Watch Time: 4 mins

Occy is one of the all time legendary goofy footers. Growing up in Sydney Australia he quickly become an epic surfer.

If you want to learn to surf check out this awesome program Learn To Surf Secrets

Hey Everyone,

We are updating our site to the current one you currenltly see. We are ironing out a few difficulties. That is why it says “Your Logo” at ther top

While your here check this awesome video out.

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Read Time: 10 mins

Surfboards can really be expensive. However, you will see that used surfboards are readily available and you can purchase these boards at your local surf shop or even in the internet in auction websites, such as eBay. The great thing about buying used surfboards is that it will be able to save you hundreds of dollars compared to buying a brand new one. However, you need to remember that if you buy a surfboard that is “too used”, then it may not be worth the huge savings you will get for getting it as opposed to getting a new one.

Whenever you buy a used surfboard, always remember that there are rules that you should follow in order for you to really get your money’s worth. Always scour every inch of the surfboard you plan on purchasing before you actually purchase it. You have to remember that any dings in the surfboard should have been repaired. You should also feel all over the surfboard especially over the spot where the dings were repaired. What you are looking for would be soft spots.

Soft spots will mean that the foam inside have rotted from water seeping in. This is not a good thing and you are better off with another board. Also, you need to look for the amount of ding repairs. If the board has a lot of it and even if the repair job was done quite well, the amount of dings can mean that the board is too lightly glassed, which is also not cool.

If you see an obvious repair running the length of the board, this will mean that the board was probably cracked in half, which is also not a cool thing. Although some boards like this will still ride quite well, you may want to remember that it will never be the same as it was when it was still whole or wasnít cracked in half.

Discoloring on used surfboards is normal. The discoloration is usually caused by UV and it is mostly cosmetic and will not in any way affect its performance.

You should also check the fins of the used board you plan on purchasing. Check if there are any cracks especially around the base if they are glassed on. You have to remember that cracks on the fins are expensive repairs. If the fins are removable, you should check the boxes for cracks, water seepage and stripped shrub screws. You have to remember that fin boxes are also very expensive to replace and getting one with one of the mentioned damages means spending a lot of money for repairs.

A little wear and tear is natural and is really not a big deal if timely repairs were done as it will prevent extensive damages. You also need to remember that used surfboards looses its flex characteristics. However, this feature will not really mean any difference and if there is, it will only be a minor one.

The best deal that you can get for a used surfboard is getting one that has hardly been used. The best used surfboards that you will be able to get are from people who didnít see the board they purchased as a perfect fit for them. They will want to get rid of the board fast in order for them to purchase a better board that is perfect for them. Who knows? Maybe the board that they didnít like would be perfect for you.

The key to finding the best surfboard is by shopping around. It is really not recommended to purchase one over the internet as you will never be able to see it up close to examine it unless you buy it. If done right, buying a used surfboard will definitely save you a lot of money.

Read Time: 5 mins

Today’s post is a quick one about safety in the surf. Safety is very important, and it is not only your own safety you need to consider but all the other surfers/swimmers who are in the water.

Here are some great points to try to remember when your learning to surf.

- Try to minimise the time that the board is ever between you and an oncoming wave, if you fall off your board and are swimming, always keep the board behind you or to your side.

- Remember that your board will travel a long distance away from you due to the stretch in your leg rope, if possible try to keep a good distance away from other people in the water. Although this can be hard if the beach break is busy.

- Nose guards can be a great addition for your board if you are learning to surf, they will help protect the nose of your body going through your leg if you badly come unstuck.

- Make sure you always surf with a friend, or at least make sure there are other people in the water. If your out by yourself, a couple of niceties with another surfer may make him realize your in trouble if he hasn’t seen you in a while.

- Be sun safe, of course a bit of sun can be healthy for you, but if you are getting fried everyday this will cause a problem, remember to cover up.

- If you get dumped by a wave it is often a good idea to put your arm above your head when you are about to surface, this will stop yourself from coming up and smacking your head on the board.

- Another thing to remember if you have been dumped is to identify where your board is immediately after surfacing, this will prevent you from being in a situation where a wave can smash the board into you.

- If you fall off and are getting dumped by a wave, just relax and enjoy the ride, count to 5 slowly and by the time you know it you will be under control.

Just a couple of things to think about to ensure your surf is a safe one.

Peace.

Troy

Read Time = 10 mins

Applying wax to ones surfboard is one of those things where you are for some unknown reason expected to know what is going on from the start. However,

in reality there is a lot more to surfboard wax than may meet the eye.

In essence surfboard wax is a waxy substance which is applied to the top side of your surfboard which helps your feet stick to the board. The amount of time I have seen people trying to surf on a completely brand new board, all slippery and shining is unbelievable and perhaps not so obvious to some, it is not a snowboard, you do not wax the bottom!

Buying The Right Wax For The Job.

If you walk into any surf shop you are going to be confronted with an array of different waxes. Which one should you choose? It doesn’t really matter which brand you buy, people seem to have the brand of wax that they use, whether it be because they like the smell or the marketing or something, however the most important thing you need to look at when buying wax is getting the right wax for the right water temperature you will be surfing in.

If you make the mistake of buying a cold water wax and you paddle out into the lineup in Indonesia, consider your wax gone, it will melt straight off and begone by the time you paddle onto your first wave.

The general rule of thumb is the harder the wax the higher the melting point, therefore, the higher the temperature water the wax will survive and work for you in.

There are some general guidelines when purchasing surf wax. These figures may change a little between different brands of wax however, this is a good guide.

The Undercoat – Often called basecoat wax, this wax has a really high melting point, it can be great for summer and it is also great for creating an initial layer on a new board.
Cold Water Wax – Best used if surfing in waters below around 60 F or 15 C
Cool Water wax – Cool water wax is best used for temperatures between 59 and 68 F or 15-20 C

Warm Water Wax – 65 to 75 F or 18 to 23 C
Tropical Wax – The last type is tropical wax used for temperature range of 23 and above.

The Fun Part

Okay, now you have selected the right wax for the environment you will be surfing in, its time to figure out how to get it onto your board.

Surf board wax doesn’t come with a 10 page instructional manual, so it can be a little confusing. This results in people just rubbing it all over there board willy nilly, although this does kind of work and will hep you stick, if you use the right method of application you will get a better coverage, the wax will last longer and you will stick to it better.

The best place to apply your wax is in a cool spot out of the sun, if you apply your wax in the sun, you run the risk of it melting and ruining your hard work.

Find a soft spot you can but your board down such as grass or a lounge, or carpet and if you can remove the fins (ie, if you have fin control system, if your fins are glassed in DO NOT try to remove them ).

Start with your undercoat surf wax, your aim is to get a nice even thin layer across the board. To apply the wax you want to maintain a decent pressure, but don’t press so hard that you dint your board, or flatten the wax too much.

Apply the surf wax from end to end of your board, following the stringer up and down and then swap and rub it on crosswise starting at one rail and ending at another. By applying wax in this fashion the wax will begin to form smallish bumps. If you are getting small bumps you are on the right track, keep the same pressure and keep going.

Once you have an adequate layer on undercoat it is now time to apply the regular wax. If at any time your wax begins to melt due to the friction of the application you can either stop and wait a little while, or a quick hose down of your board will make it ready to go again.

Your undercoat should have developed into small beads. Take the regular wax and apply it your board in small circular patterns, covering the entire board.

Continue up and down the board in a small circular motion until you have used the entire cake of wax.

Where Do I Put This Surf Wax?

If you are a beginner surfer it is a good idea to put too much wax and cover too much of your board than it is to miss important spots where you may be putting your feet. If you are riding a long board you should cover the thing from end to end, yep, just cover the whole entire top of the board. This will allow you to walk along the board and eventually you can be hanging five or hanging ten.

If you have a short board or a fun board, then you probably don’t need to apply the wax all the way to the nose, starting from the tail work your way up to around three quarters up the board. When you are learning you will be standing up at all different spots on your board and its best to cover any spot which may potentially have your feet on it.

You may also want to put more wax where your hands will go on the board, right alongside the rail, this will give you a bit extra grip when duck diving, popping through the waves or turtle rolling. Be careful not to put wax on the rails, on on the bottom of the board,this will effect the boards performance in the water.

How Do I Get The Surf Wax Off?
There may be a variety of reasons you have to get wax off your board. You may need to get really old wax off that has lost its stick and start again with a fresh lot, you may need to fix a ding or hole in your board, or you may be bored one summers day when there is no surf, and just feel like putting new wax on.

Whatever the reason, there is a bit of an art to it. The first step is to soften the wax by melting it, this can be done by leaving your board in the sun (just don’t do this for too long),  or tipping warm water on your board. You may see or hear some people say to use a hair dryer, but I have seen too many people melt the fiberglass of there board by doing this. Also if you use warm water, don’t use boiling water straight from the kettle, this will also melt your board and cause it to bubble. Warm water should be enough to start the wax melting.

After the wax has melted somewhat you can now scrape it off, and it should come off easily. Many waxes come with a wax comb that has a wax remover side on it, if you don’t have a wax comb you can use a credit card and it works perfectly. Don’t use anything abrasive or sharp such as metal or a knife to take the wax off or you could wreck your board.

In Summary

Wax is an important part of surfing and it can almost be a spiritual experience waxing your board before you head out into the water. If you do it right initially,you will make your coat of wax last a lot longer and perform better.
Remember to always give your board a quick wax before you head out into the surf. When your wax becomes too chunky, dry and doesn’t seem to stick anymore, its time to start again.

A great product which I love is TreeHuggerWax it is made out of natural ingredients and no petroleum based products, it is great for your baord and great for the environment. They will ship worldwide and its great stuff.

Always good to get a little inspiration. Morning Of The Earth is a great surfing video and should be a part of everyone’s collection.

Read/Watch Time: 11 mins

To kick off our new blog, I thought a nice video staring some great surfers and of course some surfing penguins would be perfect. This little clip has some great information for the beginner surfer.

Click here to view the embedded video.