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With the Ides of March slightly gone, getting back into the water is on all of our minds. But there is one thing holding us back; that frigid thing they call the ocean. Now, we can all pick each other apart about who can withstand more of the chill, but everyone can agree; looking into a nice spring wetsuit isn’t such a bad idea. With wetsuits, nowadays, coming in all shapes and sizes, for anyone, picking one out for spring won’t be very hard. Here’s a few lookers that’ll set you down the right path, keeping it short on the thigh, and the wallet.

Xcel SLX OS
Ya, I know that’s a lot of letters in a row, but if you can remember ‘em, it could land you with a sweet deal on a wetsuit. The SLX OS has this offset zipper in the back, and it isn’t rubbing on your spine all the time, reducing annoyance, even in the mushies. On top of that, the seams are as flat as Nebraska, and there are fewer of them, creating room for some more stretch.  And priced around 90 bucks, you can’t beat it.

O’Neil Hammer S/S
This wettie is tried and true, from season to season. A little on the thinner side, the Hammer is made for warmer waters. It also has this super comfortable neck double-seal neck, keeping and chills out. The Hammer has addressed where you need some stretch, and stretches where you need it, keeping you completely mobile throughout your paddle. With a low price of around 80 dollars, and the O’Neil name backing it, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Xcel Infiniti X-Zip2 L/S
Ya, the name is a lot to remember (again), but the Infiniti X-Zip2 is the primo stuff. It has the most stretchy, light material they got, it has a comfy inner crossover neck, and it’s got a ThermoCarbon inner liner, made out of bamboo and recycled polyester fibers. It’s sweet. The best part is in the title; the X-Zip2. The zipper on this guy is attached at on shoulder, making a flap that you can easily get in and out of. The zipper also has a cord/barrel lock combo on the open flap, making sure the wetsuit stays tight to your chest, with no irritation, thanks to the SmoothSkin hems. The price is under $200, and worth it.

So with some great options like these, hopping into a nice spring suit will be easier than you think. You’ll enjoy the nice feel and motion you could only fully achieve by surfing in the buff (where acceptable), and you’ll be thanking yourself that you got that added time in the water.
By Jeramy Waterman

Get a little too gnarly and bashed a ding in your board? No worries. We are going to go through a step-by-step guide on how to repair your board’s battle scars, so you can get back out in the water without going broke.

Here’s a list of things you’ll need:

• Resin
• Acetone
• Hardener (I prefer Wahoo Solarez)
• Utility knife
• Safety goggles, Safety mask
• Various sandpapers (from 40-300 grit)
• Masking tape
• Wax comb (optional)
• Q-Cell (needed only if you had to cut away inner foam)
• Fiberglass clothe (4oz weight works well)

Step 1: Clean the ding.

Get all of that crap out of there, and let the ding completely dry. Use the utility knife to cut away any hanging fiberglass, giving the ding a nice shape. Proceed to sand the ding and the area slightly outside of it. Sand the outer area will allow the resin to stick to a fresh base. Use the wax comb to scratch away any wax in the ding, and the acetone to get anything else out. You want a nice, clean ding, with a rough outer area. When clean, outline the area in masking tape, so you don’t get sloppy.

Step 2: Fill ‘er Up!

If needed, mix the Q-cell with 1 ounce of sanding resin to make a thick white paste. When mixed, add the Solarez according to the instructions. Take your mixing stick and spread the paste within the foam part of the ding, trying not to get it on the fiberglass. You don’t want to use too much here. Now let this dry completely, then sand it down, using a lower grit sand paper, and moving to a higher grit.
Now you want to cut two pieces (more if needed) of the fiberglass clothe; The first piece being a little larger than the dinged area, and the next being a little larger than that, in order to cover the whole ding.
Now mix the resin with the instructed amount of hardening catalyst (Solarez). Apply a little of the mixture to the ding, and spread. Then, lay the smaller fiberglass piece on the ding, with no wrinkles. Coat the fiberglass clothe using a paintbrush, mixing stick, or whatever, as long as the cloth is completely coated, and sticks to the board. Next, do the same to the slightly larger piece of fiberglass cloth. When completed, let the board dry entirely in the sun.

Step 3: Smooth it out.
When the ding area is completely dry, you can remove the masking tape, and start the sanding process. Start with a low grit sand paper, and work your way up, to something around three hundred grit. The more time taken on this, the better the board with turn out.  Once the board is smoothed out to your own liking, some surfers will add a touch more of the resin mixture, spreading evenly and slowly in order to get that nice glossy look.

Now you’re done! You can get back out in the water, and ding that board up all over again, with no worries!

picture: myboardmydesign.com

So you want to start surfing, huh? And you don’t know what sizes, or type of board to buy, do you? Well, there are a few eye opening realities that you should learn before you go and blow your paycheck.

Shorter isn’t better.
I know you want to go out there and slash it like Slater, but you have to walk before you can run. Those short little rockets the pros are throwing around are not good tools to help build your skills. A shorter board, in the beginning, will be hard to balance on, and even harder to paddle out. You’re not going to do much learning if your arms get too tired to even get you out into the water. So, when choosing, try to look past the little guys, and start looking up, at boards taller than yourself.

Fish are Friends.
Ya, the fish boards look a little heftier than a shortboard, but don’t let them fool you. You can definitely shred a fish. The whole idea behind the fish is stability. The added width and thickness help to keep you afloat, and riding. Fish boards also catch waves easier, and are easier to paddle. This is because of the smaller amount of rocker on the underside of the board, which allows for more speed on smaller waves. And a great benefit to a fish is that they ride extremely well in mushy, smaller waves. This means that even when there is little swell, you can still get out there and get some. This is when the learning will take place, and that is the goal.

Slow, Wide, Turns – Longboards
Though it is definitely easier to learn than a short board, a longboard might fight you once you get popping up and riding in the bag. Longboards are made for larger waves, and larger riders, but can be ridden in smaller waves as well. You’ll need this extra weight and experience when trying to turn this classic board. One really nice perk of the longboard, though, is its paddling ease. The longboards touch more of the surface of the water, and give you more momentum, and tend to stay straighter during your paddle.  This means you’ll be catching more waves, more often, and that, my friend, is called experience. Chilling out and cruising a longboard would not be a bad first option, seeing as you’ll be falling in the water a lot anyways.

Hybrids, the Cyborg of Boards
In surfing, a hybrid can really apply to any 2 types of boards mixed into one. Yet, when hearing the term hybrid, most of the time, the source is referencing a combination of a fish board, and a shortboard. These boards give you the added stability of the fish, while keeping the maneuverability of shortboards. Another board type that you could consider is the Funboard, which is more of a longboard, fish style mixture. Because these boards have a wide range of styles, you can’t really say how they are going to ride. I would start with the basic board types before jumping on any of these.

Try it, before you buy it.
The only true way to know what type of board will be best for you is to get out into the water with one. Many board shops near the beach will offer rental boards for you to try, for around 15 dollars per hour. This will allow you to switch out and get an idea of how each style feels. Hell, from your feedback, they may even be able to refer you to the perfect board. So get out there and have fun!