Why did you start riding a kneeboard?

[neilo]

As a kid I started off rideing those hire surfmats( i forget what they were called but they made a comeback a couple of years ago),forking out 20c and hour was sending me broke, especially as my main source of income was picking up and returning refundable soft drink bottles. I then progressed to a fibreglass Bennett belly board which I rode standing, lying and kneeling with varying degrees of success. After seeing Crystal Voyager and was convinced that kneeboarding was the way to go. Luckily (looking back), I was unable to get a spoon so my first kneeboard was a Henri single fin. That was 28 ys ago and still am happy with my choice of taking up kneeboarding.

[nwdude]

developed arthritic hip 20 yrs ago - after 20 yrs of standup, didn't want to quit - it was either kb or quit - been at it for 23 years now - still miss stand-up at times - esp when the longboard dicks are rude and dominate the peak - just got a new pavel fish - 5'10" - my gun - great paddling speed and quick acceleration across hollow walls !

[Nov]

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....

Exactly the same as me, I went from dk to standup and back again. Then I noticed what my dad was riding and started taking it out for a few surfs, then I just stopped taking the booger or standup out ever again.

[Steeno]

According to the poll so far we have to make radical videos of our role models hanging out with swedish sex bombs on the north shore, showem its our life.....get the occasional pic taken for a mag and forget about competitions

Bud is right, everyone to the north shore for february 2005

[toofast]

I started because of my friends... Most of the guys I know that went to the beach, were kneeboarders. I didn`t even know what that was. It looked cool so I tried it and liked it. As time went by,they stopped doing it and I got better. I`m not as adjile as I was, but now its more fun.

[caples_creek]

Might I start by saying great question.

I always loved riding waves as we all do, started sponging back in the early 80's, going straight, no flippers, etc neon wetsut.........dear god.

I spent 15 or so years on my belly, had a blast, but decided to learn to stand up surf. After 4 or so years on a longboard, I just didn't like the upright stance, it was fun, make no mistake and I could do it OK, but something just didn't FEEL right about it.

I was then in Big Sur at Sand Dollar Beach, and this guy was KILLING IT, blowing all of the standups away, getting all of the waves etc. Having an appreciation and good understanding of waveriding I just stood on the cliff in awe thinking "I absolutely must learn to do that".

I want to take this time to thank whoever that dude in Big Sur was that day. That was the straw that broke the longboard for me.

I'm not an elitest, I will still ride waves on whatever craft is available, I've thought about getting a surf mat for the hell of it.

Summary: I love being low on my knees, facing forward, going fast as hell and being able to use my upper body and hips to turn on my kneeboard.

I was just talking to a buddy of mine about it today and In our conversation I said how glad I was I switched and that was my craft for life.

Ride on.

CC

[caples_creek]

the Sweedish sex bombs don't hurt either.

[hart]

I got rid of my standup when I saw kneeboarders out-surfing other guys in the water.

Crawford took off deeper than ANYONE at Dee Why Point and made surfing a very difficult wave look rediculously easy.

Add names like Greenough,Boyd Kelnar, John Leach, the Smiles brothers, Gecko, Lizard and a host of other hot surfers that chose to surf on their knees and it became something that I couldn't ignore.

I have voted for role models in this poll because that's what did it for me and what I am hoping will do it for someone else.

There is no PC anymore..but there is Farrer, Matty G, Steen, Albert and (hopefully) Cheyne and Troy Simpson.

And a young kid called Nov getting in the water at Northy any time that he can..

hart

[chunk]

started off on a bodyboard 20yrs ago started to lose that feeling until watching a lone kneeboarder charging hard at croyde.was givern the chance of a loaner & that feeling came charging back from body board to kneelo seemed a nateral transition maybe young spongers if givern a chance to try a kneelo may be turned over to that kneeboard darkside what a rush. ......far out chunk

[HALFMANRIPS/MIKE GARRETT]

#1
SKATING TO BEACH BLVD TO CATCH THE BUS FOR A QUARTER FROM WHITTIER AS A KID TO GO TO THE BEACH THERE WAS A 6' LIMIT ON BOARD SIZE.

#2 BY HANGING OUT WITH THE OLD STAND UP SURFER DUDES WHO LOVE BIG CHURCH'S & TRESTLES, THE RANCH ECT. AND THE (LITTLE HALFMAN) GOT THE MOST WAVES.

#3 FINDING SOME OLD GUY'S IN HIGH SCHOOL WHO WERE INTO KNEERIDING AND NEW IT WAS A COOL THING TO DO.

#4 LEARNED ABOUT SOME DUDE FROM LA MIRADA WHO RIPPED AND WANTED TO SHOW THERE WAS A NEW KID IN TOWN. ( AKA MARK ROBERTSON ) LUV YA ! BUDDY

#5 AFTER WATCHING GEORGE GREENOUGH & RON ROM. ECT. WANTED TO TURN MY STYLE FROM THE DROP KNEE TO A MORE SURF STYLE WHICH BOARD DESIGN WAS THE SECRET. THANK'S TO JOHN AT SURFINGS NEW IMAGE IN SOLANA BEACH, SHAPER RICK H. AIPA, AND FINALLY (BILL STEWART). WHO TOOK HIS FAMOUS HYRDOHULL LONGBOARD DESIGN AND CHOPPED IT DOWN 5' AND ADDED 4 FIN'S AND MADE ME SOME OF THE MOST ADVANCED BOARDS FOR THERE TIME AND LISTENED TO WHAT I WANTED THEM TO DO.


#6 ((( MOST OF ALL ))) DON AND EVERYONE WHO PUT ( KSUSA) TOGETHER.
I FOUND THE SITE A FEW WEEKS BEFORE THE LAST SANTA CRUZ CONTEST. SAW SOME OLD FRIENDS ON THE SITE WHO I HAVE NOT SEEN IN YEARS. AND MET SOME AWSOME NEW ONES. I FELT I HAD TO BE THERE NO MATTER WHAT.

(NOT TO MENTION I MADE THE FINALS)

KEEP ON RIPPIN !!!!! MIKE GARRETT/HALFMANRIPS

[surfhorn]

Mike - Nov 18-20 would be a good time for you to shake off that mountain dust ( and maybe the first new snow) and catch some Pleasure Point peelers.

CU There!

[DrStrange]

Hey Mike, I grew up in Whittier too!!! Bailed ASAP for UC Santa Cruz in fall of 1968. Grew up with fruit orchards all over the place. Where are they now?

[hart]

hey lads..

I wish I had a buck for every sixpack I bought from the liquor store on Greenleaf..

Getting to Whittier was hard for an Aussie..the cab drivers couldn't quite get the accent.

'Whittia' just doesn't sound the same

You guys don't know the Lang Family from Honolulu Terrace do ya?

hart

[rippe75]

i started coz i'm a kook and i thought kneeboarding would be easier