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The History of Surfboards

wbaker — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 05:10:39 +0000

One thousand six hundred years ago, when Paris was still a mudhole, Christianity was just starting to catch on and the Mayan and Incan empires in The Americas were beginning to peak, Polynesians and Hawaiians were riding waves from pieces of tree trunks and each “board” measured about five meters long. The first surfboards were made of indigenous wood the locals called Wili Wili, Ula, and Koa, and the boards were ridden not only for sport and exercise, but also as a form of machismo, bravado, and competition.
OK, some things never change.

Fast forward to the Twentieth Century: Paris has the Eiffel Tower, berets, and French toast while surfing in the South Pacific has stayed basically the same. Then, in 1926, George Freeth cut his surfboard in half, moved to California and became the first professional surfer. In that same year, Tom Blake created the first hollow board, essentially boring hundreds of thin holes in his redwood board, then applying a thin veneer of hardwood, thereby cutting the weight down to “just” one hundred pounds. Hawaiian riders ridiculed him at first, christening his invention the “cigar board,” until they witnessed how fast it was. Blake began the first mass manufacturing of surfboards in 1930. He also created the first “fixed” fin in 1935. Three years prior to that, in 1932, balsa was being imported from South America to the U.S. and surfers were using the lighter wood as a core for their boards, with a veneer of redwood on the outside for durability. This cut the weight down again, this time to about thirty to forty pounds. And, in 1934, Wally Froiseth started shaving and molding the tails of his boards to give them more maneuverability with a technique dubbed the “hot curl.”
After World War II, fiberglass and Styrofoam, both developed by military scientists for the war, hit the surf scene in a big way. Pete Peterson was the first person to make fiberglass surfboards. His original model, in 1946, had a redwood “stringer” through its core. Joe Quigg and Bob Simmons were two surfers who began travelling up and down the California coastline in the early Fifties, selling their new foam boards. In 1953, Dale Velzy set up the first surf shop with his buddy Hap Jacobs. Hobie Alter lived in Ontario and Laguna Beach, California, setting up his shop in 1954 and revolutionized surfboard production, mass producing two hundred and fifty a week and making it affordable as a luxury item, a plaything. He also schooled a new generation of board shapers, including Dewey Weber, Mickey Munoz, and Corky Carrol.
Shortboards and twin fins became popular in the Sixties, specifically the designs of Dick Brewer, a pioneer in making boards shorter: he reduced the size from ten feet to just six. And with that, the race was on to create boards that were faster and more stable and maneuverable in the water, with innovations in rail shapes, tails, and bottom contour.
Experimentation became the new game, but very few new ideas have persevered. The aluminum board came and went as if it never existed at all. The newest idea out there that has caught my eye is a board with a valve to control the inner pressure of the board to coincide with outside temperature and barometric pressure. What will they think of next? Let’s wait and see!

Jim Parisi and Jose Chopite

Surfer’s Soundtrack

wbaker — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 03:29:16 +0000

As surfing became popular as a sport in the late 1950s and early 1960s, it also evolved into a youthful lifestyle that included fast cars, parties at the beach, and its own language. Every new culture develops its own soundtrack as well and Southern Californian musicians were there to provide it for the burgeoning surf scene. Initially, instrumental songs were prevalent, the instruments of choice being Fender amplifiers and guitars, especially Stratocasters, Mustangs, and Jaguars, with lots of vibrato and reverb. Dick Dale, the “King of Surf Guitar”, The Ventures (“Walk Don’t Run”), and the Del-Tones were providing a string of songs in this new style, with a variety of one-hit-wonder bands filling in the gaps: The Chentays with “Pipeline”, the Trashmen with “Surfin’ Bird” (that The Ramones later did a version of), The Rivieras with “Warm California Sun” (also covered by The Ramones), and, of course, The Surfaris with “Wipeout!”

A vocal duet named Jan and Dean had a half-dozen or so popular songs, but it was really The Beach Boys, and Brian Wilson in particular, who gave lyrics to the music, gained longevity for the style, and gave credibility to this new genre called surf music, catapulting it into the limelight and keeping it there. The band members consisted of three Wilson brothers, their cousin, and a couple of friends. Dennis Wilson was the only serious surfer in the band. He would relay his experiences on the waves to his brother, Brian, who would find a way to wrap lyrics and a tune around the tale and call it a song. And it was Brian who became serious about vocal harmonies and recording techniques, the crescendo being “Pet Sounds” a landmark album on any level. Even the Beatles later admitted the influence that album had on them to become more creative in the studio.

In the Eighties, popular bands like The Pixies, The Go-Go’s, and the aforementioned Ramones definitely exhibited the influence surf music had on their own. One of my favorite bands from that era was the lesser known Surf Punks. Surfers always carry a bit of machismo with them, and the band reflected it with the tongue-in-cheek song “My Wave” (“this is my wave, this is my beach, those are my chicks, that’s my sand…”). One of the two members of The Surf Punks is the younger brother of Darrel Dragon, the “Captain” of The Captain and Tennille. What a weird household that must have been to grow up in.

Rolling into the Nineties and the Twenty-First Century, the surf torch has been carried by Man or Astro-man? and The Mermen. A faction of surf music has always retained that garage sound, as reflected by modern surf bands Monsters From Mars, The Aqua Velvets, and VonRippers. Now, in the second decade of this century, upstart surf bands ala Banana Seat and The Bitch Boys continue a tradition that started nearly half a century ago. As long as there are waves, there will be a soundtrack to accompany them. Surf music rules!

Surfing in Maldives- an exhilarating experience

wbaker — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:39:56 +0000

Surfing in Maldives – an exhilarating experience

By: Pushpitha Wijesinghe

The Maldives is a location for travelers who want to completely escape the regularity of everyday life and sink in to a leisurely period where the world slows down enabling you to enjoy everything from a hot cup of tea to a morning on the beach. The perfectly golden beaches of these islands offers perfect places where travellers can just jump into their swimwear and soak up the sun while sipping on a heavenly king coconut. The popular local delicacies found here are also worth sampling as they are based mainly on seafood which is an abundant commodity in this part of the world. From king size lobsters to tiny oyster snacks, Maldives is the place for you if you’re in love with seafood.

Ranked as one of the hottest surfing destinations in the world, Maldives attracts many foreigners to its beaches who are looking for nothing more than waves to catch and rip curls to ride. While some of the surfers who grace these shores are true legends in their own right, beginners too have perfect stretches of beaches where the waves are attractive yet tame enough for those of us who are yet to master the art of surfing.

While there are many beaches in the Maldives that facilitate surfing, travellers have become accustomed to visiting preferred locations that have acquired the recognition of seasoned surfers from around the world. The popular stretch of beach which is known simply as Chickens is located along the eastern reef of North Male Atoll. This gorgeous beach which was named after the poultry farm located on the island is known to produce magnificent waves that would prove to be unavoidable if you’re a fan of surfing. Cokes is another popular location where unbelievable tubes are created enabling surfers ride short yet very steep curls that makes for an adrenaline pumping experience second to none.

When considering lodging options regarding Maldives travel, few are able to match the outstanding facilities which are offered by John Keells Hotels Group. Known as one of the leading names with regard to Maldives hotels, feel relaxed as John Keells Hotels Group makes your stay in the Maldives a memorable one.

About the Author

Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.

(ArticlesBase SC #1759760)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Surfing in Maldives- an exhilarating experience

Earthquake Safety

wbaker — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 04:55:58 +0000

My name is Doug Copp. I am the Rescue Chief and Disaster Manager of the
American Rescue Team International (ARTI), the world’s most experienced
rescue team. The information in this article will save lives in an
earthquake.

I have crawled inside 875 collapsed buildings, worked with rescue teams from
60 countries, founded rescue teams in several countries, and I am a member
of many rescue teams from many countries.

I was the United Nations expert in Disaster Mitigation for two years. I have
worked at every major disaster in the world since 1985, except for
simultaneous disasters.

The first building I ever crawled inside of was a school in Mexico City
during the 1985 earthquake. Every child was under its desk. Every child was
crushed to the thickness of their bones. They could have survived by lying
down next to their desks in the aisles. It was obscene, unnecessary and I
wondered why the children were not in the aisles. I didn’t at the time know
that the children were told to hide under something. I am amazed that even
today schools are still using the ?Duck and Cover? instructions- telling the
children to squat under their desks with their heads bowed and covered with
their hands. This was the technique used in the Mexico City school.

Simply stated, when buildings collapse, the weight of the ceilings falling
upon the objects or furniture inside crushes these objects, leaving a space
or void next to them. This space is what I call the ‘triangle of life’. The
larger the object, the stronger, the less it will compact. The less the
object compacts, the larger the void, the greater the probability that the
person who is using this void for safety will not be injured. The next time
you watch collapsed buildings, on television, count the ‘triangles’ you see
formed. They are everywhere. It is the most common shape, you will see, in a
collapsed building.

TIPS FOR EARTHQUAKE SAFETY

1) Almost everyone who simply ‘ducks and covers’ when buildings collapse ARE
CRUSHED TO DEATH. People who get under objects, like desks or cars, are
crushed.

2) Cats, dogs and babies often naturally curl up in the fetal position. You
should too in an earthquake. It is a natural safety/survival instinct. That
position helps you survive in a smaller void. Get next to an object, next to
a sofa, next to a large bulky object that will compress slightly but leave a
void next to it.

3) Wooden buildings are the safest type of construction to be in during an
earthquake. Wood is flexible and moves with the force of the earthquake. If
the wooden building does collapse, large survival voids are created. Also,
the wooden building has less concentrated, crushing weight. Brick buildings
will break into individual bricks. Bricks will cause many injuries but less
squashed bodies than concrete slabs. Concrete slab buildings are the most
dangerous during an earthquake.

4) If you are in bed during the night and an earthquake occurs, simply roll
off the bed. A safe void will exist around the bed. Hotels can achieve a
much greater survival rate in earthquakes, simply by posting a sign on the
back of the door of every room telling occupants to lie down on the floor,
next to the bottom of the bed during an earthquake.

5) If an earthquake happens and you cannot easily escape by getting out the
door or window, then lie down and curl up in the fetal position next to a
sofa, or large chair.

6) Almost everyone who gets under a doorway when buildings collapse is
killed. How? If you stand under a doorway and the doorjamb falls forward or
backward you will be crushed by the ceiling above. If the door jam falls
sideways you will be cut in half by the doorway. In either case, you will be
killed!

7) Never go to the stairs. The stairs have a different ‘moment of frequency
(they swing separately from the main part of the building). The stairs and
remainder of the building continuously bump into each other until structural
failure of the stairs takes place. The people who get on stairs before they
fail are chopped up by the stair treads ? horribly mutilated. Even if the
building doesn’t collapse, stay away from the stairs. The stairs are a
likely part of the building to be damaged. Even if the stairs are not
collapsed by the earthquake, they may collapse later when overloaded by
fleeing people. They should always be checked for safety, even when the rest
of the building is not damaged.

8) Get Near the Outer Walls Of Buildings Or Outside Of Them If Possible – It
is much better to be near the outside of the building rather than the
interior. The farther inside you are from the outside perimeter of the
building the greater the probability that your escape route will be blocked.

9) People inside of their vehicles are crushed when the road above falls in
an earthquake and crushes their vehicles; which is exactly what happened
with the slabs between the decks of the Nimitz Freeway. The victims of the
San Francisco earthquake all stayed inside of their vehicles. They were all
killed. They could have easily survived by getting out and lying in the
fetal position next to their vehicles. Everyone killed would have survived
if they had been able to get out of their cars and sit or lie next to them.
All the crushed cars had voids 3 feet high next to them, except for the cars
that had columns fall directly across them.

10) I discovered, while crawling inside of collapsed newspaper offices and
other offices with a lot of paper, that paper does not compact. Large voids
are found surrounding stacks of paper.

In 1996 we made a film, which proved my survival methodology to be correct.
The Turkish Federal Government, City of Istanbul , University of Istanbul
Case Productions and ARTI cooperated to film this practical, scientific
test. We collapsed a school and a home with 20 mannequins inside. Ten
mannequins did ‘duck and cover,’ and ten mannequins I used in my ‘triangle
of life’ survival method. After the simulated earthquake collapse we crawled
through the rubble and entered the building to film and document the
results.

The film, in which I practiced my survival techniques under directly
observable, scientific conditions, relevant to building collapse, showed
there would have been zero percent survival for those doing duck and cover.

There would likely have been 100 percent survivability for people using my
method of the ‘triangle of life.’ This film has been seen by millions of
viewers on television in Turkey and the rest of Europe , and it was seen in
the USA , Canada and Latin America on the TV program Real TV.

Spread the word and save someone’s life…. The entire world is experiencing
natural calamities so be prepared!