Surfing

Fight the Chill

Welcome back! After the long winter it's good to see my old customers trickling back into town and out onto the soup. Needless to say, Montauk is a pretty quiet spot from Columbus Day to April, so as far as I am concerned, the more the merrier!

So now that surf season is ticking down, its time to do that spring check of gear and gusto I heartily recommend. Start with the most basic of all, your board. If she's been sitting in the garage or attic all winter long haul her out and give her a good inspection. If you note any dings, pings or delaminated sections you know what to do. If you're not confident in your own repair methods, just bring your old gun into the shop and we'll be more than happy to smooth out the winter wrinkles and have you ship shape to surf.

Of course there are times when the old girl needs more than a tube of epoxy or a fiberglass patch. Whether its wear and tear or just the need to move on up to a new style or size, spring is the right time to shop for a new board. Lucky for you, we are stocked to the ceilings with choices sure to make your shopping a breeze.

Of course keeping warm in the water is a prime concern this time of year. With water temps in the mid-40's your survival time in the water is a direct function of the viability of your wet suit. We're all fortunate that today's state-of-the-art technology offers some of the most comfortable and insulating wet suits ever. Here at the shop we stock a great selection concentrating on the big three - O'Neill, Quiksilver and Xcel. Each offers a great line of men and women's suits, perfect for the harshest days Montauk can produce.

With the temps beginning to rise, you can count on a 4/3 suit to hold you through the rest of May, when most of us will be switching to a lighter 3/2 to carry us to the start of July. After that it's a choice between a light weight spring suit, or just a rash guard. Between now and then you'll need a good set of booties and gloves to keep the extremities in working order and all three wet suit companies offer a full line of those. Ranging from $40 and up for gloves and up to $60 for booties, it's a small price to pay for extending your comfort and safety level this time of year. After all, if you can't feel your hands or toes chances are you're not going to be making very many good decisions in the water, huh?

As for wet suits the best range from $250-350. Given the top flight performance levels they offer, and the longevity quality built suits carry, they are good investments in your surfing life. I can tell you from personal experience, a well maintained suit (fresh water cleaned after every session, and hung in the shade to dry) will last a decade.

Of course once you're checked over everything and fully outfitted its time to actually hit the beach. Before you go, stop by and check out the local conditions. Winter storms have taken a toll on our local beaches, with shifting breaks and drop offs today, that just weren't't there last fall. If you're so inclined the staff and me can bring you up to speed on the where and why of Montauk surfing 2006. Just stop by the new shop on Main Street and Bill, Catherine or I will be more than happy to fill you in.

Located on Main Street, the Air and Speed Board Shop (668-0356) is surfing central for Montauk.