Shapeshifting – The art of hand-making surfboards
Social issues of surfboards and surfing
Sociology of sport. Online
This academic paper considers the motivations and requirements for obtaining membership into the surfing subculture, and demonstrates the added value an ethnographic and participatory approach can provide to the improved understanding of the sociology of sport and sport-related subcultures. In this paper it is suggested that if surfing is to be understood as a sociological phenomenon not only must the subculture and its motivations be understood, but the activity itself.
http://physed.otago.ac.nz/sosol/v4i1/v4i1butt.htm
Hazards of handling / working with boat building materials
New Zealand Medical Journal, March 2001
www.nzma.org.nz/journal/114-1132/2210/content.pdf
Proposed New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement 2008
Brief of Evidence of Jonathan Patrick McCarthy
www.doc.govt.nz/upload/documents/getting-involved/consultations/current-consultations/nzcps/evidence/018-nzcps-evidence-01-of-02-a.pdf
In the Water: Cobalt enters the surfboard fray
The sudden evaporation of Clark Foam — which at the time seemed like the end of the world to many, but now seems to me as if it simply had to happen — was the spark needed to ignite a worldwide rush to fill the sudden polyurethane foam vacuum in the multi-billion-dollar surf industry, but also to experiment, develop, innovate and push the old boundaries of accepted materials and limitations. What's that Chinese proverb? "In crisis lies opportunity"?
Deepfried TV website, March 2006
www.deepfried.tv/news/default.cfm?ID=947
Surfboard shaping industry in strife
More than 200,000 New Zealanders try surfing in some form each year, and SPARC figures suggest there is a harder core group of around 70,000 board riders in this country.
Over the last 50 years, surfboards have evolved from heavy longboards to the much shorter performance boards seen filling the racks of surf shops around the world.
However, in the last couple of years the shaping industry has fallen on tough times and now that worldwide trend has washed up on our shores.
TV3 News video, July 2008 (3.13)
www.3news.co.nz/Video/Business/tabid/369/articleID/63033/cat/52/Default.aspx?articleID=63033
Environmental issues
"Surfers Against Sewage campaign for clean, safe recreational waters, free from sewage effluents, toxic chemicals and nuclear waste. Using a solution based argument of viable and sustainable alternatives, SAS highlight the inherent flaws in current practises, attitudes and legislation, challenging industry, legislators and politicians to end their 'pump and dump' policies."
Surfers against sewage website
www.sas.org.uk
Surf parks
Surfparks LLC is a US-based company focussed on developing and operating innovative wave-riding facilities. On a mission to deliver every surfer's dream of perfect, uncrowded waves, Surfparks has licensed exclusive rights to proprietary technology capable of delivering world class surf in controlled, salt-water pools.
www.surfparks.com/home.php
Versareef progress information
New Zealand Herald article January2007
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10419144
