Rusty

Yesterday we showed some awesome photos of J.O.B. at The Wedge and today we have a sick video of the happenings edited and shot by Dirt!

It is no secret that the West Coast has been pummeled with swell the last few days and many infamous waves that lie dormant waiting for strong Souths came to life. Rusty's very own Jamie O'Brien is no stranger to danger and did not hesitate to put himself in the line of fire.  Featured below are a few timeless images, captured by Steindler, of JOB going for broke at the Wedge, SoCal's most punishing wave...

If you haven't noticed already, our website has undergone a complete overhaul. An awesome new feature we added is for you to upload your own photos to our website! If you snapped some photos this weekend, post em up on our site for all to see!

Here's the Deal:

-If you haven't done so already go check out the full gallery of our US Open action by clicking here or going to the PHOTOS section above.

-In the gallery hit the UPLOAD YOUR OWN PHOTOS button

-Enter your name and email and select a photo from your computer and you're all set

Rusty Surfboards takes the pain out of surfboard shopping by offering our all new comprehensive surfboard page!  Our online surfboard guide shows off the full 2009 line of cutting edge Rusty Surfboards and breaks each model down one aspect at a time. Each surfboard model has its own page complete with a board biography, specifications, popular dimensions, and sound bites discussing design, inspiration, and technical board features from Rusty and our other expert shapers. In addition, each surfboard page has a rotating surfboard (360 degrees of control) and a point of view video from the shaping bay so you can check out the board from every angle!  Not to mention, each board page is accompanied by a highlight reel, showcasing design elements and featuring the board in action!

Have you ever wanted to design your own air spray? Well, now you can with our new "Create Your Own Artwork" option!

Plus, you can download a PDF version of the 2009 Surfboards Catalog straight from the site!

We also offer a sneak peak behind the scenes at the Rusty Surfboards factory where you can check out the floor plans, take a guided tour, learn how to make a surfboard - step by step, and even get a bit of insight into each shapers' history with Rusty Surfboards!

To check out the new Rusty Surfboards page simply click here or click on the BOARDS link above.

There's only a few days left in July so be sure to enter Rusty's Punt of the Month Contest! We're giving away a Recycler Boardshort, Kracka Boardshort, Powers 4 Walkshort, Endless Walkshort, and Two Tees!

Here's How to Enter:

-Check out Surfline's Punt of the Month to get some inspiration of what a true punt looks like.

-Go out and photograph your sickest punt or choose one you already have on your camera.

-Upload the photo to our site by clicking the "PUNT" link at the top of the homepage or by clicking here

At the end of July, our panel of aerial acrobatic experts will judge the entries and select the winner of the hefty prize pack. We will also display the winning punt for the following month on our site so the winner can bask in the glow of victory!

Photo: Brody

People congregated in the masses to Huntington Beach over the weekend for the annual U.S. Open of Surfing and they were not disappointed... Picture perfect weather accompanied by a strong South swell created quite the arena for a weekend of competition, leisure, and SoCal socializing!  In years past, Huntington Beach has been a bit of a disappointing location for a contest of this caliber; however, this year beach-goers were pleasantly surprised with the overhead surf that grazed the pier for the duration of the event.  Our very own, Nate Yeomans, was holding it down in the competition on behalf of Rusty, not to mention, Jamie O'brien and Spencer Reagan were in attendance to show their support.

We claimed our spot on the Huntington Strip in front of Jack's and Huntington Surf and Sport for an afternoon of autograph signing and free swag. The Rusty crew was giving out free hats (hand made by our own Dirt and Downes), stickers, pins, and DVDs while JOB, Nate, and Spencer chatted it up and took photos with a line of fans that rounded the block...

Thanks to everyone for coming out and showing your enthusiasm!

Click Here for all the photos from the US Open!

Text: Brody

Check out the most recent episodes of Kerrazy Times and watch Josh Kerr and his friends let loose in South Africa...from the Jeffrey's Bay contest to bungee jumping and everything in between!

Keep your eyes on Rusty.com for the next installment of Kerrazy Times!

KERRAZY TIMES EPISODE 6 from KERRAZY PRODUCTIONS on Vimeo.

KERRAZY TIMES EPISODE 7 from KERRAZY PRODUCTIONS on Vimeo.

KERRAZY TIMES EPISODE 8 from KERRAZY PRODUCTIONS on Vimeo.

"I'm 195 lbs and 5'10" and in good shape with most of my weight on top. I ride a 6'6" to 6'10" for my normal shortboard and got a 5'10" fish this year. I love the ability to get into waves, the speed and maneuverability in under head-high surf, but have problems with the outside nose rail digging at times. I also have problems with steep takeoffs because of the lack of nose rocker. What aspects of the fish should I keep and what should I change?"
--John

Rusty, who's been shaping since before the original fish was invented, fillets the question:

Ironically, the traditional/old school fish was designed for and excelled in fast hollow waves like Old Break, Big Rock, and Blacks, but it was primarily ridden as a kneeboard and ridden much shorter than your board at 4'8" to 5'2". In fact, 5'6" was considered big. Eventually more and more people actually started standing up on the bigger ones and discovered that they were fast and maneuverable (sort of) in small, mushy, running waves. If you are interested in more background, hit up Eric Huffman at: BirdSurfBlog.com

Rocker, or lack of, can be the culprit when a nose pokes on takeoff: the board isn't fitting the curve of the wave. Either the board needs to be shorter or have more curve. On your next fish, try a little more rocker in the nose and possibly the tail. A little more curve in the back half is just as important -- if the tail curve isn't fitting in the steepest part of the wave, it will lift the back end and drive the nose in.

It is important to have some balance in the curve. By that I mean the rail arc needs to flow from one end to the other. Having excessive curve at either end won't correct the whole package and abrupt changes in curve will cause drag.

Your outside rail digging is partly related to rocker and is also probably a result of the nose being too wide for certain conditions. Once again, the back half of the board may be coming into play. If the tail is very wide and the outline curve is straight (factor in low rocker), the back end of the board won't fit and/or release in a controllable manner.

Again, I am assuming your board is a traditional/old school fish. My numbers on this type of board are something like this: 5'10", 2.3" thick, width: 15.5" (nose), 20.5" (center), 16.5" (tail) and 12+" corner-to-corner on the pins. Rocker: 4.25" (nose), 1.3" (12" down from nose), 0.52" (12" up from tail) and 1.4" (tail).

My suggestion would be to pull in the nose and tail about an inch or so, leaving the middle width about the same. Pull the corners of the tail in at least an inch, maybe more. As the fish evolved, it sprouted wings. This helped to step down the width on the back end of the board and reduce the pin-to-pin distance to something on the order of 10".

Rocker: A little goes a long way. The front end could come up to approx 4.5". The back end on the older fish was low -- something on the order of two inches in the tail. Once again, an even curve would probably be a lot more user friendly in a broader range of conditions.

Thickness: The old fishes were flat, but relatively thin compared to other boards of the day. Adding thickness to a flat-rockered board becomes a little problematic, in that the deck line starts to develop a hump, or an "S-deck", and transitioning out to a clean rail line becomes more challenging. To compensate for some of the volume you have given up by pulling in the template, you can add a little thickness to the center. With a little more bottom curve, you can probably add back in some thickness in the midsection.

Fins: A lot of the old school boards have the glassed on wood keel fins. These were designed to build more drive into very short boards. As you go longer, you have more rail and can probably get away with a shorter-based fin. If you don't have removable fins, try a fin system so you can experiment with different feels for different conditions.

The second event in the Rusty/Sun Diego Surf Series took place at San Fernando Place in Mission Beach, San Diego and the surf was pumping!  Some competitors could even be heard claiming, "This is the best surf I have ever seen at Mission Beach and the surf will never get this good again out here!"  With solid South swell, clean groomed lines, and a crop of the most impressive surfers around the contest went berserk!

In addition to the grade A waves and equally impressive surfing, Rusty Surfboards came through with another board demo where contestants and spectators alike had the opportunity to ride great boards from the '09 line up such as the Dwart, the Hustler, and the Catfish - just to name a few!

Congratulations to local team rider, Jake Halstead, for surfing an amazing event!  At 15 years young, Jake took home a 1st and two 2nds in the three divisions he entered!  He placed 1st in the Open Mens Division, and 2nd in both the Pro-Am division and the Juniors Division earning himself a cool $800!  Not bad for a morning of epic surf...

Please join us for the next event on Saturday August 8th, 2009 at PB Drive!

Pro-Am Results
1. Michel Flores - $1,000
2. Jake Halstead - $500
3. Nate Carroll - $300
4. Mike Stuart - $200

Mens Open Division
1. Jake Halstead - $300
2. Pedro Husadel
3. Mike Stuart
4. Austin Rowe
5. Scott Quarrie
6. Luis Barboza

Juniors Division
1. Pedro Huadel - $200
2. Jake Halstead
3. Austin Rowe
4. Breyden Taylor
5. Levi Gregory
6. Kalani David

Masters Division
1. Sean Walker - $100
2. Steve Moore
3. Scott Quarrie
4. Luis Barboza
5. Ed Custodio
6. Rat Battisti

Grom Division
1. Kalani David - $100
2. Trevor Thorton
3. Breyden Taylor
4. Brandon Manguso
5. Spencer Bentley
6. Kelly Betanzos

Click Here for more information!

Text and Photos: Brody

This summer Rusty hit the road to visit surf shops throughout Southern California, serving free burgers, doing board demos, and giving out some sweet swag. Scroll down for a preview of all the good times we had on the road!

Click Here for all the Central Coast Surfboards RBQ Pics

Click Here for all the Jack's, Ventura, and One Way RBQ Pics

Click Here for all the Val Surf RBQ Pics