Thursday, 14 October 2010
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
BEHIND THE BUBBLES
Really enjoyed these videos, not that it's really relavent to print but I like the concept of origionality. It's a pretty cool idea executed well.
Few Bits from http://www.thecoolhunter.co.uk/
Innovative Design Apple
The World's Coolest Hotel Rooms - the first in a series of the cool hunter-branded books has just been published by Harper Collins Publishers (US). Next in the line will be The World's Coolest Houses, The World's Most Creative Work Environments, The World's Most Innovate Retail Stores, The World's coolest kids spaces/playgrounds and a few other special book projects.
Yes, we all saw Lost In Translation and thought, ‘hang on a minute, if Bill Murray can seduce Scarlett Johansson by singing ‘More Than This’ then maybe we could too!’
Let’s face it, karaoke has always been the butt of bad movies, and its reputation is currently languishing somewhere between Japanese businessmen necking methylated spirit and hen parties ‘cutting loose’.
But recently, it has started to reclaim its cult status from half-tanked brides-to-be, and become a little bit more palatable. Thisnew karaoke bar has been quietly, or rather, loudly, winning acclaim for its alternative approach to the nation’s favourite pastime.
Rather than the dark booths of your standard karaoke club, this new private members’ sing-along has incorporated young artists to help liven up the interior. Think Manga cartoons but with a Lichtenstein edge.
Rather than the dark booths of your standard karaoke club, this new private members’ sing-along has incorporated young artists to help liven up the interior. Think Manga cartoons but with a Lichtenstein edge.
Each booth has its own distinctive decor, and every surface has a graphic to reflect the spaces they fill. Which is a far cry from the matted walls and vinyl floors some bars choose. And most of all, it’s members only, so there’s no need to worry about being harassed by a woman with oversized fairy wings stuck to her back. By Matt Hussey.
Nike Stadium
Nike Stadiums continue to reinforce Nike’s reputation as a creative supporter of soccer — something that their 2007 Cannes Lion-winning Stadium shoe box represented well. A limited number of shoe boxes were transformed to resemble a stadium with an image of a stadium and an embedded sound chip. When you opened your shoe box, you saw a miniature stadium and heard the crowd cheering, and you could imagine yourself inside a stadium cheering along or, better yet, playing on the field wearing your new Nikes. - Tuija Seipell
NIKE Ads
Here at Access, we are creating Nike Extreme experiences around the globe. Here are a few of our concepts in which we use the Nike singular swoosh power to create serious buzz. The kind of buzz that goes viral because people love it. Because they are having fun doing it.
Genius idea - Dutch Football Federation - 2010 FIFA World Cup T-shirt.
I like heights..... :l
Call it buzz, guerrilla, viral, word-of-mouth, whatever – marketing and advertising stunts and ideas that achieve free attention are working now perhaps better than ever before. Of course, they are much less expensive than TV or print ads so they are a good alternative in this economic climate. And even if the marketer had the money to spend on lavish conventional media campaigns, using guerrilla tactics appears frugal and smart and appeals to an audience that appreciates such attitudes.
If the guerrilla stunt works and gains news media coverage and serious online buzz, then it has also achieved the coveted third-party endorsement and peer-reviews that are so important to today’s consumers.
We’ve recently highlighted a few simple and clever examples of this in our advertising section. The most recent was the People as Fleas idea.
A similar large-scale floor sticker was used in January by a Swiss skydiving school. Their agency, Wirz/BBDO Switzerland, managed to execute a simple idea that achieved media coverage and is still making the online rounds. The images of the city skyline make it extremely clear what Swiss Skydive.org can do for you. - Tuija Seipell
Call it buzz, guerrilla, viral, word-of-mouth, whatever – marketing and advertising stunts and ideas that achieve free attention are working now perhaps better than ever before. Of course, they are much less expensive than TV or print ads so they are a good alternative in this economic climate. And even if the marketer had the money to spend on lavish conventional media campaigns, using guerrilla tactics appears frugal and smart and appeals to an audience that appreciates such attitudes.
If the guerrilla stunt works and gains news media coverage and serious online buzz, then it has also achieved the coveted third-party endorsement and peer-reviews that are so important to today’s consumers.
We’ve recently highlighted a few simple and clever examples of this in our advertising section. The most recent was the People as Fleas idea.
A similar large-scale floor sticker was used in January by a Swiss skydiving school. Their agency, Wirz/BBDO Switzerland, managed to execute a simple idea that achieved media coverage and is still making the online rounds. The images of the city skyline make it extremely clear what Swiss Skydive.org can do for you. - Tuija Seipell
Tuesday, 12 October 2010
The Quicksilver Foundation Paddle to Live
Most people vomit their way through cancer treatment, chemo sick and mentally and physically drained. Shimko competed in the World Paddle Board Championship. That’s not to say that he had it easy, the man is just a masochist of the highest order. He says he got himself through the misery of chemotherapy and radiation by dreaming about and occasionally completing heinous endurance challenges, fantasizing about the kind of physical punishment that would dwarf the nausea and exhaustion he was experiencing. Now that he is “mostly” in recovery (his cancer is still somewhat active but is no longer life threatening), Shimko is going to paddle an 18′ paddleboard 150+ miles through the open ocean from Santa Barbara through the Channel Islands to Newport Beach this September 23 — October 2. He’ll be raising money for the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Livestrong Foundation in the process.
Visit www.paddle2live.org to learn more.
Donations can be made at www.quiksilverfoundation/donate or you can mail a check to the following…
Quiksilver Foundation
Attn: Ryan Ashton
15202 Graham St.
Huntington Beach, CA 92649
Previous QSF Projects
Oct 2010 - Paddle 2 live
QSF "
QSF "
‘ULTRA-MARATHON ON WATER’ TO RAISE FUNDS FOR UCLA JONSSON COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER AND THE LIVESTRONG FOUNDATION
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Sept. 1, 2010-The first annual “PADDLE2LIVE-150 Miles 4 Cancer” fundraiser solo water paddling endurance event, an epic 150-mile journey from Santa Barbara to Newport Beach by cancer survivor Jack Marshall Shimko, will take place Thursday, Sept. 23 through Saturday, Oct. 2.
To achieve his goal of raising $500,000, Shimko is encouraging individuals, organizations and companies in California and beyond to get involved in “PADDLE2LIVE-150 Miles 4 Cancer” in any way possible. Volunteers, logistical support, gear, food, fuel and charitable donations are all needed. PADDLE2LIVE “Paddle Partners” can pledge to personally raise $1000+ for the cause."
September 2010 - Long Beach Clean Up
http://www.facebook.com/cleanLB LINK
http://www.facebook.com/cleanLB LINK
SYRV Sunday Funday BBQ Benefiting Surfrider
On Sunday August 15th in Venice, CA SYRV will be hosting a Sunday Funday BBQ Fundraiser benefiting Surfrider. Hope to see you there!
Date: Sunday, August 15
Time: 11:30am - 5:00pm
Location: Big Red Sun 566 Rose Ave. Venice, CA
$15 adults $5 kids (lunch included)
Donation bar
Musical Guests: MK & the Gentlemen, Christopher Hawley, Samantha Stollenwerck, LaVie and Kind of Creatures.
WAVES Rooftop Pool Party & Fundraiser NYC
The Waves roof top party and fundraiser in NYC has been postponed because of rain. It will now be held on August 12th…
WAVES was created to link passion with purpose; it aims to bridge the educational and economic gap between wealthy surfers and members of rural coastal communities, especially youth. In the past year, our staff and volunteers have helped over 200 residents in Lobitos, Peru, and the surrounding area. We hope to reach many more this year, and we need your help! We’re raising funds to purchase a passenger van, so we can provide safe, reliable transportation for the youth in our educational programs, and so that we can expand our reach to the neighboring towns.
Join us at 2 Cooper Square (E 4th & Bowery) in NYC for an evening of refreshing fun, as we enjoy the sunset on the rooftop pool, and raffle off some fantastic prizes from our generous sponsors, including original art, apparel, and a custom painted surfboard!
VIP attendees will be treated to a private director’s screening of Capture: A WAVES Documentary. VIP Tickets are $75, and include the screening, the pool party, three hours open bar, and one raffle ticket.
Regular admission ($35 in advance, $40 at the door) includes the pool party and two hours open bar.
VIP Screening and reception will begin at 7pm, with general admission/pool party starting at 8pm.
Tickets will be available for purchase online and are limited, so make sure to get yours early! Raffle tickets will be available at the party.
Types of Boards
Variations
Many types of boards are made using any of the different construction methods, the variation of type dependent in some cases on the use for which the board is designed.
Shortboard
Since the late 1960s, when Gordon Clark found the optimum formulation of urethane foam, many of the surfboards in common use have been of the shortboard variety between five (five'o) and seven feet in length, with a pointed nose and a rounded or squarish tail, typically with three skegs (fins) but sometimes with two or as many as five. Surfers generally find a shortboard very quick to maneuver compared with other types of surfboards, but because of a lack of flotation due to the smaller size, harder to catch waves with, often requiring steeper, larger and more powerful waves and very late takeoffs, where the surfer catches the wave at the critical moment before it breaks.
A bonzer is a variety of surfboard created by the Campbell Brothers with three or five fins with double concave channels. The manufacturer claims that these channels create a venturi effect which guides the water off of the surface of the board through a narrowed passage.
Egg
Modern hybrid boards are usually 6 feet to 8 feet 6 inches (1.8–2.3 m) in length with a more rounded profile and tail shape. Surfed in smaller waves with any fin set up. They are more about having fun than high performance or tricks. They can be easier to ride for beginning surfers and generally perform well in surfing conditions where the more traditional long and short boards might not.
Balsa Fish.
Fish
Radically short stubby board under 6 feet (1.8 m) in length developed from kneeboards in the 1960s by Steve Lis. Other prominent Fish shapers include Skip Frye, Steve Brom, Larry Mabil, and Rich Pavel. Primarily a twin fin set up with a swallow tail shape and popular in smaller waves. Resurgence in popularity in early 2000s created by legendary surfer Tom Curren. Note, any type of board (such as shortboard or mini-longboard) can have a fish tail, and these are commonly referred to as a "fish", but they lack the other properties of a traditional, or "retro", fish as listed here.
Fun Board
The funboard combines elements of both shortboards and longboards and are generally midsized, usually 7 to 8 feet (2.1 to 2.4 m). The funboard's design allows waves to be caught more easily than a shortboard, yet with a shape that makes it more maneuverable than a longboard; hence it is a popular type of surfboard, especially among beginners, or those transitioning from longboarding to the more difficult shortboarding. This makes it the best design in most people's view due to the combination of the speed of a longboard and the maneuverability of a shortboard.
Gun
Big wave boards of length 7 to 12 feet (2.1 to 3.7 m). Thin, needle-like template with single or thruster fin set up. It usually looks like a shortboard but at a longboard size. Used at such big waves spots as Waimea Bay and Mavericks.
Longboard
Duke Kahanamoku
and longboard, 1920
The longboard is primarily a single finned surfboard with large rounded nose and length of 9 to 12 feet (2.7 to 3.7 m). Noseriders are a class of longboards which enable the rider to walk to the tip and nose ride. Also called a "Mal", which is a shortened version of Malibu, one of, if not the most popular longboard wave.
Longboards (also known as Malibu boards) range 8 to 14 feet (2.4 to 4.3 m) long, or 3 feet (0.91 m) taller than the rider in overall length. Its advantage is its substantial buoyancy and planing surface, which enables most surfers using it to ride waves generally deemed too small to propel a shortboard, as well as anything else. Longboards are universally common among both beginners and skilled surfers alike. The main reason why longboards are more suitable for beginners is because of the board's size and frequency of catching waves. In the proper conditions, a skilled surfer can ride a wave standing on the nose of a longboard, and put his toes over the nose's edge. By literally putting his "toes on the nose" the surfer can "hang ten".
Classic Longboards
Longboards are the original, and very first variety of board used in standup surfing. Ever since the sixth-century the ancient Hawaiians have used 8-to-30-foot (2.4 to 9.1 m) solid wooden boards when practicing their ancient art of he'e nalu. Surfing was brought to the Hawaiian Islands by Polynesians and has since become popular worldwide. The ancient boards were carved and fashioned out of solid wood, reaching lengths of 10 to 14 feet (3.0 to 4.3 m) long and weighing as much as 150 pounds (68 kg). Both men and women, royalty and commoners surfed. But the longest of boards (the Olo) was reserved for royalty. (See Legendary Surfers Volume 1 by Malcolm Gualt-Williams.) During the 19th century, some extreme western missionaries actively discouraged surfing, viewing it as sinful. Surfing almost died out completely. In recent times replicas have been made of Olo's and alaia's by experienced surfers and shapers wishing to explore the roots of the sport.
By the early 20th century, only a handful of people surfed, mostly at Waikiki. But there, it started to grow again. Beginning in 1912, Duke Kahanamoku, a Hawaiian Olympic swimmer in the early 1900s, brought surfing to mainland United States and Australia. Because of this, Duke is considered the "Father of Modern Surfing". From that point on, surfing became an integral part of the California beach lifestyle. In Malibu (in Los Angeles county), the beach was so popular amongst the early surfers that it lent its name to the type of longboard, the Malibu Surfboard. In the 1920s boards made of plywood or planking called Hollowboards came into use. These were typically 15 to 20 feet (4.6 to 6.1 m) in length and very light. During the 1950s, the surf trend took off dramatically as it obtained a substantial amount of popularity as a sport.[8] The design and material of longboards in the 1950s changed from using solid wood, to balsa wood. The length of the boards still remained the same at an average of 10.5 feet, and had then become widely produced.
It was not until the late 50s and early 60s when the surfboard design had closely evolved into today's modern longboard. The introduction of polyurethane foam and fiberglass became the technological leap in design. In the 1960s, the longboard continued to remain popular as its material changed from balsa wood to fiberglass and polyurethane foam. In the 1960s, the introduction of the shortboard, averaging 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m), allowed surfers to make tighter turns, quicker maneuvers, and achieve faster speeds, thus radically changing the way people surfed. This "shortboard revolution" nearly made longboards obsolete for all practical purposes. But in the early 1990s, the longboard returned, integrating a number of the design features invented during the shortboard revolution. Surfers rediscovered the grace and poise – the "glide" – of the longboard, and the fun of classic maneuvers that are not possible on a shortboard. In some circles the battle between longboards and shortboards continues. But many surfers live by a philosophy of finding the joy of surfing a mix of boards and surfing styles to suit the waves of the day.
Modern Longboards
The modern longboard has undergone many changes since its earlier models in the past. Today's longboard is much lighter than its predecessors. Its polyurethane foam and fiberglass design allows less drag on waves. Today's longboards are typically 9 to 10 feet (2.7 to 3.0 m) long, although some ride boards up to 12 feet (3.7 m) in length. Additionally, there is a revival of stand-up paddle-based surfing with boards up to 14 feet (4.3 m) in length (for stability). The classic single-fin longboard retains much of its classic design including a single fin, weight, and considerable buoyancy. A longboard with a single fin allows the board to pivot turn in order to remain in the curl of the wave. Due to recent advances in technology, the longboard has expanded its family into different variations of the classic longboard.
Tri-Fin
An updated version of the classic longboard, the Tri-fin (also known as Thruster) longboard is featured with three fins underneath the tail rather than the traditional single fin. The Tri-fin's additional two fins on the board allows riders better turning capabilities as well as greater thrust than classic longboards did back in the 1950s. The tri-fin's design incorporates the glide of a longboard and the performance of a shortboard into a single layout.
The Gun
A newer, more recent addition to the longboard family is the modern longboard gun, also known as "the big wave board". The longboard gun's teardrop-shaped layout pierces through the water when on large waves. Stretching from 9 to 12 feet (2.7 to 3.7 m) in length, the longboard gun incorporates the features of a professional shortboard into a longboard's structure. Its hybrid structure also allows surfers better paddling capabilities before catching a wave. One new manufacturer of a traditional Wooden "Gun" is "Empress Surfboards" who now makes a fully chambered 10-foot (3.0 m) Gun from "Paulownia Wood" aka "Empress Wood".
The 2+1
The 2+1 longboard is the most versatile board of the longboard family, offering greater maneuverability. Sometimes referred as a "single-fin with training wheels", the 2+1's fins actually takes the features of the classic longboard and the Tri-fin. The fins of the 2+1 takes the rigid stability of a classic longboard, and fuses with the strength and drive of a Tri-fin.
Mini Tanker
The mini tanker is basically a shortened longboard shape that utilizes the same longboard design elements and enhanced maneuverability due to the shorter shape. These boards are normally ridden by women and children which provide smaller individuals with much more control than your traditional 9 foot longboard.
The Malibu
Named after Malibu, California, this longboard shape has spread its genes into all aspects of surfing culture. Typically from 9 to 14 feet (2.7 to 4.3 m) long, these boards are what most surfers started on and what they come back to later on in life. The classic shape has been ridden and praised by experienced surfers for its maneuverability and performance. Classic tricks that can be performed on a Malibu are "Hang Fives" and "Hang tens" whereby the surfer walks to the nose of the board and hangs 5 or 10 toes over the nose.
Olo
Originally reserved for royalty due to its size and weight, these wooden boards can exceed lengths of 24 feet (7.3 m) and reach weights up to 200 pounds (91 kg).
Quad
Quads are quick down the line but lose drive through turns. The quad is making quite a comeback over the last year, showing up everywhere from Mavs guns to small wave fishes. CJ Hobgood won the 2007 Surfbout on a Quad at lowers.
Famous Surfing Locations
Mavericks ( California )
Maverick's or Mavericks is a world-famous surfing location in Northern California. It is located approximately one-half mile (0.8 km) from shore in Pillar Point Harbor, just north of Half Moon Bay at the village of Princeton-By-The-Sea. After a strong winter storm in the northern Pacific Ocean, waves can routinely crest at over 25 feet (8m) and top out at over 50 feet (15m). The break is caused by an unusually-shaped underwater rock formation.
Pipeline ( Oahu, Hawaii )
Pipeline is a surf reef break located in Hawaii, off Ehukai Beach Park in Pupukea on O'ahu's North Shore. The spot is notorious and famous for its huge waves breaking in shallow water just above its sharp and cavernous reef, forming large, hollow and thick curls of water that surfers can ride inside of. There are three reefs at Pipeline in progressively deeper water further out to sea that activate at various power levels applied by ocean swells
Teahupoʻo ( Tahiti )
Teahupoʻo (pronounced cho-po) is a world-renowned surfing location off the south-west of the island of Tahiti, French Polynesia, southern Pacific Ocean. It is known for its heavy, glassy waves, often reaching 2 to 3 m (7 to 10 ft) and higher. It is the site of the annual Billabong Pro Tahiti surf competition, part of the World Championship Tour (WCT) of the ASP World Tour professional surfing circuit.
MORE
Humboldt County
* Shelter Cove - A bit out of the way.
Sonoma County
* Doran Beach - Frequently closed out and needs a high tide.
* Salmon Creek - Frequently blown out but some nice sandbars.
Marin County
* Bolinas - Crowded but some good sandbars/reef and a good learning area.
* Stinson Beach - Not so great most of the time but very convenient and popular with families.
San Francisco County
* Ocean Beach - Miles of fantastic sandbars on the good days, miles of frustration on bad days.
San Mateo County
* Linda Mar - Never epic but fairly consistent.
* Mavericks - Creepy big wave spot.
* Half Moon Bay Jetty - Loves a southwest swell.
Santa Cruz County
* Steamers Lane - Great but crowded waves.
* Cowells - One of the best places to learn to surf.
* Pleasure Point - Glassy waves good for all kinds of boards.
* Manresa - Popular surf spot south of Santa Cruz/Capitola.
Monterey County
* Moss Landing - Picks up everything.
* Carmel Beach - Ultra white sand and blue water.
* Andrew Molera - Nice rights, long walk in.
* Sand Dollar - Fun beach south of Big Sur.
San Lois Obispo County
* Cayucos Pier - More pier surfing.
* Morro Rock - It's pretty hard to miss.
* Pismo Beach - Pier with beach break, watch the RV traffic jam in summer.
Santa Barbara County
* Sands Beach - The place to go when it's tiny in SB.
Ventura County
* Rincon - Classic California point break. Always crowded.
* C Street - Nice rights in front of the fairgounds.
* Ventura Harbor - Two jetties and beachbreak.
* Silver Strand - AKA "The Ship".
LA County
* County Line - Point break, beach break and Neptune's Net
* Leo Carillo State Park - Camping, surfing, tide pools, and Wi-Fi. Isn't that enough?
* Malibu - Most famous surf spot in California.
* Manhattan Beach - Classic LA beachbreak by a pier.
Orange County
* Seal Beach - North side of Orange County consists of several breaks. Ray Bay has powerplant warmed water and tons of stingrays.
* Huntington Beach - Miles of beachbreak, with the pier being the most crowded and consistent.
* Newport Beach - Crowded and rich. Take the kids to Balboa Island.
San Diego County
* San Onofre - Old school surf spot. Beginners spot called the "dogpatch".
* Oceanside - Nice sandbars. Less crowded alternative to many Central and Southern San Diego County surf spots.
* San Elijo State Beach - Reef and beach break with a campground featuring the Eli Howard Surf School.
* Scripps Pier and La Jolla Shores - Fun waves at the Pier and The Shores is good for more gentle surf; but the summertime crowds and prices mean it's best for other seasons.
Maverick's or Mavericks is a world-famous surfing location in Northern California. It is located approximately one-half mile (0.8 km) from shore in Pillar Point Harbor, just north of Half Moon Bay at the village of Princeton-By-The-Sea. After a strong winter storm in the northern Pacific Ocean, waves can routinely crest at over 25 feet (8m) and top out at over 50 feet (15m). The break is caused by an unusually-shaped underwater rock formation.
Pipeline ( Oahu, Hawaii )
Pipeline is a surf reef break located in Hawaii, off Ehukai Beach Park in Pupukea on O'ahu's North Shore. The spot is notorious and famous for its huge waves breaking in shallow water just above its sharp and cavernous reef, forming large, hollow and thick curls of water that surfers can ride inside of. There are three reefs at Pipeline in progressively deeper water further out to sea that activate at various power levels applied by ocean swells
Teahupoʻo ( Tahiti )
Teahupoʻo (pronounced cho-po) is a world-renowned surfing location off the south-west of the island of Tahiti, French Polynesia, southern Pacific Ocean. It is known for its heavy, glassy waves, often reaching 2 to 3 m (7 to 10 ft) and higher. It is the site of the annual Billabong Pro Tahiti surf competition, part of the World Championship Tour (WCT) of the ASP World Tour professional surfing circuit.
MORE
Humboldt County
* Shelter Cove - A bit out of the way.
Sonoma County
* Doran Beach - Frequently closed out and needs a high tide.
* Salmon Creek - Frequently blown out but some nice sandbars.
Marin County
* Bolinas - Crowded but some good sandbars/reef and a good learning area.
* Stinson Beach - Not so great most of the time but very convenient and popular with families.
San Francisco County
* Ocean Beach - Miles of fantastic sandbars on the good days, miles of frustration on bad days.
San Mateo County
* Linda Mar - Never epic but fairly consistent.
* Mavericks - Creepy big wave spot.
* Half Moon Bay Jetty - Loves a southwest swell.
Santa Cruz County
* Steamers Lane - Great but crowded waves.
* Cowells - One of the best places to learn to surf.
* Pleasure Point - Glassy waves good for all kinds of boards.
* Manresa - Popular surf spot south of Santa Cruz/Capitola.
Monterey County
* Moss Landing - Picks up everything.
* Carmel Beach - Ultra white sand and blue water.
* Andrew Molera - Nice rights, long walk in.
* Sand Dollar - Fun beach south of Big Sur.
San Lois Obispo County
* Cayucos Pier - More pier surfing.
* Morro Rock - It's pretty hard to miss.
* Pismo Beach - Pier with beach break, watch the RV traffic jam in summer.
Santa Barbara County
* Sands Beach - The place to go when it's tiny in SB.
Ventura County
* Rincon - Classic California point break. Always crowded.
* C Street - Nice rights in front of the fairgounds.
* Ventura Harbor - Two jetties and beachbreak.
* Silver Strand - AKA "The Ship".
LA County
* County Line - Point break, beach break and Neptune's Net
* Leo Carillo State Park - Camping, surfing, tide pools, and Wi-Fi. Isn't that enough?
* Malibu - Most famous surf spot in California.
* Manhattan Beach - Classic LA beachbreak by a pier.
Orange County
* Seal Beach - North side of Orange County consists of several breaks. Ray Bay has powerplant warmed water and tons of stingrays.
* Huntington Beach - Miles of beachbreak, with the pier being the most crowded and consistent.
* Newport Beach - Crowded and rich. Take the kids to Balboa Island.
San Diego County
* San Onofre - Old school surf spot. Beginners spot called the "dogpatch".
* Oceanside - Nice sandbars. Less crowded alternative to many Central and Southern San Diego County surf spots.
* San Elijo State Beach - Reef and beach break with a campground featuring the Eli Howard Surf School.
* Scripps Pier and La Jolla Shores - Fun waves at the Pier and The Shores is good for more gentle surf; but the summertime crowds and prices mean it's best for other seasons.
Equipment
Surfing can be done on various equipment, including surfboards, longboards, Stand Up Paddle boards (SUP's) , bodyboards, wave skis, skimboards, kneeboards and surf mats.
Surfboards were originally made of solid wood and were large and heavy (often up to 12 feet (3.7 m) long and 100 pounds (45 kg)). Lighter balsa wood surfboards (first made in the late 1940s and early 1950s) were a significant improvement, not only in portability, but also in increasing maneuverability.
Most modern surfboards are made of polyurethane foam (PU), with one or more wooden strips or "stringers", fiberglass cloth, and polyester resin. An emerging board material is epoxy (EPS) which is stronger and lighter than traditional fiberglass. Even newer designs incorporate materials such as carbon fiber and variable-flex composites.
Since epoxy surfboards are lighter, they will float better than a fiberglass board of similar size, shape and thickness. This makes them easier to paddle and faster in the water. However, a common complaint of EPS boards is that they do not provide as much feedback as a traditional fiberglass board. For this reason, many advanced surfers prefer that their surfboards be made from fiberglass.
Other equipment includes a leash (to stop the board from drifting away after a wipeout, and to prevent it from hitting other surfers), surf wax, traction pads (to keep a surfer's feet from slipping off the deck of the board), and fins (also known as skegs) which can either be permanently attached (glassed-on) or interchangeable.
Sportswear designed or particularly suitable for surfing may be sold as boardwear (the term is also used in snowboarding). In warmer climates, swimsuits, surf trunks or boardshorts are worn, and occasionally rash guards; in cold water surfers can opt to wear wetsuits, boots, hoods, and gloves to protect them against lower water temperatures. A newer introduction is a rash vest with a thin layer of titanium to provide maximum warmth without compromising mobility.
There are many different surfboard sizes, shapes, and designs in use today. Modern longboards, generally 9 to 10 feet (3.0 m) in length, are reminiscent of the earliest surfboards, but now benefit from modern innovations in surfboard shaping and fin design. Competitive longboard surfers need to be competent at traditional walking maneuvers, as well as the short-radius turns normally associated with shortboard surfing.
The modern shortboard began life in the late 1960s and has evolved into today's common thruster style, defined by its three fins, usually around 6 to 7 feet (1.8 to 2.1 m) in length. The thruster was invented by Australian shaper Simon Anderson.
Midsize boards, often called funboards, provide more maneuverability than a longboard, with more floation than a shortboard. While many surfers find that funboards live up to their name, providing the best of both surfing modes, others are critical.
"It is the happy medium of mediocrity," writes Steven Kotler. "Funboard riders either have nothing left to prove or lack the skills to prove anything."[5]
There are also various niche styles, such as the Egg, a longboard-style short board targeted for people who want to ride a shortboard but need more paddle power. The Fish, a board which is typically shorter, flatter, and wider than a normal shortboard, often with a split tail (known as a swallow tail). The Fish often has two or four fins and is specifically designed for surfing smaller waves. For big waves there is the Gun, a long, thick board with a pointed nose and tail (known as a pin tail) specifically designed for big waves.
Surfboards were originally made of solid wood and were large and heavy (often up to 12 feet (3.7 m) long and 100 pounds (45 kg)). Lighter balsa wood surfboards (first made in the late 1940s and early 1950s) were a significant improvement, not only in portability, but also in increasing maneuverability.
Most modern surfboards are made of polyurethane foam (PU), with one or more wooden strips or "stringers", fiberglass cloth, and polyester resin. An emerging board material is epoxy (EPS) which is stronger and lighter than traditional fiberglass. Even newer designs incorporate materials such as carbon fiber and variable-flex composites.
Since epoxy surfboards are lighter, they will float better than a fiberglass board of similar size, shape and thickness. This makes them easier to paddle and faster in the water. However, a common complaint of EPS boards is that they do not provide as much feedback as a traditional fiberglass board. For this reason, many advanced surfers prefer that their surfboards be made from fiberglass.
Other equipment includes a leash (to stop the board from drifting away after a wipeout, and to prevent it from hitting other surfers), surf wax, traction pads (to keep a surfer's feet from slipping off the deck of the board), and fins (also known as skegs) which can either be permanently attached (glassed-on) or interchangeable.
Sportswear designed or particularly suitable for surfing may be sold as boardwear (the term is also used in snowboarding). In warmer climates, swimsuits, surf trunks or boardshorts are worn, and occasionally rash guards; in cold water surfers can opt to wear wetsuits, boots, hoods, and gloves to protect them against lower water temperatures. A newer introduction is a rash vest with a thin layer of titanium to provide maximum warmth without compromising mobility.
There are many different surfboard sizes, shapes, and designs in use today. Modern longboards, generally 9 to 10 feet (3.0 m) in length, are reminiscent of the earliest surfboards, but now benefit from modern innovations in surfboard shaping and fin design. Competitive longboard surfers need to be competent at traditional walking maneuvers, as well as the short-radius turns normally associated with shortboard surfing.
The modern shortboard began life in the late 1960s and has evolved into today's common thruster style, defined by its three fins, usually around 6 to 7 feet (1.8 to 2.1 m) in length. The thruster was invented by Australian shaper Simon Anderson.
Midsize boards, often called funboards, provide more maneuverability than a longboard, with more floation than a shortboard. While many surfers find that funboards live up to their name, providing the best of both surfing modes, others are critical.
"It is the happy medium of mediocrity," writes Steven Kotler. "Funboard riders either have nothing left to prove or lack the skills to prove anything."[5]
There are also various niche styles, such as the Egg, a longboard-style short board targeted for people who want to ride a shortboard but need more paddle power. The Fish, a board which is typically shorter, flatter, and wider than a normal shortboard, often with a split tail (known as a swallow tail). The Fish often has two or four fins and is specifically designed for surfing smaller waves. For big waves there is the Gun, a long, thick board with a pointed nose and tail (known as a pin tail) specifically designed for big waves.
Maneuvers
A surfer at Mavericks
Surfing begins when the surfer finds a ridable wave on the horizon and then attempts to match its speed (by paddling or sometimes, by tow-in). Once the wave starts to carry the surfer forward, the surfer stands up and proceeds to ride down the face of the wave, generally staying just ahead of the breaking part (white water) of the wave (in a place often referred to as the pocket or the curl). A common problem for beginners is being unable to catch the wave in the first place, and one sign of a good surfer is the ability to catch a difficult wave that other surfers cannot.
Surfers' skills are not tested only in their ability to control their board in challenging conditions and/or catch and ride challenging waves, but by their ability to execute maneuvers such as turning and carving. Some of the common turns have become recognizable tricks such as the cutback (turning back toward the breaking part of the wave), the floater (riding on the top of the breaking curl of the wave), and off the lip (banking off the top of the wave). A newer addition to surfing is the progression of the air where a surfer propels oneself off the wave and re-enters. Some of these maneuvers are executed to extreme degrees, as with off-the-lips where a surfer over-rotates his turn and re-enters backward, or airs done in the same fashion, recovering either with re-rotation or continuing the over-rotation to come out with his nose forward again.
Surfing begins when the surfer finds a ridable wave on the horizon and then attempts to match its speed (by paddling or sometimes, by tow-in). Once the wave starts to carry the surfer forward, the surfer stands up and proceeds to ride down the face of the wave, generally staying just ahead of the breaking part (white water) of the wave (in a place often referred to as the pocket or the curl). A common problem for beginners is being unable to catch the wave in the first place, and one sign of a good surfer is the ability to catch a difficult wave that other surfers cannot.
Surfers' skills are not tested only in their ability to control their board in challenging conditions and/or catch and ride challenging waves, but by their ability to execute maneuvers such as turning and carving. Some of the common turns have become recognizable tricks such as the cutback (turning back toward the breaking part of the wave), the floater (riding on the top of the breaking curl of the wave), and off the lip (banking off the top of the wave). A newer addition to surfing is the progression of the air where a surfer propels oneself off the wave and re-enters. Some of these maneuvers are executed to extreme degrees, as with off-the-lips where a surfer over-rotates his turn and re-enters backward, or airs done in the same fashion, recovering either with re-rotation or continuing the over-rotation to come out with his nose forward again.
Surfers and Surf Culture
The thumb and pinkie are extended and the other fingers are folded against the palm.
The Shaka sign.
Surfers represent a diverse culture based on riding the waves. Some people practice surfing as a recreational activity while others make it the central focus of their lives. Within the United States, surfing culture is most dominant in California, Florida and Hawaii. Some historical markers of the culture included the woodie, the station wagon used to carry surfers' boards, as well as boardshorts, the long swim suits typically worn while surfing.
The sport of surfing now represents a multi-billion dollar industry especially in clothing and fashion markets. Some people make a career out of surfing by receiving corporate sponsorships.
When the waves were flat, surfers persevered with sidewalk surfing, which is now called skateboarding. Sidewalk surfing has a similar feel to surfing and requires only a paved road or sidewalk. To create the feel of the wave, surfers even sneak into empty backyard swimming pools to ride in, known as pool skating.
Surfing
Surfing is a surface water sport. One way to understand the sport is the definition the sport or pastime of being carried to the shore on the crest of large waves while standing or lying on a board
(longboard, short board, boogie board, wake board, etc.).
Two major subdivisions within stand-up surfing are longboarding and shortboarding, reflecting differences in surfboard design including surfboard length, and riding style.
In tow-in surfing (most often, but not exclusively, associated with big wave surfing), a motorized water vehicle, such as a personal watercraft tows the surfer into the wave front, helping the surfer match a large wave's higher speed, a speed that is generally, but not exclusively a speed that a self-propelled surfer can not match.
Surfing-related sports such as paddleboarding and sea kayaking do not require waves, and other derivative sports such as kitesurfing and windsurfing rely primarily on wind for power, yet all of these platforms may also be used to ride waves.
Surf waves
Swell is generated when wind blows consistently over a large area of open water, called the wind's fetch. The size of a swell is determined by the strength of the wind and the length of its fetch and duration. Because of this, surf tends to be larger and more prevalent on coastlines exposed to large expanses of ocean traversed by intense low pressure systems.
Local wind conditions affect wave quality, since the surface of a wave can become choppy in blustery conditions. Ideal conditions include a light to moderate "offshore" wind, because it blows into the front of the wave, making it a "barrel" or "tube" wave.
The most important influence on wave shape is the topography of the seabed directly behind and immediately beneath the breaking wave. The contours of the reef or bar front becomes stretched by diffraction. Each break is different, since the underwater topography of one place is unlike any other. At beach breaks, sandbanks change shape from week to week. Surf forecasting is aided by advances in information technology. Mathematical modeling graphically depicts the size and direction of swells around the globe.
Swell regularity varies across the globe and throughout the year. During winter, heavy swells are generated in the mid-latitudes, when the north and south polar fronts shift toward the Equator. The predominantly westerly winds generate swells that advance eastward, so waves tend to be largest on west coasts during winter months. However, an endless train of mid-latitude cyclones cause the isobars to become undulated, redirecting swells at regular intervals toward the tropics.
East coasts also receive heavy winter swells when low-pressure cells form in the sub-tropics, where slow moving highs inhibits their movement. These lows produce a shorter fetch than polar fronts, however they can still generate heavy swells, since their slower movement increases the duration of a particular wind direction. The variables of fetch and duration both influence how long wind acts over a wave as it travels, since a wave reaching the end of a fetch behaves as if the wind died.
During summer, heavy swells are generated when cyclones form in the tropics. Tropical cyclones form over warm seas, so their occurrence is influenced by El Niño & La Niña cycles. Their movements are unpredictable. They can move westward as in 1979, when Tropical Cyclone Kerry wandered for three weeks across the Coral Sea and into Queensland before dissipating.
Surf travel and some surf camps offer surfers access to remote, tropical locations, where tradewinds ensure offshore conditions. Since winter swells are generated by mid-latitude cyclones, their regularity coincides with the passage of these lows. Swells arrive in pulses, each lasting for a couple of days, with a few days between each swell.
[edit] Wave intensity
Drawing showing cross-section of a wave with the top curling from left to right over an air-filled region known as its tube. The tube contains one double-headed arrow pointing to the lower left and upper right labeled width and a second point to upper left and lower right labeled length.
The geometry of tube shape can be represented as a ratio between length and width. A perfectly cylindrical vortex has a ratio of 1:1, while the classic almond-shaped tube is nearer 3:1. When width exceeds length, the tube is described as "square".
Classification parameters
* Tube shape defined by length to width ratio
o Square: <1:1>2:1
* Tube speed defined by angle of peel line
o Fast: 30°
o Medium: 45°
o Slow: 60°
(longboard, short board, boogie board, wake board, etc.).
Two major subdivisions within stand-up surfing are longboarding and shortboarding, reflecting differences in surfboard design including surfboard length, and riding style.
In tow-in surfing (most often, but not exclusively, associated with big wave surfing), a motorized water vehicle, such as a personal watercraft tows the surfer into the wave front, helping the surfer match a large wave's higher speed, a speed that is generally, but not exclusively a speed that a self-propelled surfer can not match.
Surfing-related sports such as paddleboarding and sea kayaking do not require waves, and other derivative sports such as kitesurfing and windsurfing rely primarily on wind for power, yet all of these platforms may also be used to ride waves.
Surf waves
Swell is generated when wind blows consistently over a large area of open water, called the wind's fetch. The size of a swell is determined by the strength of the wind and the length of its fetch and duration. Because of this, surf tends to be larger and more prevalent on coastlines exposed to large expanses of ocean traversed by intense low pressure systems.
Local wind conditions affect wave quality, since the surface of a wave can become choppy in blustery conditions. Ideal conditions include a light to moderate "offshore" wind, because it blows into the front of the wave, making it a "barrel" or "tube" wave.
The most important influence on wave shape is the topography of the seabed directly behind and immediately beneath the breaking wave. The contours of the reef or bar front becomes stretched by diffraction. Each break is different, since the underwater topography of one place is unlike any other. At beach breaks, sandbanks change shape from week to week. Surf forecasting is aided by advances in information technology. Mathematical modeling graphically depicts the size and direction of swells around the globe.
Swell regularity varies across the globe and throughout the year. During winter, heavy swells are generated in the mid-latitudes, when the north and south polar fronts shift toward the Equator. The predominantly westerly winds generate swells that advance eastward, so waves tend to be largest on west coasts during winter months. However, an endless train of mid-latitude cyclones cause the isobars to become undulated, redirecting swells at regular intervals toward the tropics.
East coasts also receive heavy winter swells when low-pressure cells form in the sub-tropics, where slow moving highs inhibits their movement. These lows produce a shorter fetch than polar fronts, however they can still generate heavy swells, since their slower movement increases the duration of a particular wind direction. The variables of fetch and duration both influence how long wind acts over a wave as it travels, since a wave reaching the end of a fetch behaves as if the wind died.
During summer, heavy swells are generated when cyclones form in the tropics. Tropical cyclones form over warm seas, so their occurrence is influenced by El Niño & La Niña cycles. Their movements are unpredictable. They can move westward as in 1979, when Tropical Cyclone Kerry wandered for three weeks across the Coral Sea and into Queensland before dissipating.
Surf travel and some surf camps offer surfers access to remote, tropical locations, where tradewinds ensure offshore conditions. Since winter swells are generated by mid-latitude cyclones, their regularity coincides with the passage of these lows. Swells arrive in pulses, each lasting for a couple of days, with a few days between each swell.
[edit] Wave intensity
Drawing showing cross-section of a wave with the top curling from left to right over an air-filled region known as its tube. The tube contains one double-headed arrow pointing to the lower left and upper right labeled width and a second point to upper left and lower right labeled length.
The geometry of tube shape can be represented as a ratio between length and width. A perfectly cylindrical vortex has a ratio of 1:1, while the classic almond-shaped tube is nearer 3:1. When width exceeds length, the tube is described as "square".
Classification parameters
* Tube shape defined by length to width ratio
o Square: <1:1>2:1
* Tube speed defined by angle of peel line
o Fast: 30°
o Medium: 45°
o Slow: 60°
Wednesday, 6 October 2010
Quicksilver Events
Under the scoring system:
Surfing is an art form, an expression of one’s creative and athletic impulses slashed across the fluid, unpredictable canvas of the ocean surface. So how the hell can a judge be expected to give a numerical score evaluating a rider’s performance when good surfing is so subjective? Many sports have this problem. Skateboarding, figure skating, and any freestyle sports, for instance, are difficult to judge because each athlete's performance seems incomparable. Each offers unique elements of speed, style, and power. All these categories must be considered. Therefore, as a judge, one must somehow form a way to evaluate all these elements in an objective, mathematical process.
A surfing judge follows the basic principle that the surfer who rides a wave with the most speed, control, and power in the most critical section should receive the highest score. This principle is to be the basis for your judging criteria. Note: a surfer’s style should not be an issue unless that style interferes with his/her control, speed, or power.
Assigning a Score
Each wave is assigned a score from .5 to 10. A .5 basically means that the surfer got to his/her feet but made no motion down the line. Simply standing up and straightening out usually warrants a .5; however, if the conditions are heavy, and the drop is particularly fierce, then there is some leverage here. If you have ever made a nasty late drop at Sunset, you know that’s worth a heck of a lot more than a .5.
Initially, a judge must create a numerical base. For instance, a wave with two complete maneuvers should be about a 5. However, the type of wave or conditions can dictate how maneuvers are scored. For example, a wave like Pipeline is all about the tube, so the tube should be scored much higher than anything else. In addition, point breaks offer much longer rides, and the possibility for more maneuvers is greater; therefore, your score must be adjusted. In this case, a wave with five or six maneuvers might receive a 5 or 6. All conditions hold different scoring criteria for maneuvers.
Remember, for a maneuver to be scored, it must be completed. No matter how radical the attempt, if he/she doesn’t emerge with both feet on the board and still being pushed by the force of the wave, it doesn’t count.
Surfing is an art form, an expression of one’s creative and athletic impulses slashed across the fluid, unpredictable canvas of the ocean surface. So how the hell can a judge be expected to give a numerical score evaluating a rider’s performance when good surfing is so subjective? Many sports have this problem. Skateboarding, figure skating, and any freestyle sports, for instance, are difficult to judge because each athlete's performance seems incomparable. Each offers unique elements of speed, style, and power. All these categories must be considered. Therefore, as a judge, one must somehow form a way to evaluate all these elements in an objective, mathematical process.
A surfing judge follows the basic principle that the surfer who rides a wave with the most speed, control, and power in the most critical section should receive the highest score. This principle is to be the basis for your judging criteria. Note: a surfer’s style should not be an issue unless that style interferes with his/her control, speed, or power.
Assigning a Score
Each wave is assigned a score from .5 to 10. A .5 basically means that the surfer got to his/her feet but made no motion down the line. Simply standing up and straightening out usually warrants a .5; however, if the conditions are heavy, and the drop is particularly fierce, then there is some leverage here. If you have ever made a nasty late drop at Sunset, you know that’s worth a heck of a lot more than a .5.
Initially, a judge must create a numerical base. For instance, a wave with two complete maneuvers should be about a 5. However, the type of wave or conditions can dictate how maneuvers are scored. For example, a wave like Pipeline is all about the tube, so the tube should be scored much higher than anything else. In addition, point breaks offer much longer rides, and the possibility for more maneuvers is greater; therefore, your score must be adjusted. In this case, a wave with five or six maneuvers might receive a 5 or 6. All conditions hold different scoring criteria for maneuvers.
Remember, for a maneuver to be scored, it must be completed. No matter how radical the attempt, if he/she doesn’t emerge with both feet on the board and still being pushed by the force of the wave, it doesn’t count.
Tuesday, 5 October 2010
Gravure Printing
Gravure is an ‘intglio’ rotary high quality printing process, which means that the image is engraved or etched into an image carrier, which in the printing process is a copper cylinder, then placed onto a revolving print press, the same as the previous rotary systems of litho and flexo.
The print produced by the gravure process is accomplished transferring ink from ‘cells’ of various sizes and depths that are etched into a copper covered steel cylinder. The cylinder may contain as many as 22,500 cells per square inch. The various sizes and depths of the depressions create the different solid areas of the image. A larger or deeper depression, transfers more ink to the printing surface creating a larger and/or darker area. The areas of the cylinder that are not etched become the non-image areas.
The cells that are engraved in the cylinders are different in area and depth or they can be the same depth but different in area. This allows for greater flexibility in producing high quality work for different types of print applications. Cells that vary in area but are of equal depth are often used on gravure cylinders for printing packaging. The gravure cylinders with cells that vary in area and depth are reserved for the highest quality printing such as photography in books or high-end glamour magazines.
Printing Process
Because of the cylinders being made of copper, this printing process is expensive, and so as a result gravure is largely performed as a rotary web process (rotogravure) to offset the costs. It is most often used for very long runs of up to a million+ to be cost effective. For print runs of a million or more, the cylinders are plated with chromium to provide extra durability.
During the printing process, the gravure cylinder revolves in an ink fountain where it is coated with fluid ink. A stainless steel blade (doctor blade) clears the ink from the unwanted areas, leaving the ink in the depressions of the cylinder. The printing material passes between the gravure cylinder and an impression cylinder covered in rubber and the ink from the cells is deposited onto the material.
Other than being very thin and fluid, the ink colours used with process colour (CMYK) printing differ in hue than the inks used with other processes. Instead of the usual cyan, magenta, yellow, and black used with offset lithography, blue, red, yellow, and black are used.
Gravure is a direct printing method so there is no need to use a fountain solution to keep the non-image areas clean. Removing this process allows for better print quality control and jobs can be run at higher speeds. Some print jobs can be run as high as 3,000 feet per minute. The microscopic depressions on the gravure cylinder create an almost continuous tone image on the printed surface, which is why it is often used for high quality image reproduction.
Gravure Plating Methods
*Image depicts the copper gravure printing plates having the artwork etched onto the plates.
Diffusion-etch: Diffusion-etch is a method that uses a carbon tissue ‘rotofilm’ onto which positive images are exposed. Rotofilm is a special four layer film. A special screen is used with the rotofilm during the exposure to form a square dot pattern of the image. After processing, the rotofilm is applied to the cylinder and the image is etched chemically into the cylinder. The screen used during the exposure helps to create the walls of the depressions made during the etching process. The diffusion-etch process produces an image that is of high quality but the copper plate/cylinder may only last for 50,000 impressions.
Photopolymer: A photopolymer plate is also used with the gravure process. The photopolymer method is less expensive than the diffused- etched gravure plate , so it can be competitive with offset printing and flexography for runs under 100,000. The plates are made of stainless steel and are mounted on magnetic cylinders. The exposed plates are then chemically etched to produce the image on the plate. The main difference between the photopolymer plate and a relief plate is that the image on the gravure plate is below the plate surface rather than being above the surface as with a relief plates.
The Gravure printing process is most commonly used for many packaging applications, magazines, and pressure sensitive labels. Gravure is the preferred method of producing magazines and catalogs in high volumes.
Rotogravure is used for printing specialty items such as gift wrap, wallpaper, plastic laminates, printed upholstery, imitation wood grain finishes, and vinyl flooring. Many of the specialty items are printed on very wide presses. Some of them, such as those that print patterns on floor coverings.
A gravure sheet-fed process is used for smaller runs for such items as limited edition prints and other artwork, photographic books, stock certificates, and some advertising pieces.
Advantages of Gravure printing
Gravures advantages include lower printing costs when printing jobs are of high volume, around 50,000 + , otherwise lower printing volumes costs are offset with the price of running the machines and the printing plates.
The printing cylinders last for millions of prints and so for longer print jobs are much more economical and cost effective.
The gravure inks are relatively low cost compared to those of other printing processes, so it is common for coatings to be added to designs to add a nicer finish quality to the products. Metallic effects are most commonly added with gravure printing as it is the best method for adding such a finish, and the cheapest on long volume runs, proving a major alternative to mass hot foil blocking.
Another advantage is the overall printing quality of gravure printing over the other printing processes, the depth of colour and tone is much richer with gravure printing due to the use of controllable cells to create different tones within the printed images.
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