Words Don't Do It

Hey eh.

Fantastic fibre n foam from Fineline!!

It seems like just a couple years ago I was a grom lurking around the Yater shop, eagerly seeking approval and conversational engagement from all the unique and dignified characters who strolled in and out of the store everyday. There was always ongoing anticipation to hear more than two words out of Renny as he diligently took inventory on boards and wrote down specs for new custom orders. We were just a bunch of kids with too much to say and not enough time to say it in. Renny was living on a different plane than the rest, by all means he was not self righteous or big headed just politely performing on a different level. Unlike Renny there was also a cast of shapers, artists, and surfsters that held a wealth of knowledge deeper than the Surfers Journal archives, willing and enjoying the chance to conversate with me and the other open minds at the shop interested in things other than the newest Lost video. I found myself comfortably encased in a surf community with a swath of heritage and history everywhere I looked. Ceilings lined with loads of boards taken directly from the 50's and 60's beach scenes of Malibu, Rincon, and Hawaii. Dudes coming over from the Beatty shop talking about glassing personal boards for guys like Liddle or Curren. Historians like Kirk Putnam and Jim Mahoney slyly roaming about, telling stories about characters and places only half of which I'd ever heard of. There was Steve Brom and his magic VW Bus whom always seemed to emit some sort of jaw dropping fish design....(About ten years before this mainstay resurgence we exist in now)You could always count on Gene Cooper to bring in some face melting crafts that would halt any promise of adequate customer service for nearly an hour as we quacked about the sickness and derived plans of which of our boards we needed to pawn in order to get our paws on one of Gene's new treats. There was trusty Mike Ferner with his drop of a hat surf report and his stoked on every thread of life jazzmatazz. Now and then was the elusive Bob Duncan quickly dropping off some mind bending, incomprehensible sliders that probably worked better than anybody could even begin to conceive. And then.........There was Brian Hilbers, who felt like more of one of us than any of the cast of characters. BJ was always afire and spry and would have some funny ass tale to tell, more often than not, not about surfing. You could tell in the way he talked and elaborated on things that his knowledge did not exist in one defined capacity but in a broad, insightful and profound data base, with deep files about punk rock; socialism, environment, hydrodynamics and board design, International Scouts, nature and species, camping and hiking, economics, politics.....you name it. An opinion from BJ was something I held true to my growing core of personal and worldly understanding. It was this aura that captured my attention and admiration and would later give me a chance to be a personal friend of the guy. In terms of aesthetics and innovation Brian's love for board building is self evident, in person his enthusiasm and willingness to try anything to make you and your surfing happy makes him one of the greatest shapers in the world. Ten years later I'm here working at Mitch's and we're privileged enough to have Brian's boards on our racks. Here's some new devices from the mind of Mr. Hilbers. -Bloggins- Jim was staring at the bottom contours of this piece for so long he passed out and I think might be drooling a little bit. Wake up man! I'm sure it turns better in real life than in your dreams!

Here's a swift looking 5' 10" Dirty Sanchez with custom designed and foiled fins by BJ. Slightly towed in keels for more control and carve on such a wide tailed specimen. $675

This is the swallow tail Dirty Sanchez, bamboo fins and a black rip tip dip.

Another P-38 Hull Stub Twin Keel surf device, used for surfing of course.

This one having the wide square tail giving in a bit more lift and planing ability, blasting highline trim capabilities.....

We had him make us a good bundle of these P-38's and D Sanchez' cause they're that good. Come on down to the fun factory and let us sell you a smile machine.

The pee thurdy ate up all the waves every time I rode one.

Ask Jim Swarthow, his grey thurdy ate everything in sight leaving me wondering what happened to all the surf every time I rode with him.

5'11 GeeBee Stub $675 Comes with L flex fin and custom side grabber sharks teeth.

5'9" GeeBee White with purple people eater forehead. Stub a dub Stub, Thanks for the Stub, Yeah BJ! Classic S deck and rail profiles, less swing weight and none of the foam you don't want in all the right places.

Get to the bottom and things get really neat, a box, two side bite holes, a bellied tab with an ever so slightly down rail for more control in tighter turns and steeper sexshuns.

6'8 Wildthing $620 Talk to BJ about the ol' "Bad Acid" tri-plane hull on this one. Wanna go fast? Like a lotta lift? Take the Bad Acid.

7'0 Dirt $620 Much like the Microdirt featured below this is a true displacement hull with foiled rails and s deck contours. Consider this a vehicle for your ability and imagination to get lost within, especially in small speedy dumpers. No training wheels with this one.....

6'2" MP Tan top and bottom, comes with GL Flex Fin and custom side biters.

The MP gives you what you want if you want a shorter hull with a modern downrail towards the fin, allowing for some vertical capabilities and enhanced wraptitude when laying into a cutback. S deck contours for reduced swing weight and proper volume distribution. Just envision Ol' Peterson winding those cutties.

6'6" Microdirt $620 A free form flo sliding device, a displacement hull for an enthusiast looking for that finite attribute all on it's own.

7'6" Ice Blue Flomental Floquero $645 Narrow tail, soft rolled rails, S deck and rails, bellied entry into a slight v attuned to the fin. A genuinely superb ride for trim enthusiasts who want to carve as well.

Utah, gimme two-

Custom 5'9 P-38 for Jonny Utah from Brian Hilbers/Fineline Surfboards.

Turns out that Bj and I are both nerds of the military aircraft kind.

(thems Bj fins too-super thin tippy flexy-see through thin!)
So with this fun-packed wave weapon being named after a fighter/
attack/support aircraft from the WWII era, we thought it would be
fun to try and make it look like the real thing.
Really cool to make this happen with Mr. Hilbers. Word is the glass
shop had a good time and were proud of this one. Muchos Gracias's
to Beej for the mind-bending shape and stoke of the P-38, and to
Waterman's Guild Board Beautifying Surfboard Factory for the
completely awesome lamination, color, and polish.

I've been on the demo P-38 for five months-usually ride a different
board almost every day-CAN NOT get off this thing.('til some 6'-10'
told me ta beat it yesterday) I knew the demo would someday leave,
so I got my own. But how do I put wax on such a beautiful board?

Swami's thursday morning. No one out!
Or everyone cleaned up? You decide.

Foiled Again

Coming soon

Get right out of Town!!!!

Swami's footage from last night. I'm not exactly sure what emotion this video conjures the most; angst, awe, amp, disbelief, sheer hatred, or longingness? I mean this is just ridiculous, I think there's one wave where someone doesn't get completey Gene Hackmaned and the one's where people get burned the freaking culprits just proceed to shred as if it's there last ringer clip for the new Taylor Steele movie, complete disrespect and disregard for others. I wonder how many days in a row of pumping swami's it would take for these mongrels to share waves and for the crowd to thin to an adequate oxygen level. THREE YEARS STRAIGHT! Maybe. I have surfed out there so many times and been blatantly stuffed by the same four guys every time. The crusty bush lurkers who hang day in and day out on the rocks and in the bushes......Long Hair Larry, Ginger Troll Dave, Crab Stance Steve and Bronze Tan Terry all of whom ride boards with the GH lam on them, I don't think Gary would be very stoked on their antics, I know he wouldn't. Turd on those chumps. I bet over half of these dudes in this video got coal in there stocking's for their burns for turns jocko approach. But damn, I sure would love to get me one of those reelers!!! -Bloggins-

This...

...shall be discussed later...

Dream On.....

There was little reluctancy to get out of bed as there was promise of waves, though not exactly spry I had come to my wits quickly and began to coordinate an exit strategy. Went down stairs and fired up the old van, she usually stutters a bit before coming to her own much like myself. Popped the lock on the garage and lifted the door open upon the sleeping bundle of water boards lining the walls and piled in the corners. In a selfish way I picked the newest one, the one whom I had not shared a lot of special moments with but sure was hoping I would get to in time. Being a 9'11" I also grabbed another much lighter and smaller craft, the epoxy one with the plywood keels on it in case in fact there was a curling face on the wave. That board and I had been getting along great lately. I picked up my rubbery armor and pungent towel off the floor and shut the door on the rest of the willing sticks. I hobbled back up the stairs to forage for some munchables quickly before I was discovered, I had to escape the lair before she woke up and enticed me with tea and delicious, hot, cooked versions of munchability. If I was caught undoubtedly my resistance would be nill and would therefore delay my departure as well as my arrival time to the place, and all I wanted to do was get to the place......quickly. Unaccosted, I made it back to the van with a handful of fruits and a granola guy in my pocket. Rolling out of my driveway there was always a blurry recollection of the buoy and swell reports i'd read the night before fumbling around in my head and faint, self directed questions and answers like, " I wonder if there's enough tide for....... well, no that's what happened the other day...nahhhhhhhhhhh...but Kev said it looked pretty good yesterday maybe i'll scroll up there'' No matter what these contemplations formulated it was unlikely they would change my routine. A creature of habits loves it's habits and I was most definitely a creature, a tall, lanky, toe headed one at that. Passing under the bridge to the coast highway and leaving the wretched world of 9 to 5's and gridlock lunch break traffic that exists in the opposite direction always gives me a tinge of pride and self reassurance about the pawn I play in the whole thing. My existence played out on a six mile stretch of beach land with no need for a freeway or mega store unless provoked by a broken coffee pot or a flight out of town. I hung a left on the coasty and strolled slowly down the highway through some stop lights, laughing at the usual crusters who are yelling and swaggering about with their 80 0z. seven eleven coffees and mangy dogs. The exercisers were about everywhere, people stirring for foods, funds, and fun emerging from their nests to enjoy this beach haven. I glance over in a moment of serendipity as I see that the front row parking spot is open in front of my joint. I meander in after a few "mornin guys" and "what's happenin duders" with the patio laxers. Grab a cup of my favorite black stuff and pick out the doughnut. The honey one. I love that one. Carina or Cesar usually have something funny to say as they ring up my purchase which is consistantly pennies on the dollar as I have had several come and go stints of employment at the establishment. A couple blocks behind the bistro I can scope the spot, from the north side, intently disassembling the conditions and crudely trying to make what seems like a very important decision -Boneys or not? The tide is high and will be waxing for a little while more and without much swell the choice is not the place. The creaturely habits direct the bus on down the highway to the place where they put that funny looking metal sculpture that kind of looks like a surfer. Yeah that place. Well, I surf there cause I don't know why, today I'll surf there cause I don't know why, I guess it feels comfortable. Oh yeah and I can secretly spy on the Creef making sure its not working really good and if it is I'm a short paddle away. I think the long board thing is the the reason for my sometimes ill searched surf squanderances. When you ride a longboard it always seems fun, you don't worry about if the waves are going to be good. Just paddle out and slide around. Simplifying things has become more and more attractive to me these days, logging dilutes the seriousness of what you're doing out there and how ripping everyone thinks they are. At least in my case I feel some sort of odd satisfaction by being viewed as garish and kooky by all the disillusioned, shortboard riding, red bull hopefuls who jog up and down the beach in between losing their board trying to punt stink bug double grab airs. Then again, my intimate moments of weightlessness in dablings of trim on two foot surf probably gives them as much stoke as driving down to San Diego State for their next communications class. Well, we all live in an evolving summation of what we've seen and what we've experienced first hand, most assumptions and deductions refer to only what we don't fully understand or are not willing to try due to how somethings been marketed and who it's captured to embrace it. My theoretical imbalances are often weighed in the water while waiting for knee to waist high mole hills. I spot an oddly wedging little slant forming across the way and stroke earnestly toward it, somehow innately knowing this is going to be the one wave of the day that will actually have a little bowl. I sweep in left and swing my board drastically to the right, slightly stalling me in the bottom of the crest as I crouch and grab my rail behind me and bring my head close to the face of the wave. The curve of the wave is not like any of the other today, steeper and more taught, I suddenly find myself slyly hiding under a thin roof of water with four feet of board sticking out front of me and a view that will make my day a whole lot better than I thought it was going to be. Squirting out of more of a head dip than anything I coast the wave all the way to the sand honoring it's merit and that fact that I've got to be to work in about fifteen minutes. It's funny walking up the beach looking out to the line up and seeing these tiny little jib waves passing by and knowing just how much stoke you can get from a little conversation with one, it's like being part of a secret club that knows the meaning of life. I slip the log into my vanski once again and barrel down the road another two miles to the job, park in the neighborhood and grab my stuff for the day. I roll through the front door ten minutes late greeted with smiles and "Yeah Stickman, you get some little reelers?" Smiling, I'm just about summon a comedic rebutle when a faintly recongnizable sound begins to overwhelm my senses, growing in intensity........bbbrrrduduDING! bbbrRRDUDUDING! BBBRRUDUDING! My eyes peel open slowly and I reach over for the phone. "Hello?" "Hi Nick it's Chris from oncology at Dr. Conrath's office calling to tell you your appointment tomorrow has been moved to three o clock ok?" "Yeah that's fine" I mumble in haggardness. I hang up the phone and roll over and peer out the foggy window at the bird feeder. It's grey again but the snow is melting, there's a few bird buddies sessioning the feeder but the rest of the world seems asleep. It's cold in my room, always, I sit up and rub my hand over my head where there used to be hair....."I had a dream I was living the dream" I thought. It was just like I remembered.
-Bloggins-

Just Cause I'm Short dont mean I dont shred!

Stories of an 8'4 Mini Light Weight Pintail, and his buddy the 8'6 Silver Spoon and their struggles of being short.

What is a short person long board?

In the competitive world of height, Mini Longboards stand at the top of the trade in first place.

The issue of height might be a rather sensitive one, but this is not true towards the family of Surfboards. Being called short is not a matter of insult towards these people. As a matter of fact, these people actually consider being called short the equivalent to honouring their race.

The influence of Mini Long Boards have spread so much over the years that even Oxford has agreed that Mini's are to share the same spot in the thesaurus as the ‘short person‘.

How does one tell if another longboard is short?

One can tell a mini longboard apart from an average longboard by simply visiting a local bar and paying particular attention to the lady with the palest skin. It has been scientifically proven that Mini longboards are attracted to pale women. Therefore any board standing close to the pale woman should be automatically considered short.
However, there are other ways for one to differentiate a short person from the crowd. As a general rule, one is deemed short if he or she coincides with any of the following:

• Has low self esteem
• Strongly attracted to Goths/Ghosts
• Masochists; It is an exotic sight to be able to see a short person not being bullied
• Usually seen being kidnapped and/or held hostage

That’s not all. There are still unsolved mysteries about mini longboards that we cannot even begin to imagine. The difference in height changes our perception of the world entirely.

How does one grow taller?

When we talk about height, what immediately comes to mind are the giraffes. Giraffes are the tallest animals in the world. Why are the giraffes so tall then? It’s all in their method of giving birth, ergo it is only natural for us to follow their example in giving birth.

Giraffes are known to give birth in a standing position and have their calf fall from a height of 2m. This is the obvious reason for the giraffes’ height. Likewise, we should shape boards from a specific height, but why stop at 2m? With advancements in technology and high-rise buildings, we humans can take it to a whole different level. Shape your boards from the 10th story and then drop it off the roof from that height. At this rate, your board will be tall in no time!

What should one do when one encounters a Mini Longboard?

In the event a wild Mini appears when one is walking in the tall grass, one has to remain composed. Remember: Mini Longboards will not attack unless provoked.

Engage the Mini Longboard in a staring contest until it sleeps before throwing pokeballs at the short person. Patience is the key.

Used, but not abused.

Do you see what is here? In the used rack? Really? A Mandala 5'8 Quad $440, a Gary Hanel 5'8 Mollusk Fish$440, a Russ Short 6'4 Campbell Bonzer $440, and a Chris Christenson 6'4 Cafe Racer$425. Guarantee my friends these little buddies will not be here long!

This "Mini Slider's" Crazier than a road lizard!

What we've got here is a "One of o' Kind" 8'6" Chris Christenson "Mini Slider", carved out of CLARK FOAM.
It's a one off, can't find it anywhere else but right up here at Mitch's Surf Shop in Solana Beach.
So listen up all you crackerjacks get on down here and pick it up

-The Juice

Slide into the NewYear like a mongoose in a hen house

Didn't get exactly what you wanted for christmas? take a all that cash you got and come down to mitch's and snag one of these sweet little wave sliders.



5'8" CAFE RACER hot dang competition orange

I picture my little baby Jesus wearin' a tuxedo T-shirt slidin down the face of a monster, screamin' Shake 'n Bake. On one of these super bad, Black 6'6" C-Units. Ohhh Yeah
Ahh dang look at this, 5'8" pumpkin seed by the man himself Michel Junod
this things sweet right here, I dont care who ya are


HAPPY HOLIDAYS
-The JUICE
is loose

All A Board!!!

Bloggins atcha again....Hey folks hope everyone had their fill of turkey and family drama, word is that there was some pretty hot wave action over the holiday weekend, hope you all were able to escape the house and get some sliding in. I've been trippin for a week up here in the Nevada land, (Tryptophanin that is...) the turkey and taters diet has taken hold and the leftovers are holding position in the fridge unwilling to dissipate. Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone we can surely bet the Christmas mayhem will bless us in all kinds of stressful and uncanny ways. If you didn't get your fill last weekend come on in and gobble up one of these crisp new sticks we got in over the past week. The gents from Takayama and Kookbox both dropped bundles o' shred off for us. Got some dandee Kookbox diamond tail eggs and oddly unique twin fins as well as some real nice Takayama In the Pinks, an EGG 2 and a Scorpion. Like I said Christmas is coming and tis the season to do random, unexplainable, and downright wonderful things like buying someone you fancy a fancy new surfin board! We now also officially have all of our winter steamers in and ready for the call of duty. Stop on by the website or the shop in Solana or La Jolla for some gift idears or just some surf conversation and maybe an energy drink (please take one....) Be thankful! Until next time, stay surfy surflings. -Kenny B-
New rendition of the Kookbox laminate, it's got slash marks cause yer gonna be slashin on this thing man......

Three Kookbox Diamond Tail Eggs lookin pretty swell here, 8' purple people eater, 7'10 Half n Half and a 7'8 Red with blue bottom. Smaller versions of Joel's classic long board template but still with enough volume throughout to float King Kong.

Here's the slasher again, glass on tall full rake twin fins with sanded finish. Something fishy is going on here......

Twin pins, diamond pins, swallow twins, Siamese twins we got em all down here at Mitch's. No job, no credit, no problem. We finance anybody, if you can speak and have a name come on down!!!

More candid moments with our fishy friends down here, these are diamond tail twin fins. Sanded finish with glass on fins, no kooky boxes here..... just kooky box boards.

Under bellies of some one of a kind surfin sleds, sure to be a good time in San Diego surf. Specially if yer surfing the trashy north county bank walls we get so often. Foam is your friend.

Twin pin and friend. These guys deserve to be in the water, come be a humanasurfatarian and take one of these with you for a dip. Almost maybe guaranteed to work really well.

This here beautiful contraption is a 7'2" Takayama Egg 2. Flo egg style rails with a slight bevel and thinly foiled tail. Flatter entry rocker and bottom into a highly pronounced V in the tail. If you don't want a fish and you don't want a long board than I don't know what you want. You probably want this board but just don't know it yet. Come see, I dare you. Re-evaluate your impression of a full rail turn.

Rail to rail this thing should be sharp and alert with the option of riding one fin for lift and trim or three for power and hold. If you want a board for most everything this could be a great choice.

This here is also an all around rider for those riders who want lots of padalability and also want something that responds really well off the tail. A bit flatter in the nose than the Egg2 as well as wider enabling access to the nasal passage in certain circumstances. As far as hold in steep surf this board will impress even the most tubular of bros.

The scorpion also has a significant V in the tail which makes rail to rail transitions quite satisfying for such a wide board. With such a pulled in tail and fluid rail line this template is one of the fastest sticks around.

In the Pink room? In the Pink Panther? In the Pinky Toe? Never was quite sure what Donald named this board after or about but it most definitely is one of the most popular all around longboards in the world. We sell more In the Pinks than any other board we carry. Surf head high Oceanside and do off the lips and ride the curl, then head on down to Pipes and dangle your flanges for a bit. These things will do it all.

Yellow top and blue bottom make green rails!

All the pinks come with a single fin box accompanied by fcs buttons. Pop in the side fins for carvage or pull em out for that good ol' fashioned single fin longboard pivot turn. It's like a magic carpet.