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!

Malibu Beach

Took this picture Tuesday, "vintage look" courtesy of Parlato Graphic Design Firm

Review: Doc's Proplugs

A few months back, I went to the doctor's office complaining of an earache. The doctor checked out my right ear, then my left, gave me a funny look, and asked if I spent anytime in the ocean. I wanted to say a joke about hunting a white whale, but I let that go, and told her that I was an avid surfer. Turns out that I have the early stages of surfer's ear. Cold water and harsh wind has actually caused bones to grow in my ear canal, and if I don't take care of it now, I may have to get surgery.

The doctor basically said that that I had two options available to help me alleviate my ear issue. I could either a) stop surfing (fat chance) or b) surf with ear plugs. The first plugs I tried were from the pharmacy at Gelsons, and they were an epic fail. That was probably because they cost around $5. So, the next time around I decided to shell out some extra dinero and purchase ear plugs designed for surfers. Doc's pro plugs caught my eye, mainly because that doctor who invented them is actually a surfer (not to mention that Santa Cruz surfer Ken "Skindog" Collins swears by them).

The plugs are shaped to cover the ear canal and the "crest of the helix" (that part of the ear just outside of the ear canal). There is also a tiny hole in each plug, so that you can equalize your ears if necessary with minimal discomfort. The plugs are meant to fit snugly, so that they can minimize water and wind entering the ear canal. With that being said, the plugs come in a variety of sizes and need to be custom fitted to the user's ears. That can be done either via a ear specialist, or you can drop 30$ and purchase a package of four plugs in different sizes (Small, Medium, Large, Extra-Large), to find a plug that fits your ears best.

Field test results: I have used the plugs for a week now, and I will say that they have helped dramatically. Finding the best fit did take some time, but when the water is freezing (last session I actually saw my breath) the ear plugs help minimize the ear ache. They do seem to let some water in when I duck dive, but with further testing and trying different sizes, I think that issue can be resolved.

I will check back in a week or so to give an update on how the plugs are working out!

Will a paddle make me cooler?

To SUP or not to SUP: that is the question. Just like Hamlet, I too have slings and arrows on the mind. Oh, and paddles too. Lately I have been tormented by the "sport" of stand up paddling. For all of you unfamiliar with the preferred pastime of Satan, it involves a surfer utilizing an enormous board, and instead of lying prone and stroking, said surfer remains standing for the entire session, and uses a paddle to slowly chug along. 


Now SUP has been around for awhile, and it has gained quite a following. Before I start attacking the institution, it is important to point out some of its good points. For instance, you can build up your upper body to Laird Hamilton proportions. You can also see approaching sets miles out to sea. And above all, if a shark swims by, the only thing he can nibble on is your paddle and not your feet.

However, my fault with stand up paddling is not with the sport, but with its followers. SUP has become very popular, so much so, that people with little surf experience are picking it up. In other words, individuals who have little understanding of surf etiquette, the ocean, or surfing as a whole are picking up a sport that allows them to dominate a line up; they can see farther out, take off earlier and paddle faster than any non-SUP. All in all, it just isn't fair for anybody else. 


Yet I was hit with a sudden realization on the nature of SUP when I first witnessed the bizarre sight of a skateboarder using a paddle to coast along a sidewalk. That's right, a paddle. Just like Huck Finn. Except there was no raft, no mighty Mississippi, or even... (bad word) Jim. 


Mark Twain aside, the land paddler pointed out a very important attribute of mankind, and that was that we as a society love to make our lives easy. We invented a remote for the T.V. so we didn't have to get up from the couch to change the channel. We invented the microwave so we could make our meals quicker. Hell, we even invented peanut butter and jelly in the same container. Hopefully though, that  latter invention will go the way of other misguided inventions like the helicopter ejection seat or the Snuggie for dogs and just disappear. 


The paddle is just another gimmicky invention designed to make surfing, and now skateboarding, easier. What is important to remember with SUP, and now SUS too, is that the rider should be willing to participate in the sport sans paddle. If they are able to do so, it shows that said rider has a passion for the sport itself, and doesn't need any sort of new fad to keep them skating or surfing. If the rider can't part with the paddle, then he or she must go the way of the dodo, and get hunted down by Europeans and giant rats, because that is what they honestly deserve.