World Champion surfers, free swag, beautiful weather, and most importantly the chance to demo every surf board that South Coast Surf Shops has in it’s arsenal. Not just that, but you can also try out some of the best Rip Curl wetsuits they have in their surf line. The fun doesn’t stop there! Some of the great performance models of FCS Fins will be on hand for you to peruse. This sounds like a dream sequence that most people have before they wake up to screaming kids or blizzard like conditions, but on June 20th from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm at Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach, you have the chance to make that dream a reality. No really, our surf demo extravaganza will be a day you won’t forget.

South Coast surfboards have always been a main staple of the San Diego area, and this is your opportunity to feel American made boards beneath your feet. Everyone of our floor models from the longboard coaster all the way down to the high performance short boards will be available to ride and see what a quality made board feel like. Are you in the market for a board but don’t know what shape or skill level your ready for? Put those buying fears to rest. The sky’s the limit on this special day, where you’ll be able to test multiple models to get a better idea of what you might like to take home. Just bring and i.d. and all the boards are at your leisure. Not a surfer, but a fan of the beach? We have that covered too with some great swag giveaways and many extraordinary personalities.

South Coast is also honored to have surfing legend Tom Curren and current pro surfer Taylor Knox to share in fun. Tom Curren won 3 world championships on the world tour and his innovative surfing has inspired many future surf champions, including Kelly Slater. Taylor Knox has been a competitive surfer on the world tour, and is currently ranked 10th in his sixteenth season. Both surfers are California natives and great ambassadors for the sport of surfing. You might not be a big time surfer, but the chance to meet these amazing personalities will be well worth the experience. Tom and Taylor will also be ripping on some of the demo boards to show you the full potential that can come from our South Coast boards. Boards shaped and glassed in San Diego by Robin Prodanovich and Larry Ricci. Both shapers and glasser Mark Smith will be on hand to answer any questions about the boards and give you some great stories about their life experiences. If your still not sold by all this amazingness (yes, I made up that word), we will also be raffling off some amazing products from Dragon Sunglasses as well as Rip Curl goodies.

South Coast demo day will have a little for everyone. Don’t let the chance to try out our boards or meet some surfing legends pass you by. Bring the kids, your family, and some friendly strangers you might meet along the way. Mark your Calendar for June 20th from 8-12 at Crystal Pier, or come to the South Coast shop in Pacific Beach and they will point you in the right direction. We look forward to seeing you there!!

South Coast Competition Longboard

South Coast Competition Longboard

The great thing about surfing is you will rarely ever get bored with all the sport has to offer. Just when you think you’ve perfected your bottom turn, the guy next to you is throwing monster floaters in your face. You’ve finally conquered your local surf break and some buddies think going to Baja sounds fun….oops, maybe you still have more to take from surfing! As long as the sport keeps evolving, there will always be a way to up the ante in what you can accomplish. Point being, don’t let your surf get rigid because you get comfortable. Over the past few blogs we have had an opportunity to check out the most critical way to change your surfing. In our “shaper series” we’re taking a tour of all the great surfboards that South Coast has to offer. Having in-house shapers allows for the surfing fan to check out different shapes and styles of boards, with the experts helping to direct you onto that perfect board.

We’ve already checked out the Prod-Quad and the Swegg with Robin. Both boards offering some different performance aspects for varying conditions. We hang with Robin for one last time as his talks about the South Coast CK Competition Longboard. One of the great things about South Coast is we have some amazing team riders that help the shapers develop boards with their ideas from surfing. This insider knowledge will provide with killer boards that all levels of surfer will enjoy. This board was shaped with NSSA competitive surfer Chris Koerner in mind. Take one last “safari” with Robin in the series as he walks you through this blog’s featured south coast competition longboard.

Remember kids, all boards and surfing accessories can be picked up at one of our five South Coast locations, or online at southcoat.com. Make sure to check out our sale store, South Coast Closeouts in OB for huge deals on all surfboards.

South Coast Competition Longboard

We continue with our “shaper series”, about some of the hottest surfboard models South Coast Surf Shops has to offer. Last time we checked out the Prod Quad, and got an insider view of all that board could offer. This week we will take a magic carpet ride on the South Coast Swegg, so hold on tight. Come on a tour with Robin Prodanovich as he points out some of the great features that the Swegg will provide you.

Available from 6’8″ to 8’6″ the Swegg is our most popular mid-sized board. Part egg, part modern fish, this multi-fin design paddles great and works in small to overhead surf with ease. Really a fun hybrid board that many levels of surfer will appreciate. If this looks like a board that you can’t wait to get your hands on, stop by any of our five South Coast Surf Shop Locations or online at Southcoast.com. This board is available to demo if you want to see how this baby rides before making the investment.

For many of us it’s difficult to find that surfboard that’s just right. Size, shape, surfability, and cost often are just too much to take in when picking up a board. Fortunately, at South Coast Surf Shops we have in house shapers that can help to make many of those tricky board decisions a lot easier. In the next few blog articles we will take a look a some board designs that our shapers are really stoked on. You’ll get first hand information from the guys behind the scene. Today we’ll take a look at the Prod-Quad surfboard with shaper Robin Prodanovich.

Robin is a perfect example of the an “old school” surfer who turned his love for surfing into something even greater. A long time surfer and overall waterman, Robin picked up his first blank in 1968 by stripping an old beat up board and used somewhat outdated technology to shape his first board. Ever since then he has not looked back and has learned how to change and adapt to an often evolving industry. He had the pleasure of shaping for Rusty and some other major surfboard lines. In 1982 we were lucky enough to grab this valuable free agent to help bolster our own private label boards. Robin has a great story and just hanging out with him for a few minutes, you feel as if you’ve gained years of knowledge about boards. I was able to get a true sense of his passion for shaping and the sport he has grown to love for most of his life. Check out his video to learn about one of the great boards that South Coast has to offer.  Make sure to come into South Coast Surf Shops to try on one of our great boards.

By Jody Wood

Last month, Robin Prodanovich and I discussed his latest creation, the Prod Quad. This month, we take a look at another orginal Prodanovich design that is a great choice for the upcoming season. The Reality Check serves many purposes. It is a great transitional board for the entry level surfer who wants to step it up a notch, but also a fine choice for salty rippers as an alternative to their high performance shortboard. It is also not a bad idea for the aging surfer who could use a little more foam to keep your wave count high. Here, Robin goes into the details of the design and its functionality.

• How did the Reality Check design come about? The Reality Check design was born back in 2002. Surfers of all ability levels were struggling on their very low volume shortboards when wave conditions were poor and not having much fun. I saw a need for a shortboard with greater versatility.
• What separates it from a standard short board design? The RC is basically a standard shortboard that has been filled out. It has standard shortboard proportions based on nose, center and tail widths and is similar in thickness. The biggest difference in planlines between the two boards would be the proportionately wider nose on the RC. The RC bottom contour differs by using the tried and true flat-to-V bottom with attention to the overall rocker curve.
• How does it compare to an egg? The RC rides nothing like an egg. The RC is aimed at the surfer who wants to surf aggressively and really likes the shortboard feel and wants the board to work in a variety of conditions. I view the egg as a good entry level board whereas the RC is a much more high performance design.
• The Reality Check is available with a squash tail, a double-winged swallow tail, and recently I’ve seen a few diamond tails coming through the warehouse. How does the tail shape change the responsiveness or feeling of the board? The two most popular tail shapes on the RC are the traditional performance squash tail and the double wing swallow. The diamondtail is usually a custom order. The DWSW (double wing swallow tail) board will have a wider tail by about 1/4″ than the squash tail model and the two wings allow me to reduce the aft part of the planline to allow the surfer to maintain good control and still have plenty of forward body width for getting up on plane. The swallowtail shape adds a little extra hold when needed. When looking at the two designs side by side, the DWSW has more fullness and float with the wide point pushed back slightly as compared to the squashtail model.
• It’s one of South Coast’s best selling designs. Why do you think that is? The RC designs sell very well because they are extremely user friendly. A surfer can jump on an RC design and immediately get that great shortboard feel without having to work so hard, become tired and frustrated. The boards paddle well, catch waves well and have a shortboard performance feeling. They even duck dive well!
• What sizes is the Reality Check available in? I shape the RCs from about as short as you want to about 7’6″. The designs lend themselves to all different lengths.
• Talk about fin set-ups for the Reality Check. We’ve seen a ton of tri-fins over the years, but I’ve seen a few quads and five-fin designs come through lately. How do those fin variations affect the boards performance? The RC design originated as a tri-fin but more recently I’ve adapted them to be ridden as a quad fin as well. I personally ride quads exclusively and love the feeling of drive, maneuverability and not dragging a third fin around through every turn and I felt the RC was a good candidate to be a Q-5. A surfer can buy a Q-5 Reality Check as a tri-fin, spend a few more dollars to buy a set of FCS GX fins for the rear and practically have two boards for the price of one. How’s that for a bargain!
• Tell us about the stand bottom contour for the Reality Check. I keep the bottom contour on the RC design very simple; very flat rail-to-rail through the main body of the board to “V” off the tail to add curve to the rail line.
• Talk about the rail design and it’s role in the boards all around functionality. Shortboard rails do not vary much from shaper to shaper and from board to board for that matter. The most common configuration is round and neutral starting at the nose, staying fairly round and neutral with decreasing bottom radius through the mid part, to down hard and vertical with no or very little lower radius the last 12″-18″ of the tail. This rail description could apply to about 90% of all surfboards and it’s up to the shaper to know where the water needs to cling to the rails and where it needs to break free. This is my condensed version of rail technology!

Stop by South Coast Surf Shop in Ocean Beach or South Coast Windansea in Pacific Beach to view the full line of Reality Checks before you pick out your next board. Call South Coast Surf Shop at 619-223-4431 for more information on how to order a custom board.

By Jody W. Wood & Robin Prodanovich

Robin Prodanovich is a San Diego native and long time board shaper for South Coast Surf Shop. He’s an avid shortboarder and doesn’t even own a longboard. Summer time in Southern California can lend itself to plenty of long, hot, and nearly completely flat days.

So, what’s a shortboarder to do after checking the surf day after day and finding another meager set of knee to waist high waves rolling through a crowd of a hundred of our closest friends?

Rather than dragging out a log or an old school fish, Robin decided to take matters into his own hands. He began working on a design of his own that would allow shortboarders to surf those small days, without compromising performance.

The Prod Quad, now available exclusively at South Coast Surf Shops, is the result of his efforts. Here, Robin provides a little insight into how this model came about and what it’s good for:

1. The Prod Quad is the pet project you’ve been working on for a while now. Tell us where the idea came about and how you’ve refined the shape. “The idea of the Prod came to me one morning when I arrived at the beach and saw knee high lackluster waves. I looked at the surf, then I looked at my standard high performance shortboard and decided that I really needed a board that would excel in these exact conditions. A board for groveling, hence, the Prod.”
2. Quad-fin setups have become more and more popular over the last few years. What is it that you like about quads that sets them about apart from thrusters? “Since my prototype Prod was set up as a thruster or a quad, I was able to compare the two designs using the same board. Because there is no rear middle fin on the quad, there is no “rudder” feel that sometimes accompanies the 3-fin design. Also, due to no rear fin and utilizing a single well place concave, I can use slightly flatter and faster tail rocker giving the Prod more drive, planning and looseness.”
3. Talk about the design and how it compares to standard short boards. “The Prod is designed to ride head high and smaller waves. To accomplish this, the outline shape has more fullness; nose, center and tail, combined with a single concave. As a result of this extra surface area, the board paddles into the waves extremely well, gets up on plane quickly and has lots of speed and maneuverability not usually associated with small boards in small waves.”
   
4. Originally designed for surfing small waves, you’ve had success riding the Prod Quad in a little bigger surf. How did the board handle head high or bigger waves? Even though I designed the Prod for small surf, I have been amazed at how it performs in bigger surf. The outline shape has some straightness to it with a more centered wide point and if you combine this with a slightly larger set of rear fins, the board continues to work very well in surf over head high. My recent trip to Cardon Surf Resort allowed me to ride overhead surf, backside, for a solid week, on my 6’2″ Prod.”
5. How does a surfer pick the right size Prod Quad? Due to the increased volume, the Prod should be surfed 2″-4″ shorter than your standard shortboard.”
6. Talk about fin choice for this type board. What have you found works best for you? “Fin choices for the Prod can vary slightly by is critical for optimum enjoyment. For the Prod design 5’8″-6’0″, I use the FCS fin set with M-5 in the front and GX in the rear. Anything longer than 6’0″ would get the M-7 in the front and GX in the rear. For more of a skatey, down-the-line feel, I swap out the rear GX for a set of M-1000 for more bite.”
7. How does it compare to other small wave boards, like a traditional fish, for example?” The Prod differs from other small wave boards such as the traditional fish in a couple of different ways. I’ve always felt the fish lacks versatility and not every surfer has the ability to adapt to the way a fish needs to be surfed. The Prod has the speed, stability and float of a fish but surfs more like a standard shortboard. A surfer can move from their standard thruster to the Prod without missing a beat.”
8. Last thoughts, anything you’d like to add? “If you want a board that surfs a lot of different conditions well, consider a quad design and specifically, the Prod. The board will bring a lot of enjoyment to your everyday surf sessions.”

To get your hands on a Prod Quad demo board, visit South Coast Surf Shop in Ocean Beach or South Coast Windansea in Pacific Beach. To talk directly to Robin about a custom board, call South Coast Surf Shop at 619-223-4431.

By Jody W. Wood

South Coast Surf Shops’ webmaster, Chris McGreal, is an artist in every since of the word. Not just with graphics and design, but Chris is also part of several original music groups around San Diego, including Superunloader and Transcendental Railroad.

Chris’ creativity wasn’t limited to making music. He’s been doing web design for South Coast for quite a few years now, and his girlfriend Jaime handles order fulfillment and customer support for online sales.

“It has a nice, small business vibe, more like a family business,” Chris said of his gig with South Coast.

The words “family” and “vibe” come to mind listening to Jalopy, yet another project for the multi-instrumentalist. Chris, who plays bass in Superunloader, plays tenor banjo in Jalopy.

Jalopy is made up of seven musicians, whom Chris describes as “strange and inspiring hominids.” Gabe Feenberg plays accordion, Rachael Winn on Violin, Justin Werner on guitar, Nachman on mandolin and lute, Ross Hendler on upright bass, Chad Farran on cajon and flute and Chris on banjo. Everyone helps out with singing, according to Chris.

Gabe, Nachman, and Ross grew up together in LaJolla, and played in several projects over the years. Justin and Rachael performed as a couple, while Chad and Chris made up the rhythm section of several bands around town for a long time. Once they got together, they realized that a few of them had actually split the bill at shows over the years.

Jalopy, in this form, is just over a year old and Chris said that they would really love to get all of their music recorded possibly as soon as the end of summer. “We save all the money from performing as our recording fund, but getting the seven of us together is like herding cats,” said Chris.

Talking about influences, Chris mentions Tom Waits, Nick Drake, and Fishtank Ensemble. Comparing Jalopy to Superunloader, Chris said, “Superunloader is like riding down a country road on a mufflerless hog with a suicide shifter. Jalopy is like riding down the same road on a mule-drawn antique gypsy wagon. Both are totally enjoyable, but in completely different ways.”

Chris also finds some time for surfing when he gets a chance. “I ride all sorts of boards and surf as much as I can. I like longboarding and shortboarding about equally, but of my favorite boards of all time is a 6’4″ Reality Check shaped by Robin Prodanovich.”

Check out Jalopy on Myspace.com and see what you think, or if you live in OB, look for them busking on the sidewalk at the Farmer’s Market. It’s far more alternative than what your local DJ is telling you.http://www.myspace.com/jalopystreetchoir

By Jody W. Wood

Here’s a look at one of the best young surfer’s on the South Coast team. His name is Jay Christensen and he’s already making a name for himself in the local line-up and at contests. You might see him out at the Crystal Pier, or PB Point, or Taco Surf for some post-session grinds. Check him out in this month’s issue of Surfshot magazine with the South Coast Grom Model surfboard. South Coast Windansea’s Eric “Bird” Huffman says he’s one of the hardest working up and coming young surfers that he’s seen in the last fifteen years. “He’s very dedicated to surfing and his father is really supportive of him as well. He’s got a bright future ahead of him if he keeps his head on straight,” said Bird.

What is your full name?
Jay Christenson

How old are you?
11 years old

How long have you been surfing?
Four years

What kind of board do you ride?
5’2″ South Coast thumb-tail, by Robin Prodanovich.

What is your favorite place to surf?
My favorite spots are PB Point, the Crystal Pier, and Blacks.

What is your favorite manuever?
Front-side tail-slide!

How do you feel about surfing contests?
I feel good in contests, because I know I have to go big and make it!

Who are your favorite people to surf with?
John Norris, the Ruysschaert brothers, Mackanzie & my dad, Greg.

Who has had the biggest influence on you as far as surfing goes?
My dad, “Bird”, and Johnny.

Where do you see yourself in five years?
Doing every contest available and doing good in school.

Who are your sponsors?
South Coast Surf Shop, Hoodlamb Clothing, Taco Surf, FCS, and Gorilla Grip.

Anyone you’d like to say hello or thanks to?
Thanks to my dad for support and rides to all the contests, to Bird for all his wisdom & support, and to Robin Prodanovich for the sweet boards. And huge props to Sam and Cindi at Taco Surf for keeping me fat and happy. Love You Mom!

2007 CONTEST RESULTS
Sun Diego / Ezekiel Pro-Am Event #1 ~ 2ND Place
Sun Diego / Ezekiel Pro-Am Event #2 ~ 3RD Place
Sun Diego / Ezekiel Pro-Am Event #1 ~ 5TH & 1ST Place (Up 1 age Div.)
Sun Diego / Ezekiel Pro-Am Event #1 ~ 3RD Place
Koastal Kaos / No Fear Surf Series Event #1 ~ 3RD Place
Koastal Kaos / No Fear Surf Series Event #3 ~ 4TH Place
Koastal Kaos / No Fear Surf Series Event #4 ~ 4TH Place
NSSA EXPLORER Event #2 ~ 6TH Place
NSSA EXPLORER Event #3 ~ 10TH Place
NSSA EXPLORER Event #4 ~ 13TH Place
NSSA OPEN Event #2 ~ 13TH Place
NSSA OPEN Event #3 ~ 16TH Place
YMCA Surf Series Event #1 ~ 5TH Place
YMCA Surf Series Event #2 ~ 1ST Place
Revolt Style Surf Series Final Event ~ 1ST Place (17 yr. Under)
13TH Annual Jetty Kids Kontest ~ 3RD Place
3 Churches Fall Surf Classic ~ 2ND Place & 3RD Place (Up 1 age Div.)
WindanSea Annual Menehune Contest ~ 4Th Place in Repo.

As a native of San Diego and having a father that was an avid free diver and spearfisherman, my exposure to the waves and the ocean came at a very early age. My family spent many weekends on the beaches of La Jolla and on the bluffs of Sunset Cliffs while my parents dove for abalone and lobster and speared the occasional unlucky fish that happened to swim by. But, my interest in the ocean was the waves that I saw breaking at Osprey Reef, Luscombs and Garbage Reef. By age twelve, I had my first surfboard and have been hooked ever since.

1968, what a year. I got my first blank by stripping the fiberglass off an old no-name surfboard, and using only a surform hand tool I proceeded to shape myfirst board. For my next attempt I rented a large, extremely powerful planer and with a new Clark Foam blank, produced a board that rode well.

By 1973, I had shaped numerous boards for myself and my friends and decided to make some money. I approached Paul at Gordon and Smith Surfboards, showed him a board I had shaped, and he hired me on the spot. My nine years at G&S were extremely valuable. I shaped a variety of boards and worked closely with Mark Richards on his twin fin designs. This association with Mark gave me the opportunity to go to Australia in 1980 for research and development and a lot of surfing.

In 1982 I decided to break out on my own. I formed Prodanovich Enterprises, producing my own boards and contract shaping for other companies. Some of my accounts included G&S, Nectar and Linden Surfboards. Two years later Local Motion approached me to shape and distribute boards for them along the west coast. I worked with team riders and helped Local Motion with many ASR shows. In 1985 I hooked up with Rusty Surfboards. My association with Rusty as a shaper lasted over 5 years.

Over the last 10 years I pursued other shaping accounts, including South Coast Surfboards. My association with South Coast has grown. I work with South Coast team riders and shape more and more boards for the shops. Designing new shortboards such as the Reality Check and the very short and very wide Saucer has been fun, as has creating the longer boards such as the Winter Pro and the very high performance Slap model. Keeping the four South Coast stores and numerous wholesale accounts stocked with the most current surfboard designs keeps me very busy, but not so busy that I can’t explore Baja California for perfect point breaks or get on the hockey rink but that is another story.

By Jody W. Wood

Robin Prodanovich is a San Diego-native, long time surfer and shaper, down right nice guy. He’s been shaping custom boards now longer that most of the guys in the lineup have been alive. He’s seen a thing or two in his days and I always enjoy talking boards and surf with him. I had the chance to ask him a few questions about his recent travels and thoughts on boards and design and here’s what came of it.

Robin, you’ve been shaping for several years now and have seen trends in design come and go. What shapes are you currently stoked about and/or riding yourself?

After 35 years of shaping I’ve made myself some really good boards and I’m totally stoked on the board I’m riding right now. It is a 6’2″ x 20.25 five plug quad/tri-fin design. The board can be ridden as either a tri-fin or a quad and I’ve been riding it exclusively as a quad fin in surf from knee high to a foot or so overhead with exciting results. I designed the board for groveling but it has better than expected range.

If you had to pick one board to ride all summer long what would it be?

Definitely the one I’m currently riding, I don’t think I would change a thing.

You recently visited Costa Rica. What was the highlight of the trip for you?

I loved everything about Costa Rica, the people, the weather, the lack of biting bugs, the cool 1 hour flight in the little 12 passenger airplane from San Jose to Puerto Jimenez…but the definite highlight was walking through the jungle, stepping out onto the beach and seeing Backwash going off at two feet overhead with light offshore wind and flawless conditions with just a few people in the line-up. I surfed until dark with both of my kids.

How was the surf while you were there?

We were on the Osa Peninsula and the surfed ranged from a couple of feet overhead to waist high toward the end of the trip. The point break Pan Dulce was really fun, nice long ripable waves; Backwash had some juice and Matapalo had its moments. I’d give the surf an 8 out of 10.

What would you say have been your major influences in your shaping career?

My father for teaching me how to work efficiently, Gordon and Smith for giving me nine years and hundreds of boards to learn how to shape, Mike Eaton for teaching me the importance of bottom contours, and designing and shaping surfboards for South Coast Surf Shops for the last 20 years.

Have your surfing influences impacting your shaping?

Yes, definitely. I ride shortboards exclusively (I don’t own a longboard) and am amazed at how great a well shaped/designed board feels under my feet. But at the same time I’m watching other surfers in the water to stay in tune with the demands that are being placed on the modern shortboard design. I’m always looking for improvements.

You’ve shaped for a number of different board companies, as well your own label. Was there any one time in your career that was pivotal in how you shape and design or more of a gradual process?

I would say the process was gradual. Year after year, board after board, learning something new every day.

Again, you’ve seen changes in design, technology, and technique throughout your career. What do feel was the most drastic or redefining point in design evolution?

Without a doubt, Simon Anderson’s 3-fin thruster design sent shortboard performance to a new level. The use of carefully placed bottom contours and highly refined removable fins has bumped performance to yet another level.

Robin, thank you for your time and I look forward to seeing you again around the shop or in the water.

Come in to South Coast Surf Shops to check out one of Robin Prodanovich’s designs, including the Swegg, Mod Quad, Quad DT, DefCon3, DefCon4, CR3 longboards, Reality Check and many more!

Read Robin’s shaper bio with photos.