In this video I go over two of my favorite fishes: a 5’3” “classic” shape fish (the yellow one) and a 5’5” “step deck” fish with a pulled in tail. Both are shaped by Jose Barahona, more on whom in a subsequent video! Here I explain why I like each board, what their various virtues are, and in what kinds of waves I prefer one over the other.
So You Wanna Ride A Fish?! Episode 2: Why I Like Fishes
In this video I follow up on the first one and give my personal history and relationship to fish surfboards. Interestingly enough, the first fish I ever rode actually belonged to a kneeboarder! I also mention Andrew Kidman’s seminal film Litmus, which you need to watch if you haven’t already. I think that video ripped the whole aesthetic of surfing at the time a new a$$hole and showed a bunch of us that other standards for “ripping” and excellent surfing were out there. I’m forever grateful to Andrew for making that film and to Derek Hynd and Tom Curren for surfing different boards so damn well. Stay tuned for more in the fish series!
So You Wanna Ride A Fish?! Episode 1: Fish History
Everyone seems fired up about “fish” surfboards these days. I mysellf am in love with them and have been riding them since I was a grom. In this video I go through some of the basic design details of fish surfboards and talk a little about their history. I mention the film “Fish: The Surfboard Documentary,” which you should watch if you want to get deeper into the subject: https://www.redbull.com/us-en/films/fish . I also mention how Australian Mark Richards won four world titles riding twin fins, which aren’t the same exact thing as a fish, except that often fish also have only two fins. The history of twin fins actually stretches further back in surfing history than the 1970s — back to the Bob Simmons in the 1950s. I don’t mention that in the video, but I shall have some more to say about it in future videos. This video is just meant to give a very, very basic overview.
Wait For It! How to Do Roundhouse Cutbacks
Wait for it . . . ! In this video I go over how to do roundhouse cutbacks. I have spent a better part of my surf career working on this one maneuver. Truth be told, I still don’t feel I get enough rotation to clock the white water at a high enough spot! But I do have the cutting back part down. The biggest lesson? You have to out run sections that you’re excited to turn on in order to make enough space and get enough speed to properly cut back. The roundhouse cutback, while not scored super highly in surfing competition, is a staple of any solid surfing practice. You should be able to one of these on almost any surfboard before you even think about doing vertical turns. Remember that solid, fluid surfing is built first upon you horizontal and elliptical approach, and then you can think about hitting the lip. In my view, if you can’t do a proper roundhouse, you should not be trying to do vertical turns. Work on the fundamentals and the rest will follow.
From the Vault: Halloween Surfs 2022
Some footage from Halloween 2022 when we had a nice pulse of waves here in Rockaway beach!
Virtual Coaching vs In Water Coaching: Which Is Best For You?
In this video I go over which kind of coaching — virtual or in-water — might be the best fit for you. This is a hard one because the more coaching you get, the better that your surfing is going to be. So, both is the best! But what is most reasonable for you?
In this day and age it’s a no brainer to get some kind of virtual coaching
Virtual coaching is really great for intermediates and advanced surfers who want to break through plateaus
In-water coaching is crucial when you need help with wave judgment and analysis of paddling form — it’s very important for the more beginner side of surfing, but is wave-dependent, budget-dependent, and requires more time and money
If you’re still unsure which is best, go ahead and book a free surf journey call with me and we can work it out together!