Come down to our Pacific Beach location for Channel Islands Demo Day Saturday, May 18, 2013! Test the best from Channel Islands from 9 AM – 1 PM! See you there!

Firewire Channels Green Technology

With the ongoing pursuit to find greener products, Firewire Surfboards teamed up with Australian cabinetmaker, Grant Newby, to come up with their most eco-friendly technology to date! The answer: wood! Built using Firewire’s proven “sandwich construction” process, TechnoGrain resembles their popular Future Shapes Technology but with different materials. The top, bottom, and parabolic rails are made of Paulownia wood, which is very sustainable in wet conditions. In addition to its durability, the use of this wood and its water resistance allows Firewire to reduce the amount of fiberglass and resin, in turn, making a light, high-performance board!

For the super tech-y surfboard lovers, the exterior of all TechnoGrain boards are sealed with an Entropy bio-resin hot coat on the deck and bottom as well as a small fiberglass rail lap. The Paulownia exterior is bonded to the EPS core using a bio-resin under vacuum and a single layer of lightweight cloth is added under the top deckskin for increased compression strength.

Firewire CEO Mark Price says the most promising aspect of this technology is that a number of their team riders say its the best performing technology they offer! Now that sounds like a bitchin’ board! The launch of these boards comes in the Spitfire and Baked Potato. Release of these eco-friendly boards is in early May. Check out our online surfboard catalog for more boards! Who’s excited?!

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.

Not every beach community is as hard core as it is with the Bra Boys, but the most common concern for most beginning surfers is the fear that they will run into some meathead who will beat them up for taking their wave.  Although that is a rare occurance out in the water, you still will have your fair share of “run-ins”  with some local who thinks they own the ocean.  This clip has an interesting perspective on localism. So should you just stay away and leave the beauty of the ocean and the spirit of surfing behind?  That answer is simple, no of course not.  Any time you go into the water you should follow a few guidelines that will make your surf experience and those around you safe and fun. 

In the few years that I have been surfing, I have managed to learn a couple of simple surf etiquettes that insure your surfing can stay magical and rewarding.  You just picked up your brand new South Coast surf board and are ready to charge your local surf spot or so you thought.  After about twenty minutes of thrashing around and getting nasty looks you finally see the perfect wave and start paddling.  “Kook, get out of the way” or something to that effect is all you hear as some guy buzzes by you.  You first reaction is of course to give that guy a piece of your mind, he doesn’t own the ocean and that wave is just as much yours as it is his.  To some extent you would be right, but there are a few things you should keep in mind when starting out.

First off,  there is a unspoken hierarchy for dropping into that perfect wave.  That guy might have been waiting an hour or longer for the same wave and has been surfing at that spot for years.  The most important thing when starting out is to be patient.  There are plenty of waves for everyone and you’ll get all you can handle.  Take your turn with everone else and you will be much more respected.  Next, make sure to be polite out in the water.  I don’t mean saying please and thank you, or saying excuse me after burping.  Just don’t freak out or lose you cool if someone steals your wave or you can’t manage to catch anything while everone else is looking like Kelly Slater.  Fights occasionally happen and it is important to be the one enjoying the next set while others fuss about.  Also important is learning about who has wave priority.  All other problems with veteran surfers stem from this one area.  The person who is closest to the peak of the wave or where it is breaking, (the foamy white part) has priority of the wave.  If you see someone paddling into a wave and they have this position then let it go.  Often you will be out of position and someone will let you have the wave so listen for them to say go ahead.  When in doubt, just always wait.  As you advance in your surfing you will learn how annoying it is to have someone “steal” your wave.  Along with this, is making sure that you dont drop-in on another person’s wave.  This means cutting off another person who is on the wave already.  Lastly, make sure to control your board after you fall or if a monster wave is coming for you and your not going to make it.  Safety should always be a major concern when you go out and many new surfers think it’s ok to let their board fly around.  That thing can be a weapon if not handled correctly.  If you see a big wave coming when paddling out or your going over the falls, make sure to hold onto your board so someone doesn’t get wacked. 

It is likely that you may accidently “break” one of these rules, so be polite and say sorry if you do something wrong.  Other minor things to consider are not being loud or obnoxious. It’s just annoying and takes away from the peaceful nature of surfing.  Also, don’t be a wave hog.  Most likely you’ll start out with a bigger board that catches waves easier, so share the wealth.  I can’t guarantee that you’ll go out and have no problems, but if you go out with a positive attitude all the rest will fall into place.  No one will be able to call you a dummy again.  For all your surfing needs, check out our five South Coast locations or shop online at southcoast.com.

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.

Jody W. Wood

In the past, a lot of young groms who were just getting into surfing, often took to the waves on their dad or older brother’s old board, or maybe an old school, yard sale special. But, the times, they are a changing. Performance, at all age levels, has increased over the years with changes in design and materials. Young groms are ripping at a level not seen by many pros 20 years ago. That type of performance surfing doesn’t happen by accident. Kids are starting out younger and younger, with goals and plans to be professional surfers. And chances are, the kid down the street isn’t riding his dad’s 7’6″ Egg anymore. Now, there are high performance shortboards designed especially for the little guys, scaled down versions of one’s the big boys ride.

Larry Ricci, surfboard shaper/designer for South Coast Surf Shops talks about the Grom Model seen in Surfshot Magazine this month with team rider Jay Christensen.

1. What is the idea behind the Grom Model?

“Over the last ten years the technical ability of younger surfers has improved dramatically. These kids require fine-tuned, high performance surfboards to compliment their ability. They are tireless wave mongers. They want to go fast, get air, carve, snap, and tube ride. Robin Prodanovich and I are just as fired up to provide the vehicle for the next generation.

2. What kind of feedback have you gotten from the kids riding them?

“I’m truly impressed with the articulation and detailed feedback we get from the kids. They are so much more informed and in tune with design concepts than ever before. They understand rocker, outline, rail volume, fins, etc. Their input has been incredibly positive.

3. What sizes are the boards available in?

“Usually 5’10″ and under. Eight year-old team rider Ryland Rubens is currently riding a 4’10″.

4. Do you feel these boards will help speed the learning curve for surfers who might have, in the past, been stuck with their dad’s old board?

“Once they reach a certain performance level, they want a board designed especially for them. They don’t want to ride their dad’s old board anymore.

5. How long have these boards been in the works between yourself and Robin?

“As the performance curve has widened to include younger and younger surfers, so has the demand for the appropriate equipment. Robin and I draw from our years of experience and, especially, rider feedback to continue the development as these kids lead us to the next level.”

6. Are the grom models available in the shops or are they all customs so far?

“There are some grom models in our current inventory, but custom orders are the most popular right now. You can personally speak to Robin or myself about a custom design by appointment.”

By Jody Wood

We are rapidly entering the holiday shopping season, which officially kicked off the Friday after Thanksgiving, and if you, or someone you know, is an avid longboarder or someone looking to get started, there’s no better place to shop than South Coast Longboards. Located at 5037 Newport Avenue, in Ocean Beach, just a half-block from the beach itself, the shop caters to stylists and soul surfers.

The shop has a wide variety of South Coast longboards, everything from old school single fins, to modern performance oriented 2+1 set-ups. Most of the boards there are shaped by San Diego native and longtime surfer/shaper Robin Prodanivich, who carved out his first board back in 1968. Robin’s professional shaping career began with nine years at Gordon and Smith, before he ventured out on his own. He’s been cranking out South Coast boards now for more than ten years and the variety of shapes available at the longboard store covers everyone from the beginner to the rippers and everything in between. Custom shapes are also available. Just talk to a member of the friendly staff if you are interested in having a board shaped specifically for you and they are happy to get the ball rolling.

Not only does South Coast Longboards carry a wide selection of its own brand, the staff keeps a steady supply of Stewarts, Gordon and Smith, and Donald Takayama boards on hand as well. Although the shop is geared toward longboards, it also has a good selection of G&S funboards and fish, as well as a rack full of used boards, leashes, wetsuits by O’neill, car racks, and all the other gear you need to complete your surfing setup.

And since you can’t wear your wetsuit all the time, they have plenty of clothing available to help avoid any indecent exposure type siutations. Quiksilver Edition, Old Guys Rule, and Honolua to name just a few brands, along with a good supply of South Coast t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, and jackets. You can also find comfortable footwear from Rainbow, Reef, Vans, and Simple, with something for everyone in the family.

So, when you are ready to get the ball rolling with your holiday shopping, be sure to stop by South Coast Longboards and let our knowledgeable surfing crew help you get the right gift for your family and friends.

South Coast Longboards
5037 Newport Avenue Ocean Beach, CA 92107
(619) 223-8808

Simon, congratulations on winning our “email sign-up to win a free South Coast Surfboard” contest!

How did you hear about our contest?

I was poking around some boards in your Bacon Street shop and got chatting to Kevin who was real helpful. I can’t really remember filling out the form at the counter, but I’m glad I did.  I never win anything apart from the time I guessed the number of marshmallows in the jar which I got – bang on…256! Yeah, I was sick for days.

So, I understand you are not in the country right now, where are you?

I’m in New Zealand… it’s made up of a couple of islands so there’s always surf and its always offshore somewhere. Great place for exploring and you can’t get more than 100 miles from the coast if you try. This time of year you can snowboard in the morning and surf in the afternoon, although the water gets a bit chill. Awesome, except I can’t pick up my board till I get back!

What style of board do you typically ride?

I’ve got a 6’0 fish I bought in Brazil, a 6’3 6 channel Byrne Surftech, which is unreal for down the line waves and all the speed you need, an old original Byrne 6’3 6 channel, which was made in Oz about 20 years ago. It’s such a fun board to ride and it’s like going back in history each time I dig it out. I also have a 6’6 rounded pin for larger hollow waves. Oh, and a 1976 longboard which I can hardly lift which I leave for those small summer days when there’s not much else to do.

What style of South Coast board do you think you will order?

How many am I allowed again? Just one? I’ve actually been looking at getting a smaller board for those to 2-3 ft summer days where I get out of bed late and the wind has junked up the waves but still go for a surf, something in the 5’10 range and also quite like the idea of a quad. What would you recommend??

Thanks again South Coast!!

Simon Winter