Dave Parmenter says he's sorry about the whole SUP thing.

[southwesterly]

MM: You were integral in the development of the SUP, any thoughts on the current state?

DP: "It started as a Polynesian thing, Makaha iOS and self-policing on where and when you did it. For me the attraction was solely about getting away from surfing a conventional surf spot. …But after a few years of being a craze it just got away from us and became something else. The dorks commandeered it. It was the same with the leash, same with the modern longboard – where misuse of a tool inflicts yet another plague on the beleaguered surfing population. It’s actually worse than the abuses possible with a longboard because out-of-control SUP boards are far more dangerous. It’s always the same old thing, assholes who don’t know their place. Charles Lindbergh was the pioneer and champion of aviation as a force to bring Mankind together, but he wound up turning his back on it later in life and becoming something of an environmentalist. I just always knew that one day it would be like that, after barnstorming this new sport around the world, but one day forced to turn my back on it in the same way that he did against aviation because it had been used against mankind instead of for it. There are many SUPers out there who have inflicted their own Guernica upon the civilian surfing population…"

Good interview here:
https://pilgrimsurfsupply.com/dave-parmenter/

[pdxmike]

Some related discussion on a similar quote:

http://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php?topic=21463.0

[waterman60]

Very interesting, sounds like the ying / yang theory.  As with most things in life kept in the proper context an applied with common sense most things work out just fine.  Just because you can doesn't mean you should.   Time to think about the other guy out there and keep it civil.   

 Most of the time it's better to surf a lesser wave than invade a line up already populated with a large group. 

It's pretty much a given most surfers can't get along in regards to good waves !

[PonoBill]

egomaniac.

[OUTSIDEWAVE]

I'm with Pono. I wouldn't be surfing today were it not for sup. Maybe creek wouldn't be a live today. All Dave has to do is come see a of  the many man spots where the aloha vibe is alive and better than ever to understand this.  I also wouldn't be on this  site I wouldn't be  getting the laughs out of all your ( standupzone members funny posts) I would have random people coming up to me asking about it an the thousands of little Kodak moments that  have enriched my life wouldn't have occurred.
shortboarders would still fight over waves. Longboarders would  still  sit out side that would go on.   
bummer about his attitude towards a great spot

[surfinJ]

And all that after his involvement with C4.  He seems to have WWII as a
reading hobby with quotes from Churchill, Lindbergh  and Guernica in his
interview.  He actually compares himself to Lindbergh.  I can see the
parallel though not quite as he puts it.  Both were naive, the aviator an
early nazi supporter and himself deeply involved in the growth of SUP and
now swearing it off.  Probably a business choice as he is a "core" shaper for
the prone crew where any link to SUP would be not be popular.

[SUP-poser]

Dorks and Assholes, my kind of people.

[southwesterly]

He never said how grateful he was for the income he received over the last 8 years or so.

[starman]

Huh?? Who is Dave Parmenter and how does Charles Lindbergh (the Nazi sympathizer and anti-semite) get into a discussion about SUP?

I think the guy has spent too much time sniffing resin and not enough on the history of Lindbergh and his beliefs. If he wants to compare himself to Lindbergh good luck to the knucklehead.

[SUPcheat]

Maybe he is just feeling a bit out to pasture and is fishing for proner endorsements.

[Badger]

And all that after his involvement with C4.  He seems to have WWII as a
reading hobby with quotes from Churchill, Lindbergh  and Guernica in his
interview.  He actually compares himself to Lindbergh.  I can see the
parallel though not quite as he puts it.  Both were naive, the aviator an
early nazi supporter and himself deeply involved in the growth of SUP and
now swearing it off.  Probably a business choice as he is a "core" shaper for
the prone crew where any link to SUP would be not be popular.

Nailed it!

.

[jdmotes]

 I have a lot of respect for DP. Not sure what he's doing saying all that. As someone else said above, he's made a pretty descent amount of money doing something he doesn't seem to like very much...   Paddle on,     JD

[hbsteve]

How many people are getting exercise because of SUP?
Yesterday, while I was riding by cruiser bike on the boardwalk, some lady walking her dog went from the right side to middle without looking.  I almost rode between them.
Does that mean I think cruise bikes should not have been made, etc.?
If he needs open space, he should move to Montana, the California desert ++++.

[SUP Sports ®]

He never said how grateful he was for the income he received over the last 8 years or so.

Aloha Steve,
My thought as well...and, I don't think that him making a contribution to Surfrider in that amount will move him any closer to the  "beleaguered surfing population"...;-)

Just Google Dave Parmenter and the word, "hypocrite"...if you have a few hours of time to spare...;-)

He also lists SUP's and modern longboards as available board models on his website...

http://nowtro.com/boardmodel/

He kind of stepped in it...not the first time...won't be the last...unfortunately for him, a bunch of SUP haters on the surf forums now have another face to vent their SUP hate on...

Too bad that he can't embrace his role and legacy in the sport of standup paddling like some of the other Makaha SUP pioneers like Brian Keaulana and Mel Pu'u...etc...

"Brian Keaulana, Archie Kalepa, Mel Pu'u and Titus Kinimaka share stories and insight about life in Hawaii as pioneers of modern Waterman culture."

[starman]

I wonder what the recent buyers of C4 Waterman think of his comments? I'm sure the principles over at Wenonah Canoe will be delighted to read his comments.

I guess his check cleared.