2011 Rincon Invitational

What's right with this picture?

No, it's not that it dispels the myth that black people can't swim or surf. Duh!! There's a mat in the picture. When was the last time you saw a mat at a surf event? Well, they saw one today at Rincon!

Teamwork

This event is surfed with teams. One of the ways to score points is to get as many people as you can on one wave. Since Rincon was firing, that was a bit sketchy. My goal was to stay behind folks so that I wouldn't get hit with a board when someone fell off. Well, there were a few close calls, but I came away unscathed and got the longest mat wave of my life. In fact, the wave you see pictured was the beginning of that wave. It just kept on going. When I turned around to kick back to the lineup, I couldn't believe how far away everyone was.

This was probably one of my top two mat sessions. Rincon is a perfect mat wave. (Photos: Ken Samuels)

The Puerto Rican Terrier Surfed with Surfing Lab Today!

Hi Paul,

Got to meet Dave and his wife Lisa today, my wife and I met with them at La 8 beach in San Juan. Dave got to surf his Vespa for the first time, it was his first matting experience right out of the plane! I surfed my trustworthy Fatty and gave Dave a few tips. Dave told me that back home the temp was 28 degrees, here in PR it was around 88 all day. Waves were small but it was fun.

Afterwards I took them out of the city and into the north shore country to Los Tubos beach, waves were better there. Offshore winds, clear blue ocean, the reef could easily be seen, fish jumping out of the water and a very beautiful orange sunset reflected on the golden sand. Afterwards we ate some 6 oz marlin nuggets and drank a couple of Medallas. Finally we sent them off to Rincón via highway 22. Lisa took some photos today so I guess that they will have plenty to post on surfmatters. Waves will be small for the weekend and the beginning of next week but then we might get a strong cold front by the middle or end of next week. I will keep you posted.

Antonio (the puerto rican terrier)

By the way Frencho's Fatty and my Standard and UDT arrived with no problem, the UDT is huuugee!!!

Thanks again Paul and may you have lots of peace, joy and happiness!

Latest Testimonials...

(Raquel, Sophia and Brigitte love their inflatables...but they haven't had time to write!)

Hi Paul, I hope you are well.

As promised I am e-mailing you to let you know how I'm getting on with the new mat (Standard).

I have ridden the mat in a variety of surf conditions ranging from slow, crumbling peelers to fast, bowling waves and the mat has performed fantastically in all conditions.

It is so fast and responsive. I find myself making it around sections of white water with ease where on other surf craft I wouldn't. The "down-the-line" speed is phenomenal!

I had a surf recently with a friend and we lucked into chest-high, fast-bowling, hollow surf. When I was watching the surf from the shore I was worried that the waves were breaking too fast, but when I rode the mat I was having to stall with my fins and do cut-backs to stay in the pocket! I was getting some amazingly long rides!

So to summarise, I am extremely happy with the new mat (I can't stop grinning)!

Thanks, Matt

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Hi Paul,

The new Fatty arrived safe and sound in the middle of last week. I tried it out yesterday in a couple of feet of slightly blown out Cornish swell. The mat works like a dream and I think I had the best session out there, much to the annoyance of the longboarder with whom I was sharing the peak. Gotta love mats.

Cheers

Bob

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Paul,

I wanted to tell you that the Greenough-spec UDT is an absolute balltearer! When we were recently in Sri Lanka I constantly used this mat because the waves were small and having a fractured wrist made riding a little more complicated and the UDT was very forgiving.

I believe that I've found the 4GF model that works best for me. For some, the Standard or the Tracker is their preferred choice but for me, I like lots of canvas!
I've also changed my mind about taking this mat out in medium sized waves...it works all the time for me and slide-outs are rarely a problem and the speed is always on-tap!

Thank you again, Paul!

Neil

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The mats arrived in perfect shape, now for some surf. Thanks again for a
great job. I'll keep you posted on my progress as well as the interest shown
by a couple of aging surfer friends.

Do you have any idea of how a mat can generate such great speed and also
seem to have the holding power in steep portions of a wave? My friend John seems to make impossible section in crap surf on his mat while even
long boards are bogging down.

Let the fun begin,

Hugh

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Hi Paul

Sorry it's taken me so long to get back. I've been talking to my good mate Andrew Kidman, whom you may know, writes about the virtues of 4GFs. Hopefully he'll be in contact soon. Andrew says George Greenough can't speak highly enough of your mats.

My youngest daughter had an absolute blast on our classic last weekend. Seeing her experience that first glide was one of those moments I guess.

Hope you're well

Cheers, Hamish

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Hi Paul

Just wanted to let you know even though I have only had some crap summer waves the mat is great, hope to get something better soon, waiting for a local reef to work

Thanks
Mark

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Hi Paul

We received matt and T last week, all good!

Marita and I have both been riding it and having heaps of fun

THANKS AGAIN

Beau

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Hi Paul,

The Vespa, I keep turning to it because I'm curious to learn where the threshold is, where it's too soft and round for the size of wave. I remember you saying that learning to handle it will improve my riding once I'm back on a Standard in juicy conditions, and I reckon that's right. But the Vespa worked really well the other day, no spin outs or anything. It was a little sluggish at first, until I let out a breath or so and flattened it out, then it was just grand.

Best,

Dirk

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Paul,

Thanks for all your work over the years at pointing out where the real stoke lies. I can't believe I'm 41 and it's taken me this long to get on a mat. We don't have many mat riders here in New England. That could be it. Still, I spent a lot of time in my 20's trying to make a pair of surf skis work. You'd think the mat would have been a no brainer by comparison. You guys had already made it, for one!

Anyway, glad I reconnected with the mat before it gets too late. looking more and more forward to it as the trip gets closer. acapulco slop, let alone some peelers, will now be a blast.

Jim

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Hi Paul,

I am still wet from my latest session on my tracker. The waves are small and prefect today long mellow rights and lefts in Oceanside.
I surfed for a little over an hour every ride was fun. My second wave was a dry barrel on a two foot face.

On my last wave in a couple girls paddling over the shoulder looked at me with that
'why don't you standup look" and the words "excuse me if I don't stand up" just rolled off my tounge. I think I saw one of them smile
as I slid by.

TK

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pablo,

took my TRT out in some 3-5ft point surf. you know, coz the RTT is narrower, it allows me to paddle as well as kick, and saves wear and tear on the legs.

There was a bit of wind, so a lot of texture on the face of the wave....and she performed really well. held well.

A great mat.

Happy New Year, btw.

Saludos,
Jason

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I took out the roundo in 5' campus today. It surprised me how different it felt compared to the classic. It's hard to verbalize but it is better. I made every wave, and loaned it out to two people who said they want one. Guerdon.

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Paul,

The flyer came today! That was really fast! I have already blogged about!

Awesome product and I can't wait to get it out on the waves!

Sincerely, Michelle

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AK...in the house!

Hi Paul.... psyched myself. Bought a Dale mat 2 years back and will dig the new one mightily.

Attached article is the most noted alaska break, up in Yakutat, but point breaks abound in this island archipelago. Bought the UDT since I am 6-3, 220 lbees, and your copy summed up alaskan surfing with the quip on a big ass wetsuit (no icebergs though, yet).

Yakutat surf story link here:

Thanks for supplying really alternate, way cool hardware.

Best wishes, BoB, Sitka, Alaska

Ho Hum...

Another UK Mat Meet...

:)

From John Culqui...

For more on John and his wonderful work, go here...

Why Is Neil So Happy???

Probably because he knows this woman! But also because he's making himself useful as of late...

Neil explains:

"Dear Friends,

I've signed up to cycle 200km over 2 days as part of the 2011 'Ride to Conquer Cancer'. I need to raise a minimum of $2500 to be able to participate in this historic ride.

All money raised goes to the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR), where they turn that precious cash into something a lot more useful...research concentrated on finding a cure for cancer!

To donate, click on this link ...

...and click on the "DONATE ONLINE NOW" button and your money goes straight onto my total. Simple! I think you will get a receipt emailed to you, so that you can claim it off your taxable income when this financial year is over.

Thank you everyone for cheering me on!

Neil Pye"

Two Of The Three Inflatable Amigos...

Hey Paul,

EPA was back in session yesterday morning at HQ bay... A slow moving mats-only session...just the three inflatable amigos.

I hadn't surfed for months so it was great

Steve posted some shots on Cabinessence.
Best

RS

Sent from my third iPhone

Greetings from Umm Suqeim..

Hi Paul,

As a counterpoint to French hippie-bliss, I'm sending you a pic of a new place you can tick off on the map.

It's choppy windswell only here...but with a nice size, warm water and smiling expat 'locals'. What a great afternoon!

Cheers,

Tom/Munich

Standard Inflation

Just wanted to let you matters out there know that I've been riding my 4GF Standard with 90 degree bend (when in the water) almost exclusively for a over a year now and am stoked on this setting. Seems to work fine for me in all conditions. And it's a firm L-bend, so the fabric goes tight. My guess is that the rails and channels get a crisp tuck-edge for both grip and release. Plus the semi-rigid mat is easy to paddle and control. I have done a few tests of lower and higher inflation, just out of curiosity, but keep coming back. This may not work for you, but I like it...

Regis From France...

this regis from france:

i receved the mats last week ;perfect ,i just wait to be far from my 4cats who used to play with every things ;now i just need time and sun;i feel like a kid waiting christmas.

im just the pilot of my flying surf mobile;i ve just croos 4angels who make this chef d oeuvre ,amy smith ,melissa anna and leilani ;thanks for all :i hope to send you photos off a good surf day;

have fun;

cio

Grayman Goes Hollywood...

Got super hi res shots so did this crop of moi...

Vain? Me?

;)

G

From the Embattled Sheen Camp...

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Charlie Sheen's Surfmatter interview (here!!!) has stimulated a worldwide backlash from hard core mat riders...at least according to various blogs and forums. On-line mat-surfing snipe-artist Sancho "Panza" Hilton went to far as to claim that Sheen is, quote...

"...a spoiled beatch and a wannabe mat surfer, living in the hazy past of his rental raft glory days, not to be taken any more seriously as an aficionado of watersports than the average 10 year old penny arcade denizen with a rotting body board lost somewhere in his parent's garage."

Ouch!

Sheen's people struck back by circulating an image of Charlie storming the beach at Normandy with a mat under his arm...trying to get to the surf before a mega-dose of Viagra wore off. The remarkable image (which some so-called "experts" have claimed is a "photoshopped phony") has gone viral, yielding a half million hits an hour on YouTube.

All we can say is, Charlie Sheen is the stud pony of mat surfing -- with or without a Viagra stoke -- and deserves the benefit of the doubt. We'll let the court of public opinion make the final determination.

satire this is satire this is satire this is satire this is satire this is satire this is satire this is satire this is satire

Henri From France...

Untitled from Denis Henriques on Vimeo.

UK Mat Surfers - Matmeet 5 Photo Montage

All in the can, wrapped up, done and dusted and the visual evidence is here for all to see.

Apologies for the rushed intro on this... If I had my time again...

Anyway, the important thing is that the pics are there. Great day, real fun in offshore sun.

Enjoy.

G

<

Malibu's Charlie Sheen!

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By now everybody's heard about the friction on the set of the remake of Rubber Duck Riders. Legendary Malibu mat surfer and peerless thespian, Charlie Sheen, is rumored to be on the chopping block if his after-hours "partying with women" (his own, self-incriminating words!) doesn't come to an abrupt halt.

Surfmatters wanted to let him set the record straight. It's the least we could do for a denizen of the old Pacific Ocean Park beach raft rental stands. Charlie and I met up in the parking lot at Surfrider Beach this afternoon.

SM: What's happening, Charlie? Are you getting any mat waves?

Charlie: Dude, seriously? You're asking me if I'm getting any?

SM: Well yeah...getting any mat waves.

Charlie: Oh right, mat waves. Sure. Totally. Just the other evening we had like 50 million candle power worth of Klieg lights out on the point at Malibu for a night session. I actually got sunburned at 3 AM. I passed out drunk trimming between Second and First Point. Didn't wake up until I was about 10 feet from the pier. Then I hit the pier, and passed out again. Talk about an all nighter...

SM: Greenough used to surf Rincon on a mat at night all the time.

Charlie: Greenough's an amateur. He takes showers in the wake of my mat. That's how bitchin' I am.

SM: Any truth to the rumor that you're going to be replaced by John Stamos in the lead of the remake of Rubber Duck Riders?

Charlie: Stamos is an amateur. His idea of a good time is smoking the exhaust from my Bentley. That's how bitchin' I am.

SM: The wild parties, the after hours liaisons with questionable women, the endless supply of new surf mats...is it any wonder that the brass over at Paramount have had it with you?

Charlie: The leaches at Paramount are amateurs. They think I'm on drugs. Yeah, I'm on a drug...it's called Charlie Sheen. That's how bitchin' I am.

SM: We heard you're building a new house on the point at Malibu just for your collection of surf mats.

Charlie: Is that what they're calling blonds these days? Surf mats? (Turns to his assistant.) Why didn't I get that memo? You're fired.

SM: Thanks for talking with us, Charlie...

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From the French Coastline...

Hi Paul,

Last week, I told you about a small right peeling against a harbour jetty wall.
Well, this morning the swell picked up again sending a few lines to this well sheltered area of my hometown bay. I had a nice two hour session with my Standard at mid-tide, when the wave starts close to the little lighthouse and builds a nice rippable wall with an occasional cover-up.

The wave is really easy to catch as it comes with a little foam ball against the wall that picks the rider way before the wave starts to roll...so you can position yourself on the right spot and wait for the little tube to build-up. Even when it's 1-2ft a Standard mat will handle it and glide effortlessly, thanks to the "push" created by the jetty's wall, you just have to do little snappy cutbacks to get in proper wave spot. Really fun with a mat!! I've "rediscovered it", lately...

The pictures were taken after my session, when the tide was too high, making the waves smaller and powerless. But it was small...waist high in the good sets (knee high in the pictures) and as the jetty is about 10 ft. high, it flattens even more the waves in these pictures...but sometimes, we do get it way bigger. "Jetty high," I'd say...so these puppies can get really scary!!!

Bye, Denis