Surfing Out of the Box - by Paul Finley
2011 and 2010 Columns
December, 2011 Dress Formal, Suits Required...
Few, if any, would disagree that we live in a beautiful place here on the Central Coast. Many people here enjoy surfing as a way to celebrate this beauty. If you plan on hopping in the water anytime soon—or anytime at all around here—you will most definitely want to be wearing a wetsuit
November, 2011 Surfboard Tree is Launched
Surfboard Tree is a new website dedicated to sharing, collaborating and promoting surfboard builders, craftsman, and artists who are connecting to surf culture. The site allows you to view photos, video and blogs from across the globe, all gathered together and selected from a surfboard builders perspective.
September, 2011 Article missing from archives -
When we walk, run, surf, or move, our bodies have been designed to do these things in a manner in which one direction has an advantage over the other in that particular flow of action. Running down a hill backwards is very difficult, but running up a hill backwards can actually be very efficient. Weight placement and leaning off one's center of gravity creates force or leverage towards a particular direction. With surfing, the idea behind turning is to create a directional change while being able to maintain balance and control. This is most easily accomplished by staying over or close to the center of gravity above your board.
July, 2011 A Few Things to Consider Before Buying Your Next Board
A Few Things to Consider Before Buying Your Next Board -
June, 2011 Project Surf Camp
I can clearly remember the pivotal moment in my life of standing up on my surfboard and going down the line of a wave for the first time. It's funny to actually write out these words, almost like a confession of sorts, but that little moment has shaped my life and played a part in most of my life decisions since. Some people are just naturally drawn towards a particular thing. In nature and wildlife, these loving commitments can always be built upon. They will always be fresh and always provide a scene of wonder and intrigue if we allow our minds and hearts to be humbled by the vast creativity of this painting that we find ourselves in.
March, 2011 Will They End Up Being Surfers? Note: Duplicate of article published February, 2013 in the column Surfing Through Life 2
Watching my kids grow, although still young, I can't help but wonder if they will end up being surfers. When our oldest daughter turned three, I had the opportunity to cut down an older board that I had made and make her first surfboard. Shortly after giving it to her, we took her out to see how she liked it. After pushing her into a couple little rollers on the shore, she flipped off the board and her head went under for just a second. In the cold water that we have here on the Central Coast, it was no surprise that she was not to thrilled with the experience.
February, 2011 "Are We There Yet?"
My family and I went a few short hours north of Morro Bay to camp near some majestic redwood trees. We were hiking down a little trail that had markers for some trees of interest. They had numbers on them, so our oldest decided this was more of a race than an experience to relax and take in. As they raced to each marker I caught up and said, "Guys, slow down, look up . . . aren't these trees amazing?" Well, I wish I could say that my three and four year old kids were keenly relating to my excitement, but alas, the race went on. My wife and I enjoyed the trees and smiled as our girls enjoyed their foot race, never looking up into the forest of majesty.
November, 2010 All the Colors Under the Sun
There is a true and distinct beauty of a plain, clear-
October, 2010 School's Back In
If you have been in the water or looked at any easily accessible break around the Central Coast lately, you will notice the we are sharing the water with a plethora of kids who are pursuing the higher education at one of our local campuses. In no way do I mock or condemn the pupils and future leaders of America in this article, but I think it is an appropriate time in the surf season to look at a couple basic or fundamental pillars of surfing etiquette.
September, 2010 Being Green While Enjoying the Big Blue
This month we had the awesome privilege of receiving a wonderful gift, the birth of our third daughter. With the all encompassing reminders of new life and the responsibility of having something fragile to care for and nurture, it seems like a fitting moment to look at our obligations as surfers and ocean goers of the Central Coast, and to look at ways we can do our part in being mindful and environmentally responsive.
May, 2010 Fast Boards, Sad Dings, and a Fun Little Bird
Board design can be a bit subjective, but there are some concepts that are objectively true across the board . . . no pun intended. Last month's preview topics included the question, "What makes a board faster?" If your board is feeling a bit sluggish, here are some things to scope out."