Just a few random shots from the past few days. Was really stoked to get some glassy waves last weekend. I switched it up from an old set of clear fins to these yellow hexcore set. These were the Eric Arakawa template that were working perfect in the 3-4 foot clean surf. They really excelled in the glassy conditions and were nice for cutbacks.
Then I went for a body surf in the shorepound for some closeout tube shots with the water camera. Waiting for that big swell and good lighting to get some more.
Hawaii usually conjures up images of blue skies and turquoise waves. Sometimes taking out the color can show the true power of the surf even more. It’s not always sunny either, so on overcast days with rain squalls lighting and water color is far from perfect as are the waves. Here are a few shots from Pipe and Rocky Point on some not so perfect days. Although the color of the waves has been desaturated, the energy of the surf is raw and oversaturated…
These were during the lay days of the Vans World Cup of Surfing.
Photos By: Ryan Kleiner
Here are a few shots from the 2nd day at the Sunset Contest on the North Shore of O’ahu. The swell has become a bit more manageable with lighter winds today. The first day of the contest (Sunday) saw larger windy unorganized swell with way bigger sets. Today the sun was shining and still double overhead on the sets. Swell is kind of dropping but more on the way for later in the week with less wind and should be good.
Photos By Ryan Kleiner:
( top ) Looking up from Rocky Point on Monday Morning at the contest scene. Some heavy tubes for sure…
( middle ) Contest crowd was massive on Sunday. Great weather and good swell = lots of people from all over.
( bottom ) Adam Robertson getting a good top turn in his heat.
True Ames Team Rider Chris Harvey recently took a 2 week trip to Portugal for some surf kayaking. Chris also met up with the shaper from Watertech Kayaks to start work on a new surf kayak design. Thanks for the update Chris! The photos are rad!
OCEAN BEACH, San Francisco/California (Wednesday, November 2, 2011) – Kelly Slater (USA), 39, has claimed a historic 11th ASP World Title today, clinching the year-long pursuit with his advancement out of Round 3 at the Rip Curl Pro Search San Francisco.
The Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez Battle of the Paddle Doheny State Beach, Dana Point, CA
September 24 & 25, 2011
Dana Point, CA — The stand-up paddle phenomenon known as the Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez “Battle of the Paddle” first ignited at Doheny State Beach, California, back in 2008. Since then, the ingenious formula of high-energy races and stand-up paddle (SUP) exposition has become the heartbeat of an industry and the pulse of a global lifestyle. The fourth annual Battle of the Paddle 2011 returns to Doheny State Beach September 24 & 25, and by all accounts will be the greatest battle yet.
Looking to stay in the tube longer, surf more vertical, or just surf faster? We have a bunch of templates to fit your style, board, and surf conditions. Our Hexcore technology fins give you more drive and perfect flex. These fins are available in FCS compatible, Futures compatible, and glass on. Not only does the Hexcore perform better but is also 25% lighter than standard fiberglass fins. Try a set today and feel the difference!
Most people don’t realize that the fins on their board have a very important role in how well they are surfing. Fins that are too big are going to obviously make the board hard to turn, fins too small will slide and not give you drive. Fine tuning your fins is trial and error but when you dial in the perfect setup, you will surf better for sure. One of the main things you want to accomplish with your fin setup is to get the most drive and then turns will follow. A Hexcore fin is going to give a lot of drive where plastic molded fins will not. If you’re surfing smaller fun waves you may want to go with smaller fins to allow more release on your turn and better turning radius. When surfing bigger, more powerful waves, switch to larger fins for more drive and more drawn out turns to keep from sliding out on critical sections. The size of the fins in direct relation to the waves you are surfing is the first step. Not all fin templates are created equal! Don’t be afraid to experiment with different fin templates. Here are some key point on fin design to help you choose the right surf fin.
Flex
Flex is a very important element in our designs. Many of our fins come with a tuned flex. A fin that has flex can be very different than a fin without flex. The flex concept brings to life an otherwise average ride. Cutbacks have more power and bottom turns have more projection.
Foils
True Ames Fins incorporate a constant foil which means you will not find any flat spots on our fins that may cause water disturbance which will ultimately cause poor performance. Smaller fins do not need to be so thick to have the proper foil.
Size
The depth of your fins is measured from base to tip vertically. Adjusting your fin size will affect the performance of your board. Larger fins provide more stability and control, so a larger board will need bigger fins.
Template
The outline of a fin is what determines the area and the look. The way the area is distributed on the fin is what makes fins individual and work in so many different ways. A wide base fin with a wide tip is the most stable but not forgiving. A narrow base fin with a narrow tip will be very loose and fast but unstable at slow speeds. The fin’s sweep (or rake angle) affects the board’s ability to carve turns. A more vertical fin will make tight turns and fast directional changes while a more raked fin will carve wider arcs and handle more power through turns. Tail width is also a factor in fin choice. Narrow tail boards do not require deep fins because there is less distance from the fin to the rail. A wide board requires a deeper fin than a narrower board. range.
If your looking to try some new fins on your Fish, take a look at these. From solid fiberglass to Hexcore to wood… We’ve got you covered. Our Twin fins come in FCS compatible, Futures compatible, and Glass ons.
Check out the site for our full selection and latest products.
This morning, under the variable clouds of a thousand fractions of
sky, perched on the dented hoods of cars domestic to a hundred
countries, we are looking at the same waves we looked at yesterday.
As the other 99.9% of surfers, we’ve cheated, become infidels to the
savagely nomadic wavesledder wed to our minds long ago. We’ve
instead become frontiersman of our own backyards, cartographers
to an infinity of patterns across the wave faces we know best. For
over 30 years at True Ames, we’ve forged enterprise and folk science
from our desire to redesign these lines in as many languages as we
can learn. Faster. Stronger. Lighter. Stranger. Each member of
our little family of designs is an opportunity for reinventing our
turns and reliving old ones, this time with a little magic, and next
time with a little more. Enjoy.
There are probably hundreds of boards that are snapped each day around the world, and most are thrown into landfills or left on the beach. Not cool! Think about how long it takes for these materials to break down, like a million years! A great way to recycle the fiberglass and foam is to add some art and hang it on a wall for inspiration. So the next time you get a chance to recycle a broken board, go for it!
Wayne Rich Classic Wayne Rich needs no gimmick. He thrives because he is a good surfer who makes good functional boards, and this fin is a perfect reflection. Its popularity derives from its versatility as a low area performance template, welcomed by all types of boards.
The 2011 Quiksilver Rincon Classic will be postponed until week 3 of the waiting period Saturday and Sunday January 22 & 23. With our official swell forecasters at Surfline predicting head high plus increasing swell that weekend there is a great possibility that the event will be held then. Check back next Wednesday January 20th for the official call, schedule of events, site map, and heat draws.
The 2011 Quiksilver Rincon Classic will feature:
Video Highlights from both days
Heats On Demand From Sunday
Wetsuit Demos By Quiksilver
The Gunshow –
Best surfers in the 805 will be firing off their six shooters during a 45 minute expression session. What slingers do you want to see?
Age Divisions:
Gremlins (11 & under)
Boys (12-14)
Juniors (15-17)
Wahines (17 & under girls)
Youth Longboard (17 & under)
Longboard Open (all ages)
Mens (all ages)
Masters (35-44)
Grand Masters (45-55)
Legends (56+)
Womens Shortboard all ages
Womens 35+
Womens Longboard
Specialty Events
Professional Division
The Gunshow
WAY OF THE OCEAN is a definitive look at wave riding in the current state of our worlds oceans. Follow the worlds best surfers around the globe exploring all the natural wonders of our mother ocean. The salt water gives life and energy on a daily basis and the time to restore and preserve our oceans is now.
Check out the trailer for this new surf film that is set to release early 2011
It’s 1969. Okay. Ill–tempered Yater Pocket–Rockets streak straight lines across the USA. 2008: Another year for me and you. Hanging from collectors’ walls, the Pocket Rocket has nothing to do, but its fin–our beloved Yater Classic–is in mass–production. Its upright design, coupled with minimal flex, makes it a layman–friendly, all–purpose gem. Uh oh my. And uh…uh boo hoo.
Rational experiments require constants. Hobie Surfboards boasts a dizzying array of longboard, hybrid, and shortboard models, each one unique in form and function. To draw conclusions about a specialized board, one must begin with a dependable fin that will thrust any board in any conditions. Here is Hobie’s much-needed constant that fills the need to flex.
The Oxnard plain is one of most fertile places on Earth, but historically, despite an extremely hollow harvest season, the surfers taste a bit sour. Still, sometime in the 1970’s the offshore winds blew the pesticides and pot smoke in a direction just right for innovation, and the Campbell brothers created the Bonzer fin setup: a stubby little center fin accompanied by two or four “runners.” Ignore all imitations.
As North Pacific storms begin churn, we are starting to see some NW swell begin to appear along our beaches, it’s about time!. Fall began about a week ago but it now feels like summer with record highs over 110 degrees in the Southern California region.
Looks like we will see some west swell in the 2-4 ft range for the next few days with light winds. Looking forward to a good surf season here in Santa Barbara and trying to keep an optimistic mindset against the predicted lack of swell for this La Nina season. Hopefully the ocean will keep moving and we will be pleasantly surprised.
At True Ames, we have a huge selection of fins for all of your boards, short or long.
Much like a ruthless dictator, the Noserider is an imposing, powerful figure whose title is its purpose. The template’s wide base and large area grant a rider steadfast authority on the tip and its substantial rake administers turning capabilities to single fin longboards of all ideologies.
Lake Tahoe, CA (August, 24th 2010) In windy, cold and over-cast conditions, paddlers at the 2010 Ta-Hoe Nalu SUP event still took to the water. As the weather service predicted, a summer storm brewed on the lake resulting in consistent 25 MPH wind gusts. The event coordinators decided that the Elite SUP race would be run in a similar fashion to the world renowned Battle of the Paddle event. Athletes participating in the elite event were required to paddle .5 miles straight upwind, turn 180 degrees on the Quiksilver buoy, and surf their way back to the beach for a 100 yard beach run. This course was completed four times. As one of the premiere paddling events at Lake Tahoe, Vertra’s Paddlesports Team performed top notch!
Vertra’s own Danny Ching paddled to an impressive and comfortable 1st place finish in the men’s elite SUP race taking home 2500$. In his normal fashion Ching got out to an early lead, and built the gap on the rest of the field on each turn. “I just went out hard, and tried to hold on,” commented Ching. Danny is considered by his peers as being one of the sports best and is second to none in paddling in all types of weather conditions. This weekends 25 MPH wind gusts proved to be no different as he powered his way up wind, and used his surfing knowledge from years of paddling the OC1 to build a sizable lead on the rest of the competitors.
The young sixteen-year-old Matt Becker battled his way in the top of the pack throughout the entire race. “It was tough to push it up wind,” commented Becker. Matt who just returned back to the States after a SUP surf expedition in Colombia found the best parks of the race surfing the .5 mile downwind leg of the race. “It was a great event today, a good starting point as I prepare for the Hennessey’s International Race and Battle of the Paddle in a few months.”
We will be showing this and our full line of fins at the Sacred Craft Show this weekend booth#613
HONOLULU – (Sunday, June 13, 2010) — Stand-up paddling (SUP) came full circle back to its home of Waikiki, Hawaii, this weekend, surpassing every conceivable expectation with the ultimate combination of sport and lifestyle. Over 600 paddlers from around the world gathered for the inaugural Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez Battle of the Paddle Hawaii, presented by Quiksilver Waterman Collection, and thousands turned out to watch. When all was said and done, everyone had a story to tell.
The turquoise waters of Waikiki, and surreal backdrop of Diamond Head, were reminders of a time long ago, when the upright figure of Duke Kahanamoku riding a board first captured imaginations.
But it was Californian Danny Ching (Redondo Beach), 27, who captivated the crowd this time around, making a clean sweep of the 5-mile Elite Battle and the 10-mile Downwinder.
Above: Elite Race Excitement
Photo: Pat Huber/Rainbow Sandals
In Saturday’s Elite race, Ching was embroiled in a 5-mile battle royale with dark horse Australian paddler Travis Grant (Gold Coast). Punctuated by 19 buoy turns and two 75-yard beach sprints, their race ended in a sprint for the shoreline that left them separated by just 13 seconds after close to an hour and a half of dueling. He then overcame Sunday morning’s fatigue to go on and win the 10-mile distance race.
“I didn’t expect that at all,” said Ching. “I was hoping to win one of the days but luckily it panned out for me. I definitely felt fatigued (in the distance race). But once I got out into the surf I was able to build a bit of a gap. I was figuring that would hold them off at the end because if you raced (the Elite race) you were going to have a hard time making the final push the last two miles.
“Sparky’s Rainbow Sandal races are the best,” said Ching. “He puts up the biggest prize purse, the best competitors and the biggest event. Everything about it is amazing.”
Ching crossed the Elite race line in one hour, 22 minutes and 42 seconds to take win $5,000. He completed the 10-mile downwind race in 1 hour and 26 minutes for an added $1,100.
Here is a video of Brandon Manguso surfing on True Ames Grom Model in Summer surf in Oceanside and Carlsbad.
Close base-to-height ratio and moderate rake. An all time favorite. Bred from the coblestone reefs in the Trestles zone. Great for groms and smaller boards.
WAVE CLOUD SAND is a short film comprised of moving pictures. Photographed throughout the east coast of Australia, the film’s aim was to show the intricacy and beauty of the simple things that surround us. Focusing on the empty canvas WAVE CLOUD SAND shows that action is a relative term.wayoftheocean.com/blog
Now Available: An even lighter fin for your futures compatible setup. The base of the fin has holes to lighten the weight yet still retain strength in all conditions.
Our latest fin template is the Channel Islands Small fin for Futures and FCS compatible fin systems. All of the features of the standard size CI classic point break fins: high rake with full volume (area). This template targets boards in the 5’6”-6’2” range. Surfers in the 110-160 lbs. class will benefit most. Best in waves with some down-the-line power. Most notable is the smaller back fin loosening up the tail of your board. Controlled slides and quick turns are effortless.
side fins: HEIGHT: 4.50” / 114 mm BASE: 4.45” / 113 mm
back fin: HEIGHT: 4.35” / 111 mm BASE: 4.30” / 110 mm
Whether you prefer FCS or Futures Compatible fins, we have a selection of both for you at True Ames Fins. Our Resin Transfer Method allows us to construct a composite fin that is 25% lighter than a normal fiberglass fin yet retains the same positive flex and amazing drive. We carry a variety of colors and fin designs for twin fins, thrusters, quad and bonzer setups.
Using the FCS or Futures Compatible fins for travel is ideal. The are also great for trying out different setups on different boards. Sometimes you just don’t realize how much the fin can change the way a board rides. Go ahead try a new set of True Ames Fins and feel the difference!
On a 5 day trip down south in the dusty desert, the surf was plentiful and inspirational. Here are a few pics from along the drive and the makeshift camp set up. Glad I had extra fins to choose from and plenty of time to try them out.
On the Drive South: The road was a long one and after plenty of near misses with on coming semi-trucks, I was glad to finally set up camp in front of some good looking surf. With dust and desert conditions you begin to feel dried out quickly when out of the water, It’s a good thing the swell kept going and I could stay hydrated in some refreshing long tubing waves that eventually walled up and raced along the inside section.
Day 1: My fins selection on this day was the YU- Fcs
compatible setup. These fins are awesome. The side fins provide nice drive and the trail fin works as a stabilizer. I was able to stay loose on the wave’s critical sections but keep a good driving bottom turn going when I needed to generate speed. Once you get used to this setup you can begin to experiment and get the fins free when you want and hold a solid bottom turn when you need the drive.
Day 3:
When the swell maxed out and sets were pumping I decided to try a bit bigger board and change out to the Channel Islands fins setup, which I felt were much more stable and also maintained their speed through all of the sections. The CI fins were a good choice for these waves and with the swell pumping a perfect combination for fun sessions.
Here’s a glimpse of what one day in production looks like during the making of WAY OF THE OCEAN – Australia.
While on location for the making of the movie WAY OF THE OCEAN, the circulate motion pictures crew were fortunate to see plenty of swell and some insane surfing going on in the “land down under.” Look for the film to release Holiday 2010.
Next week we will highlight on the best Summer surf fins for your shortboard, longboard, and fish.
Reeling from a burgeoning fish revival, Hobie surfboards has chosen this twin fin template to fervently guide its Circa ’71 fish model. Just for kicks and industry bravado, we decided to grind off a few extra sets and push the addictive little bastards upon the world. As any drug dealer with good product would say, this s#*t sells itself! With a blunt tip, 7″ base, and a full leading edge, the Hobies are now our most traditionally styled and popular twin template. Also available in RTM composite.
Amidst his wind generators, blue ocean boats, and camera housings, George Greenough had enough energy to revolutionize fin design. A seed of the revolution, the 4-A has a narrow, flexible tip that enhances maneuverability and a flared base for increased stability and drive — an ideal combination for the point surf George fancied.
Greenough Stage 6
George Greenough’s close friends know that the only thing that kept the budding ex-patriot in California was his interest in windsurfing, which spawned the Stage 6. While George found the combination of a ‘stiff leg’ and ‘active paddle’ to generate powerful turns, we also find the bigger sizes to be powerful on the tip.
Taking cues from the pattern of human evolution, George’s templates found it adaptive to become less wild and more upright, resulting in the birth of a new species. The 4C shares the 4A’s mild tip flex, but it has less rake and base, permitting mid-length eggs and logs a lower radius, looser turn.
Greenough 4A
Amidst his wind generators, blue ocean boats, and camera housings, George Greenough had enough energy to revolutionize fin design. A seed of the revolution, the 4-A has a narrow, flexible tip that enhances maneuverability and a flared base for increased stability and drive — an ideal combination for the point surf George fancied.
Get in the flow with a new set of Channels Islands fins by: True Ames-
Get your favorite shortboard dialed in with a set of high performance CI fins. These fins are great for powerful surf and bigger riders. A very close base to height ratio and great flex designed for point surf and waves with some juice.
The Resin Transfer Method allows us to construct a composit fin, inside which hexagonal pieces of lightweight coremat displace fiberglass and resin.
The Result: A fin that is up to 25% lighter thana a normal fiberglas fin yet retains the same positive flex and amazing drive
We offer the best surf fins in avariety of Hexcore templates and for futures and FCS compatible also available in glass ons.
You’ll notive a huge difference if your surfing and overall drive of the board when you put a set of these true ames hexcore fins on your board. See the website for more info and available templates.
California has seen a fair amount of swell this winter season thanks to the warmer waters to the south from the weather pattern known as El Niño. Much of the state has been drenched in rain but the plus side is the surf. *An El Niño advisory continues from the Climate Prediction Center (CPC). A significant El Niño persisted throughout the equatorial Pacific during January 2010. Although sea surface temperatures cooled in late January, the waters were warm enough to support deep tropical convection. Southern California has seen a marked increase in precipitation during January. The series of storms in mid-January led to flooding, mudslides and coastal damage. While water managers welcome the rain and snowfall throughout the state, it is hoped the progression and intensity of the systems expected to come will allow for some rest between wet periods.
The graphics below show January sea surface temperature anomalies for previous strong El Niños and the 2009/2010 El Niño. *http://meteora.ucsd.edu/cap/elnino_calif.html
APRIL 10 & 11, 2010 VENTURA COUNTY FAIR GROUNDS
