Messageboard problems:
The MB seems to be down, at least it is when I try to access
it. I'm going through withdrawals here. -Dave
Dave,
I just found out myself. We'll get to work on fixing it!
-Tory
April 22nd:
Letter of the Day:
Love the pics work's great on my i phone!!!! keep 'em coming .
Through April 21st:
Hey!
I am from Fl and I love the beach.
I have been going to my dads place
on E street near the Holiday Inn since I was a kid.
I now live in WV and go back to St.Aug once a year.
Thanks!!! for the web cam it helps when I am home sick ha
Thanks!!!
Lynn McLeod
Jeff, Lynn and Girls in WV!
Letter #2 in:
Just wanted to say thanks for the excellent report day in and day out.
I always take it for granted and wanted to show some appreciation.
Cheers,
Morgan
Morgan,
Thanks so much! After over 20 years of surf reporting, we never
ever get tired of a little "Thanks..."
-Tory
Through April 17th:
Askin' about an Anderson Fish:
Hello there, I talked with you guys a few months ago about the 9'4 Anderson Bindy, you were very helpful and I ended up getting a 9'0 Bindy eventually that I love! Now I'm looking for a shorter board. I'm mostly a longboarder but looking for something for those high tide days when a log won't work. The green 6'0 Anderson quad funshape looks intriguing because it's very wide but also looks thin.
I'm only 120 lbs. so I know that I should be on a much smaller fish-type board, but being a 36 year old woman I just want something I can catch waves on and have fun.
Thanks!!!
Damaris,
I have looked at that same board over and over! I am very curious
as to how it would ride. A fish would be great for those days when
you need more responsiveness than a longboard. Fishes do catch waves
much easier than regular more narrow tailed thrusters. I personally
would want a fish with a harder, boxier rail.. but for a light person,
I do think the thinness you noted is good. Good luck in your choice,
and let me know if I can help you further.
Oh.. TN (Terry Nails) works Saturdays and Sundays and could give you
more insight on that board. He can be reached at the shop then at
471-9463.
-Tory
Through April 15th:
Feedback in soft racks:
I have used FCS soft rack systems for several years. I have the
double pad car top rack, and I'm on my second tailgate pad. In my
honest opinion, the FCS racks are by far the best made soft rack system
available around here. However I would like to share my experience
with them. Inherent in all soft rack systems that I know of is
the almost certainty that rain water will track down the webbing straps
and drip into your car. Also, I had to give up using my car top racks
when my wife and I bought a 2006 Honda Civic with the new body
style. The aerodynamic body shape has a dome shaped top which Honda
didn't see fit to make very sturdy. The down force caused by the
surfboard easily pressed the car top in. I know this may be an isolated problem, however I feel this may be a trend in new body
styles and car makers trying to make bodies lighter. The new Mustang
has a similar dome type top.
Anyway, I ended up finding a nearly
new Thule rack system with a 2006 civic fit kit on Ebay. I saved about
$100.00 for a one year old system.(That sounds better than saying I had
to spend $350.00 on it.)
__________________________________________________
Through April 10:
Lookin' for good car racks:
I drive a mustang kinda not the best surf car lol but im looking for a surf rack that is good for the board and the car at the same time and safe for long trips wit boards, and my family drives a expedition and i want a rack that will be good on both, i was thinking the fcs double soft racks how they wrap around into the inside. i just need a good opinion from you guys thanks -Matt
Matt,
The FCS rack you speak of is great. They are strong, go through
the car so are less likely to come off, and can carry 4 boards easily.
I don't think you can go wrong with them, and we almost always have
them in stock!
-Tory
Through April 8th:
Hi Tory,
I just want to let you know last week I traded an 8'2'' Robert August fun shape in on a brand new
Ben Aipa 8'4'' swallow-tail. I've been riding a 9'8'' Hawaii
Noserider that was like a sailboat and the August just wasn't enough,
I'm 6'2' and 240lbs. The first time I stepped up on the Aipa, it was
like holy
!@#$*
kind of like greased lightning. A buddy of mine(Eric Norton) has a Ben
Aipa and Eric is bigger than I am so I gave it a try. I was impressed.
Now I have my own and I am more pleased with this board than any other
one I've ever owned. Kudos to you and all of your crew there at SS.
Keep up the excellent work.
Richard (Rick) Wear
Rick,
Those Aipa's can be SO good! They are great for the bigger
guys, allowing them to glide like the little guys! I am so stoked you
like the board..
-Tory
'till early April, '08:
Going to P.R. looking for a ride:
Hey Tory,
I'm trying to go to Puerto Rico this weekend. I am only 20 years old
and running into a problem finding a rental car. I was wondering if
anyone out there might know of a bo bo car rental place that might look
past my age or any good ideas of how to get around. I would be flying
into Aguadilla. Thanks in advance for any info.
-Nick
Nick,
Good question. Anyone out there have any ideas for Nick?
-Tory
Letters in through the weeks ending late March '08:
Our surfer friend in Thailand write in on Artificial Reefs:
Tory,
I’m not trying to beat a dead horse, but I have a question about building an artificial reef.
I surfed
St. Augustine pier and the north jetty back in the early 60’s, caravaning with other guys from the
Daytona Beach area, with our Miller boards and bars of paraffin wax.
Spending Fri. night in the dunes at the inlet in order to catch the early tide was a big deal to us back then.
I remember the huge boulders that made up the seawall at the pier and the long line of rocks at the jetty as well.
I moved to
St. Auggy in 1990 and even then I noticed drastic changes in the structure from so long ago.
After moving there, I enjoyed 12 years of “God kissed me”, before I came here to
Thailand.
During my time there, I watched the rocks at
A Street gradually sinking and becoming buried in the sand, as well as the string of rocks that used to be north of the FA parking lot.
The changes in the jetties and the seawall at the pier are also obvious.
I realize that over the years, some things shrink with age, which brings me to a question.
I’m all in favor of some sort of artificial
reef(s) located along the coastline and I believe that structure is
best established through the use of concrete barriers, etc. that can
protect the existing line of dunes as well as providing natural
habitats for fishing and some potentially good surf breaks.
But, won’t those simply sink into the sand?
Certainly,
they’d be better than pumping and piling sand along the dune line that
only gets washed away (mother nature sticking her tongue out at us),
but how often do you think the reefs would have to be refurbished?
Perhaps
in the context of this letter, I’ve answered my own question; …it would
probably last for years without any further intervention, but I’d like
to know other opinions.
Thanks
Friar Chuck (…and coming home in June!)
Chuck,
So good to hear from you! Oh the Artificial Reef idea has been
discussed and discussed. I believe the problem lies within the N to S
flow of our current in winter that wherever you build a concrete
barrier, to the south erosion is made worse. Thus the problem of
getting a permit to do so would be oh so hard. By dumping sand
instead,
this doesn't hurt other areas. Of course that solution is only
temporary, and is quite costly. Here are a 4 pages of discussion
(from 2003 through '07) on artificial reefs by
many local surfers:
http://forums.surf-station.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?s=1e534a415bf133834939e29262b04a84;act=ST;f=1;t=710
-Tory
Surf poem #2 sent in:
I quit my job today
Now headed on my way
I found myself
At a place called the pier
The sweet smell and roar
Straight to the asphalt floor
My face a crimson mask
At a place called the pier
Fish smells and tourist buses
Fat fishermen all cussing
That sinker just missed my head
At a place called the pier
Two foot chop will not last
Memories of the past
Old sea hag the bitch
At a place called the pier
Now the west sky is red
The pavilion is my bed
More crowded surfing tomorrow
At a place called the pier
RC
Through Friday, March 14th:
Surf poem sent in:
with
emptiness on the way
at
a place called blowhole
turned
into a sweet surprise
only
to hear the ocean roar
at
a place called blowhole
at
a place called blowhole
only
for a momentary lapse
at
a place called blowhole
at
a place called blowhole
CB
Through March 10th:
Is it worth the drive to find the perfect surfboard?
All I have to say is that the 40min drive from Jacksonville is worth
it.
I sent an email to you guys about a trade in towards and board and Matt
got back to me with in the hour.
I made the drive down that day and ended up seeing two boards that I
liked: a 6'1 Chili and a 6'2 Placebo. I've never surfed the Placebo's
but Matt really helped me out. There are those times when you're buying
a board and it just doesn't "feel" right but he was right there with a
ton of knowledge on the boards and your inventory.
I just wanted to send out some good vibes towards him and the SS. Keep
up the great work!
Chas,
Thank you so much! I will be sure to pass on the good vibes. Matt
is very
very
good at the real technical aspects of board design and is building
quite a reputation with the surfers who want knowledge on how each board
works, and how they compare.
-Tory
Tuesday- Thursday, March 4-6th, 2008:
Where's the Hawaii pictures?
So, after hearing about the epic conditions
Hawaii's north shore
is experiencing, I
try to find a decent surf report where I can see some even
half way
decent photos of the surf. Sad thing is, I've NEVER found one....even after
15+ years of this great thing called the world wide web. Sure, I can watch 30
seconds of streaming video, but I want pics pics and more pics!
It's funny how a little, comparatively crap
surf town like us has THE BEST surf report I've ever seen from anywhere in the
world. When the surf is bad, you guys are out there day in and day out
taking great shots of the sunrise, birds, ladies, etc...and when the surf is
great, you guys are STILL out there taking great pics (instead of
surfing!)...and then other people are posting even more great pics on the
message board.
Maybe (and surely!) trusty ol' PEZ will come thru
with some good shots for us to oh and ah over!!!
Keep up the awesome work!
Monday, March 3rd:
The following letter came in titled "Surf Forecast":
Hey, I know this isnt the most important thing in the world, but
maybe on the surf forecast, they could be a little more discerning
with the paddle out factor. Today was a 2-3!!! It was half a foot to
flat out and the paddle out was a 3?? Im not trying to be annoying or
anything, but where else am I going to go for an accurate surf
forecast??? Keep it up and thanks for all ya'll do for St. Augstine.
-Clinton
Clint,
Clint,
Thank you for the letter. The 'Paddle out factor' is way different than
the surf forecast in that it states how hard it is to paddle out on a 1-5
scale. Today (Monday) it started out as a "1" and I bumped up slowly
throughout the day. You must of seen it when the surf was small and then
came to your computer when I had already raised it, thinking the surf was
still small. Did you see the evening surf? There were some chest high
peaks! And with all the wind and drift, some of the waves were one wave
after another with closer wave intervals make it harder to paddle out. So I
bumped our 1-5 scale up to a 2 but put a dash to 3 as I could see the surf
was increasing in the afternoon.
For you young buck paddle happy guys lol it might have been an easy paddle
out, but for others a 3 might have been the right call.
Thanks for the feedback, and do write in any time!
-Tory
Sunday:
Looking for a specific Channel Islands Surfboard:
Hi is the M13 tuff lite available in 7'6" model with squash tail? Or is it
only pin tail? I would like a squash tail. Please let me know
Thanks, Kurt
Kurt,
Unfortunately, the M13 is only
available in a pintail in tuflite. We do have a 7'2 in polyester and in a
squash tail or you could custom order one directly from us and get whatever kind
of board you want! Thanks for your inquiry, let me know if I can do anything
for you.
Matt
@
Surf Station
Through the weekend of March 2 & 3rd:
Looking for a cheap surfboard:
i am graduating this year and my theme is california style. i am looking for a surfboard in good to fair condition as we will have it painted. This will be as a signature board for my guests to sign. i'm looking for something in the $75-$125 b/c it will cost to get it repainted. do you any boards suitable for this purpose? let me know as soon as possible as we need it by april 1st.
Karissa
Karissa,
We have some used boards at budget prices at our used surfboard shop
at Crescent Beach and some of them are online here:
http://www.surfstationstore.com/productcart/pc/Under-$150-c276.htm
I was there just a few days ago and noticed a whole bunch of super
cheap ones in that are not yet online. Call there and the help can go
over. 904.461.5395 (from 1 pm till 5 pm EST). Some surfboards for as
cheap as $5 but they are total junkers.
I hope this helps...
-Tory
@
Surf Station
ps... Oh... Here is an example of an old '70's board that was brown
and ugly, (repainted to raise $) FYI in case you are interested in how
someone else did an old board up:
Link to old, repainted surfboard
Through late February:
Right whale's off our coast observational research:
Hello Tom,
We haven't seen a right whale in more than a week. We think the water temperature has gotten too warm for them down here.
We have downloaded the data for the St. Augustine Pier, and it sure looks like temps are warm.
What are the surfers saying about the water temp ? Are they feeling that it is unusually warm for this time of year ??
Let me know what you think.
Thanks.
Jim
Tory,
The above is from Jim Hain, the scientist from Woods Hole who studies Right Whales every year. Do you have any information on what the water was this time last year and maybe previous years. Your data could prove to be helpful it predicting where the whales end up.
Tom,
I did a look it the log from years gone by and here is the data I have: In 2005 at this time the water temp was 56. 2004: 58 , 2003: 59 , 2002: 61 , 2001: 59 , 2000: 59 , 1999: 61 . I don;t have last year, but 2006 was round 60 on February 22nd. This year the water temp is around 66, hitting a peak yesterday (Friday) of 68 degrees, quite a bit warmer than years gone by.
-Tory
Thursday, Feb. 21st:
Interest in C.I.'s new Fishcuit:
Greetings!,
Al's new FISHCUIT creation has my
can't-wait-to-try-one stoke going and I'm wondering
what the timeline is for your getting some others in
(saw that you had two, now gone from the site, last
week).
I'm lookin for a 5'10" w/futures. Clear logo, sanded.
Thankie, Martin
Martin,
I'll have to check with Matt (call him at 800.460.6394) and see when we have more Fishcuits coming.
This will be a great board this coming summer! I am sure we'll have a good
selection in this spring, summer at the latest.
-Tory
Likes the online surfboard purchase option:
Thank you so much for your fast response! I just wanted to say that
your website is by far the best website to purchase surfboards - the
search makes it so easy! Thank you once again,
Carlie Kearney
February 20th:
The Flyer vs the K-Small wave:
I'm looking at a 6 foot flyer and a 6foot k-small both squash tails
what board
would be better for the waves in florida becuz my style is more flow
ridin' more
than slashing and stuff but i still do both sometimes when i can, what
board
would be better and will the boards be at your main shop in 2 weeks if
they don't
sell.
Response:
I have both boards here in the
shop. If you are more a flowy surfer than I would suggest the Flyer for
you. It
is geared towards being a better all around shortboard rather than
strictly
high performance like the KSmall. Dont get me wrong, the best surfers
in the
world still ride Flyers but the shape is more about flotation rather
than maneuverability. Thanks for your inquiry, if you need anything
else
or want the board placed on hold please let us know.
-Matt @ Surf Station
Through the weekend of February 16th and 17th:
How do wetsuits differ now and how to keep those hands warm:
As age 60 is in the not so far future I have become a
cold-water wimp. I purchased a Black Hole wetsuit from you back when you had
the wet suit promotion with 4 clients trying on wet suites and rating them.
Was that 4 or 5 years ago?
Anyway, I was astounded in the changes in wet suite
technology for my old wet suit. From looking at the kids out surfing today it
appears (from a distance) technology may have taken another leap forward. Has
wet suit technology taken another leap forward in the past few years, if so
how?
My main cold-water problem is my hands sting in cold water.
I tried wearing gloves but found they fill with water & its like surfing
with hand weights. Is there anything out there that keeps hands warm without
being so heavy with water?
Any big, end of season wetsuit sale coming?
Tom in Flagler Beach
Tom, Over the past few years, wetsuits have taken a leap for
the better and from the looks of it, next year will be another great
step for wetsuit technology. All high end wetsuits (O'Neill, RipCurl,
Xcel, etc..) have amazing rubber nowadays. A 200 dollar suit nowadays
is 10 times better than a "high end" suit of the late 90s. Front
entries have become very popular, they eliminate that chill running
down your back from back zippers and just make for a lighter suit all
over. I also have the cold hands problem you were talking about. When
the water dips into the 50s I cant use my hands properly for hours
after I surf! And I'm only 25! My solution has been a high end pair of
3 mil XCel gloves that is a size smaller than your actual hands. I buy
all my wetsuit accessories this way, I am a size 10 or 10.5 shoe and I
wear a size 9 in booties. It seems to keep everything snug on your
feet/hands and eliminate that small amount of water seepage, it seems
very uncomfortable at first but when you break them in, it is much
better for you, just make sure you can move each finger separately when
trying on gloves. I hope this helps and if you need anything else, feel
free to let us know, thanks again!
Matt
@
Surf Station
Through the weekend of Feb 9th and 10th:
Had an old Surf Station board:
I have a Surf Station Steve Walcott 6ft board 18 3/4 2 1/4 12 1/2 15 1/4. Could you help with a cost when this board was sold new?
Thanks
Tim
