99% Of mal riders are old so they have to get there wave count up more than short boards because they all now its at any time they could fall off the perch ! Pure greed before death . They all must be going to hell !!!

BB, go n' have a smoke and/or a Snickers .

We're humans, we are not rational beings. Why do people wear fashion?

PS: I don't ride a longboard but I'd politely tell you to fuck off.

there is no rational argument, that said, Malibus do have more puropse than say, facial hair .

I ride a mal (in certain conditions) because I have more fun on it than I would on a short board. I have two mals in the garage (along with a selection of fishes, shortboards, and guns), and if it's small and clean and gutless they're just a better choice for me. While I live in a completely feral wave zone where most "surfers" (mals or otherwise) are complete idiots, I don't hog the waves too much and I don't bail out in front of people. And being in my late fifties with 40+ years of surfing under my belt, I've earned the right to ride whatever the hell I like. Got a problem with that?

people also ride bodyboards, kneeboards and all sorts of craft or none at all who cares what they ride or don't ride. I'm sure the body surfers are sick to death of board riders full stop.

BB you rremind me of a guy LM who at time loses the marble bag.
People are allowed to ride whatever they want wirhout your consent.
It's up to you to use all your knowhow and experience to put them outa action on the peak your on.... Granted easier on your home break, and much more difficult otherwise, but still, very rarely are those you painted in the category of "surfer"..... mostly they are just guys or gals going surfing.... Greedy? Sure but that's what they say bout you and I while they're towleling off.

Ps... Forgot to answer the title question... As best I can come up with, "because they can".

When I tell you to fuck off, BB, I did say I'd do it politely. I'm not even sure why I'm wading into this debate because I don't ride a longboard and I've even been known to get angry when surrounded by greedy long boarders. So the pacifist you're dealing with here is just me getting all mung bean away from any emotional stimuli.

Bombs away.

Sorry, no rational response other than a live and let live, Libertarian sense of people being free to do whatever they want.

Perhaps blindboy you should be asking yourself why not? Does your 6'2 Simon look cooler under your arm?

I'm with bb. Can't stand these mal riders just trimming along. Do something,for fucks sake

Yet BB if we look at this in its totality, its not just mals who paint your picture ttoday, but all the retro boards as well to some extent cause a traffic jam in the water. Put em all together and fuck it can be hard some days.
But still, that's very much city surfing in 2013 and what we have to live with to go surfing.
For those like yourself and for that matter myself, who heat up over it, I find as I stated before, best to stake your claim, make your statement early. Funny thing about surfing is, and has always been, we generally are willing to make way for the guy who's cutting it best on the break.
Do I like it ? No way? I'm reminded of stu's run in with the legropeless mal rider here...and buggered if I know how stu didn't crack him one or something along those lines.
Point is you/ we/us have got to just stand up and say, "na that's enough" and play it like you mean it. Haven't we?
For the past 6 or so years as its got more and more ridiculous in the water at Manly, and as I've got more pissed off about it all, its the only answer I've come up with that has worked consistantly. Stake your claim.

Fair enough cant say they bother me that much but they generally stick to a few select breaks around my area. As for the ones i do see most of them are smiling old boys happy to be surfing. Hell saw Wade Goodall surfing a mal not long ago still ripping good to see some different lines.

I can't help but sense bitterness in your articles lighten up at least your getting waves.

When it's time to surf waves with mals, it's time to consider a mal. Until then keep fit, tuned and your surfing dialed into waves where these logs are not able to surf.
Spread the mass's amongst wierd and kooky craft because it leaves certain wave types generally only crowded with good equipment and competent surfers. This brings more challenges than a bunch of old dudes and trendy retro hipsters. Good surfers are hard to get waves off, ask no quarter give no quarter when on even pegging right BB.

Hey BB... Here is maybe some food for thought for you.....

As someone who's spent their life in surfboads, I found that guys getting older were still surfing well, but surfing lines that got longer as they got older, but were still riding short boards and struggling with wave count and problems such as you write about...
So I would work out what length, width, thickness, board matches their arcs and convince them to try it. Can't think of one who went back to their 6'2.

Anyways thought I'd throw that hat into the ring.

Nothing worse than leaving a set wave for a short boarder who can't even get on the bloody thing because he doesn't have the speed. Are you going to catch it or aren't you? You just paddled like you would if you saw a shark and put in 3-4 massive kicks to give you a boost onto it and you still bloody missed. I feel your frustration blindboy.

Yeah mals need to be mindful to share waves around BUT... if it's under 1 foot then all bets are off.

If you take out a short board on a 1/2 foot day, then it's your problem you bought the wrong board. You can sit there seething and hating, or get yourself some small wave equipment and cheer up.

Yes, there are some that rip on a short board in micro waves. These types get waves anyway.

Just in case your not trolling BB

Why ride a mal.
I ride a mal because it opens up other possibilities along a stretch of any coast line, usally to fat or not of enough conciquence to attract attention from short boarders. Untill you get a wave! Then you get invaded. You try to share but countless waves get wasted as they go through unridden. People who would rather sit out there with totally inadequate equipment and catch nothing because they don't want to be seen riding a board that makes any sense. (Tea Bags)

I have perfected the take off behind the mal after he is already up and riding. The key is make it seem like he dropped in on you. Most mal riders rarely use their peripheral vision so it is easily accomplished.

Blindboy.

I find it amusing that you believe in your small mind that you have the right to be the gospel of surfing, preaching what is acceptable or not acceptable, what is right and what is wrong, and of course your way is the best way.

Older surfers with the latest short-board inspired by KS or Dane are also an embarrassment. You might think you are ripping but you are thrashing through your mid-life crisis publicly and to be blunt, you look like a bloody idiot.

BB.. you preface this article by saying its different for you etc...
And it may be I'm getting to deep and meaningful, but you are thought provocing when you write.
All up, what your saying is "what has happened to my surfing experience"?
It got sold!!
Those that bought it didn't go to a heritage council to ask if they could change it, they just made of it what they wanted.
So many buyers, so much fragmentation.
Like a shonky developer, those that sold it didn't give a fuck beyond their own interests, so no guarantees were givin.

Now guys like yourself, myself, and many others are left asking questions and like the boxer laying face down on the canvas, we didn't see the sucker punch coming.

However, has any and everybody got the same right to go surfing as you and I? Absolutely.
And on whatever equipment they chose.
And equipment is a key to enjoying the surfing experience, and I find, using my hard fought for experience, that the majority of people going surfing are riding the wrong equipment for their ability, age, experience, knowledge etc etc (it can be a long list).

So if anyone is struggling with their surfing experience, and at some point in our experimentations with equipment we all do, don't buy what your being sold.
Get back to how the surfing experience can work best. Go to a recognised creditable designer shaper and talk over your surfing with them at lengh.

As surfing is never static, we need to adjust our equipment as we ourselves change.
And equipment is best suited when designed and shaped for the individual.

Wow there's a sales pitchvfor days gone by.

Hi Blindboy,
You have a very good point about Mals.... truth be told that no-one would care if they did not catch seventeen times as many waves as the shortboarders! I ride a longboard in 1 - 2ft waves and absolutely love it, you do go incredibly fast and its fun to play around on. I do tend to surf by myself though as I know that I can catch anything, take my leash off and have a little party.

I do not surf with longboarders, unless its in a heavy wave and they can not take their pick(which is a wave each set normally). If I see a longboarder on a peak I go elsewhere, luckily round here the longboarders have their own beach! Fun to watch sometimes, doing their tricks, dropping in on each other, riding over one and other!

But what about the SUP issue, my goodness those guys are hectic, they stand up and can see the sets a minuted before you and if they are fit and active will paddle from one peak to the next on an inconsistant day. Their are two in South NSW where we live that frequent a couple of beachies we go to - on a small day you can watch them paddling from one peak to the next, chasing swells, calling each other into the waves. Using a complicated calculation I worked out the are 3.7 times more wave hog than Malibus!

Why surf a malibu? Cause when it's small clean and gutless there is nothing else to ride. I thought that would've been obvious to anyone who's got half a clue.

Yes but why surf one when it's not small clean and gutless? From what i've seen people surf em in good surf because they are not fit enough to paddle a shortboard. Don't want to put the time in - easy way out. Then because they don't surf very often they seem to think it's OK to catch every set wave to make up for lost time just because they can....not putting every mal rider in this bracket - only 90% of them.

You must be the worst surfer BB, 'cause it sounds like your the one having the least fun.(I don't really beleive that) I hope you can get in control of your emotions and things start to pick up for you.

Blindboy, thank you for getting this discussion going. I may or may not agree with you, may think you are a top bloke or a wanker, but you got the mob talking. That is what makes Swellnet a great site, the forums. Previous comments have said everything but I'll just add.....Excuse the old term, but different strokes for different folks. I have 2 9ft boards, one is a high performance quad mal,56 inch aggregate round nose for small surf, the other is a 9ft, 50 inch aggregate pointy nose quad for bigger waves that is a legal mal under international rules. (That's 9ft, aggregate of 47 inches. that's the width in centre and width a foot back from nose and tail added up) I can paddle out anywhere, even Margarets on the pointy nose board and nobody says a word. I don't even have to be aware of giving mals a bad name. Nobody gives an old fart a wave because he's an old fart on a 6-2 and at 65 even my 7ft fish is a bit of a struggle these days. I consider blokes who think there's only ONE board and that's MY board to be neanderthals. The Aussie Longboard Titles start at Port Macquarie on Saturday and I'll be there having fun with like minded individuals of all ages. Most will have a shortboard/fish/mini Simmons/mid range in their quiver and have a broad mind and they'll have FUN.

any surfer worth his salt will quickly get bored of riding a malibu. They are SO BORING to ride. Take off walk to nose, walk back again, try and turn. Boring. Get a real surfboard and learn how to get barrelled. kooks

Blindboy all I could see reading your article was the YOU are the worst creature out on the waves on any given day. I surf a 5 11" 99% of the time and do on the odd day notice that Mal riders coming over the top have a habit of hogging the waves. That doesn't bother me, but your entire attitude stinks of localism which is a far bigger problem. Blokes like you trying to intimidate other surfers because they don't conform to your expectation of the perfect session absolutely disgust me and it flies in the face of thinking we all grab our boards and get out there because we actually enjoy surfing. You might not get a wave because there are better surfers out than you, or because there are guys with boards that are going to get up before you. The only part of logic in your argument that I mildly agree with is that when someone takes priority on a wave they should be able to make sure they can actually catch it and follow through (not wipeout or go straight forwards) but even then your attitude stinks.

When I started surfing I made one rule for myself and that was "if you're going to get angry when you're out there and get surf rage then you shouldn't be a surfer" I've stuck to that and tough shit if you have a quieter session because of the crowds, drive further and find an empty spot or find a reef that Mal riders can't surf if it bothers you that much

Why ? simple , cos it’s fun to ride, respect others and the rules and that’s that ! Bla blab la, have to categorise everything all the efin time and everything is a competition somehow !

Waves were waist high, clean, and with a decent shape. Watched a kid tear through the lip time and time again. Also watched a long boarder take off, slide, set up perfect trim and move to the nose. All with a fluid style. If you surf well and with consideration of the rest of the crew in the water, then very few will care about what you ride. If you are an arrogant kook, then you will be singled out for ridicule, and again, very few will care about what you ride.

Simple answer: because I have more fun.

I'm 24 & fit. I can ride a shortboard ok too. But, even in good waves, longboards can be so much fun! I share waves (as long as the others in the water are too) and generally avoid crowds, just the same as I would if I was riding a shortboard that particular day. While everyone else is struggling through the same three turns in their repertiore and frowning at each other, I'm taking off backwards or switch, getting coffin tubes on closeouts, setting up tubes deeper (rather than freefalling out of the lip to oblivion, or skipping out on a sketchy bottom turn like most of the shortboarders when its hollow and sucky) noseriding, and having a blast!

Plus it improves my surfing more than anything else. After a period on the mal I'll jump back on the shortboard and it suddenly feels more responsive and livelier that it did before. I can turn on a dime, I see lines I didn't before, and the board feels like it's glued to my feet. I do my best surfing when I've been on a mal for a while then switch back to a shortboard.

And there's some things that just feel far more amazing on a longboard, like a drawn out grab rail cuttie, a fade take off/bottom turn into backdoor-pit combo, or pigdogging through a solid bh tube. Nail any of those three moves on a mal in good waves, and even the harshest longboard critics will never again question your manliness.

But more than anything else, I do it because "Fuck you, I can do what I want!"

I’m 34 and ride a Mal and ill go where i want mate, respect others and have fun ! It doesn’t say anywhere that i can’t go with my MAL on 10F wave at Bells ! Its nature out there and some people tend to think they own it and if you thing im going to be intimidated by a narrow minded, short board surfer who things he owns the beach , Your Dreaming !!!! Peace !

get off your high horse blind boy! Who the hell are you to tell us what or what not to ride and why! If your having fun and then that's all that matters, whether your cutting back getting air or just riding the face each to there own. Go have a little cry coz the guy on the Mal can catch the wave before you! Maybe that's part of the reason we ride mals! so we can get all the waves.

Eskimo and Krang need to learn to surf a real board. Anybody with experience riding a mal in decent surf is a woose and a cheat. I hate them with a passion. I am 54 and riding a 5'9" and have a surfing fitness regime because as Blind Boy says, I care about my surfing and I always try to improve (even though I am going backward). If your not in the pack fighting it out to get a wave at the most critical point because your haven't go the fitness or testical fortitude and need a mal to catch a wave two miles out, you are probably better suited to strapping a bit of lycra on and go push bike riding on your own (and leave everybody else in peace). If you want to surf a log go down the beach and drown away from people who care.

"Maybe that's part of the reason we ride mals! so we can get all the waves. "

That'll be the last time I defend longboarders then.

Hahaha memlasurf ! your a funny man ! A real board you say! Good on ya for riding a 5'9. respect to you ! any chance of you respecting my choice at all?

Here we go with the competitiveness , you dont think i care about my surfing ? "fighting it out" wtf! are you at war when you catching waves ?

You are 54 and still not fucking wise enough to respect others choices and you sound like the ones that think they own the beach cos they are a better surfer ..
You think i dont care about surfing cos i ride a Mal ? you ok or what ?

All the best to you mate !

You all need to have a good look at the agro crap you are dribbling, I am 53 still ride shortboards exclusively and remember a time when surfing was layed back and friendly.
Bottom line if you are having trouble with mals, find a heavier wave to surf.

Ill have a beer to that!! "layed back and friendly " !!

I'm 44, in good shape, and I've been surfing on 9' long board because I just got started surfing a year ago (almost to the day). So I'm a noob and I needed something to learn on. Everyone warned me don't try to start on something too small, even though the kids on the little 5-6' rockets seem to be having the most fun.

I actually just bought a 7' board a couple of weeks ago and find it way more enjoyable to take out than the long board, even though I've taken a few steps backwards in terms of my ability to stand and actually surf. But dropping in seems way nicer. Getting it out of my apartment, throwing it in my car and carrying it down the beach -- way better. Paddling around -- way better. Petty soon, I'm gonna bring the 9' out again for a spin, just to see what it's like having been on the shorter board for getting on a month now. But I pretty much stay away from the experienced guys no matter what I'm on.

Dear BlindBoy:
Not only are you smug and self riteous but you have a complete lack of self awareness to say that when your article is one of the most self riteous things I've read. And don't try to make what you are sound playful by saying "yeah I'm a real shit" you are a PIECE of Shit there is a difference

Well I ride an 8ft mini-mal for a number of reasons, the main being that I have a spinal and hip disease (Ankylosing Spondylitis) which makes paddling on a short board quite difficult for me. The less time spent paddling, the longer I can stay out in the surf, which the mini-mal helps greatly with. I am 38, still very fit and strong, but am limited in what I can do due to this disease.

So my health is the main reason I ride what I ride. After many years of only riding a short board when I was younger, I gotta say that I have a blast out surfing the mini-mal on the fat, slow breaking waves of the south coast of Victor Harbor. The board suits the surf conditions offered from Chiton to Goolwa very well. Another reason to ride the mini-mal.

I want to be out in the water for many years to come and I will probably face the day in coming years when I can’t move from a lying position to a standing position, then I will check out the SUPs. It will be interesting to see where the future of powered surfboards may head. I can see this helping many people with injuries, disabilities etc.

So for some out there who are quick to judge, criticise etc maybe try growing up and being a little less judgmental of others.

Cheers.

a session at burleigh a few weeks ago, there was 1 guy on an old 60's mal, who because of the massive sweep was able to paddle past everyone (me included, on my trusty 6'2) and got shacked consistently. Ride the board for the condition I say. It's pretty funny watching a longboarder try to take a late drop on a 9'2 when its double over head, but also it just looks pathetic when you see guys riding a 6'0 when it's 1ft at the pass.

ps: correct me if i'm wrong but i think it was Nat Young who said
"i'm not a longboarder or a shortboarder, i'm a Surfer"

I think we are missing the issue, bloody greedy wave pigs are the real problem!!

I don't care what you ride but people who think it is ok to snake or catch every single set wave cause they are on surf craft that can catch waves before they even break are inconsiderate so & so's. It just so happens that most of these 'greedy' people happen to be riding mals or SUP's.

Old mate Oldmate is on the money. Stop being so fucking sensitive you nerf-hearted longboarders. If you only surf a mal when it's small or because you're an old prick then clearly Blindboy wasn't speaking to you. The rest, robust young fellas (and wenches, can't be sexist now) need to be aware you're not simply using it too outpaddle everyone else.

Your obviously one of those middle age blokes riding the latest al merrick, with the $180 Kelly fins frothing around the line up making an absolute kook of yourself trying to generate a bit of speed when it's two foot. I know the type. Keep at it tho mate, It's because of blokes like you I get a million waves in a session at Noosa on my 9' 1". Yewwww

Blind boy. You're right. The reason I ride a mal is because I get more waves. It's not that I get an ego boost, but it does mean I get waves I wouldn't otherwise. So yes, sometimes it does feel great to jump to my feet 10 metres out from the crowd with them all staring at me as I grab a set wave. Yes it feels fantastic, and it's not because I'm too shallow to discern others contempt, that's their problem. I don't give a rats ass what they think.

Watching you try get a set - priceless.

63-Malibu: There must be plenty of totally bored crew riding mals out at Middleton every weekend but heck they seem to be having a lot of fun. The SUPs are coming to take over so you may as well give up on your mals and shortboards. The guy on his SUP out at Bullies on Sunday was doing quite alright.

Why surf a mal? I do sometimes because it's fun and I want to. The problem is not the craft, it's the asshole on the craft. Riding a mal facilitates the desire to catch every wave because of the ease at which an average paddler can do so.

The problem is etiquette in the water, lack of ability in the surf and lack of situational awareness in most surfers (and humans generally). I have a scar on my face from a shortboarder letting go of his board infront of me (brazilian), so I'd hesitate to say that that's a problem accute to mal riders. Possibly just brazilians (joking). Once again, lack of ability and situational awareness.

I think it's a bit ignorant to suggest that longboards are the problem, the problem: assholes. It's all surfing, whatever your riding. PS If if you're caught inside don't paddle for the shoulder if someone is on the wave assholes

Guns don't kill people, malibus do.

I'll vote for whichever party has a malibu buyback scheme come September.

yep what 'sam-r' said.

An asshole's quiver is not limited to the Mal Blindboy, they are a diverse existence riding many forms. I have seen the garage of an asshole... Fishes, surf skis, hand-boards.

Surfing is about fun guys - the problem isn't with Mals its the little Groms who ride their booger's - too lazy to stand up and think they own the beach. (lol)
Mal riders are usually the nice ones out in in the water - out there to have fun. All this serious talk - surfing is about fun guys, about the experience, leaving all the troubles on land, why are we making trouble in the water? I agree Blindboy, people should "Share" the waves - but people need to just lighten up a bit too.

Yes I ride a mal...
Love to you all my fellow surfers - to matter what you ride x

Watching lame young pussies on mals at first point Noosa surfing fat soft waves when 200metres down the rivermouth is heavy dredging barrels being surfed by shortboards getting filthy pits.
Choice is obvious wouldn't you think?

this thread is a crack up . thank y'all .

Now, can we throw in some country music, maybe a pair of crocs .

Cheers BB.
I could have been a bit clearer as well... Like folks on the wrong equipment can certainly be people on mals that simply can't handle them in or out of the water. And that applies to all surf craft is what I'm implying.

I've poked my head up on these forums and crypticly stated my background, fact is I spent a life selling, designing, shaping, owning surf shops, working with world reknown designers / shapers.... Learnt plenty.
Sadly to work in today's surfshops who sell boards, you don't need any training, so people wanting info to assist them to choose the right equipment for their skill, purpose, etc is almost non existant. The bullshit I hear when I drop in somewhere to buy wax ( consider myself retired from the industry these days though I still do a bit) blows me away.
I think the cold hard facts surfing faces today is that it has become a commodity like golf and golf courses are. Ever been on a golf course when a weekend golfer tees off?
Yep surfing got sold and now we gotta live with the new buyers and they want the waves my grey balding head wants and they only see my grey balding head and make their judgements on that. So its like I said earlier, for me surfing in Sydney with the Mals and the retros and the groms and the wanna be's and the hotties, and the crew, is all about staking a claim, making a statement and for me a huge part of that statement is understanding design relevant to age, skill, waves etc. So what ride scares the shit out stu but he knows it works for me enough that I get my waves. And Yeh its short board design.

As Good As I Once Was... Toby Keith.

I like mals cause no-one expects you to do any tricks on them, which is good cause I can't do any 'tricks', on any board. I don't even know what the 'tricks' are called. No, that's not right, I can do the 'hood ornament'. Mals are excellent high performance vehicles for exponents of the 'Hood Ornament'. The 'Hood Ornament' is a trick.

Owl Chapman was an exponent of the 'Hood Ornament', he used to do them at Banzai Pipeline. It remains unclear as to whether he was doing them as some kind of 'manoeuvre' or because he knew that it annoyed people, or both!
I think that as long as you are doing a radical 'Hood Ornament' you should be respected for riding a mal in any kind of surf. Lets face it, it's all about performance these days, high performance, everybody knows that.

I'm glad you brought this topic up blindboy, it's lead to some deep soul searching. Is riding a mal a manifestation of some deeper lack of self-worth? Why would anyone choose to be satisfied with a another run down the point doing the 'hood ornament' when, with the right attitude and ten thousand hours of practise, he could be ripping off one fakie frontside reverse lean-air after another on a flyweight pop-out thruster? It does'nt make sense.

Who cares what some dickhead says I'm going to ride what I want because its fun. Anyone else gives another reasons is kidding themselves

@Blindboy, I've read your article and as much as I hate to say it I agree with everything you wrote, I feel sick and I'm worried, all my values are shot.
You must be comforted knowing that I and Morris as I can speak for him think in a very similar way to yourself, though I personally find it very disturbing, think I'll have a drink.

this would have to be one of the kookiest things I have ever read. I grew up trying to be like mick fanning and taj burrow all the pros to rip it up on tiny little boards which are all 6'0 and white. going out sitting there standing up and doing the same thing everyone else is doing bar maybe 5 % of guys who rip. then I found a log and some general longboard (no one calls them Malibu's anymore dude) and started to have fun surfing rather than trying hard to be like everyone else I started to do my own thing which felt way gnarier. then when I did get back on a couple 6'0's I was surfing way better then I started to ride some other retro boards which are even better then the same old 6'0 snap floater cut back try to air gig. and another thing when its actually worth of riding a 6'0 ill ride one but until then ill sitck to my "Malibu" KOOK

Easily the most ignorant and ill-informed 'thing' i have ever read.

For me surfing is about freedom, connection with nature, community, inclusion, travel, being in the moment and basically having a great time. Blindboy represents the pimple on the hairy arse of surfing. He's a fascist: " emphasising a belligerent, virulent form of localism and a distrust of foreigners (mal riders) basically a form of xenophobia,"

I just got back from surfing 6 foot Desert Point Lombock, surfing a 6' 6" gun, getting barrelled, getting dragged over the reef, having an awesome time. I got home to my local yesterday and paddled my mal out into a 2 foot clean East swell. Had an great time, caught a couple of cruisey waves, saw a few dolphins and then it all went to shit. One of Blindboy's facist buddies got all potty mouth on me because I dared paddle for the same wave as he on my longboard. I didn't take the wave, pulled off when I saw he had it but the dribble, intimidation, abuse that came out of his mouth soiled my surf and the 4 other blokes out their. I gave as good as I got and finally he says that some shit was going on in his life. Don't take your shit out into the surf, don't bring your localism into the surf, don't take your hate out there.

No one owns the ocean, As for the arse pimple I'll ride anything I God damn please.

Blindboy you seem to be missing the point. There are some amazingly talented surfers out there, such as Matt Chojnacki, that ride Mals incredibly well. And this is the case for any type of surf craft. The issue is with the attitude of the rider and how they behave in the water. Comparing mals to surfboards in terms of performance is comparing apples with oranges - so it's a ridiculous point to argue. I agree with your points on the dangers with these boards in overhead waves, and abuse of wave catching ability. But I think that it is disrespectful to the guys that know what they are doing to just write-off mal riding. If you want to start critiquing 'modern' surfing performance - the amount of horrible flapping that goes on with people riding 'modern' shortboards astounds me.

Blindboy your argument reeks of negative judgment, generalisations, reduction of of variety and diversity and an us verses them mentality. You want all others to conform to your limited views of what good surfing is. Jesus mate you sound like Tony Abott. A white old man wanting the world to be to be a reflection of your small minded, mean spirited reality. Open your mind up and your heart will follow. Maybe have a chat with one of those Mal riders, rather than sneer and hate. Where else do people negatively generalise a whole subsection of society, ohh yeah racists do it in the street when they see the latest migrant nationality in Australia, rich people often do it to the poor, poor to the rich. Short board riders like Blindboy do it to Longboarders. Grow up, stop hating and enjoy the ocean, if not for your own sake then for everyone else out in the water. Localism, racism, fascism are the ugly side of Darwinian evolution. We have stayed alive by protecting our tribe from the other tribe. At some point our common oneness as dancers on the fluid waves of the ocean has to take precedence over separation and hate. So a longboarder stole a few of your waves and then you go out and attack all longboarders and describe their passion as irrelevant? Are all Nigerians running internet scams, are all Muslims terrorists, off course not.

However all separatist myopic haters who seek to ridicule and discredit other people's passions by a judgment on the length of the board they ride have waived their right to share waves in a civilised world. I officially ban you from surfing anywhere on the Eastern seaboard and take it as my duty to enforce that ban for the sake of the vibe in the line up.

trolololololololol

BB you are capable of much more than this.

Thank you for the Ween recommendation, poster above.

What velocityjohnno said.

BB you sound like a pretty angry person, do you feel like having a go at SUP's, lids, Kneelos, swimmers and Clubbies as well?
Dare I say you have a go at all the pissed off, angry at life and filthy at the world middle aged short boarding males that pick fights and abuse people on a regular basis at just about every suburban beach every week around OZ.
Seriously BB you are a goon a total moron.
Watch the likes of Harley Ingelby surf both a long and shortboard and you would be never have dared penned this crap.
I ride a Longboard a shortboard and love to bodysurf, what does that make me BB?
If its 2ft ill ride a mal and if I ever see you in the surf im gunna laugh in your face as I ride on by on 9ft of fun.

Ben, Stu and Craig, do you guys pay BB to stir some shit up and if so how do the rest of us get a piece of the action?

I forgot to mention BB that id rather on a 1-2ft day have fun and cruise laughing all the way to the beach on a mal than look like a wanna be pro doing poo stance hit the lips, bog rail turns and bad floaters with a board covered in cool stickers thinking I look like like king s#@t.

I could almost expect this argument from someone younger and dumber. For a guy that purports to be of a certain age, you're a bit slow on the uptake. Surfing is a highly selfish pursuit with highly limited resources - more so in most built up areas on the coast. If you cant deal - then thats cool - do something else. But dont get so hung up - particularly if, as you say - surfing is the meaning of your life...setting yourself up for dissapointment there...
Although you may have some imagined 'cred' for being there in the halcyon days, those days and opportunities have passed you by.
Dont let that get to you - enjoy the time you have left.
I'd definitely be hitting up Ben for pay per comment though - youv'e got the knack there...maybe give away surfing altogether and just focus completely on the grumpy old man schtick.

Hey BB, I read all the hate mail and wonder......
I feel the crux of your issue is this......
You expect to find surfers in the water...... and outa the water...... Surfers being the ideals of days past that you lived and that resonate within you as how things should be.
But mate it ain't going to happen like that again in Sydney...... This is city surfing now and the once loud relevance of your question is lost in the white water

Hey guys, forget the title of the article as its given the thread a distasteful target, that being Mals, when the real question being raised in the article is one of Attitudes and Skill levels applied to any surf craft.

Valid point that some longboarders abuse their paddling power, but I don't think they all do it; you can't discredit longboards in general. I argue that this selfishness is found right across surfing and it comes out through various channels e.g localism, intimidation, snaking, drop-ins...

Granted, this is all pretty f'ing hilarious, but meanwhile East Gippsland Shire is about to put a dirty great breakwall through Bastion Point, Rip/Bong/Silver is putting up surfing billboards in Times Square to recruit more soft-top pilots, the great unwashed only elect govts with the proven abilities to pollute, sell, mine, develop and generally fuck up the coast and the ocean, and the filthy rich buy up remaining coastal property in order to decompress for 48 hours from the bullshit they created for themselves.

It's war out there beyond the ditches folks, and we're fightin' over cigarettes in the trenches...

Through observation and experience (47 years surfing) have to agree with blindboy. Learned to surf on mals in the 60's and will never ride em again. Tried em again in the early 90's thinking it might be fun, hated it; too much foam and fibreglass for my liking. My quiver now: 5'4'' x 20'' dribble rider, will catch and fly and out perform any mal on the tiniest waves. 5'8'' x 191/4'' small wave shooter, love it. 6' x 18 7/8'' rounded pin for serious waves, goes like a dream. Live on the southern goldy, crowds are chronic, still get plenty of waves, even at the 'stupid bank' when its worth surfing. Only problem I have is with the mal, sup and clubby board riders who always seem to take more than their fair share. Got no problem with anyone on anything if they play fair. But just don't see it happening very often e.g. 3 people on a lovely little left bank, competent mal rider paddles out and proceeds to take every bomb he possibly can. It was so shit and certainly not an isolated occurrence. It's sad when you have to tune someone in the line-up about their greedy ways. Always remember the day I saw Rocky Rawlings push a guy off his mal, rip his legrope off and proceed to push his board out to sea, telling the guy to swim in to shore in penance for his greedy ways!!

Certain people play their part in history riding mals, cos someone has to be the big swinging dick that no one hassles, I can think of a number of examples here, surprisingly different reasons for different people.

Fuck, I am so happy I don't live on the least coast of Aus. when I read this sort of shit, your crap culture is slowly leaching onto the coast where I live, but only on waves that aren't worth the bother. I am also very happy they built ring road around all the major coastal towns, so if I am traveling that coast I can avoid 90% of the dickheads.

So according to your 'well articulated argument' 6'2 to 6'6 is the range of acceptable craft, 4 inches of range is is this what you tell the ladies?

Or is a 6'2 getting a little fishy for you.

I hope one day to burn you on my short board, borrow a fish burn you on that, then a long board, inflatable swan and any other craft available.

if you want to surf alone get in a car and drive there are tones of empty breaks around and plently o' reefs with nary a fish or mal to be found.

I understand your argument blindboy, and on a personal level I also agree, to an extent. My view is that we, as waveriders, have a special opportunity every time we get in the ocean, to release frustrations and leave the complexities of the world on hold for a bit. I believe few would disagree that the act of riding waves is therapeutic to most. Some gain value from riding waves 'you know, for the glide' while others will choose to 'beat the fuck out of the wave'. In either case, we have the luxury in this sport to express ourselves without having any adverse effect on other participants if we so choose. In isolation of any crowds, we can be as passive or as violent as we want on a wave without inflicting any harm on anyone or anything. The effect of unleashing our frustrations is erased forever, no smashed windows or domestic violence. Crowds cause issues, and every wave is a gift that should not be taken for granted. When individuals fail to respect basic etiquette in any lineup, their actions adversely affect others. This is not limited to riders of a particular craft, its inherent to every dickhead in the water that believes they are somehow better than all others sharing the lineup (not just those you describe in the above article).

I like riding malibu boards cause they are a challenge. I've thrusted here, I've thrusted there. I've gone upside down, disappeared behind the foam ball and come back out again a different man. It was all too easy. I coulda been a pro.
My experience with a modern Al Merrick, banana rockered, double reverse concave flyweight thruster is that they do exactly what you want them to do at the speed of thought. Mals don't do that. They resist. They ignore all requests. They need to be wrestled into submission. They are like Pamploma bulls and I am the matador.
If you find yourself anywhere in the surf where any mal rider is out there actually catching waves, you are obviously riding waves which are way too small, gutless and safe to be requiring anything but a heavy, unwieldy, cumbersome log.

what i dont get with surfers is that you get people going into bat for their craft. If they ride a fish they want everyone in the world to know how fast they are. If they ride a longboard they want everyone in the world to ride one. surfers are making videos explaining how cool their fricken surfboards are, promoting their vehicle of choice. There are 'soul surfers' making films about all this crap, promoting surfing, surfboards and surf breaks and making surfing more and more popular. Call me an old prick, but when i was learning to surf the idea was to tell no one abything. These days everyone is telling everyone everything. The surfers code is and always should be, keep your trap shut.

Can I look into the future for a second and wonder how the advancement of powered surfboards will impact on us all. Mal and short boarders will need to unite to defend our shores. Greed is greed whatever way you look at it but a greedy mal rider on an inconsistent day can make everyone pretty angry.

I don't ride a mal. I don't care what you ride.

69, you are an old prick.

I agree.

So it seems that pretty well the only people sticking up for mal riders are...........wait for it.....mal riders.

Like Maddogmorley mentioned some are cool and follow surf etiquette but the majority I see around Adelaide are selfish buggers who don't give a rats for anyone else in the lineup!

Ride a longboard, that's cool, just don't be a prick about it.

@1963-malibu, keeping your mouth shut worked very well for Wayne Lynch!! Stopped him getting enlisted for Vietnam all those years and he managed to just go surfing, nice.

BB, I think you already have a few opinions in a short space of time, Like you mentioned above, it could be the vexed ones who are the offenders of this topic?...

Gidday. My first job when I left school was as a trainee canoe shaper and shaft turner for the Fijiian government, and we used to do all the things talked about in the funny pages, including riding outrigger canoes through maaaasive tubes, and building small submersibles that we sold to the Japanese to invade Sydney. Sometimes I wonder what happened to massive companies that made some of the war canoes. Our shaping room was massive... a whole floor, with huge knock knock things called hammers and big cutter thingamajigs called saws and massssiivvve joining wotchamacallits called nails.

Enlarging the sitting place in each canoe by hand was ridiculous, huge scoopy things with seats and everything. Cutting up the paddles and hiding all the joins was so time consuming, and like I says, any mistakes in the canoe shape was a nightmare cos the war party always came back to hunt you down and eat you if you got it wrong. Nowadays my friends who still work there don't even have heads or arms. I remember taking scaled drawings of a small canoe that I wanted custom shaped to Frank Bainimarama, but he thought that my opaque, white skin looked like a camel’s backside and ordered me outta the country.

I guess its like what happened to the underwear industry. It must have been a humongous hit and shock to those booming companies and their employees.

Just as some people surf logs to escape from the reality of being too old to boogie, so too do they expect fantasy and escapism in their underpants. Or at least that's what those little silk numbers that I wear provide. Y fronts, jockettes, boxers – hell, even thongs – are largely spurned for superficial celebrations of French knickers.

And anyone who says otherwise, you'll be fuck'n sorry ya ####ing, smart arse *****ing #####****... And... In fact: either, we will never, ever, ever, never ever, ever speak to you, or anyone who even, ever, ever, ever, even ever, ever even ever, heard of you, ever. I REPEAT... NEVER... EVEN EVER!!!!

Or we will get a team, no, in fact a 'gang', of really, really mean, like, really, really, really mean knife wielding, mma bashin', karate totin' inked, barrow pushing, heavy, gigglin' units to beat the living ####ing ***p outa you, and really, really, really get you, you blasphemous ####ing... so there!

Christ almighty, why are so many of you guys so goddam uptight ?

Fuck me dead, do us a favour and slash your wrists. Yep, slash your wrists over the state of surfing. Do us a favour and end it all now .

The best part of all this is that the 'article' is rubbish but it generates such a hilarious thread of comments.

Nice troll BB.

This is what Swellnet does best. Put a bit of bait on the hook, chuck it over with no style whatsoever and sit back and watch the action.

It's not journalism. It's not news. But fuck it's entertaining.

As for whether you ride a mal or a 5'9"? In my experience the line-up will always regulate itself. If a surfer is being a kook by being greedy or aggro then they will get what's coming eventually. No matter who they are or what they are riding. There is no hiding from Karma.

End of story.

Sid you should've picked that one up straight away, s-g's last two paragraphs in the above comments are from a lift and snatch quote. On the thread On Surfing, Silence and Civil Obedience by BB.
Pretty funny really.

s-g how was the kava when shaping those canoes?..

Hey blindboy. The worst of the 1980s called and they want your attitude to surfing back.

Welly, was onto it, I was generalising.

I reckon the modern era is heaps worse than the '80s.

Phew, I didn't think you would've missed that Sid.

If all the uptight's slashed their wrists we all might get more waves and BB would be happier, especially if they were the Mal riders.

Over Easter last year I took out my 7'6 gun on a 6ft day at Lennox. Maybe a tad bigger. I was the only one surfing a gun on the day and there was maybe one Mal rider out there as well. I didn't have an in between board, just the gun a 6"0 and a 5"8 fish. I found it a lot easier to get waves, still had a good time, and managed to get barrelled. A 6"6 or so would probably been more than adequate on the day. There was so many people out there undergunned though that couldn't get into half the waves.
I probably caught about 10-12 waves in a 2hr session, crowd of about 30, which is good for me coming from uncrowded Victorian breaks.
Obviously my choice of board had an impact on the lineup because the next day when the swell was meant to hang around it dropped to 4ft and I counted at least half a dozen pin tails in the lineup. (I surfed my 6"0).
Just curious, in your opinion BB, was what I did wrong?

You should check the Facebook post BB - lots of shirty longboarders on Social Media too!

https://www.facebook.com/swellnet/posts/10151769761894929

Australian surfing has gone down the gurlger. No chance of world dominance at all. We've become surfing's spoilt brats, riding these space-age craft, (mals included) designed by engineers, funded by NASA and made in Thailand. We need to accept that we have gotten the boards we deserve. The boards do all the work now and we've become soft.
When I was growing up on Minjerribah, we had nothin'. We had to learn to surf on the trees that washed up on the beach. My first log was an 18ft, stumpy-tail, four-limbed she-oak. It was a dangerous undertaking and I lost a lot of bark, but riding a rolling log with flailing branches thru QLD cyclone swells taught me about balance. But look where I am now, surfing anything in any conditions.
Last big storm we had here, I rode an 85litre Kelvinator at Crescent Head which was bobbing around in the line-up for days. I thought it must've belonged to someone else. No leg rope. Needless to say, I got the respect I deserved. Get back to basics, this is such a privileged debate.

For fuck sake Blindboy it's ARSEHOLE, we are not seppos......yet.

Looks like a longboarder's revolt on FB !! They're packing up their planks in protest, deserting the FairStar SN .

C'mon ya plank pussies, don't run and hide, come down 'ere and fight like men.

Plankers are Wankers !! .

Is this gunna be another Alan Jones and the Cronulla Riots ?

Like SwellNet and the Planck Wars ?

Hi Blindboy,

Sad that the same 'surfing' that gives your life 'meaning' has had such a detrimental effect on your state of mind. If this article depicts anything, its the biased, narrow mindedness your beloved shortboarding has cultivated in you. Next I expect too see you post an article asking: "Why does anyone ride anything but an Al Merrick?"

Kindest regards,

Mitch

Mal? what designates a Mal? Becker 8'0" single fin. Go fly a kite!

There's a war in Syria, women and children are being used as shields in front of tanks, then rapped and killed.
Tanks or Mal, or whatever you fuckin ride, it comes down to human attitude. So check yours and if its broke, fix it!

Well said.

Sorry to whoever wrote this article, but this article is a straight-up provoking dig at what is just another genre of a great sport. If someone were lowly and spiteful enough, it would be just as easy to find a whole list of reasons why shortboarding is an equally idiotic pursuit. But let's not! Because I ride both.
Maybe I'm one of those people who's seen the light.
Longboarding has a different goal to shortboarding. The first apparent fact is that everything is lower octane - turns, getting vert, takeoffs etc - however this is not what you seek as a longboarder. You seek small fun waves, and you try to inject as much soul & style into your surfing as you can. There is room to be exceptionally playful, something for which there is no time when you're speed-pumping along a fast sucking (and very exciting) wave on a shortboard.
Both styles have their place, let alone the range of other wave-riding styles.

Why are people so upset about this written portion of truth? All words are emotionless unless you have a phd in literature, really! Until you are face to face with someone, we can all take things the wrong way.
My guess is that BB is asking peoples opinions on quote, "They are relatively young and relatively fit. It is to them I address this question".
I myself am not sure, maybe they see that riding a Malibu is cool, like what their fore fathers or mothers achieved in the past. Fashion does go around in circles. Maybe they are still learning and cannot turn or ride in the pocket, but can take the drop and then fall off?
I read the link to the Facebook which Ben posted, wow! There are some pretty upset Malibu riders. Quote from Sid,"Looks like a long boarder's revolt on FB ! They're packing up their planks in protest, deserting the FairStar SN". Come on Malibu riders or Plankers you don't have to be so sensitive, even a post above some guy is going to stop BB from surfing the East coast, ha.
Why I said this is a portion of truth, is that I have been in many situation where young and old Malibu riders have been so ignorant to other surfers in the line up. Now surf shops sell Malibu's to people learning and tell them to go out and practise on famous long point breaks, recipe for other surfers to get very annoyed.
It will never stop, I don't think, especially with the population per capita of surfers, forever growing. Its cool to surf remember!

As we all know, as surfers we respect the ocean, so we should respect each other.

Malibu in the Dictionary or Wikipedia is a place?
So everyone is getting this article wrong for a start.
I surf a place because I like the place.

Modern high performance shortboards have ruined surfing as we knew it. First it was legropes...then the 80s longboard infestation. I have surfed since the mid 70s, and until the longboard plague which commenced in the 80s you could count the number of blokes riding them at any busy city beach on one hand

Can't back down now BB, its not what aging militant short boarders do.

Give it some more stick, here, let me help...

ALL Mal Riders are fat, bald, lazy, unfit, draw-string wearing space invaders, that gave up on performance surfing just like they gave up on their waistlines.

yeah, get that up 'em .

... and their mothers wear army boots and their fathers smell of elderberries.

And don't get me started on those damn kneeboarders....

yeah!!, Malibus, oh sorry Longboards, are the surfing vehicular equivalent of viagra...

you only need one if you can't get it up.

I own 3 boards over 9' and I follow a simple rule of thumb; if the waves,regardless of how small they are,break and produce foam,you don't need a longboard.The last time I rode one would have been a few years back at the Pass on a tiny, high-tide day.Swells were coming in but not actually breaking.The malibu is the perfect tool for such occasions. It's very challenging to ride a sub 6' board smoothly in small waves and very rewarding.Riding a malibu is like using a 4" beam as a tighrope,a lot easier but boring as after the first hour.

I come from Byron , and the Malibu is the greatest danger in the water. I would rather deal with a great white in the water than a pack of mal riders. There are only a few of a large number of mal riders around the Byron area that actually take notice of surf etiquette . Most just ignore the fact youve been waiting 20 mins for a wave and they have just paddled back from the one they snaked you on previously. I have had words with many about their lack of vision and politeness in the water.

The other thing that has made them even more dangerous is the new trend, along with the whole long hair and beards retro look, is not wearing legropes. Now in an already overcrowded lineup , these guys have no consideration for other people. Its only about themselves . A wayward mal , lost and out of control, like a car careering down a hill, looking for victims. And there have been many . Just go to Byron casualty and ask how many injuries they deal with from out of control Mals. I have been run over and my board and my back have both been damaged. And that seems to be the thing with mal riders. Once they get the mal, consequential thinking and thinking of others seems to go out the window.

Im 58 , ride a 6'0" and will for as long as i possibly can. I have never ridden a mal, and cant see why i would.

I think you forgot one response "lick my b***s"... im hoping you still drive that 73 kingswood with drum brakes because anything else would validate the same responses below if anyone asked you why you now drive a commodore wagon etc ( and yes I could still get my kingswood vertical off rare embankments at home when I was young, no need to upgrade in reality..)

1. "Why should you care what sort of board I ride?" Does anything beat this for stupidity? Why should I care? Let me count the ways, starting with that last wave you caught outside me. Yes you were paddling for it first but it never occurred to you that maybe being 20 years younger and riding a board three foot longer meant that I was actually entitled to the wave as I was dead centre of the peak on the edge of the bank and had been waiting considerably longer. Oh, and that set ten minutes ago when you threw your board away without even looking behind you and it just missed me, or that gem of a wave that I pulled back from as you had already taken off only to see you go straight as you couldn't get on to a rail. Give me a minute I am sure I can think of a few more...

2. "It's such a special feeling," (eyes roll back and mystical expression appears) "you know the glide." No I don't know and I have ridden malibus, probably for a longer period than you since that was what I learnt on. You want glide? Try a decent 6'6" with a little extra width, it will glide right past that bloated paddle pop stick you are on.

3. "Fuck off!" Ah, what hope when all reason is lost. Fuck off yourself you louse on the body of surfing.

4. "I used to ride a shortboard but then all these malibu riders turned up so you know if you can't beat them join them". Well of course the solution to the problem is to become part of the problem.

5. "Who cares it's just surfing!" Just surfing! Just surfing! If you don't fucking care about surfing don't fucking surf. Go ride a bike or climb a mountain, find something you do care about, it's the meaning of life.

Obviously the word surfboard would be changed to car/driving... im an ex surfing addict who life caught up with, I just dropped a deposit on a werid 9'6" ill be gliding soon (then getting back onto my preferred board, a longer thicker shortboard... personally the mal is a flawed design, if you want to glide get a 9 foot single fin with a teardrop outline, then you'll know what flow is

happy gliding all, apart from the barrel its the only reason we chose this sport

Fair enough rod-wood or 3 speed on the column, kings-wood.

Have a go at writing a post in "Strange Beginnings" quote r-w" happy gliding all, apart from the barrel its the only reason we chose this sport". Strange but a weird 9'6"?

@ carvet nice work mate, 58 and ripping turns in the pocket on ya shortie, big up. I hear what your saying down there in that wanna be hippie, no fin, unleashed wooden plank, big bearded town.

Rasta is my best mate. Man if he says riding all surf craft is kool then I'm in on it, Mals included. Especially those big heavy pieces of junk that look super cool with colours and stuff. The colours and artistic flair make up for any lack of functionality. Because its all about the art and vibe, man. Didn't you know. Hey I had long shaggy hair and a beard yesterday, but I trimmed down to get a slick cut look with product. I don't care, but I care, you know what I mean? I don't.

Geez ,

I missed this , could have fun for a few days ...

Special mention to " Straygator " who managed to ( unwillingly ??? ) quote Uplift ,

with this spray ??? !

" And anyone who says otherwise, you'll be fuck'n sorry ya ####ing, smart arse *****ing #####****... And... In fact: either, we will never, ever, ever, never ever, ever speak to you, or anyone who even, ever, ever, ever, even ever, ever even ever, heard of you, ever. I REPEAT... NEVER... EVEN EVER!!!!

Or we will get a team, no, in fact a 'gang', of really, really mean, like, really, really, really mean knife wielding, mma bashin', karate totin' inked, barrow pushing, heavy, gigglin' units to beat the living ####ing ***p outa you, and really, really, really get you, you blasphemous ####ing... so there! "

But seriously , i feel I'm stuck in the middle . As i've always ridden slightly longer boards than what the conditions have called for , although in my defence I still concentrate on throwin 'em around !
Best thing is the " bigger " i get the easier it is to put 'em on edge ? !!

Might be worthwhile trawling back through FB comments for a laugh ..

Seriously blindboy, a wonderful and insightful piece of work. Not a word out of line, basically cleared the decks on a subject that lesser minds find hard to get to grips with.

Beware though, the seer is never a popular person. Truth telling is not what the people want.

Fark 'em, give it to 'em anyway. :-)

"Sorry to whoever wrote this article, but this article is a straight-up provoking dig at what is just another genre of a great sport. If someone were lowly and spiteful enough, it would be just as easy to find a whole list of reasons why shortboarding is an equally idiotic pursuit. But let's not! Because I ride both.
Maybe I'm one of those people who's seen the light.
Longboarding has a different goal to shortboarding. The first apparent fact is that everything is lower octane - turns, getting vert, takeoffs etc - however this is not what you seek as a longboarder. You seek small fun waves, and you try to inject as much soul & style into your surfing as you can. There is room to be exceptionally playful, something for which there is no time when you're speed-pumping along a fast sucking (and very exciting) wave on a shortboard.
Both styles have their place, let alone the range of other wave-riding styles."

May I respectfully suggest that the above represents the general consensus of those who do ride a mal, and also amounts to the most anodyne cliché, and generic denial of reality, that one can find.

All of the above is true in the soporific minds of the longboarding enthusiasts, but it's total bollocks in actuality. Those longboarders taking all the waves aren't just out for a glide. And as though longboarding somehow has an instantaneous injection of soul and style, because you are riding a plank.

Yeah, so true dat, you can't ride a shortboard with soul!!!!!!!!!

As Charlie Brown would say, "Good Grief!!!"

Batfink writes "a wonderful and insightful piece of work".

I laughed so hard I spat out my cornflakes.

Geez BB, what have you unleashed? Facebook and all... Threats and all.... Challenges and all...
You've stained Mals forever... Every time a short boarder sees a mall now they'll be thinking is that the guy who wrote this post or that.... Everytime a mal sees a short boarder the same....
And history will forever ask, " who the fuck was BB"?

BB you can't get the glide on a 6'6" with extra volume.

It requires a heavy old school log, around 10' long and a very small clean peeling wave. It's a very different feeling to riding a short board and just because you never felt it doesn't mean it's not real.

Not sure where you live, but down here in Vic there are plenty of tiny days when a log is an excellent choice, no matter what your age, sex, build or fitness.

I'm bemused by some of the longboarders on Facebook threatening to gang up and "boycott Swellnet", just because we (apparently) "set out to write a nasty negative opinionated article".

The same poster then writing a few moments later: "Maybe if you re-headed the article to SUP's you would get everyone to agree. They are the vermin of the ocean." Nup, nothing opinionated about his comments whatsoever.

Actually, the whole thing is quite funny. "I refuse to read your surf reports or surf forecasts, or watch your surfcams, because your website is clearly prejudiced against longboarders".

Ben you have adopted this today-tonight sensationalist style of article because it provokes reaction. That is the sole point of it.

C'mon mindless-Op, it was a light hearted parody of thoughts that rumble through the minds of many surfers on a daily basis across the nation.

Toughen up princesses, can't the big,bad, bully-boy Malriders handle a bit of flak ?

Boo hoo, precious puppies. Life could be worse, could be a Malrider AND a Manly supporter.

Got nothing against longboards just 95% of the pansies who ride them, go ahead boycott swellnet, go one better and boycott surfing altogether, dam freaks!!!

Shauns right on the money as usual, mal riders get nothing off of me if they are not displaying a disabled sticker on the nose of their board.

Is Blindboy a Brisso?

AMO, I don't think we've 'adopted' anything. I suppose we're just not interesting in publishing stories about how some pro surfer got mindlessly barreled in the Mentawais.. again.

Even Stu's first articles on the site (when he started four and a half years ago) ruffled feathers - both within the recreational surf community (see "An Inconvenient Truth") as well as the surf industry (see "Ripples From Wall Street").

http://www.swellnet.com.au/news/197-an-inconvenient-truth
http://www.swellnet.com.au/news/8-ripples-from-wall-street

The fact is that there are lots of differing opinions amongst the surf community about a wide range of topics, and I'd like to think that Swellnet can offer a platform for all of them.

I've really enjoyed reading all of the discussions across our articles - even if I disagree with either the article or the resulting comments - it's really opened my eyes up as to what people are really thinking. And that can't be a bad thing.

Nah, BB is a Manly supporter, that's worse than being a Malrider .

Either that, or BB is externalising his inner conflict. Malphobia being a smokescreen for long suppressed private urges to walk the plank.

Come out of the 9' closet BB . !!

ha ha

this is great.

It will go past the 300 mark for sure.

don't aim so low, with a bit of poking it will go 500.

Do we have any private-schooled, Rugby Union Rah Rah, BMWX5 driving, Malriders ?

You guys really suck balls !

Funny how I needed to be "LOGGED IN" to write a comment.

Dirk, if we had a prize for best comment of the article, you'd be the proud owner of said prize.

Those comments just "Planked" me.

'Special mention to " Straygator " who managed to ( unwillingly ??? ) quote Uplift ,

with this spray ??? !

" And anyone who says otherwise, you'll be fuck'n sorry ya ####ing, smart arse *****ing #####****... And... In fact: either, we will never, ever, ever, never ever, ever speak to you, or anyone who even, ever, ever, ever, even ever, ever even ever, heard of you, ever. I REPEAT... NEVER... EVEN EVER!!!!

Or we will get a team, no, in fact a 'gang', of really, really mean, like, really, really, really mean knife wielding, mma bashin', karate totin' inked, barrow pushing, heavy, gigglin' units to beat the living ####ing ***p outa you, and really, really, really get you, you blasphemous ####ing... so there! "'

I didn't say that, that was whaaaaaaaaaaaty and blinder.

Any Banker Plankers ?

Thank you Thermalben. It must have been all that private schoolin'.

Blindboy - just another POM having a whinge!

Ha Ha ... Mal rider and a Manly supporter.... That's funny Sid.
Carefull BB, the circle annonymous could be closing in on you....

ahhh, a mal-hating scouser . Now we are getting somehwere. BB, relax, it's safe to come out of your 9' closet.

... you will never walk the plank alone.

updrift ,

I apologise if I'm incorrect .
But perhaps you had already quoted them in one of your SA thread spiels ?

anyway not that it matters , as long as everyone keeps bickering . better still take it to FB . And share with the masses of log riding lasses .

After reading and considering your article BB, I'm guessing you work for the Murdoch press in a dark and windowless office.

BB, your true identity is safe here with me and "Shaun" in the 9' closet .

Can we call you Bruce, or do your prefer Mr. Wayne .?

All too good, all too funny. If you find a phone booth put it on ebay, you'll make enough to buy yourself a mal.

The name logger came about because they are reminicent of poo. Big smelly things just sitting there, stinking up the water

I'm no mal liker but if it's a big worry to some just surf slabs and I can guarantee you that the problem is over.

Dunno bout the mal hating , ride what you want i say, but greedy snakey pricks in the surf do suck arse for sure
@ blindy great choice re 'help me scrape the mucus of my brain' - it's been my go to song off that album for a while now

@BB Time to change lures this part of the ocean has been trolled to death. Looking forward to your next piece from up there on your mountain.

Lets introduce THE MALIBU ENFORCER.

The one, the only, the original,...

Mr Ray KUNZE.

http://www.surfwriter.net/rays_tribute.htm

Great link sid.

A few of the bitching whingers on this column could learn a thing or two from Ray Kunze.

Yeah to throw away the drugs that they are on and get a board that works properly!

I watched J.O.B on coastal watch (weekly blog), fuck me paddles out in 12ft pipe on a foamie (Mal)????...

Was pretty much over it straight away and jumped on his short board.

Funny, heard the same haters with the same rhetoric back in the 80's/90's when I hit the slopes on one of them ski-boards things?
Back to the future?
ride em all.....

BB thats pretty funny, The longest ski-board? I think l-tee is referring to snowboards! Was a 210 cm?
It was a piece of shit, one big floppy pooh skidding down the slopes, similar to those things mentioned in your article.
Anyway when the ski-boards arrived on the scene they were around about 160 cm give or take.
Thru years of development, I started testing for Burton, a board 182 (Super Model), It was pretty good rode fast and turned on a dime.
Now Burton are developing a ski-board for the like of myself (97kgs) to ride and it is down around the 140 cm mark, this thing tears things apart in all conditions. That is probably similar to coming from a 9' 6" mal on to a 5 ft fish?..
Burton have downsized in this area due to the Surf and Skateboard evolution, i.e., shorter boards, look what they tow in on now days?....
To l-tee if ski-brds never came on the scene, good skiers would still be riding the old p27, solomon 210 cm skinny pooh ski.

Ski-boards? and Short-Boards are a making of evolution in themselves. There ya go. aye.

I had a great and witty retort/reply all typed out then my mac shat itself and now I can't be shagged re-doing...but why argue, who cares...real surfers don't care what you ride, snow or surf, they just care how you act.....nuff said....yeah bad attempt by me at snowboard comparison wellymon

all good l-tee, its a pretty good article I think by BB.

I hope you did not spill drink on your Mac, like I did a few weeks back, apparently micro corrosion has set in.

Fucken Macs? well should I say (Laptops).

Look forward to your witty retort/reply tho :)

You got me....i got no wit...BB, I do love it too and love how seriously people took it??!!
This argument will never die.
No coffee spilled, just 40 knot offshores and blackouts down my way.

Fuck now we got 9'6 snow boards to contend with.....
This is Basil Fawlty doing his best BB impersonation...... Again too good , too funny BB.

I'm with you BB. Golf course reef on the south coast is the most dangerous wave down here.Its a big soft burger but I have almost lost my life out there more then anywhere(I hardly surf it) because of the mal kook crew.And don't get me started on SUP's!

+2 for dangerous mal surfers. I know it's not true of all mal surfers... but I can't remember the last time I had an incident with a shortboarder, whereas I've had numerous instances where mals have flicked their boards at my head etc etc.

oh, and yeh, been subject to snaking soooooooooo much by mal surfers. greedy f***s.

Nice one tonka here here.
Hey surfwanker used to live in Ulla for 3 years, yeah I experienced the same thing at that soft leftie, Altho above 6ft plus it started to get good, probably more push!, my favourite was Lighthouse but when it was good always the old locals had every set wave,IE Mackie and the likes, they had it wired for sure.

The trouble with you blokes is that you weren't here yesterday ... yesterday being 1959. Now there's millions of everyone riding everything on anything.

Fair call peterb.
I was still in my dads ball bags at that time!
The fact of the story is, young wanna be"s ride Places to be (Malibu's) with disrespect.
Sure , "Now there's millions of everyone riding everything on anything." But being a young fella like yourself respect goes along way Sir.

I'm just a born piss-taker wellso .. never to be taken seriously

Same peterb.

I love the wellso! Gold

@Swellnet, Great photo again "Dark side of the Zoom", someone likes the the good old Pink Floyd eh!
I love the photo and the caption, as all of them day after day.
This one today is quite unique, a blurred vision of the surfer, with the surfers back foot fully on the toes, toe side turns in the pocket, Love it.
Would like to say its pretty funny how there are no photos? of those 9' 6" longey thingey's in the barrel well let alone any where any time? ha ha
Gold.

OOppps was looking at that photo totally different.
Hes on his back hand?
Ha Ha tricked ya , its amazing what the eyes can see but the brain says something different?
Anyways great photo.

All most cut my. again...

It ain't me ... I ain't no fortunate son...

better version...

Claw on drums...

What's up Sid? You been hanging out with Rollerboy?

It's been too quiet for too long on this subject and I'm bored, so here is another movie of a farkin hipster riding a log:

http://vimeo.com/72433805

Hate it, absolutely hate it. Especially because he has no leash: NO LEASH. Farkin leashless hipster! Riding his farkin log! Oh and riding a short board as well. He's realy crap at it, he's not snapping his tail of the lip. So pretty obvious, he's shit.

I hate those hipster fags too, but alex knost is cool. skill.

That looks absolutely pathetic, It looks like a 5 seconds framed still camera photo shoot, with people walking to work on the pavement in New York.
Nice one Neb, keep them up champ , I think the New York street walkers have gone for a big walk somewhere?..... Or fallen over.

That looks absolutely pathetic, It looks like a 5 seconds framed still camera photo shoot, with people walking to work on the pavement in New York.
Nice one Neb, keep them up champ , I think the New York street walkers have gone for a big walk somewhere?..... Or fallen over.

Just tuned in. Nebasha, that Knost link was interesting - pan to 2.12 & I'm pretty sure the guy he dropped in on was giving him an earful on the wave. Guy can ride switch tho. Fark I'm crowdaphobic at the best of times but that line up was a joke.
Re this thread - in the words of the late great Heath Ledger: Why So Serious Son?

Great discussion even if a bit serious at times.
I do think that bitterness, localism and judging people based on their craft of choice does more damage to our collective enjoyment of the ocean than longboarding does. Rather than getting aggressive, good surfers should seek out more critical or secluded breaks if they want to avoid longer boards. If they aren't up to that then it's likely their ability is frustrating them more so than fit young Malibu riders.

Another self important article from the blind boy. Different boards for different conditions rather than struggling on you 6,0 wafer? Maybe you are killing it on the shortboard BB but I doubt it. Open your mind, get a quiver, maybe try riding something different rather than just talking a load of crap about something you have never tried? I think maybe you missed the point being perhaps mal riders are the problem rather than the boards? I am not a longboarder.

That guy in the video at 2.12 , ...is that Gary Busey??

Click on to the link of Alex look at me hipster, I like to watch good surfing on any craft, that's not good surfing, a hipster with no style. I am not a shortboarder or an alcoholic. But I will lie to get what I want or to win an argument.

Whoever it was he was giving the arrogant little shit heaps. HAHA

Is this thread still going on? It was written by a bloke who's apparently not a good enough surfer to feel the difference between a log and a 6'6 with a little extra volume, and yet you all think he's got a bandwagon worth jumping.

WTF???

And now we're gonna bitch about some bloke riding a log rather stylishly in mushy summertime waves from California? Cos it's heaps of fun to ride mushburgers on a toothpick ain't it?

I rode a shortboard for 30 years and have had mals in the quiver for 10 - being 58 and having dicky knees - the short boards don't get wet much any more.
I didn't realise that there were rules about free surfing until reading this article or that I should be considerate of the feelings of short boarders when the next set arrives. I do occasionally think "I'll let a few sets slide for these guys" only to see opportunities for good waves wasted time and again - and that's one of the problems leading to today's overcrowding I believe - it would appear very few people I share the water with these days - longboarders included - actually know how to spot the better waves in a set or - more importantly - how to read a beach and know that a bank further down the beach is almost as good as the one out front of the carpark with 20 guys on it. Apparently, for most people, their level of experience is telling them it's not a good wave unless someone else is paddling for it and the only place to surf on the beach is exactly where someone else is already surfing. So, it follows that if I pick an isolated bank down the beach with lesser quality waves, and you and your mate(s) come down on your shortboards (or Mals for that matter)and sit on top of me and start hassling inside, I WILL use the natural advantage provided by my Mal to encourage you to find your own bank further down, and won't feel any sense of shame about it at all.
If it's any consolation, I feel exactly the same about kooks on Mals and SUPs as you shortboarders feel about all Mals. Having said that, I wouldn't surf the Pass on a shortboard and I wouldn't surf Anga on a Mal. It's horses for courses for mine.

haha! Terribly sorry my dear boy, I didn't mean to insult you. But I also didn't think you'd be quite so sensitive after declaring these people to be "stupid", "shallow", "ego" driven faces in the crowd who should fuck off because they are "louse(s) on the body of surfing".

I also wasn't sure you wanted to be taken seriously when you wrote an article that asks a question, lists five answers that are unacceptable and then declares the only acceptable one.

But now I see you do and it has occurred to me just how staggeringly impressive your writing is. Allow me to dips me lid to you, sir. I stand convinced. The only reason someone would ride a mal is because they would like to catch more waves. There is no possible other reason and the problem here, lies with them.

BB, you start with the question why surf a malibu? and then change it to why do fit people surf malibus and take wave after wave in crowded conditions? the question changes quite ambiguously through the article, then you bag people for not addressing the issue, you are like a university professor trying to catch people out with clever essay questions.

It seems the real issue here for you is why blow-ins can turn up at "your local" and scab waves of the locals without sitting in the tight pack (main pack), playing the lip service game (to the highly esteemed locals (in their eyes)) patiently waiting for their wave (which will never come in crowded conditions).

So I think the real issue is about scabbing waves and not taking your turn. Did you ever stop to think about the 20 or so blow-ins (non locals) down the line from you, who see you get wave after wave, thinking I wish this Blindboy and his local cunt mates would let me get just one wave?

Yep, when that's all that's warranted.

You may think you stated an argument but it wasn't a very good one. Do you seriously think the real reason people ride logs is just to get more waves? You don't think it might just have something to do with a personal preference? That some people find some things fun that you don't? I'm going to branch out here.

Tell me blindboy, why do some people prefer blondes and others brunettes? Why are some people gay and others straight? Why do some people prefer flat whites and others long blacks? In these cases there really is only one reasonable conclusion and that's because they're wired that way. No one chooses to like blondes, brunettes, blokes or flat whites, they just do.

Yet on the issue of homosexuality you've got a fair few nut jobs out there who accuse gay men of choosing to be gay because it's easier to get a shag with a bloke than it is with a chick. They reckon a bloke will choose to dip his wick in some manly buns because it's a lot easier than scoring a lovely lady on Saturday night. This, even though he prefers some sweet lady action. Pretty f*cken stupid argument if you ask me, but there are plenty of crazy nut jobs out there who think that. I can't imagine even getting it up when presented with another pair of squirrel nuts, no matter how easy it might be to find some.

And yet, you're basically suggesting the same kind of thing. That some bloke who likes to ride a short board will give up hollow tubes and late drops because he'd rather catch more waves, even if it means riding a shitty old log that is outdated, harder to turn and limits him to fatter waves. Do you really think that someone would make that choice? To forgo the kind of waves they prefer on the kind of board they prefer just "for the extra waves, and the ego boost"?

You don't reckon that maybe, they might just prefer riding that kind of board because they happen to find it more fun? As I hope you'd understand, it feels different from riding a short board and some people prefer that feeling. It's really not that hard to understand.

You got fed up with some dickhead(s) at your local and instead of dealing with it, you're having a whinge here and dressing it up as a "stated argument" that deserves a rational retort.

Forgive me my sarcasm, but it doesn't deserve any more than that if you ask me.

"So their preference for one type of surfing over another entitles them to a greater share of the waves"

Yeah cos that's what I said. That's exactly what I said, right about...nowhere.

And you wonder why I'm sarcastic.

"It has no impact on my amenity what coffee you drink or what colour hair you prefer, nor even your own sexual preference, but in the crowded conditions experienced at many locations your choice of equipment actually does impinge on my ability to enjoy my surfing."

sigh....so that is what this is about. Apparently you can't tell the difference between the type of surf craft and the idiot riding it. Your beef isn't with the long board it's with the turkey riding it not respecting the line up. I guess you missed that these are two separate points.

"It is the mediocrities who would struggle to get a reasonable share on a short board who end up on logs."

Scything analysis there. I mean, yeah you're right! I can't believe I didn't see that before. Or care.

"What else you got vasectomy? More sarcasm, more weak easily repudiated arguments?"

Since you haven't "repudiated" my earlier argument, just had a go at an unrelated one, I'll not offer anything further, thanks. But I will compliment you on arguing against a point I didn't make, rather well. That's impressive.

Blindboy. The logical conclusion of your argument is that the person with the most skill on the smallest, most difficult to ride craft has priority. The local ripper on the 6'1 most give way to the more local ripper on the 5'8. Size for size obviously. I'm sure you see the pointlessness of that argument? Which makes your article easily summarised as: mal riders, don't be greedy. : )

dear me blindboy, it's not my problem if you can't separate two different issues in your own mind old chap.

And it's not my problem if you choose to link them via induction and think you're onto something (and you accused me of using weak arguments. Strewth!).

"No you didn't say it but it is a logical inference from your point"

Well actually no, it isn't.

Your point 2 contains lame inductive reasoning and a couple of false statements. If you can't see them, I'm not surprised you think you're still waiting for an argument from me.

Your point 3 is, well...rather telling. As I've offered you sarcasm, logic and good old fashioned profanity, I'm not sure to which you are referring as crap. I'm not sure you are either.

Perhaps in a future article you might tell everyone what boards they're allowed to ride so we all know. Maximum length, volume etc. That would be helpful. Otherwise I'll be wondering each time I pull out my 6'8 when there's a bit of size. Is it big enough today for this board? Perhaps I should stick with the 6'4. Gees, what would blindboy think?

And heavens to betsy if I should ever feel like riding my old log....what is small and fat enough to allow that? You'd best write your manifesto dear leader, so we know what we are allowed to ride and when. There shall be no more self regulation of the lineup.

uh would you look at that...sarcasm again. ;-)

I've got a winner here ..

Why not get a ski - take off even earlier and run a few mal riders over on your way - ha, ha.
I remember back in the day, before leg ropes, surfing at Currumbin Alley - a ski rider takes off on an eight-footer, gets flogged and I have to throw my board or get smashed by the ski. Never mind, the next wave comes through and I body surf it forever (the longest and only memorable body-surfed wave in my memory. Found my board on the beach at Laceys Lane.
Keep up the good work BB - nothing like a spirited debate to get the juices flowing for the next surf. Irrespective of the reasons (and there are good ones) people elect to ride mals, the reality is that the competitiveness that every surfer possess means that whoever has the advantage (mal riders for example) will use it - and that means more waves for mal riders, which pisses me off, too.
Up around where I live now, one mal rider (a very good one at that) has been involved in several altercations that ended up on the beach - one of which received national publicity - simply because he was greedy.

slightly related http://www.surfersjournal.com/journal_entry/sound-everyone-surfing

Wow. I've been offline due to an extended poolside cabana shoot and I come back and find this discussion still going.

BB, just so I know, it looks like we are going to get a little swell on Sunday. What board am I allowed to ride?

No. No I wouldn't. So, mal it is.

Like you BB, I need to keep my true identity a secret. With the election so close this conversation could really offend and isolate a lot of shortboard voters for me. There's thousands of them!!

are you suggesting K.Rudd is a shortboarder?

Oh dear... argument over.

Met a cool old mal rider from Torquay named Brett at my local back in April. He was travelling around with his wife and had been down once before in the 1970's. He said he was retired and used to own a surf shop.
The waves were 4 to 6ft and pretty heavy but it was uncrowded and he wanted to have a dig. A few of the local boys who aren't as friendly as me were out so I advised him to mind his manners.
On his first wave he had a shocking wipeout, it's a slabby wave and not suited to logging. So he went right out the back and sat there for 1/2hr to compose himself while we picked off some really good waves.

Finally a decent looking bigger wave came in that had a bit more of an entry point. I was paddling out but could see he had a slim chance on this one so called him on enthusiastically. I had a side on view as he slid down the face, just barely avoiding pearling. Then he did a slight little bottom turn and pulled in on his forehand. It was only then I realised that he could actually surf pretty good and he rode past fully slotted in the tube. I looked towards the inside in time to see him kick out with a huge smile. After that he clicked into gear and got a few more decent ones.

Later on the boardwalk he said it was the best tube he'd had in years and thanked me for my encouragement. He gave me his number and said I could stay at his place whenever I want if I came to Torquay. I've been over there 3 times this winter but I haven't called him as I'm kinda shy and didn't want to impose myself on him. It was a nice gesture though!

captain coulda been happier if he had a quiver.

Possible reason number 6: Desire to reject and/or disassociate with the arrogance and aggressiveness that often accompanies perceived talent, particularly where it is nurtured through participation in the club / comp scene.

What can you tell us about a warranted sense of entitlement?

Wow this is getting really lame now blindboy. I'm all outta sarcasm (not that you could tell when i was using it anyway) but really you need to man the f*ck up instead of trying to dress up a whinge as some kind of "argument". It's not even fun to take the p!ss out of you anymore.

I'm out.

Other than that which comes from modelling etiquette, consideration for others and the joys of seeing others enjoying themselves, of course.

bullyboy

BB you're a bloody Pom, you have no entitlement to any waves in Australia, so fuck off back to mother England ya douchebag!

That said i would like to add a few points here:

1. Ill be travelling to the gold coast from vicco in december, so I would love to arrange a time and place where I can take 20 waves off you with my mal, then take 20 waves off you with my shortboard.

2. I don't beleive you have any skill in the surf, you don't seem to have any skill in the forums. For that I would like to offer you a punch in the head.

3. Blighting on about your 40+ years in the surf doesn't make you a better surfer, just means you have been wasting 40+ years at something you are no good at.

4. Mals can go verticle, mals can do cutbacks in the pocket and mals go sick in waves of consequence. Saying that you learnt on mals therefore you know more than others is just total wank, for that I would like to offer you another punch in the head.

5. You are correct, shortboards do go better in a lot of instances, but not all.

No point harping on here about things, So when and where BB?

While sitting squarely on the fence regarding Blindboy's article (there really is no definitive answer), I can't understand the reliance of self proclaimed sarcasm by some as the point of their post. I love the to and fro on these forums, but cheap sarcasm/cynicism gets boring very quickly, unless it backs up a definite point and doesn't descend into long winded attacks. Far be it for me to condemn anyone, just putting in my two bob's worth. By the way, maybe non-local's post was just the sarcasm of a genius :)

owngoodquads, well BB took the bait......bwahhhh

Blind Boy - "A warranted sense of entitlement in surfing arises from skills and fitness. I can't believe that even needs to be said."

There is the source of some of the arguments in these comments. The mal rider using the equipment to hog the waves sucks to surf with. Mr Hot Shit surfer using his aggression and skill to hog all the waves also sucks to surf with.

Just because you surf good don't mean the rest of us enjoy basking in the glow of the sun shining out of your arse.

I think this is one of undercurrents you have stirred up in your article.

Having said that: Hell no, I don't want more young mal riding wave pigs at my local. Also when I'm one of the better surfers in the water I admit I'll enjoy my share of the waves. So I'm not claiming any high ground here.

I was watching a young gun on a longboard at Wanda during the week. He caught everything that came his way, with a minimum of effort. Or so it looked - good athletes tend to have that ability. A couple of easy strokes, and he was up and away.

To be honest, it was a delight to watch. Someone really good, making what I find to be hard, look easy.

As waves generally come in sets, I just waited for the next one coming. He couldn't catch every wave, no matter how good he was.

@non-local, Tell me thats not the mentality of Vicco surfers?

Maybe the paradigm of surfing for the CMFEU!

No, its probably your inner child coming out there champ.

We're cavemen and proud of it Welly, grunt, grunt.

Liquid Caves .
Well , don't get the Onion involved .
If anything this discussion doesn't need to be any more protracted than it is already .

besides last time i looked up into the night sky , the Southern Cross still unites us .?
in saying that , we must not underestimate the value of MCD .

I have an 8' mal that is pure pleasure to ride, amongst the dozen other boards I own from traditional short thrusters, singles, hybrids and even an SUP. They all have their place on any given day. Try surfing my old local on a 1-2' day, 100m of perfect left hand reef point on anything but a mal or SUP, sorry but you're gonna have the shittest surf of your over-hyped, short board for me only blinkered life. It did help of course that a crowd generally would be 6, maybe 10 guys and all friends out of the surf.

As for mals not being high performance, mine handles 1-8', rides the barrel deep, in fact I've gotten more barrels on the mal than any other board, and that's not from taking my unfair share of waves either.

The 8'er handles a late take off so well that it'll drop out of the lip later than a short board, side slip until the fins catch off the bottom and be off like a rocket at full noise.

It also goes vert and does the sweetest cutbacks too, just ask Bert Burger about mals and high performance, it is after all one of his creations.

Granted it is a total bitch to duckdive over 2' it's a 3 stage maneuver to have any success. But I never throw it, if it's going, I'm going with it.

Plus I sometimes fit the crippled category, when the fucked disk in my back is playing up, it sure makes catching a wave easier.

It makes no difference to what's being ridden in the surf and by whom, if they're gonna hog the waves, they'll find a way.

Surfing a mal is 10% skill and 95% the vibe. The rest is just good luck.

It's the vibe of the thing your honor.

Why surf at all?
A response to “Why surf a Malibu?”
Blind Boy’s article “Why surf a Malibu?” is more than a gripe about which equipment people choose to ride in the ocean. The article is a reflection of an inability to accept differences in others and his own inadequacies in dealing with a growing surfing population. Whilst some of his frustrations are valid, BB’s arguments are flawed.
I’ll ignore BB’s exclusions (disability / age) and focus on his first two “explicit” points. ( I’ll paraphrase).
“The performance of Malibu’s in every aspect but one of surfing is inferior to modern short boards. (i.e.: Wave catching)”.
Modern long boarding offers a variety of surfing experiences. Who’s to say that a vertical re-entry on a short board feels better than a long drawn out bottom turn or a high speed trim on a Malibu? Your own answer will be based on personal preference and is largely unanswerable. The point is, the feel is different, not necessarily better or worse. As for the performance of the board – I’d like to see BB nose ride a short board.
“Individual riders of Malibu’s overindulge in their wave counts”.
This point is conceded – some do. Wave hogs are to be despised; however, I’d like to add that many better than average (short board) surfers take any wave they want. Are they entitled because of their equipment choice, innate ability or better fitness levels to be greedy? Does BB have to surf in the same place as the Malibu’s? Is BB more entitled simply because he rides a short board and can sit closer to a pitching wave? Greed is everywhere, not limited to ageing loggers. Those who care have a responsibility to educate the ignorant and instil respect in the line-up. (Which in a warped way may have BB’s intention, but I suspect he’s just venting and trolling).
Now to the responses of his “survey”.
1. “Why should you care what kind of board I ride?”
Short answer is – you shouldn’t. It appears that BB’s argument in this case is based on how it impinges on his own wave count and perhaps on the “inferior” way the wave has been ridden. The Malibu is not at fault here, but greedy Mal riders may be. (Greed has already been discussed above). In addition, if BB gives a shit that a Mal has straight lined or kooked a wave, he should be prepared to be shit canned for blowing a wave or manoeuvre himself every time it happens to him. Maybe when it does BB should excuse himself from the line-up.
 
2. “It’s such a special feeling”.
May I suggest you watch.
Alan Knost http://vimeo.com/72433805 and some soft top shredding http://vimeo.com/71937862#
If you still don’t get it, you never will.
3. “Fuck off”.
That probably should have been my response to him.
4. “If you can’t beat them join them. (the solution to the problem is to become part of the problem)”.
What problem? There is no problem.
5. “Who cares it’s just surfing.”
Well, I do care. But I don’t care that pretenders like BB think they can judge people on the equipment they choose to ride. Where does it end? Does BB ride the same board as Kelly? If not, why not? After all – Kelly’s board is surely cutting edge. I bet it goes more vertical and does better cutbacks than his own board. By his reckoning, if you are unable to surf to a certain standard on certain equipment, then you should leave BB the hell alone. How dare anyone enter his ocean on “inferior equipment.” Contempt belongs with BB and his narrow views on surfing and life in general.
Oh, and the answer to the heading “Why surf at all?” Well I know why I do, but maybe BB would like to explain himself first.

Well perhaps I should break it down to the initial question - "why surf a malibu?". Watch the videos. Greed aside - there's your answer. Still yawning? Performance short board surfing isn't the only surfing that's valid. Surfing in a straight line (imho) is every bit as fun as carving turns all the way to the beach. That's why I own a quiver. Surf with a smile.

Sorry BB - you're original position was lost in hyperbole.

"If you are relatively young and fit it is inconsiderate to be surfing a mal in crowded conditions." (are you sure that's it?)

One villain does not condemn the tribe and there's no reason to extrapolate.

It's not inconsiderate to ride a Mal.

It's inconsiderate to be inconsiderate.

If you don't get it......well; you don't get it.

Maybe we should check for a pulse or maybe a funny bone?

You appear to have lost your heart and sense of fun.

Walking down the street in a powdered wig and frock coat is kind of bizarre?

Jeebus, why am I only hearing this now???

I'll never again take the word of Hipsters'R'Us.

Agree with BB.
Moved to the coast in November last year, got myself a 9'1 mal after everyone said that's what you have to learn on. Started with that in May this year.
At 33 and 4 weeks of surfing it every day some times twice a day when it was small I got bored as fuck very quickly.
I saw a JS Revelution at my local store on the second hand rack. It is a massive 6'8 22 2/1/2.
after surfing that since June all winter I will never go back to a Mal, Boring as fuck.
I can catch anything from ankle slappers and up on it. You don't need a Mal even for that slop.
It has allowed me to progress very quickly to the point where I can ride my mates 6'1 JR and 6'3 Boxter.
I just ordered my first 6'3 custom from Joel Beck.
Anyway point is you don't need a Mal when its small and when it is small fuck me a mal is even more boring because all you can do is trim along. Go get some roller blades and trim along the footpath in you lycra hot pants if you want to do that. Get a fat short board and have some fun on the small stuff,
I went out this morning as I have for the last 2 weeks and there has been almost zero swell. When the little 1-2 foot peelers come through at least I can utilise the waves while the logs sill struggle to get anything happening.
And if I learnt to surf all over again I would save my self the 800 for a mal and 80 for racks and get a short wide and fat board and go for it. No need for a Mal.
It is good watching the older fellas riding mals at the points and beachies though. They sure can carve it up

I also remember how much of a hazard I was in the line up with a Mal, so big and so dangerous when caught inside. Could fuck someone's board up if I came off and it went the other way and could knock someone out!
So much safer for everyone with a shorter board.
And taking off steeper and later is way more exhilarating than gliding along a flat face.

Keep up the good work BB. With all these comments by these mal riders it shows one thing for sure, the truth must hurt!!!

My response to you blindboy - deal with it. I ride short boards, longboards,mid lengths and have fun on all of them. You're clearly bitter because you're not getting enough waves. Maybe you're best years are beyond you? Feel free to tell me to fuck off if you see me in the surf . But I'll be getting more waves than you and having more fun :)

Still getting hits on this "malibu" topic BB or should I say Stu? One in the same perhaps? Just throw out some stupid all encompassing statement like Why ride a Mal? to get a bunch of hits and make some advertising dollars from sponsors and remain hidden behind the blindboy facade? Maybe you should go surf somewhere hollower or bigger(3ft+) to get away from being hassled by lesser surfers on their inferior equipment rather than use your website to bitch about it. A poor tradesman always blames his tools and a shite journalist just makes shit up.

I think the way this article is presented is totally fucked. There are some valid points but its all pretty aggressively opinionated. Erradicating Mals from surfing heavy / steep waves would be great but its not practical. I am a shortboarder who started on mals and anyone else who has would understand that there is a point where the mal is just not suited to the conditions unless your fucking wingnut weaver....THE REAL ISSUE is regardless of craft ridden there are some extemely dangerous fucking surfers in the water at it should be known and brought explicitly to their attention!!! Don't chase waves out of your league and respect others... I've recently shared one of my favorite breaks with a friggin dude on a goat boat! and as much as I hate it if his not causing any real hazzard who am I to to get high and mighty on him.
The reality is - go to Indo and you'll find one Mal to every 50 shortboards, big fucking woop - forget about the craft, educate THE SURFER!!!

PS: Blindboy is a fairly accurate nickname, does it refer to your narrow sightedness?

psychologically naive to what exactly? Aggressive, we'll have a look at most of the comments above matey, you're not exactly making friends with your attitude. What your saying is that people shouldn't have the right to choose what surf craft they ride and that surfing should only be reserved for the hardcore toughguys. huh? What do you think about women in the lineup? Go on, tell us what you really think.....Regardless of your opinion mate, you can't police the waters, people are free to ride what the hell they want and the rules that should be adhered to are simple; constituting patience, politeness, safety and above all commitment to the waves. I think you have Mal riding all twisted mate, there really isn't any comparison between mal and shortboard riding - they're practically two different sports; neither being better or worse but more subjective to the rider and suited to different situations. Any surfer with a decent quiver is gonna have a mal reserved for small / fatter waves... I don't know where you are from but where I surf most of the pumping breaks are crowded with shortboarders, and the more mellow and fat points crowded with mals and if shortboarders try to ride the fatter waves they are putting themselves in a disadvantage....so it goes both ways...

But the thing that really stinks about this article (because I do actually agree with some points) is the fact that your trying to say that people don't have a choice to ride what they feel like riding...And one guy commented saying "Try imagine how all the body boarders feel?"-case in point ...

I had a situation a while back where it was a 3-4 foot day on a reef break with a good channel. I took a Mal out because I know the break well and I just felt like riding a Mal that day. I sat out far and wide and picked off the largest waves of each set that broke wide and fat... having a ball, stoked!
Some bigoted, idiotic old cunt of a local paddles up to me soon after and says "why don't you stop catching so many waves and give other people a chance, i'm a local!" ....So if you wan't to try an be a sheriff and police the waves then you really need to consider why the hell your in the water in the first place....
This old dickhead, a) wasn't a great surfer b) was catching every wave way too deep and getting stuck in closeouts 90% of the time c) was grunting and yelling when things didn't go his way.
GO HOME I say.... leave everyone else alone to have fun! Go and be miserable somewhere else!!!

Sorry, may I correct one thing.... I meant BODY SURFERS, not body-boarders!!!

I've come to the conclusion that the moniker in use is based on a physical affliction brought about by self flagellation. BB has been massaging his......erm... ego a little too much resulting in muddied arguments and myopic conclusions. This is starting to go in circles.
Nice chatting, but I'll leave this one alone for now.

Sorry - just one more thing. BB - you do know there is no "dislike" button in Facebook right? Not really a true measure of agreement.

BB: So if you think its all Hyperbaric, pschological and negative whatever, then lets strip it down....

Your article proves nothing but your own opinion and that you believe your own opinion to be gospel.

-Yes longboards CAN be a hassle

-When asking the question "why ride a longboard?" do you think that Longboards should be eradicated?

-Do you feel that only the OLD or LEARNERS should be riding them?

-I too have had hassles with Mals in the line-up, and I do have days where I share your disposition, but I also enjoy riding them from time to time, I am also young and fit, does that mean that I shouldn't EVER ride a mal?

Geez - for a minute there I thought I was dealing with a petulant 15 year old. You mean I can win an argument based on how many facebook likes I get? If that's the case, I'm posting "Mals are cool" it'll be accompanied with a picture of near naked breasts just to make sure. I bet I win.

I will retire to consider my response if any. You are a wily customer.

OK OK OK OK OK!....

So the crux of this whole argument rests upon the notion that in a crowded line up with heavy waves a young/fit surfer riding a malibu imposes an un-easy and potentially dangerous surfing landscape which may tend to ruffle the feathers of older, more skilled shortboard riders who have been dominating the waves for years and feel their surfing enjoyment is inhibited by the hassles imposed upon them by the young, fit mal rider....

I mean honestly, when you get down to it it does sound rather ridiculous BB.

You do have some valid points, but you fail to realise that your provacative writing style diverts the point of the argument to a place that others feel attacked and guilty about riding a Mal...

I can't let go of the feeling that you are trying to dictate what you think others should be doing, and that my friend is wrong. And as much as you feel the gloating pride that you have won this argument or made your golden claim, can you honestly stand up and say that these young fit surfers shouldn't be there? Is that what your saying?

"Young fit Mal riders are ruining good quality line ups all over the country!, they should be eradicated, immediately!" Come on, say it you fuckwit, saaaaaasaaaaaaaaaaaay it!!!!!!!!!!

And while your at it, just admit that you are a massive arsehole. AAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSHOOOOOOOLLLLLLEEEEEEEEE.

bye bye

I'm visualising those guys at J Bay in their white rashies with the buffalo printed on it, trying to be enforcers.

"Freedom Vs Responsibility!" Now there is a notion that I can get on board with!

Ok BB: So I feel we are slowly gaining a bit more understanding here!, why didn't you just use that slogan as the title for your article? Would have got a lot less hate! I retract the insults btw - I know it doesn't get us anywhere and trash talking on an online forum is about as effective as banging ones head against a wall!

So I will say that from this article and responses I have learned something valuable, I will always approach a crowded surf situation with the thought in the back of my mind that my own freedom and enjoyment should never come before preserving the safety of myself and others around me....Classic examples; you sometimes have to let a wave go if it means preventing running over someone who just happens to be under the lip and will get chopped up by your fins - possibly put in hospital; never ditch your board instead of duck diving, etc etc etc

One thing I will still stay firm against your argument however is, that a long boarder (regardless of age and skill) can have a place in a reasonably heavy and crowded line up so long as there is a clear channel to paddle out, they sit wide and pick off wider waves that short boarders are not competing for..... generally speaking though I do agree that a short board is the more appropriate craft, being exceptions to this rule based on conditions, heaviness of crowd, general skill level in the line up etc etc....

Nice sparring with you BB, you are a tough and challenging customer!

Id like to see more articles in the future, here are some suggested topics!!!

"When is a line up too crowded?"

"Surfing and drop-in awareness!"

"Who makes the rules? Us or mother ocean?"

"Surfing with aggression-is it really worth it?"

PEACE

I've reconsidered my position and you are 100% right Blind boy.

Insults and sarcasm are great fun.