Troubled times

I know we are all tired of hearing about our recessed economy, but everyday it seems the affects are more and more apparent. A recent example can be found in the branching out of surf company sponsorship to other avenues of industry.

One of the most engaging illustrations is Lost's recent sponsorship of Duane Lee Chapman, member of the crime fighting family of justice seeking bounty hunters led by the legendary Dog himself.



Here is Duane readying himself for the taxing task ahead, cautious yet confident in Lost's Ready Wear Bounty Gear.



The ventilation of Lost's breathable jersey allows Duane to stay cool in hot pursuit. With this revolutionary Cool Hunt technology Duane is able to grip his paint ball gun tight with sweat free hands.

Lost's New Ready Wear Bounty Gear will be available at Mckevlin's soon. Be sure to make reservations NOW!

Some Bad Luck...

We have all broken a fin before and usually one of two things happens, the fin breaks or the box/plug breaks. No big deal, $18.00 for a new fin (or more depending on the fin) or $35.00 for a plug replacement, unless you have the apparent misfortune of this board's owner.

What does this mean for you? It means there is a little surf so get out there

(because I can't).

Happy Earthday

FCS made a fin out of 50% post consumer waste, what have you done for the earth today.

This is actually a good thing, it is nice to see some of the bigger surf companies taking steps to reduce landfill waste. If the fins ride just as well as the other non earth friendly fins, why not. I guess cost is always an issue.


I wish I could give you guys a bit more info on the fins but the truth is I haven't been to work in 2 weeks and found these in my drawer this morning.

LINES newsletter related...

...it's hard to stay out of the mall when you got a big ass house payment:

“We’re excited to bring Rusty’s rich surf heritage to one of the nation’s leading department stores,” said Toby Bost, chief executive officer, La Jolla Group. “Rusty has been a core surf brand for 25 years, and has one of the most recognizable logos in the industry. The Rusty collection for JCPenney will offer authentic, beach-inspired products that appeal to a diverse, "aspirational and highly impressionable"(WTF?) young audience. We’re stoked to add JCPenney to our growing list of premiere retail partners, while enhancing our growth at the core level.”

"The R dot logo will stay in the core market, while a crown logo, above, will be the exclusive mark for Penney's"

I posted this for the benefit of all the core guys and girls out there. I would hate to see you lose all those years you put in being core just vanish into thin air when you rock up to the main peak at the Washout and someone says "Yeah holmes, RUSTY reprensentin', and then they notice the "crown logo" instead of the "R." Bang, just like that, your surfing 1oth block again. It's a harsh reality, but sh*t is real.

Shop-eat-surf.com
Transworld Business

2 demos for the price of one!!!

Going left?

Well the ...LOST surfboard demo went off last Saturday in 2-3 foot side-offshore waves at the Folly Beach Pier with much success. The fact that there was waves was a miracle in itself, but to actually get some "Washout only" guys down to the pier for a little bit was truly the work of a higher power. All in all, I was glad to see everyone that came out, even Grumpy Local, and most found a board they fell in love with. There was even a Mexican standoff for the 5'11" RNFQ which was settled by a best-of-3 coin toss in which the loser ended up winning the board due to the winner's random act of kindness. I'm actually writing a screenplay about it, stay tuned. I'm thinking about casting Anthony Osment in the role of the guy who didn't show up because it was too windy for his hair.

Out of the 9 demo boards, only 4 are left and they're ridiculously cheap for the condition they're in: surfed for 3 hours and $200 less than new!

• 5'4" RNFQ with color on deck: $370 -Futures Fins
• 5'7" RNF: $360 - FCS - I rode it, and it's a sick one. Helped me adjust to the "power" of Folly's waves very nicely.
• 6'2" Monkfish: $340 - Lokbox glass fins (that I personally donated) Matt Biolos' personal board.
• 6'4" Stealth: $370 - FCS (I think) Another of Matt's personal boards, double-wing swallow tail.
  

Call the shop if you want to put one on hold or have other questions, don't forget about McKevlin's layaway program. (843) 588-2247


So the demo was sooooo much fun, I decided to have another. This time it was my sister's car, and it was more of a demo-lition. Totally totaled. Next time someone stops traffic with their vehicle and waves you out to make a turn, and traffic is backed up beyond the double yellow line that leads to the turning lane, don't go. Not even after looking both directions twice, because some d-bag in typical Charleston real estate/golf attire will go over the double yellow line into the turning lane and try to make the light so he's not late for his 10:27 tee time at Shadowmoss and t-bone your ass, but it will be your fault for not yielding to traffic. Nothing beats paying out a $500 deductible when you lost your job a couple weeks ago.

Well I think it's some kind of holiday, so go celebrate if you're bro-brah irie irie.

It's been a while...

...since I last posted, but about a week ago I wrecked my motorcycle. Actually it wrecked me more then I wrecked it. I slammed on the brakes as a car in front of me did the same and the back tire locked up, slid out and through the bike on top of my left leg leaving me with some road rash and this,

a broken tibia and fibula. The motorcycle lost a turn signal and has a cracked headlight. Anyway, I spent two nights in the hospital to recover from some surgery and the past week laying around taking pain killers (not as much fun as it may sound). I should be able to start moving around in another week and hopefully surfing by late July. What a sh!tty way to start the summer season.

ah FISHQUEST!!!

5'5" x 19 1/4 x 2 1/4

...this board will not be at the demo because I refuse to pay $100 each way to have it fly with me, and its quite a shame. This is the Fishquest, a model that ...Lost does exclusively for its Japanese accounts to prevent other Japanese retailers from back-dooring ...Lost boards from other countries. Kind of like what the guy from Point Break (not the movie) was doing.

This is basically the Round Nose Fish Quad template with a mutated "rocket" tail and an elevated wing. This particular one was shaped out of a Marko EPS blank so it's really light, and I'm running the FCS C-Drive fins in it right now, graciously bequeathed to me by FCS rep. Nigel Haynes, with much success in all conditions of glassiness. This board is available in the States, but only on a custom order basis. Any questions come see me at the board demo this Saturday.

Yesterday's Yardsale

Well, yesterday was the ESA Surf Swap and Swell here in our very own Mckevlin's Parking lot.

While a lot of the merchandise was surf related, it looks like a few people snuck in one or two items that didn't quite meet the surf criteria.

... like this awesome ancient mask.

Unfortunately not all the surf related stuff was benevolent as is illustrated by these obvious pop-out Maverix short boards or as the tag says "Blue/Azul Shortboard."

I knew a few people would try to sneak something like this in. Next time we will have to save up to hire Slurry Jones for anti pop-out duty.

Double Helix

We got a shipment of Channel Islands in the other day including this Proton with double helix glassing from the future.

They took a stringer less PU blank (found in most traditional surfboards) and glassed it with epoxy resin adding a secret formula wrap around the rails. The lack of stringer is compensated by the strength given from the "helix" wrapped rails.

I wonder if the new glassing will keep those fin plugs from tearing out.


Because the board does not have a traditional stringer, the rails give the board a more natural torsional (twist) flex pattern resulting in more drive (theoretically).


The Double Helix board production material doesn't seem too wildly revolutionary. The strength is comparable to any epoxy board but the PU foam will absorb water unlike the closed cell foam found in XTR glassed boards. I guess we'll have to see how they ride.

April Fools...

...sorry, there will be no SUP demo, unless Paul Martin shows up. Here's the real scoop. I hand-picked 9 ...Lost surfboards from their warehouse in San Clemente, and not just stuff I wanted to ride. I've grabbed stuff for the big guys and everyone in between. This is your chance to ride before you buy, and all of these surfboards will be for sale at a friendly reduced price after the demo.

5'4" Round Nose Fish Quad - Futures fins
5'7" Round Nose Fish Thruster - FCS fins
5'8" Rocket - FCS fins
5'11" Round Nose Fish Quad - FCS fins
6'0" Stealth/Rocket w/ glass-on fins - One of the 1st of its kind, more Stealth than Rocket
6'2" Monk Fish - LokBox Quad - Matt Biolos' personal board
6'3" 5-Fin Shark Swallow Parabolic stringer XTR - FCS fins
6'4" Stealth - FCS Tri-fin - Matt Biolos' personal board
6'4" Monk Fish - FCS Quad fin

I can't wait to catch up with most of you, especially anonymous. Come down early, bring me some donuts, or that money you owe me. I have this gut feeling the waves are going to be all-time on Saturday.

SUP demo next weekend...

...I'm coming to town next weekend and I used all my connections at Cardiff Reef to set up a stand up paddleboard demo for Saturday April 11th from 10am-12:30pm at the West Side of the Folly Beach Pier.

Coinciding with this event will be the swap meet and mini carnival in the McKevlin's parking lot.

And if you were wondering, yes, SUP riders will be at the mini carnival. Bring your camera.