A Good Day on a Tyler . . .

is better than a good day on the Slick. My poor Tyler sat unwaxed and unloved in the garage for the last few months. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it. I thought about selling it, my logic being that it's much too heavy and way too much board for me as I start exploring my options in shorter boards. Soul Brother #1 even began to ask if I was ever going to surf it again. I'm sure he was thinking about the money spent on a board that was no longer a part of the working quiver. I eventually assured him the board would return to the water. I was merely waiting for the right conditions.

After seeing recent daily surf reports about the small surf, I decided it was time to take the Tyler back out. I applied the base coat bumps on Saturday night, knowing the Tyler was the only board I'd take with me to the beach on Sunday. When I got to the home break on Sunday, it was looking small out there and it wasn't crowded—a good day to leave the leash in the car. Frankly, I thought it was going to be tough to return to a log. That's a whole lot of board and, of late, I've been feeling like I was riding too much board, like I wanted to be on something smaller and faster. (Obviously, that's why I had one made.) Then, once I was in the water, I realized it was not, in fact, flat. There was a little something out there. It also got crowded. I kept envisioning myself losing the board, swimming until my arms fell off or tagging someone with it. Well, none of that happened. All I did yesterday was have fun. The board did everything I asked of it. I caught all kinds of waves. I let some go by because I was without a leash. I thought it better to be safe than sorry. Still, I only swam a couple of times.

That board is perfection! I cannot believe I ever doubted it. I realize now that I was doubting myself. The Tyler is back in the rotation. It won't be my primary longboard. However, I will start to surf it more, especially as summer approaches.