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| PAIPOS ROUND THE CORNER |
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| Rod Rodgers and his Ashton Paipo board, shown at Rincon Point, California, in July, 2002. Rod was in Ventura County on business and things worked out so we could get together on a Tuesday morning. This was earlier in the month, before the hurricane swells were even on the horizon, the tide was low, the surf was nearly flat, and the fog was hanging on all morning. At 6:30 a.m., prospects were dim. I drove up up the coast, giving the standard tour, naming one flat spot after another, pointing out the Ventura County surf spots which are no more, when I mentioned Rincon. Rod hadn't been up this way for 20 years and expressed interest in seeing the place, so off we went. The parking lot was nearly empty, and to our surprise there were some 1-2 foot waves, little burgers not suitable for much more than getting wet. So what can we do but go in? It even provided Rod the chance to ride what, for him, is "the other Rincon" (he's used to Rincon, Puerto Rico). As you can see in the photo, this paipo board has an adjustable 2 plus one fin arrangement. The big fin is ridden more forward in smaller waves, and back in juice. He takes it to Puerto Rico in the winter for warm water and big surf, and everywhere else, too. |
| Bottom of board (left) Deck (right) I've since spaced the dimensions, but you can get them and a lot more by clicking Rod's Paipo Page |
| As I mentioned earlier, it's been 20 years since Rod has visited Ventura County. The entire Surfer's Point in Ventura had been paved, washed away, restroomed, and kiosked - a far cry from one lonesome dirt parking lot. When we walked back to the parking lot at Rincon we passed three surf girls going the other way. They kind of got that distant "old kook" look in their eyes. In the lot itself there was another car with what looked like a mother and daughter surf team. 8:30 in the morning and not another guy in sight. One could only imagine what the girls were thinking: old guys (over Slater's age), swim fins, paipo boards (if they even could recognize the boards as such). No "Blue Crush" groove happening ... I told Rod they were the New Face of California Surfing. It was a fun morning all the way round. |
| Copyright (C) 2002. All rights reserved. ***** |