I have to admit, I was really excited for some quality surf for our Channel Islands Surfboard demo day last weekend. The hope was that we would get some rippable surf and frantically run back to the beach grabbing each new CI shape and putting it to the Oregon wave test. What we got was subpar 2 foot wind swell that made it difficult to test drive every board in the quiver. This isolated the board selection to just the “floaty skate sticks” - The Average Joe and Weirdo Ripper. Yes, the T Low, the Jordy Smith Bunny Chow, and New Flyer would have to sit this session out, but that was ok as folks were fine with surfing the most appropriate boards for the conditions.
The Average Joe stood out. This fishy shaped 5’10 was perfect for the conditions and slightly edged out the Weirdo Ripper in our team review. Both these boards have flatter rocker and plenty of displaced volume to compensate for their shorter lengths. These were less than ideal conditions, but we were able to pump down the line and assess rail to rail maneuverability. Both were plenty loose and come stock with a 5 fin configuration setup. For what the conditions were, these were the right boards to grab. My 6’2’ 18 ¾” short board would have been miserable. And that’s the point, we get all kinds of conditions in the Pacific Northwest and having those go to boards that get you out on the water having fun, is what it’s all about.
For me, this event was beyond demoing boards. It was watching the Moment groms have a blast learning to surf. These kids are ripping skaters and are just now starting to get their surf stoke on. You have to admire these kids for being so excited to surf that they looked past the cold water and “not so snug” fitting wetsuits, and just wanted to get out there and have fun. It’s a great feeling to see a new generation of riders enter into one of the best lifelong activities there is. Surfing is that rare sport that transcends age, gender, race and country. It’s the only sport where you have an instant connectedness from the moment you hit the water. Our language and culture are expressed in simple terms like a shared smile or a high five. As surfers, we realize how lucky we are... not much else needs to be said. We understand that it’s the moment that matters, whether surfing solo down the beach, swapping waves with a buddy, or riding a wave with your son or daughter. We are a lucky few.
A BIG thank you to the Channel Islands crew: Becca, Devon and Madrona for going above and beyond the call of duty. Great folks who genuinely care about “the stoke” of surfing and inspiring others to live the moment at whatever capacity you have. We hope to see you back soon!
Stop by the shop or click here to check out all of the Channel Islands Surfboards we have in stock! Including the Average Joe and Weirdo Ripper.....
