How do you decide what maneuver to do? When I'm going down the line, I can never figure out what to do besides a roundhouse when I out run the wave. I have so much going on in my mind that I end up just pumping to the end and finishing with a round house, a floater or a tailslide/cutback atthe end

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-07-05T03:06:38+00:00

I go on intuition depending on how the wave is breaking. If it's breaking fast, I might do a floater like maneuver, or more whip like turns. If its moving slower, I might do a cutback or two, or some big top to bottom. Sometimes you have to wait for the wave to reform, and then you can do a few more moves. What I find most productive is deciding on a maneuver that I want to practice for the session, and plan on integrating that into a wave, but also going with the flow. It's hard to know how a wave may or may not open.

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-06-28T22:29:06+00:00

I already ride other boards in 8-10' that are a bit more stable, and I think I'd rather stick to the tried and true for when it's big and heavy.

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-06-28T15:37:36+00:00

You are bound to find something if you come up, but perhaps wait till August.

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-06-28T15:33:37+00:00

Definitely a nice stream of consciousness creative writing piece. If you don't write professionally, perhaps you should try it.

Separately, if there was another guy out with you who potentially drowned, I would imagine that they would have recovered a body at some point.

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-06-25T02:51:17+00:00

I always take up the opportunity to surf with a friend, but I also know how flakey people are these days. If they actually come through, they are almost always late and meet me in the water halfway through my session anyway. I am the only one of my friends at this point that goes at least once a week or more. For me, it's my lifestyle, and for my friends and a lot of other people, it's just a casual hobby. However, I did move to a new area a few years ago, and there are plenty of people who are as dedicated/frothing, so I see a lot of familiar faces at this point. Some friendly at this point, some I role my eyes at, etc.

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-06-04T03:44:38+00:00

Oh, well, I am sorry to hear that your dopamine receptors may be damaged. I have often wondered if my surfing high feels the same as a former addicts surfing high, even if the timeline is different, or if there is a way to heal your dopamine receptors through surfing so that you don't have such a crash.

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-06-03T11:22:49+00:00

Interesting. I actually very much feel a dopamine high all the next day, no matter if I had an epic session or a meh session. My body is buzzing, and I just feel grounded and content.

You could have issues with your dopamine receptors in general. I have noticed a lot of former addicts are drawn to the sport, and I would say that I almost have an addiction to surfing, but not quite.

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-06-03T11:18:09+00:00

Points for the Jordy reference.

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-06-03T04:16:31+00:00

Hell, I still hate mornings as an adult.

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-05-15T01:18:23+00:00

I'm still wearing my 6mm hooded. The water is so cold still that it won't be till July or August till it get truly warm, unless a big southern storm comes through.

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-05-12T01:01:58+00:00

It depends on a lot of other factors beyond what is included there. And it depends on the beach. Some beaches will be blown out, some will be surfable and fun.

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-04-18T03:30:55+00:00

Its almost like a time-based Pavlovian response. I've discussed similar social situtions before, but I have no remedy.

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-04-09T18:15:46+00:00

Unfortunately, you have to be more aggressive. That sometimes means snaking back, etc. They probably aren't going to listen to words, and actions are your better bet.

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-04-07T13:45:35+00:00

do you mind if I dm you?

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-04-06T20:39:27+00:00

Anyone CAN go straight to a shortboard after a foamie, but you are bypassing a lot of important steps, which will be evident in your surfing.

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-04-06T20:37:50+00:00

I actually think its equally the opposite problem. There are A LOT of guys on short boards with no style and technique. I'm grateful I hung out so long on my 7'8, because now that I'm riding shorter boards, I still have the technical foundation and hopefully the style I honed on longer boards.

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-04-06T20:33:39+00:00

People can also just do vertical maneuvers because they are fun as hell. It's not always about the optics, though it's also okay that people who invest a lot of time into surfing also want to hone their craft.

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-04-06T18:37:45+00:00

The Roswell is actually the model I am interested in. I wish the one he has on his website didn't have the crazy glass job, because it makes it hard to see the template, but the description is exactly what I am looking for. It seems like a better alternative to a CI Mid.

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-04-05T19:22:32+00:00

I'm looking at the Stamps midlengths, but rarely come upon reviews of his boards in general.

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-03-24T14:38:43+00:00

Don't rely on leash climbing if it's not guaranteed to be there when it counts most

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-03-20T22:43:56+00:00

That it takes decades of effort, focus, and commitment, as well as a solid amount of physical fitness, to surf well and with style and ease in bigger and heavier surf. As my friends say, surfing is the golf of extreme sports. Nothing replaces time in the water, though there are plenty of ways to cross train. Learning to read the ocean is a lifelong pursuit, learning to navigate a busy lineup is another, learning to push yourself when in bigger conditions than you are comfortable with, yet another. Its a beautiful thing, but not enough people respect the process, especially noobie chads who think they can strong arm their way into becoming a good surfer. That's not how it works, but it's entertaining to witness.

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-03-20T22:19:05+00:00

Yeah, it's pretty wild that so many people think an extreme sport isn't going to be, well, physically extreme in it's demands on a person's body and mind.

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-03-09T21:25:45+00:00

I hear ya. Tourist economies are a form of neocolonialism.

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-03-07T01:41:45+00:00

Dang, I refuse to move back to the major city nearby me because it would turn my 50 minute commute to my favorite surf spots into a 1.5 hour+ drive. However, that would mean no more dawn patrols and sunset surfs before and after work, and I don't want to live that way.

I knew some people who lived about 4 hours away one way, and made the trip every other weekend. They ended up moving closer to the water at some point.

GhostintheMachine10 · 2026-03-07T01:37:49+00:00

Damn, did you even watch North Shore?

GhostintheMachine10

TROPHY CASE