Smorgasboarder_23_Feb_2016-s

TALKING BOARD DESIGN WITH JESSE WATSON OF BLACK APACHE SURFBOARDS
RELATIVE PERCEPTION
“RELATIVE PER-WHAT? WHAT THE HELL IS HE TALKING ABOUT?”
YEAH I HEAR YOU, AND NO THIS ISN’T GOING TO GET ALL MYSTIC AND CRYPTIC AND TO ALLEVIATE ANY JOHNNY UTAH/ POINT
BREAK INSPIRED FEARS YOU MIGHT HAVE WE AREN’T GONNA HOLD HANDS AND “START CHANTING” EITHER, SO REST EASY.
So what am I talking about? Well I’m not
100% sure either. It’s a term I’ve coined
(probably not the first though) to define a
situation that I really feel should be the
jumping off point for all of our discussions.
It helps us to set the parameters, the
framework… the modus operandi if you will
within which we will explore the following
topics and have them stay in context for the
masses.
So anyways back to relative perception.
What is it? Lets split it up with what are
likely some less than accurate online
descriptions I stumbled onto, that while
probably not accurate, suit my purposes so
lets throw grammar and accuracy under the
wheels and run with it.
RELATIVE: “relates to the condition
of one observation or object when it is
considered in connection with another.”
PERCEPTION: “the conscious mental
registration of a sensory stimulus”
Put ‘em together and what do you get? If the
answer is headaches don’t feel bad, revel
in your stupidity with the rest of us. You’re
not alone.
Let me put it like this. As a shaper the
hardest part of shaping a board is making
sure you and I are on the same page. Making
sure that when I describe something to you,
that you understand it the way I do, that your
perception matches mine. When you say flat
rocker it means the same thing as when I
say flat rocker. When you say a lot of foam,
it’s the same as when I say it. Now I shape
more than just a couple of boards each
year for all types of surfers of varying ages,
heights, weights, abilities and sexes etc. So
that’s a pretty big spread and it’s unlikely
that all or even any of them will think like
I do. Your perception is relative to your
experiences in surfing, as are mine - and
never the twain shall meet. (You see how I
tied that in? Pretty good huh?) So then what?
Well if you’ve surfed for a decent length
of time and remember the not too far-gone
days of ordering custom boards it usually
went something like this;
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SMORGASBOARDER | SUMMER 2016