Here's the first ding on my Mandala. It occurred when I dropped into a "bomba" at Panga Drops, realized that the wave was going close out, kicked out the back, and underestimated just how much speed I'd gotten off my bottom turn. When I looked down with my feet still on the deck, I discovered that I was about five feet up in the air over the back of the wave. By that time my legs were fully extended and I had no way of softening my landing by bending them again. First my heel hit the middle of my board with karate-like precision and force, then my ass hit it. At first I couldn't find the ding and I thought I could keep surfing. Then, to my dismay, I saw the 3-inch impression running down the stringer, cracking the glass deeply along the wood.
When I got back to Playa Gigante, where we had rented a boat, I was informed that there was a ding repair guy in town who was capable of handling the job. As a matter of fact, he'd just patched up a resin-tinted Hobie that had suffered exactly the same injury, and the job looked fine to me! Unfortunately, when I got my board back it looked like someone had spilled a cup of coffee in the middle of the glass job. Oh well. It's under the wax anyway...
In other news, I got a great surf in today. The Mandala still works like a charm. Waist to shoulder-high peelers--perfect glass the whole time. Weird thing was there was a massive school of fish under the water that was so thick, you could actually smell them. The seagulls and pelicans were having a bit of a bacchanal.
Nazareth - Love Hurts
Posts
8 comments:
Dear Hershey Skid kid, wow that is one serious blemish. That thing looks as brown as a bale of mexican brick weed.
Glad that you were able to put on a happy face despite the tragedy!
The first cut is the deepest...
Aesthetically, I don't mind a surfboard with a few bruises.
As long as the thing runs.
Also known as a bait ball. Big fish been seen feeding there lately. Half eaten seal floated in the white water as I paddled out on Friday at the same spot.
I thought that's what it was... I also saw a bigger fish under the water as I was paddling back out after a ride. About 3 feet long and just hanging out. I didn't stick around to find out what species it was...
a friend of mine in Portland who lives in inner NE has a business called the fist scrath store. anytime you get sommthing new and shiny just take it over to him and he'll take the pain right outta that first scratch for ya. maybe next new board you can link him.
Post a Comment