2 Simple Care Tips to Help You Preserve The Life of Your Surfboard

When you have a surfboard that you love, you want to keep it as long as you possibly can. And though every tangible item will eventually need to be discarded and replaced, there is no reason why you couldn't have your surfboard for many years. If you want to get the most out of your investment, take advantage of these two simple cleaning and care tips to help you preserve the life of your surfboard. 

1. Be Mindful of Where Your Board is When You Aren't Using it: When you aren't riding the waves, where is your surfboard? One of the easiest ways that you can ensure your board will last you longer is by being aware of what you are doing with it when you aren't riding waves. For example, if you are changing your wet suit and haven't bagged your board yet, don't set it up against your car. This puts it at risk for falling or getting bumped around by a strong gust of wind. Instead, bag your board as soon as you are done using it, or at the very least, lay it on the ground instead of standing upright.
2. Keep Up With General Maintenance: When you notice a small problem with your board, get it repaired right away. If you put something off or ignore it, that small problem could turn into a huge, expensive repair. Or worse, you might have to chuck your bag altogether. Instead of this, when you notice dings in your board, take it to the repair shop right away to make it as good as new again. 

Looking for more cleaning and care tips? Contact us today!

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Surfing Legend From Jacksonville Beach Passes

When people think about sports that can be enjoyed into your old age, tennis and golf often come to mind. However, for local Jacksonville legend Ed Romer, surfing was the activity he enjoyed into his 70s. 

According to an article from the Florida Times-Union, Romer was known at the Jacksonville Beach as the "Dangerous Dad." He got the name for his love of going out past the crowd of younger surfers, waiting for the perfect wave, and riding it in to shore, sending the other surfers scattering along his path. He had been surfing at Jacksonville Beach for 40 years and was well-known by the locals as someone who could always be trusted to have his surfboard, hitting the waves. In fact, rumors even circulated that he lived under the pier since he was there so much.

Surprisingly, Romer didn't pass from old age but rather an unfortunate accident with a golf cart in the mountains. While his tragic death will leave a hole in the hearts of those at the Jacksonville Beach, Romer is a great example of someone who did what they loved throughout their whole life. In a previous interview with the Times-Union a few years ago, Romer said he had been surfing for 55 years. He retired from the Navy in 1977, settling in at Jacksonville Beach to become the legend that her was. Romer obviously left an impact on his son Joey Romer, who said, 

“I hope to be surfing in my 80s, to follow in his footsteps.”

If you identify with Romer and his son, and plan on surfing until you can't anymore, check out our unbeatably priced gear and apparel at surfboards.com. Contact us today for more information.

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Blake to Greenough - A Brief History of Surfboard Fins

The difference between most recreational surfers and the salty few who live to slide & shred is an astute understanding of Fins... I say few, because most surfers take their surfboard fins for granted. Yes, most surfers spend sleepless nights pondering and fretting over their next board’s shape, length and airbrush design, but give little thought to the fins they plug-in underneath it. Many just go with whatever FCS or Futures fins their local surf shop grom recommends. Well, hopefully this little surf history lesson will help you better understand and appreciate the foiled rudders helping you steer from beneath your waxed deck.

The debate of where surfing began is yet, and may never be, settled by historians. Some claim that the ancient Polynesians owned the wild surf first, while others point back 2000 years to the pre-Incan, Moche Civilization, and their “Caballitos de Totora” (Straw Seahorses) as the world’s first wave riders. However, what is not debated amongst surf historians is who bolted on the first fin. It was surf pioneer Tom Blake, who in 1935, had grown tired of his 12 ft. heavy paddle board continually sliding out on him while riding Hawaii’s Waikiki surf. The solid wood paddle boards and hollow “kook boxes” of that era offered little directional control. So Blake came up with the clever idea of attaching a fin to gain better control.

And like a true, hardcore surfer… Blake “borrowed” the materials to craft that first fin from a ditched speedboat that he happened to stumble upon! "My first wave revealed the truth," Blake was later quoted by the Encyclopedia of Surfing. "Never before had I experienced such control and stability."

Like most progressive changes, Blake’s fin design did not take root amongst surfers until the 1940’s. Even then, most of the wood and fiberglass fins were just crude lumps; fashioned to resemble a dolphin’s dorsal fin. That is, until a sun-bleached blonde Santa Barbara kneeboarder named George Greenough began getting noticed for his high-speed wave performances punctuated by radical, deep turns. Greenough was among the first to pay attention to fin design and drew inspiration from the anatomy of fast swimming fish. This caused him to created narrow based fins with long rakes; similar to the tails of Marlin and Tuna. It was upon this new fin design that Aussie, Nat Young, was able to accomplish the bold maneuvers that led to his 1966 World Surf Title.

Without the combination of Greenough’s fin forethought and Nat Young’s ‘66 performance much of the late 1960’s shortboard revolution would have never taken place. A revolution that led towards the 1970's totally unstable twin fin design to Simon Anderson’s 1980 three fin, much more stable, Thruster. Both of these later fin systems were crucial to surfing’s progression and we will discuss them later. In the meantime, please feel free to chime in or comment here about your thoughts regarding surfing’s early fin designs and significant pioneers.

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Get Hooked Up With Boardshorts For Summer

With summer just around the corner, it is time to shop for some new boardshorts. Whether you wear your boardshorts for surfing, swimming, or just hanging out, at Surfboards.com we have you covered. Check out some of our top-selling boardshorts styles and get your own today. Surfboards.com offers a low price guarantee and free shipping on all orders. 

For Women

Our women's boardshorts come in lots of fun colors this year and in all the brands you love. We carry Hurley, Roxy, Dakine, Volcom, and more. You can get a comfortable boardshort with an elastic waist and a 2.5" inseam like these Hurley Beachrider boardshorts. For a more utilitarian boardshort, check out our Volcom Simply Solid boardshorts with an 11" inseam and a drawstring waistband. 

For Men

For men we also have a variety of patterns to choose from and all of your favorite brands. For a simple look and a great boardshort, try our Hurley One and Only boardshorts in black. They have a 22" inseam and an EZ fly. If you want to turn a few heads, you can pick a bolder pattern or color like the Hurley One and Only boardshorts in total orange. If you are looking for something that is better to wear around town, we have a great selection of walk shorts as well. 

For Kids

We have a selection of boardshorts for kids in their favorite brands like DC, Quiksilver, RVCA, and more. Check our website for more details.

Don't let summer arrive without stocking up on some new boardshorts for all of your summer adventures. Contact us today for more information. 

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