Why did you start riding a kneeboard?

[john -]

at first it was because i kept getting wiped out as a standup - 90 minutes from the ocean so not much chance to practice

lots a kneeboarders around then so...if that was not working for you try this -

in cricket terms if your not a batsmen (batter) then perhaps your a bowler (pitcher) - it does not matter cos your still in the game

secret is and this is in agreement with I think, Nov's old man, that whilst it is easier to pop to your knees, most other aspects are harder - its harder to be a good kneelo than a good standup in terms of working a wave

[Beeline2.0]

..

[Jon Manss]

I have to echo Steeno and Surfhorn There were long boards, Paipos, or belly boards, and body surfers. I started body surfing and then Paipos and then kneeboards. I thought I would progress to stand up but we were having so much fun creating our own designs I just stayed the course. I did learn to long board and enjoyed all those small wave adventures. But kneeboarding was in my blood and the alternative back then was riding tankers. That is where the crux of the matter lies as for new kboarders coming on. They are already growing up in a state of the art surfing era.I know a lot of foot boarders that used to kneeboard and they still respect the sport for what it is. As Willi said, fun.

[joe]

I grew around the water, first riding waves on inflatable canvas mats and styrofoam belly boards. My brother got a short stubby twin fin surfboard and we tried to teach ourselves to standup surf. Someone told us it was probably a kneeboard, so we started kneeboarding. I had never seen anyone kneeboard. This was mid 70's.

Around this time a friend came home with a Lis Fish kneeboard. He let me a some other friends try it. Before long there was a large group of us kneeboarding Blacks, La Jolla, and other San Diego spots. When we graduated to the reefs had the chance to witness some insane kneeriding by Rex Huffman and crew. Never really considered standup after that.

Grew up, got a job, got married, had kids, stopped surfing (around 15 years ago). Didn't think there were any kneelos left.

Last year I openned the sports page to a picture of Jack B. and an article about the Santa Cruz Kneeboard Festival. I had never heard of a kneeboard contest. The arcticle talked about KSUSA. I check out web site and was stoked. Bought a board and stated surfing again 8 months ago.

Three months ago both my kids started surfing with me. One is a committed kneelo, the other prefers standup. Why does my oldest son (15) kneeride? He says its because its more fun and he gets better waves than when standing or bodyboarding.

[DrStrange]

Mostly stand-up since about 1962 or 63. Moved to Colorado about 11 years ago and snowboarded for 5 years. Torn cartilage, 2 surgeries (1st one f'd up) lots of rehab, sciatic nerve issues, old man knees. Figured I was done. And sad about it. Cruising the internet thinking about could I ride a "fun board" and looking nostalgically at Greg Liddle's site and searching for Greenough lore (I had a very brief flirt with KB in early 70's) and stumbled on this site!!!

10,000 thank yous to Don for doing this thing!

After hanging hear awhile and asking questions and reading a bunch I thought, "I can do this!" And so I can. May never be blazing hot (but ya never know) but I'm having tons of fun. Got first board a couple months ago, three, old man brain and am already researching a second addition to the quiver. I'm back!

Also many many thanks to all here who have provided info, advice and encouragement. 'Tis a wonderful thing.

[dogtown]

Phillip Island has always had a large number of radical knee-boarders so as a stand up surfer I always had a huge respect for them.After having an horrific skateboard accident (breaking both ankles)thought my surfing days were over.A knee_board mate offered me a go on his knee-board I was hooked, still am......

[W.G. Facenda]

I rode canvas mats in 65'-68. I saw a mag and it raved throughout about Greenough with g force turns(unheard of then). Got an el paipo in 1969 . In 1972 I took a bunch of window pane and saw the merits of the fish design.Still riding a Lis fish kneeboard and a mat over 30 yrs later!!In fact I picked up a new Lis yesterday!

[Smokin Rock]

my brother and i used to hang out at Big Corona and a few times during the summer (1973-74 i think) we would swim across the channel to the wedge and watch kneeboarders ride insane waves. a year or so later at Scotchmans cove we were bodysurfing these perfect little waves when a couple of kneeboarders paddled out. they had long hair, solid color fishes and wetsuits that were made for surfing. not a beavertail or some other god-awful diving thing. this was actually pretty impressive since none of us had wetsuits. i thought these guys were so cool. they were riding in the tube and making it out of nearly every wave. kneeboarders back then were like the ultra-cool segment of the surfing world. riding the heaviest and hollowest waves. i wanted to be cool like that.
we want kids to kneeride. we need to get some of that back. of course i voted for hawaii because of the caliber of waves here. i don't think it will ever be a mass appealing type of thing though. it never has been so why should it be.

[SFKneelo]

1975... big South swells... bodyboards were just coming out. I was splitting time between stand-up, bodyboard and bodysurfing. Spent most of the time at Salt Creek. Back then, it still had crowds, though not as bad. I didn't like the Point as much as Gravels. Lots of tubes!

There was a crew of regular kneelos. Among them was Brian Stephens ('Hank' and 'Snack Bar Hank.') He just killed it out there... convincing me to pick up a board. Actually, that summer, I picked up two boards...Frog House Small Faces 5'6" twin fish and a 5'2" twin fish. I started alternating between bodyboarding and kneeboarding... but once I got my first kneelo barrel, the deal was done.

So... the need for tubes led from Gravels to Black's to Ocean Beach SF.

[szrbloke]

I started kneeboarding because I saw Baden and Andrew Smith in the surf at North Avoca, this would have been about when I was 17. I had my first car (a Ford Fairlane) and was going to the beach on a regular basis riding a boogie board, a Morey North Shore. A big old thing. Strangely enough I was always tempted to kneel on the thing.

Anyway I saw those two at Northy, went to Ric Julliens surf shop and bought myself a little Aware Knees twinny and that was it I was hooked. Later on got another Aware Knees, a Thruster, that I kept from 1987 to 2003! At one time I surfed with a crew of 4 or five kneelos, including, Geoff Kemble, Troy Moore, a bloke on a Mountain Dew quad.....Rather sad as some of them became criminals, got into drugs, or were not strong enough to resist the taunts to stand up. One of them was really good on the kneeboard, changed to stand up, was not so good.

Now have a Kneon what I would call semi-thruster...a twin with an extra fin. In a few weeks time I will be going to Cornwall to enter the UK kneeboard titles just for a laugh but also to check out the chances of a new board.

I have no idea how we can get people into the sport, but the idea of always having a spare board to lend a boogie rider is a great idea.

All the best,

Scotty - Aussie in London. Just back from Cantabria - its a great place for a surf.

[Bryn]

Spent the last 20 years (i'm 28 now) riding pretty much everything i could. Started at 8 yo on a little polystyrene belly board. Progressed to stand up from there for a few years before getting hooked on the pit riding that a sponge enabled. Spent 10 years sponging with a bit of longboarding thrown in and a LOT of windsurfing as well. I started to grow tired of sponging as i wasn't really in to all the new techy moves that were coming out, all i wanted to do was get tubed and do big cutties at the end!

I have a friend who i surfed regularly with at the time that rode a kneeboard. One day i asked to have a go and that was it! First wave was a little sketchy but suddenly all the elements i was craving for came together. The low centre of gravity but having a full rail and fins on the board to allow more drive, speed and fluidity. A combo of the best elements of both stand up and bodyboarding. That was it, HOOKED! I had finally found my ultimate surf vehicle and i can't see any way that i'm ever going to feel differently. The more i learned the better it got and the fact that design is still evolving and the characters i have met or know of through it only goes to strengthen the feeling.

This site alone has enough pics and info to stoke the most hardcore of stand up riders and i do think that media coverage and videos would go a long way towards inspiring the next generation. I have shown 'The Sparrow' video to a few stand up mates and they have all been blown away!!!

I got hooked, i'm sure that there are plenty of other younger guys around that if they were shown a super hot video would be stoked to give it a try and maybe they would be hooked too.

[Jon Manss]

Right on Bryn keep up the stoke

[flojo]

After 30+ years of standup surfing, I got a little bored of the usual dips and squats and happened to see a used Romo on the rack at Freeline in Santa Cruz--

I looked at it and thought (hmmmmmmmmmm)

I have been at it (kneeboarding) for about 3 yrs now and am having a blast with it--I still on occasion standup but mostly kneeboard. I am taking my first kneeboard only surf trip to Mexico next week--I can't wait.

Kneeboarding re-stoked me--

flojo

ps: I find that when the waves are crummy, I can often go out and have a hell of a lot more fun than if I had tried to stand up surf the same conditions.

[Ben B.]

1976! Started on a surfmat for a few months then straight onto a secondhand Skip bonzer single fin surfing the south coast reefs of oz bawley,sandon etc.One thing i found was while stand up surfers used to hassle each other in the more localised spots,kneeboarders were just accepted.Spent the majority of my youth surfing that great area.Off to the Maldives next April to surf the remote southern attols with 7 guys all in their fifties and not a mal rider amongst them. One other kneelo mate is coming,john is in his fifties and is still as keen as a kid in a lolly shop when it comes to surfing ,lifes good!

[spot]

3. Reasons why I recently converted:

1. Kept remembering a few wild wave that I saw some kneelos ride from years past. Visions kept niggling & niggling me to try and finally I did!

2. Short board Crowd aggro was depressing me - my board only worked when waves really good. Long board crowd too have become in places surprisingly over zealous even in lack lustre waves. This to me is a joke. Mals fun on the worst of days with a few mates.

3. Being a goofy - getting good rights in crowds was at times difficult and a hassle. Where I live there's lots of rights!

3 Benefits:

1. More waves - more fun - new inspiration - bright surfing future

2. Can separate from the pack and ride closer to the curl more consistenlty

3. Fits in the car easy - even with the family on board! Quality un commercialised surf info medium available wwwknusa! (How poor is TRACKS magazine nowadays - new topic?)

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