Jul
28
Hanging out with Molly Logan at the 2016 U.S. Open Of Surfing
- July 28, 2016
- 0 Comment(s)
The Ding Repair Tent and Molly Logan |
To quote
Benjamin Franklin, if there are three things that are absolutely certain in
this world, they are death, taxes, and broken surfboards. Alright, while we
admittedly may have paraphrased that last part the simple fact of the matter
that no matter who you are or what you ride, surfboards do break. They are not indestructible nor are they built to last
forever. While the waves being surfed at the Huntington Beach U.S. Open of
Surfing wouldn’t exactly be called ‘waves of consequence’ (or even be considered
to be ‘mildly menacing’ for that matter), there’s no escaping the truth that
modern professional surfing is truly the bane of surfboard longevity. From
heavy footed power-surfing pushing the absolute limits of their fins/fin-box
strength, to chop-slop aerial maneuvers that consistently test the integrity of
any lamination job. It is an absolute necessity for there to be a ding-repair
specialist on hand at professional a surfing event like the U.S. Open.
Benjamin Franklin, if there are three things that are absolutely certain in
this world, they are death, taxes, and broken surfboards. Alright, while we
admittedly may have paraphrased that last part the simple fact of the matter
that no matter who you are or what you ride, surfboards do break. They are not indestructible nor are they built to last
forever. While the waves being surfed at the Huntington Beach U.S. Open of
Surfing wouldn’t exactly be called ‘waves of consequence’ (or even be considered
to be ‘mildly menacing’ for that matter), there’s no escaping the truth that
modern professional surfing is truly the bane of surfboard longevity. From
heavy footed power-surfing pushing the absolute limits of their fins/fin-box
strength, to chop-slop aerial maneuvers that consistently test the integrity of
any lamination job. It is an absolute necessity for there to be a ding-repair
specialist on hand at professional a surfing event like the U.S. Open.
This year, Foam E-Z’s go-to ding-repair
master Molly Logan returned for her sixth year tending to the beloved boards of
the worlds top surfers down on the sand south of the pier. Having donated a
handful of various Foam E-Z supplies and materials to her operation for the
week and not wanting to pass up an opportunity to see how a World Surf League
event operates behind the scenes, we took a trip down to see Molly in action and checked out her thoroughly impressive make-shift operation at
the event. Despite arriving early in the morning as the first heat was just
getting into the water, there was already work to be done and boards that
needed fixing. Disguised as a tour of the ‘backstage’ of the event area, we
were immediately off to pick up the first round of repairs for the day.
master Molly Logan returned for her sixth year tending to the beloved boards of
the worlds top surfers down on the sand south of the pier. Having donated a
handful of various Foam E-Z supplies and materials to her operation for the
week and not wanting to pass up an opportunity to see how a World Surf League
event operates behind the scenes, we took a trip down to see Molly in action and checked out her thoroughly impressive make-shift operation at
the event. Despite arriving early in the morning as the first heat was just
getting into the water, there was already work to be done and boards that
needed fixing. Disguised as a tour of the ‘backstage’ of the event area, we
were immediately off to pick up the first round of repairs for the day.
Molly’s make-shift workstation |
Being a long
time veteran of both the U.S. Open and the Lowers Pro (which is held later in
the year), Molly moved coolly throughout the temporarily boardwalked-backstage
making relaxed, idle chit-chat with nearly everyone we passed by from contest
staff/coordinators to contest athletes, and even a handful of seemingly random
event guests of note. She is no stranger on these grounds. Upon returning to
the ding repair tent I noticed a daily tally taped to the back wall denoting 17
repairs completed her first day here, followed by fifteen the next, and a blank
spot for today’s repair tally. Curious as to how she could pack so many repairs
completed in one day in a seemingly limited work space, I asked her how long
the average repair takes her.
time veteran of both the U.S. Open and the Lowers Pro (which is held later in
the year), Molly moved coolly throughout the temporarily boardwalked-backstage
making relaxed, idle chit-chat with nearly everyone we passed by from contest
staff/coordinators to contest athletes, and even a handful of seemingly random
event guests of note. She is no stranger on these grounds. Upon returning to
the ding repair tent I noticed a daily tally taped to the back wall denoting 17
repairs completed her first day here, followed by fifteen the next, and a blank
spot for today’s repair tally. Curious as to how she could pack so many repairs
completed in one day in a seemingly limited work space, I asked her how long
the average repair takes her.
Tally ’em up! |
“It usually takes me about 20 minutes per repair,
maybe 30 for epoxy repairs. It’s usually just little things, it’s not too bad.
One year we had to fix an epoxy for one of the athletes in the event like 30
minutes before his heat. It was epoxy too and luckily we got it done in time,
it held up through the heat but we were nervous. It was the guy’s magic board
and he really wanted it.”
maybe 30 for epoxy repairs. It’s usually just little things, it’s not too bad.
One year we had to fix an epoxy for one of the athletes in the event like 30
minutes before his heat. It was epoxy too and luckily we got it done in time,
it held up through the heat but we were nervous. It was the guy’s magic board
and he really wanted it.”
Having
learned much of her ding-repair knowledge from local shaper and
surfers such as Mike Minchinton and Guy Okazaki, Molly is more than equipped to
handle the pressure that comes with handling the world’s best surfers beloved equipment. Recounting her first year working the event in 2009, she
told me about how she was in charge of looking after the boards of perhaps the
worlds biggest surf in a year, when huge waves pummeled the pier and claimed
more than their usual share of contestants boards.
learned much of her ding-repair knowledge from local shaper and
surfers such as Mike Minchinton and Guy Okazaki, Molly is more than equipped to
handle the pressure that comes with handling the world’s best surfers beloved equipment. Recounting her first year working the event in 2009, she
told me about how she was in charge of looking after the boards of perhaps the
worlds biggest surf in a year, when huge waves pummeled the pier and claimed
more than their usual share of contestants boards.
“The waves were hitting the bottom of the pier and
they were jet-skiing everybody out. It was the first year they had ding-repair
on site and I think Kelly Slater was my customer that day (laughs). It was his new ‘Whip’ model I think and all
the camera crew were coming by like ‘oh is that Kelly Slater’s board, is that
Kelly Slater’s board??’ And they saw a chick doing the repair, so that was a
new thing, and I was like ‘oh my god,’ I was really nervous (laughs). That was
when all the big guys used to come too, you know, Machado, Andy Irons, guys
like that.”
they were jet-skiing everybody out. It was the first year they had ding-repair
on site and I think Kelly Slater was my customer that day (laughs). It was his new ‘Whip’ model I think and all
the camera crew were coming by like ‘oh is that Kelly Slater’s board, is that
Kelly Slater’s board??’ And they saw a chick doing the repair, so that was a
new thing, and I was like ‘oh my god,’ I was really nervous (laughs). That was
when all the big guys used to come too, you know, Machado, Andy Irons, guys
like that.”
Molly With Lakey Peterson |
Of course
with no time to lose or waste at the shop, I was put to work on some of the repairs providing a helping hand
where necessary. The first two customers of the day, current world no. 17 on
the WSL women’s tour Lakey Peterson and Junior Men’s quarter finalist Jacob
Burke, dropped off a board. Each with minor repair work to be done prior to
their respective upcoming heats, work that was finished up quickly.
Of course not all repair jobs are so easy. When questioned about what her most
challenging repair was, Molly had this to say;
with no time to lose or waste at the shop, I was put to work on some of the repairs providing a helping hand
where necessary. The first two customers of the day, current world no. 17 on
the WSL women’s tour Lakey Peterson and Junior Men’s quarter finalist Jacob
Burke, dropped off a board. Each with minor repair work to be done prior to
their respective upcoming heats, work that was finished up quickly.
Of course not all repair jobs are so easy. When questioned about what her most
challenging repair was, Molly had this to say;
“For sure Owen Wright broken board at the Hurley Pro.
It completely broken and he had already buckled five boards in that same event,
and I was kind of just like, ‘seriously?’.
And at that event I have a tent much smaller than this one and basically like a
plank of wood to work on, and so I’m working on that trying to put this broken
board back together. It didn’t look super great, but I got it back together and
I went to him and I said ‘Hey I don’t know how well this thing is going to hold
up after that,’ and he was just like ‘Oh that’s okay, I’m just going to give it
away to some grom anyways.’
So that was really nice of him, he redeemed himself
(laughs).”
It completely broken and he had already buckled five boards in that same event,
and I was kind of just like, ‘seriously?’.
And at that event I have a tent much smaller than this one and basically like a
plank of wood to work on, and so I’m working on that trying to put this broken
board back together. It didn’t look super great, but I got it back together and
I went to him and I said ‘Hey I don’t know how well this thing is going to hold
up after that,’ and he was just like ‘Oh that’s okay, I’m just going to give it
away to some grom anyways.’
So that was really nice of him, he redeemed himself
(laughs).”
This will get you free Acai Bowls |
With the heat and dust of the day beginning
to kick in, it was just about time for me to head out. Of course, not before getting full use of the perks of wearing my event pass and enjoying
a free Acaí bowl in the athletes area. Alongside some very recognizable competitors,
like Yadin Nicol, Alana Blanchard, and Carlos Muñoz, as they watched the event
and waited for their own upcoming heats. Of course there is still plenty of
time for you to catch the action of the U.S. Open this week as the event runs
though the weekend. If you happen see any of the athletes break a board
or two, don’t feel too bad for them. They
will surely be in good and capable hands soon enough, with their board restored to battling
condition.
to kick in, it was just about time for me to head out. Of course, not before getting full use of the perks of wearing my event pass and enjoying
a free Acaí bowl in the athletes area. Alongside some very recognizable competitors,
like Yadin Nicol, Alana Blanchard, and Carlos Muñoz, as they watched the event
and waited for their own upcoming heats. Of course there is still plenty of
time for you to catch the action of the U.S. Open this week as the event runs
though the weekend. If you happen see any of the athletes break a board
or two, don’t feel too bad for them. They
will surely be in good and capable hands soon enough, with their board restored to battling
condition.
If however it happens to be
you on the end of some unfortunate board damage, stop by the shop and we’ll
have Molly take care of it right away.
-Joey Estrada
At work repairing Lakey’s board for an upcoming heat |
WSL Commentator Strider Wasilewski signing Molly’s poster |
With Junior’s quarterfinalist Jacob Burke |
Picking through the first batch of repairs |
VIP Lounge View |
Molly and Lakey Peterson |