weird surf | RealSurf

Posts in weird surf

Byron Bay April 9th 2009

Posted on April 10th, 2009 in Byron, Cool Picks, Editor's picks, Just for fun, Local Colour, Surf Reports, weird surf.

: The Magic hat found floating gave Mat superhuman powers in Byron Bay Today.

Well Easter is already here, the Bluesfest is thumping, there are hipster grovers all over the place and it’s raining again In Byron Bay Today. So if you’re heading to the Bluesfest bring your gumboots, because it’s going to be muddy. Easter’s an interesting time. For some it means Bluesfest and a party, for others it has a deeply spiritual significance. For many it means time to surf ourselves stupid for 4 days in a row and for a few it’s all of the above and more. Whatever Easter means to you, drive carefully, exercise patience in traffic queues, and consider other people’s rights as well as your own. For those of you planning to surf in Byron Bay this weekend bring a clown suit, a big fluffy red nose and your sense of humour. Because if the crowds in the water over the last few days are any indication. It may well be bit of a circus in the water this weekend. We wish you all a peaceful, safe and Happy Easter from us here In Byron Bay Today.

Meyerhoffer – The Evolution of Wave Riding

Posted on April 9th, 2009 in News Stories, Surf News, Top stories, weird surf.

The Meyerhoffer.

The Meyerhoffer is possibly the most radical design innovation in Longboarding for a generation. With this ultra-modern take on the traditional Longboard world renowned industrial designer Thomas Meyerhoffer and Global Surf Industries bring his design excellence into the realm of the everyday surfer, increasing the ultimate experience and propelling surfing into the mainstream consciousness more than ever.

Always in search of ways to increase the experience Thomas Meyerhoffer designs products in the areas of sports, technology and furniture. His previous experimental surfboards have been included in New York’s Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum and the Pasadena Museum of California Art, while Outside Magazine has tipped the Meyerhoffer Longboard in 2009 as ‘a surfing product that will blow your mind.’

In action.

Each section of the board is optimized for maximum performance, the design evolving into an incredibly complex shape with three different bottom contours that transition smoothly into each other with its own purified purpose in an organic and seamlessly effective shape. Just like nature itself. The evolution of the Meyerhoffer has been a process of taking away more than adding to traditional forms, enabling Thomas a greater opportunity to shape the board.

“As a designer I believe in the proportions of nature. If you change a shape in one direction the flow on effect undoubtedly changes it in the other,” said Thomas.

From the wide tail through a minimal waist and into a more classic nose, the design brings short board elements into a longer board to maximize speed and turning, provides paddling ease and high performance nose riding. Every element of the board provides the ability for smooth transition from front to back.

“I want to further explore that indefinable feeling of surfing and I see this same sentiment within Global Surf Industries,” he added.

And in their quest to push the boundaries of surfboard design Australian company Global Surf Industries has teamed with Thomas for the next chapter in this evolution. The Meyerhoffer once more takes us back to the Longboard and beyond the current shape while still encompassing core shortboard philosophies in its design.

“It has always been a goal of mine to help create definite design differentiation in the retail surf industry,” said GSI Managing Director Mark Kelly.

“As a whole, surfboards are very similar and I believe today it is shapes over construction that we need to develop further.”

Global Surf Industries is the largest surfboard distributer in the world, distributing to over 50 countries. Mark believes if you were to take 20 random boards from the rack at your local surf shop and remove all brand definable markings, most of us would be at a loss trying to differentiate between each. Unless however, included in that collection are the latest Meyerhoffer Longboards.

“We are a company for the recreational surfer and I cannot wait to give every surfer out there the opportunity to ride this truly innovative piece of modern design,” concluded Mark. The Meyerhoffer model was release in limited numbers in the USA this month. It will be available around the world over the next few months.

The Meyerhoffer is being marketed under Global Surf Industries – Modern Longboards brand. It was officially launched and surfed at this year’s Global Surf Industries Noosa Festival of Surfing in Australia. The Festival ran from March 15 – 22 and encompassed the GSI One Design Invitational – all contestants surfed the 9’2 Meyerhoffer model. Reports from all surfers who rode the board was that is outperformed their expectations and the comment “There’s some special about this board” were repeated over and over.

For more information, videos and reviews go to www.surfindustries.com/modern

BOARD SPECIFICATIONS

LENGTH	WIDTH up from the tail	THICKNESS	rider weight range
7’6”	36” / 21 1/2”	2 3/4”	< 80kg / 175lbs
8’0”	39” / 21 1/2”	2 7/8”	80kg / 175lbs >
9’2”	41” / 22”	3”	< 80kg / 175lbs
9’6”	41” / 22 3/8”	3 1/8”	80kg / 175lbs >

All boards are constructed in GSI’s SLX – Super Lightweight Epoxy – technology to ensure maximum responsiveness. We have glassed all boards with white tinted epoxy resin. They have 2 X 6oz layers of fiberglass on deck and 1 X 4oz bottom with a 6oz patch on the fin area. We give the boards the gloss polish finish and they come 6” or 8” Centre fin and FCS side fins depending on their length.

Byron Bay April 6th / 09

Posted on April 7th, 2009 in Byron, Cool Picks, Editor's picks, Just for fun, Local Colour, Surf culture, Surf Reports, weird surf.

: Woopsy the unwary got eaten in Byron Bay today.

Yes folks the sun was shining nearly all day In Byron Bay Today. Add an offshore breeze, the remnants of an east swell, and a town rapidly filling up with Easter Bunnies. You’d have to say, it was rather joyous in the bay today. Now I’ve got to give you all a bit of a heads up if you’re coming to town for Easter. We’ve got some new banks, yeah, yeah big deal I hear you say. Just listen up a moment. These are not the gentle sweet lovable cutesy type of sandbanks that most surfing visitors to Byron expect. They will be in a few more weeks perhaps, but right now it’s ………………… In Byron Bay Today.

Byron Bay Today Mar 25 / 09

Posted on March 26th, 2009 in Byron, Cool Picks, Editor's picks, Just for fun, Local Colour, Surf culture, Surf Reports, weird surf.

: Just one of those sweet kinda days in Byron Bay

Guess what? It was yet another postcard perfect day, In Byron Bay Today. Ok, ok I hear ya. I suppose we’ve all got different ideas of what is perfection. I mean if you’re into cold dark rocks, ice and snow with possible Yeti sightings. Then what’s going on in the bay today may not float your boat. But if long crystal clear aquamarine waves, sunshine, not too crowded surf & lots of friendly folks cruising around. Does it for you, then you’ll like what happenned today. Granted, several people, myself included, have remarked that the sandbanks are a little weird at the moment. Well it’s true they are. The waves are nowhere near as perfect as they can get here. But sometimes that’s a good thing. Because really perfect waves can produce really big crowds thanks to you know who. So just a little weird is fine by me, it means no competition, no hassles, and more room to slide. So yes maybe it’s not quite perfect but why not browse around anyway. Take a look at who managed to make the most from today’s offerings In Byron Bay Today.

Posted on March 14th, 2009 in Byron, Just for fun, Local Colour, Surf culture, Surf Reports, weird surf.

Friday The 13th In Byron Bay Today

It all started out relatively ok In Byron Bay Today, or so it appeared . We set up the gear to start work and it promptly rained. Being pragmatists we packed up and went surfing instead. As the rain cleared, we came in and set up yet again. The sun eventually came out, but now the tide was really low. The crew were having trouble, a lot of trouble. Few were making it; most were going down the shaft. Be that as it may, we climbed the rocks to shoot this silliness then headed back to the office to get our update ready. Upon arriving the entire neighbourhood was hit by a blackout. Ok enough we give up, chewing a half cooked meal we planned to do the update in the morning and headed to bed. Right on cue, the power came back on, hmmm O—K. Checking the date on my files tonight it all suddenly became clear. It was Friday the 13th In Byron Bay Today. (Insert: The Twilight Zone theme music here)

Weird waves: The Silver Dragon

Posted on February 12th, 2009 in Editor's picks, Vids we like, weird surf.

pic by A.J. Neste from Surfline.com: Rusty Long pulling into a barrel in the Qiantang river bore.

In September of 2008, Greg and Rusty Long and Mark Healey joined writer Mike Cianciulli and photographer A.J. Neste from Gerard Sports Marketing on a mission to surf the Qiantang River bore in China Apparently the bore is known to locals as The Silver Dragon and is the focus of a riverside festival.

The river water looks pretty ordinary, but the wave itself doesn’t look too bad. Here’s an excerpt from the blog post on surfline:

Greg Long and Healey zigzagged and carved through our familiar zone. But once they shot Bridge #6 together, the river bent and the wind turned offshore. Rippable sections popped up all over the place. We were forced to forge ahead, much to the dismay of the Communist Government officials, because there was no way for the guide boat to punch through the eight-foot wall of whitewater. And this was our precise excuse for forging past our boundary during the final day.

read the rest of the post on Surfline

(We’re indebted to RealSurfer Kev R. for pointing us to this extraordinary adventure blog on the big US surf site, Surfline.com. )

I did a little search on Google, and turned up some video of the boys’ adventure. And just for comparison, I also grabbed one of the famous Brazillian tidal bore, the Pororoca.

Compare this to the Pororoca in Brazil…

Kelly Slater’s Having a Party – with a credit card company?

Posted on November 14th, 2008 in News Stories, Top stories, weird surf.

Press received at RealSurf:

Summer isn’t over yet, thanks to Kelly Slater and Brett Dennen. If you’ve got a Citi card and are in the L.A. area on November 21, please join Citi and SPIN for a VIP reception and celebration of the world-famous surfer’s new book, For the Love published by Chronicle Books.

Held at the Malibu Performing Arts Center, the night will include an intimate Q&A session with Slater and a performance from favorite Brett Dennen whose new album Hope for the Hopeless is out on Downtown/Dualtone (www.brettdennen.net)

Each guest will receive a complimentary autographed copy of For the Love. Co-written by long-time surfer Phil Jarratt and featuring an introduction by surf-soundtrack king Jack Johnson, the full-color book reveals Slater’s life and career. For more info on the event, the book, and how to get your tickets, check out privatepass.citi.com.

For the Love, is a revealing and heartfelt tribute, written with surfing veteran Phil Jarratt. Published by Chronicle Books, For the Love marks the first time Slater’s story has been told in full color – reflecting the latest twists and turns in an incredible and unconventional life.

November 21, 2008
8pm – 10pm
Malibu Performing Arts Center
23825 Stuart Ranch Road
Malibu, CA 90265
Cost: $45

Each package includes:
* Access for two (2) to the For the Love private VIP reception* hosted by Kelly Slater on November 21st in Malibu, California.
* One (1) autographed For the Love book (retail value $45).
*Includes a Q&A session, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and a special performance by Brett Dennen.
(This offer is available to Citi credit cardmembers. Offer expires Wednesday, November 19 or while supplies last.)

http://www.spin.com/articles/surfer-kelly-slaters-having-party-and-youre-invited

“Make You Crazy” video co-starring Mandy Moore and Femi Kuti: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F58TfYHqLak