The STD has a Session in Florida!

I received the board just before Christmas, a very busy time with not much swell in the forecast. I did get it out for a session at Cocoa Beach in a mixed up, dumpy, chest high windwell. It was fairly clean but far from good for a board like this. I normally would have ridden a keel fish or maybe a longboard with a bit more modern rocker. I ride lots of traditional single-fin logs (my favorite longboards by far!). The Austin was the absolute flattest boards I've ridden, including my 1964 Daytona. It was a bit sketchy at first, in the steep, windswell, beachbreak conditions I was faced with. But after a brief period of adjustment, I started to get some really fun rides on the thing! I can't wait until I can get it out in some real waves.

In the meantime, I've been patching it up a bit. It's in good shape, but all the traveling is definitely taking a bit of a toll. I'll report back shortly. Should be some good wave here in the next few days. Here's a couple photos of me riding it (all from the tail, it was dumping too much to get to the nose).

-Chris Gotshall

The Journey So Far!

So far the STD has had sessions in 7 states! (Am I missing any?)

Virginia
New Jersey
New York
Maine
California
Texas
Florida

Let's keep it rolling, guys! How many more can we get before it reaches the end of its journey?

The STD invades the Gulf Coast!

As of right now, the STD is in Texas. It will soon be making a trip to the Florida shores. Here's a pic of the STD in action in the warm waters of Texas!

STD at San-O

Back in September the STD made an appearance at the San-O longboard event at San Onofre State Beach. We only just now received the photos, here's one of Erin Ashley sitting pretty on the nose of the STD!

STD Update!

The STD has traveled from the California coast to the Great State of Texas. It is currently traveling up and down the Gulf. There was a big mystery of who took the STD log book. The mystery was solved. While cleaning the house Austin found the STD log book on his shelf beside all his surfing reference materials. He must have taken it out when the STD was up in Virginia for repairs. He is blaming it on his fiancée Jamie but anyone that knows Austin knows that he cannot put something back in its original place. Its just not in his nature.

STD meets the West Coast. Let the spread of stoke begin!

Last week I was taking a trip to San Diego so I asked Austin if he wanted me to take the board with me so that people on the west coast could give the STD a try. Of course he said yes and the rest is history.

The board made it out there with only a few dings from the plane ride, but that's ok because it only cost $15 to get it out there! Insane price! I got lucky and had an airline agent that didn't know the rules for surfboards on American Airlines. According to the website, they should have charged me $100!

So now the board is in the hands of Sam George in Encinitas. He'll be putting it through its paces at Swami's and Teramar I am sure! If you see him out with it, ask him if you can give it a whirl!

Here's a few pics of me handing the board off to Sam. We were checking out the damage done to the board.

The STD is back in VB!

Austin, Troy, Dolly, and I ventured up to visit Ron at Kennebunk Outdoors in Maine last weekend and while we were there we got to ride the STD along with a bunch of other people. We brought the board back to Austin's shop in Virginia Beach for a tune up. Next stop is sunny San Diego at the end of this month, then SanO next month! More soon!

-Nick