof shingles contains the restrooms and showers. You can also see the wooden stairs from the parking lot to the beach. The first minute takes up spanning the waves in a panoramic style. Then you can see some of the prone surfers riding these waves.

These disorganized waves are great for "gliding" which is the type of riding I like to do whether sup or prone surfing. But you have to have a fast board to go from section to section since the waves will just die out behind you and you have to go to the next wave either to the right or left from where you are. This is main reason why I chose the Parallax which can be steered from the middle of the board and is also a speed board.

Almost forgot. There is some narrative in the beginning of the video which ends after about one minute of time. All through the video, you can hear the pounding sound of the waves.

I hope you enjoy seeing this video.