This has come from the Cronulla Pro thread, Headwax (Andrew) said"- On youth... if the young guys aren't attracted to our sport, maybe its something inherent in the sport, rather than the judging system."
Is it inherent to the sport?
I know why I started, it was because I thought it was pretty cool, alternative and kneelo's where getting the best barrels and putting themselves into positions that other wave riders couldn't.
But thats not the case today, lotsa wave riding equipment out there that can get you as deeply barrelled as a kneelo can.
So.......Why did you start kneeboarding?
and......What will enhance the youth of today to ride a kneeboard?What is our edge?
Why did you start riding a kneeboard?
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crox
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Hi Steeno
I've lifted this reply from our UK site - no point in re-typing it!
I think the guy I saw at Noosa could have been the Queensland kneelo champion - thats what I was told - this was in March 75 - anyone know who that was - be great to know who my inspiration was.
Kneeboarding – Celebrating The Difference
I was relatively old when I rode my first kneeboard so I reckon my span of enthusiasm for it is still in its early stages, for twenty five years later I still seem to be in a permanent state of excitement and expectation at the prospect of my next surf! I had ridden a strange variety of watercraft in the early seventies but nothing had really captured my imagination. Experimentation was the norm with a multitude of different designs being tried. Invention was encouraged and the greatest changes in our surfing history occurred during this period. The age of the standardised surfboard was yet to come.
The creation of a board was a very special occasion – the smell of the resin and the emergence of a new shape, the birth of a board – kind of like a home delivery, was very personal and individual. Today we are often detached from this process and the individuality has been lost. Factory farmed boards and media groomed surfers choke the line-ups [especially when its not too far to walk]. It was a time when we found our own path and experienced things firsthand and travelling was a part of that – no shrink wrapped videos for us!
Australia was my first destination. The walk out along the different points at Noosa Heads in Queensland is a wonderful experience in itself but throw in six to eight feet of cyclone swell and the whole orchestra is playing! Amidst a crowded line-up the surfer I found most fascinating to watch was a kneeboarder. He surfed completely different lines to everyone else with a smooth but powerful style.I didn’t like it just because it was different, I liked the difference! Several years were to go by before I bought my first kneeboard but that was when the seed was sown.
I've lifted this reply from our UK site - no point in re-typing it!
I think the guy I saw at Noosa could have been the Queensland kneelo champion - thats what I was told - this was in March 75 - anyone know who that was - be great to know who my inspiration was.
Kneeboarding – Celebrating The Difference
I was relatively old when I rode my first kneeboard so I reckon my span of enthusiasm for it is still in its early stages, for twenty five years later I still seem to be in a permanent state of excitement and expectation at the prospect of my next surf! I had ridden a strange variety of watercraft in the early seventies but nothing had really captured my imagination. Experimentation was the norm with a multitude of different designs being tried. Invention was encouraged and the greatest changes in our surfing history occurred during this period. The age of the standardised surfboard was yet to come.
The creation of a board was a very special occasion – the smell of the resin and the emergence of a new shape, the birth of a board – kind of like a home delivery, was very personal and individual. Today we are often detached from this process and the individuality has been lost. Factory farmed boards and media groomed surfers choke the line-ups [especially when its not too far to walk]. It was a time when we found our own path and experienced things firsthand and travelling was a part of that – no shrink wrapped videos for us!
Australia was my first destination. The walk out along the different points at Noosa Heads in Queensland is a wonderful experience in itself but throw in six to eight feet of cyclone swell and the whole orchestra is playing! Amidst a crowded line-up the surfer I found most fascinating to watch was a kneeboarder. He surfed completely different lines to everyone else with a smooth but powerful style.I didn’t like it just because it was different, I liked the difference! Several years were to go by before I bought my first kneeboard but that was when the seed was sown.
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willli
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I bought my first surfboard in 1964, 9'8" and probably 3" thick, if not more.
My first short board looked remarkably like an aussie slab, a Corky twin fin, 5'10". Though I saw video of GG riding velo, the rap back then was east coast waves weren't powerful enough for kneeboards(velo). The first Lis type board I ever saw was being ridden standup. I'm trying to say that kneeboards were basically left out of the east coast surf equation. Funny that even today people watch me ride all day on my knees, wearing fins ect., but if they chance to talk the first question is always "Is that a kneeboard?" After my answer the reply almost always is "Oh I thought it was a just a surfboard you put a pad on. Looks fun."
The WHY lies within the FUN.
I've been described as "always mellow, always smiling" even though I'm surrounded by aggro standups. I remember reading the Duke said something to the effect "the waves always come". Kneeboarding has brought me closer to pure surfing than I've ever been. It is shortboarding with soul. I paddle out to lose myself in the rythym of the ocean. Most times people see my compact form dancing with the hook while the rider before me ran the shoulder looking for speed to boost his board as the wave closed out. My lifelong surf buddy took up kneeriding simply because he was "tired of watching you(me) have fun" He has so little time to surf he realized he was tired of "pearling, falling and otherwise kook'n out" for the first hour, then be subjected to no respect from the line-up for the second hour. Now, surfing with a kneeboard "I never have a bad day. I always go home smiling."
People notice standing surfers. It fits the image of Hawaiian postcards and old hollywood surf movies. Some standups are absolutely amazing. But I think only surfers truly appreciate kneeboarding.
My first short board looked remarkably like an aussie slab, a Corky twin fin, 5'10". Though I saw video of GG riding velo, the rap back then was east coast waves weren't powerful enough for kneeboards(velo). The first Lis type board I ever saw was being ridden standup. I'm trying to say that kneeboards were basically left out of the east coast surf equation. Funny that even today people watch me ride all day on my knees, wearing fins ect., but if they chance to talk the first question is always "Is that a kneeboard?" After my answer the reply almost always is "Oh I thought it was a just a surfboard you put a pad on. Looks fun."
The WHY lies within the FUN.
I've been described as "always mellow, always smiling" even though I'm surrounded by aggro standups. I remember reading the Duke said something to the effect "the waves always come". Kneeboarding has brought me closer to pure surfing than I've ever been. It is shortboarding with soul. I paddle out to lose myself in the rythym of the ocean. Most times people see my compact form dancing with the hook while the rider before me ran the shoulder looking for speed to boost his board as the wave closed out. My lifelong surf buddy took up kneeriding simply because he was "tired of watching you(me) have fun" He has so little time to surf he realized he was tired of "pearling, falling and otherwise kook'n out" for the first hour, then be subjected to no respect from the line-up for the second hour. Now, surfing with a kneeboard "I never have a bad day. I always go home smiling."
People notice standing surfers. It fits the image of Hawaiian postcards and old hollywood surf movies. Some standups are absolutely amazing. But I think only surfers truly appreciate kneeboarding.
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surfhorn
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Loved Crox's post........ah, the smell of resin.
When I started surfing in the early 1960's, a 'shortboard' was a 9'2" tank that was designed for women and kids; 'normal' surfboards were 9'10" to 11'0". At 35-45 lbs., you pointed it in the direction you wanted to go and that was about it for riding a wave face.
KBs offered freedom and the ability to actually surf various parts of a wave. Also, I was a skinny little kid and carrying a 4'6" board was much easier than a huge slab of foam and glass.
Back then KBs were a real alternative to performance surfing.....actually, the first performance surfing vehicle. But today's shortboards offer almost the same freedom as KBs did back in the beginning. Its going to be a hard sell to youngsters to take up KBing as compared to standing up on a shortboard.
Its going to be a one-on-one process to get new KBers in the water. Don't count on the media to raise KBing to new heights; we'll always be a goofy cousin to standup surfing.
When I started surfing in the early 1960's, a 'shortboard' was a 9'2" tank that was designed for women and kids; 'normal' surfboards were 9'10" to 11'0". At 35-45 lbs., you pointed it in the direction you wanted to go and that was about it for riding a wave face.
KBs offered freedom and the ability to actually surf various parts of a wave. Also, I was a skinny little kid and carrying a 4'6" board was much easier than a huge slab of foam and glass.
Back then KBs were a real alternative to performance surfing.....actually, the first performance surfing vehicle. But today's shortboards offer almost the same freedom as KBs did back in the beginning. Its going to be a hard sell to youngsters to take up KBing as compared to standing up on a shortboard.
Its going to be a one-on-one process to get new KBers in the water. Don't count on the media to raise KBing to new heights; we'll always be a goofy cousin to standup surfing.
kbing since plywood days
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K-man
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post
OK,lets try again 
Started surffing in the early 60's,Long board through the transition to short boards.83 had one of those mind boggling accidents,tree work is dangerous,and some scary shite goes down-It's the buzz,on the edge.
That's why,
Spent two years in physical thearphy,learning how to walk and do the basic stuff we all take for granted.
Got the OK from the doc.pulled on the old wesuit,hopped on the old board...and realizied I wasn't going to stand up anymore.
To make a long story short,I was just paddling one day,and managed to catch a minnie,and for sone reason popped to my knees
Necessity being the mother of invention,well it's been a pleasure to be sure.
Been plenty of good folk been through tough times,and have come out the other side,And like myself take no part of life for granted.And let me tell ya,it just gets better
And if hart ever gets my board done,well..It'll be even mo betta
cheers
Started surffing in the early 60's,Long board through the transition to short boards.83 had one of those mind boggling accidents,tree work is dangerous,and some scary shite goes down-It's the buzz,on the edge.
That's why,
Spent two years in physical thearphy,learning how to walk and do the basic stuff we all take for granted.
Got the OK from the doc.pulled on the old wesuit,hopped on the old board...and realizied I wasn't going to stand up anymore.
To make a long story short,I was just paddling one day,and managed to catch a minnie,and for sone reason popped to my knees
Necessity being the mother of invention,well it's been a pleasure to be sure.
Been plenty of good folk been through tough times,and have come out the other side,And like myself take no part of life for granted.And let me tell ya,it just gets better
And if hart ever gets my board done,well..It'll be even mo betta
cheers
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Beeline2.0
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Eric Carson
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fooj
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At 12 years old I didn't really make a conscious decision to start kneeboarding. I got ripped off on a $12 for a piece of crap singlefin 4'6" kneeboard deal, but at least it got me off my 132B Morey (something like that). Just started riding it, I had the flippers already. I ask this question quite frequently to myself, especially when everyone, even a newbie kook, is staring at me in the lineup. Still never had an answer which satisifies. Maybe its the barrels, the view...to this day I don't care so much if I make it out, as long as I get in and my eyes are unobscured. Another mind photo for my album.
August 1968. Mission Beach (San Diego) ocean front rental. My dad asked if I wanted a high-end neru jacket or a belly-board. The belly-board would fit in the station wagon with 5 kids. I opted for the belly board - it got me off a raft. I posted a picture of this belly-board in the 'boards' gallery last year or so.
May 1969 - Dad died, but mom supported by surfing. Some of my friends were getting KB's, it seemed like the natural progression. Mom, will you buy me a kneeboard??? Hello El Paipo slab.
May 1971 - I was riding a Liss-Chang desiged Fish (picture also posted). Camping at SCSB, my friend's sister watched our crue from the cliff. They had all progressed to foot surfing. After the session, she asked us: Why does Yogi go inside the waves more and go faster then the rest of you? They, of course poo-paad her independent observation.
That's why I've stuck with it. Tubes and speed.
/Yogi
May 1969 - Dad died, but mom supported by surfing. Some of my friends were getting KB's, it seemed like the natural progression. Mom, will you buy me a kneeboard??? Hello El Paipo slab.
May 1971 - I was riding a Liss-Chang desiged Fish (picture also posted). Camping at SCSB, my friend's sister watched our crue from the cliff. They had all progressed to foot surfing. After the session, she asked us: Why does Yogi go inside the waves more and go faster then the rest of you? They, of course poo-paad her independent observation.
That's why I've stuck with it. Tubes and speed.
/Yogi
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splashy
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As a grommie I was riding a body board and looking at progressing up to a stand-up....but just didn't enjoy it. So I'd swap between body board and stand-up board for about year and was in a constant state of frustration and not REALLY enjoying it....
Then we had our first trip to Byron Bay when I was 10, and I surfed The Pass on my bodyboard and all the Byron guys were there - Peter Ware, Mark "Mono" Stewart, maybe even Dale Ponsford and a couple of other guys. They were literally ripping the place apart.
I was SO stoked I went back to the camp ground and told mum and dad I wanted a kneeboard. They said: "Yes dear" and patted me on the head and bought me another body board because they didn't know what a kneeboard was. However, the next trip to Byron about two months later and I picked up a HUGE twin fin George Greenough 5'8" slab from the Sky factory - boy was it a board made for someone twice my size - but it got me started. Within about 18 months I attended my first comp (I think it was '81 Duranbah) and was blown away completely - both in the competition and in my imagination. From there it was up and up and up.
I just love it as a form of surfing. Growing up in a small coastal community I copped heaps of crap and hassles from the other guys - got beaten up a few times, dragged in to the beach and smacked around the head and had my leg rope cut (sometimes I had only just paddled out and not even caught a wave) - all for being a kneeboarder. But this just made me more determined.
The only hiccup since then has been when I destroyed the cruciate and medial ligament in my left knee when bushwalking in NZ (the hour walk out while injured really screwed it). I was told to be happy with being lucky to walk again, but not expect anything more active than maybe an easy pushbike ride.
Bugger that!!! Three-and-a-half years and many doctors, physios, quacks and $$$$ later I was surfing again.
Now it means more to me, and I enjoy more than ever before.
LONG LIVE KNEELOS!!!!!
Then we had our first trip to Byron Bay when I was 10, and I surfed The Pass on my bodyboard and all the Byron guys were there - Peter Ware, Mark "Mono" Stewart, maybe even Dale Ponsford and a couple of other guys. They were literally ripping the place apart.
I was SO stoked I went back to the camp ground and told mum and dad I wanted a kneeboard. They said: "Yes dear" and patted me on the head and bought me another body board because they didn't know what a kneeboard was. However, the next trip to Byron about two months later and I picked up a HUGE twin fin George Greenough 5'8" slab from the Sky factory - boy was it a board made for someone twice my size - but it got me started. Within about 18 months I attended my first comp (I think it was '81 Duranbah) and was blown away completely - both in the competition and in my imagination. From there it was up and up and up.
I just love it as a form of surfing. Growing up in a small coastal community I copped heaps of crap and hassles from the other guys - got beaten up a few times, dragged in to the beach and smacked around the head and had my leg rope cut (sometimes I had only just paddled out and not even caught a wave) - all for being a kneeboarder. But this just made me more determined.
The only hiccup since then has been when I destroyed the cruciate and medial ligament in my left knee when bushwalking in NZ (the hour walk out while injured really screwed it). I was told to be happy with being lucky to walk again, but not expect anything more active than maybe an easy pushbike ride.
Bugger that!!! Three-and-a-half years and many doctors, physios, quacks and $$$$ later I was surfing again.
Now it means more to me, and I enjoy more than ever before.
LONG LIVE KNEELOS!!!!!
One crowded hour of glorious life is worth an age without a name - so stay tubed!