Did Surfwhere just take delivery of a shiny new Album and Frosty is seeing....red?
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Mark Price steps down from Firewire....
- Thread starter casa_mugrienta
- Start date
While I generally disagree with Reforest, and agree that he maybe takes this place too seriously, surfwhere's take at the end makes no sense and is just a personal attack. By his logic, Mark Price did it right since he's definitely got money in the bank and is checking the surf from bed (as a result of his work with firewire). I have no idea if Mark Price is bitter. Probably less bitter than me since I can only surf weekend dawn patrol these days and kinda hate my 9-5 job (although I'm happy with the pay and generally with my life and most importantly, my current surfboards).
Anyways... yeah everyone be cool. or something.
Nah...just gonna go full Griffin on this one
It’s in the part about Pottz world title.
It really was a rollicking good read. Especially for those of us who are of their vintage.
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How do you think I know what it feels like to first look at the t-shirt drawer instinctively and then realize you've got to reach for a hanger? I knew that pang too well but don't anymore. I knew you would tweak out like you have. We're all sheep for knowing it unless you want it. 2008 took it away and I don't want to go back. It was a blessing. This forum got me my current job not long after, thanks guys! My surfing does suck, knee and shoulder problems, but every now and then, the old me is there. Most of my life has been about extra waves, THERE WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH. I'll never rag on your surfing, that's for middle schoolers fighting on the playground. When you're old enough to retire (or wealthy enough), you can surf all the time and will likely have more money in the bank than me. I'll probably still be working part time, but I don't care if I'm rich at 55 , 75, or 95. I want to surf NOW.
Addressing FW construction (again) I have nothing against it, but their business practices suck and so do some other board brands. They take work opportunity from fellow surfers to give it to people that have no care for surfing. When an Asian made board is sold that means some dedicated for life fellow surfer in a surf spot somewhere around the world lost income. I've talked to board factories in France, Spain, Portugal, South Africa, Costa Rica, Hawaii, and Australia. I know the affect Thailand/China/Vietnam made boards have had on those in the industry and those that want to be in it. Unfortunately it will never stop.
The pinnacle of surf culture is falling in love with surfing so much you dedicate your life to it and then build boards for other surfers to get a taste of it. You used to bag on GG, call him bitter, argue about shyt you had no clue, but he's the one that had the balls to move to Hawaii to surf and make boards. I didn't, you don't. Like many other shapers, he could have been any number of things way more lucrative, maybe even CEO of a corporation that orders products from Asia. Those are a dime a dozen, GGs and the like are the real deal that should be respected no matter how flighty they might be at times. They are the surf culture I defend, not the trendy lifestyle of mere surfers like us.
As far as mental stability, I'll ask you to reread what you wrote. Try doing it real loud while you're at work with clients there.
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I have no idea what the fuck is going on between Frotsy and Where.
@surfwhere I may have overreacted and I apologize for that. But it's only because i love surfing and may have taken your words too person. Sorry.
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Gotta give credit to Defroster for taking a step back and assessing instead of doubling down.
It sounds like you’re essentially saying that capitalism is the pinnacle of surf culture. It’s hard to disagree, everything being so tightly branded and commercialized. Fortunately, in the water all that sh!t is forgotten.
Reducing surfing to capitalism says a lot about a person. That I did not do. I look at the industry people and thank them for their dedication. The kind folks in Thailand would have been just as happy assembling microwaves. Without the passion and continuing lineage of board builders, we're likely not surfing nor have an equal escape from the corporate mindset.
You missed the point by a country mile -and he stated it so clearly, so maybe you’re just being a troll.
I think you’re almost hitting all talking points but missing some specifics.
When big brands started expanding into local surf shops they began offering terms. 60, 90 days. Local small scale boar builders can’t wait 2 months to get paid they’re usually COD.
When I worked at Local Motion in the 80’s the shapers would drop off shaped blanks or the driver, sometimes me, would pick them up and the shaper would get a check. They would get paid before the boar was finished and could be sold. Same as the glassers, sanders, etc. Although the factory guys were paid every two weeks iirc.
That’s why LM started carrying CI, Lost, other brands. LM had a stable of incredible shapers some of whom are world reknown. Pat Rawson, Wade Tokoro, Charlie Smith, whose windsurfers were well known in that field, were the most coveted. But rack space was devoted to those outside brands.
Along comes a brand with deep pockets that offers some shops boars on consignment. Boars are made overseas, models are proven winners so there’s cheap labor costs and basically no r&d cost.
How can you blame the surf shop for replacing floor space with these overseas boars? A locally made boar they have to pay COD for and are lucky to make a $100 on. The pop outs and other made overseas boars including soft tops the profit margins are 30%, keystone, or more if they can order a container or 2 of their own branded boars.
Boars were a lost leaders so a surf shop could sell you clothes or accessories at a much better margin until now. Boars made overseas, including soft tops are profitable.
That’s why it’s important for me to support local shapers.
Yes, Wade has a model with SD/FW. But he’s not paying his mortgage with those royalties. And they didn’t pay him for those years of r&d to come up with that design. He tweaked the outline and foam distribution to Kelly’s approval sent a few files to get cut and okayed the master program. But Wade spent years and thousands of boars to fine tune that design before that brand came knocking.
Design breakthroughs or flavor of the year stuff comes from the smaller brands or even backyard shapers. The Sting, twin fins, fishes, quads, White Diamond. Even Tomo was a flavor of the year kinda guy on here. Some of the most anti-FW guys were early Tomo disciples on this forum.
Wade and Kerry Tokoro are also bringing along younger surfers and teaching them how to build boars, keeping that legacy going. Other top shapers and backyard guys are doing the same thing.
That’s why it’s important to me to support my local shapers and surfer-owned businesses in general.
agree with teerois concluding line that it’s about supporting surfers generally.
Re: the whole “preserving the culture of surfing” its funny that boards are the only thing we focus on — and fins and wetsuits get a hall pass on this issue despite having US-made options.
peculiarities of surf culture.
Re: the whole “preserving the culture of surfing” its funny that boards are the only thing we focus on — and fins and wetsuits get a hall pass on this issue despite having US-made options.
peculiarities of surf culture.
No I get it, and as I said I don’t disagree. I think maybe you miss the fact that he’s branding, and rather blatantly in explicitly defining a subculture.
monopoly by 2 big fin companies. my usa made cnc cut fins for futures blow all the overseas ones out of the water. also, nice thing about glasssons is that u can still get usa made high quality fins.