Patch 'em up: Wetsuit repair part 1

Okay, so its winter time here LA, and that means 4/3's from now on. Unfortunately, because of the unseasonably cold water we've been having lately, I have been wearing my 4/3 quite a bit. So much so in fact, that I have torn two of the neck portions of my suit. With my Big Sur trip coming up ( and all that cold Central California water) I figured I needed to patch up my suit in order to keep from getting hypothermia.

After doing some research, I found that I could use one of two methods to patch up my suit. The first one involved using a urethane sealer or neoprene cement to seal the hole. The other method involved sewing up the tear first, and then patching it over with a sealer or cement. The former option could only be used for a gap that was approx the size of a person's fingernail, so anything bigger (like the two gnarly tears in my suit), would have to utilize the latter technique, and thus be sewn up first and then patched over with a sealer.

I started off by going to Jo-Ann fabric store for a needle and thread. I bought the thickest thread they had (meant for sewing leather jackets or heavy carpets). I was told I could also use fishing line or dental floss to sew up the tears, because they are more water resistant than thread, but I figured that the thread would be easier on the fabric and a little more forgiving during the actual sewing process.  I also went online and bought Neoprene cement, as opposed to the urethane sealer. The sealer dries quicker, but the cement is much more permanent, so I figured that was the best bet.

The sewing was relatively easy, although I needed help from my mom with the starting and finishing knots.   All I had to do was thread the needle, tie a knot on the end, and then while holding the two tears together, I sewed them using the "spiraling technique" (which was basically an over-under method.) Always make sure to start sewing from the inside of the wetsuit!

The cement is coming in the mail, so once I get it I will show you how I finish the patching process!

LA Surf spots: Surfrider State Beach (a.k.a Malibu point/beach)

There are few surf spots in this world that are as revered or as hated as Malibu beach. Many surfers claim that Malibu is the ideal pointbreak. Others argue that it’s an overcrowded cesspool. What cannot be disputed though, is that Malibu point has seen its fair share of surfing history. From Tom Blake, to Gidget, to Miki Dora and Allen Sarlo, the waves at Malibu have been drawing surfers since the 1920’s. The reasoning for that is simple: the sand and cobblestone bottom is so ideally laid out that it churns out perfectly shaped rights like a machine.
To read the rest please visit: Dailystoke.com

Searching For Waves In Italy

Italy is world-renowned for its history and culture. Every year, millions of tourists visit the land of gastronomical wonders, just to get a taste of the exalted Italian dulce vida. They walk the busy streets of Rome, gaze in astonishment at David, engorge themselves with fresh pasta, and of course, play chicken with the infamous Vespa.

Many of those tourists and foreigners though, are unaware of the fact that Italy, aside from being a bastion of culture, refinement, and indigestion, actually has surf. Within the past twenty years, surf magazines like Surfer have revealed that the Italian coastline does occasionally have decent waves. Yet surfing in Italy is still very much a young sport, and hasn’t (according to the understanding of the global surfing community) really gained much of a following.

To read the rest please visit:

http://www.surfinghandbook.com

I think I'm gonna glow in the dark...

Ah, the first big rain storm of the year. Refreshing, no? Well, for surfers like myself, that first rain storm is more of a giant toxic bane than a invigorating boon. Most breaks in L.A. receive a heavy dosing of pollution after the first large rain, because all of the trash, organic waste, and hazardous chemicals that tends to clog up our sewers and storm drains gets pumped straight into the ocean. Most water treatment plants (like the local Tapia Water Treatment plant) aren't able to handle the extra load, so the only constructive thing they are able to do is wave at the trash as it floats on by them and straight into the ocean. If you need to check the water quality at your local break, go to this site: http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/phcommon/public/eh/water_quality/beach_grades.cfm.


Try to avoid turning into a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle from all the runoff, and I will see you in the water!