Surfers who dont use legropes

surfer281049's picture
surfer281049 started the topic in Monday, 23 Sep 2013 at 2:53pm

Still have nightmares from a close call at crowded Noosa last March.A teenage hipster logger lost control at full throttle near me standing waist high ready to paddle back out.He dived to the rear ,his big heavy newish log crashes into my head ,sending me to the bottom and awaking face down in a dream like state ,very confused and trying to gather my senses. When I"came to so to speak I collected my board,It had a good sizes hole ripped through the deck where his mal had bounced off my skull into it..The logger had waded into shore to collect his board and I yelled out to him my protest at getting smashed.."wheres your legrope mate,Look what you did to my new board,".I called him a few names including irresponsible in my rising rage and as he paddled away I collapsed into the water again. I made it back to my holiday unit with help from a surfbuddy and didnt go to hospital as suggested by others. Stayed concussed, shaky and losing my memory and balance for 3 days as well as the mother of all headaches.I just wanted to continue surfing,not be told to go to bed and have scans and such..A close call.Still get agitated when I see them looking cool in their footy shorts and paisley print short sleeve shirts hogging all the waves and seeing their boards flying sideways in the foam headed to shore puting families in the shorebreak at risk.I awoke from a dream today reliving that day. I wished I had the clear head then to race to the shore ,grab that guys board and bring it down over my knee or a nearby rock, Stuff it up so bad that it would be a memorable day for him and his no legrope rebels too.Maybe that could have helped get the message through. If you ask them why they dont wear a legrope..They say..'Dont need one ! ' Hey wake up 1 .Everybody else in the surf that day Needs you to have one ! "

surfer281049's picture
surfer281049's picture
surfer281049 Sunday, 26 Jul 2015 at 1:30pm
Roy Stuart wrote:

I wore no legrope for 20 years and caused no issues. Given that one can't expect to control others, the only sensible solution is a helmet.

Blowin's picture
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Blowin Sunday, 26 Jul 2015 at 1:41pm

Egghead ?

You're the one wearing the helmet.

Nice try though cobber.

What was it you were saying to Blindboy regards insults ?

It's your deal mate.

Leggie, no leggie.

Helmet, no helmet.

Knock yourself out.

Just don't do it near me.

surfer281049's picture
surfer281049's picture
surfer281049 Sunday, 26 Jul 2015 at 1:42pm

So the proposal is hundreds of surfers and swimmers are to wear helmets in the water so a small number of retro loggers can strut their stuff.Thats not the way the real world works Roy ...Majority rules in most collective applications with the human race..Good idea if 10 loggers can convince 150 others to buy and transport to the water a hot ,heavy swimming restrictive device .Best solution is to do the no leggie dance when there aren't any risks when a board gets free and washes inshore like a floating bulldozer.Its not just heads they collide with Roy. Ribs necks arms. I am certain your skill level as a veteran longboarder are credible and minimise the likelihood af an accident . But hey Roy you are just one.The guy who lost his log and smashed me at noosa was a teenager tryhard..An accident just waiting to happen..Good luck out there in the waves Roy.

Roy Stuart's picture
Roy Stuart's picture
Roy Stuart Sunday, 26 Jul 2015 at 1:58pm

Nah I'm just saying that if I was surfing with such kooks I'd definitely wear a lid, I find them to be very good in summer too they keep one cool and reduce sunburn. They don't restrict swimming really either. Obviously they don't protect against everything but they've saved me twice.

I don't know about all this 'collective' human race stuff, I'm just trying to be practical on an individual level... you can't convince everyone to wear a legrope so maybe it's a good idea to protect yourself because you have control over what you wear.

As far as danger goes, legropes are dangerous, as are the boards and fins which are attached to them ( plenty of bad accidents happen with boards attached to legropes) just google surfboard fin injury.

By far the most dangerous aspect is other people's attitudes in my opinion, that goes for hipster loggers, enforcers, whoever really. Just be careful and stay calm I reckon.

surfer281049's picture
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surfer281049 Sunday, 26 Jul 2015 at 2:00pm
Roy Stuart wrote:

Nah I'm just saying that if I was surfing with such kooks I'd definitely wear a lid, I find them to be very good in summer too they keep one cool and reduce sunburn. They don't restrict swimming really either. Obviously they don't protect against everything but they've saved me twice.

I don't know about all this 'collective' human race stuff, I'm just trying to be practical on an individual level... you can't convince everyone to wear a legrope so maybe it's a good idea to protect yourself because you have control over what you wear.

As far as danger goes, legropes are dangerous, as are the boards and fins which are attached to them ( plenty of bad accidents happen with boards attached to legropes) just google surfboard fin injury.

By far the most dangerous aspect is other people's attitudes in my opinion, that goes for hipster loggers, enforcers, whoever really. Just be careful and stay calm I reckon.

surfer281049's picture
surfer281049's picture
surfer281049 Sunday, 26 Jul 2015 at 2:03pm

Yeah Cool Roy. I do wear a helmet when I am filming in the water. Ha Ha Best shots are the ones when the rider is on top of you.Amazinly enough I haven't had a scratch yet .Aloha keep smilin

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Sunday, 26 Jul 2015 at 3:31pm

Roy how are leg ropes dangerous?

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Sunday, 26 Jul 2015 at 4:01pm

Whoa there Goofyfoot.

You don't want Roy answering that, as describing how being attached to a 30 kg ,seventeen foot long surfboard by a leg rope can be dangerous may lead someone to realise that he does , in fact , fall off his monstrous surfboard on occasion and to ponder what happens to his board if he's NOT attached to it upon falling off.

Anyway, I'm not going to fill the air with suppositions, so it's over to you Roy.

Why is it dangerous to wear a leg rope on such a large board ?

Wharfjunkie's picture
Wharfjunkie's picture
Wharfjunkie Sunday, 26 Jul 2015 at 4:13pm

Self Regulation by the surf community re surfing crowded line ups without leg ropes. Remind those offending the danger they place others in and suggest they go in and attach a leg rope.

If offending surfer chooses to ignore such advice it's the duty of those in the line up to retrieve the board once the offender loses control of board then if it's proven their behaviour is a risk to others smash the board on the rocks or bust a fin out.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Sunday, 26 Jul 2015 at 6:21pm

I just think it's a bit selfish to not wear a leggy when there is other people surfing. If your on you own then fine, go for it. If I was hit by a stray board just because some one is to selfish and thinks that there being "retro" id be pretty pissed off and probably let you know about it. But if you happened to seriously injure one of my mates who I went surfing with, or my brother who I surf with a lot, Just for being selfish, I'd destroy your board on the beach and do my best to snap my board over your head, Andy Irons to mick Campbell style.
Moral of the story, Don't be selfish!

wellymon's picture
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wellymon Sunday, 26 Jul 2015 at 7:29pm

true,
Me too GF

Rabbits68's picture
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Rabbits68 Sunday, 26 Jul 2015 at 7:52pm
Roy Stuart wrote:
Wharfjunkie wrote:

So an impressionable trend follower with less insight surfs without a leggie falls off board flies into another surfer or even worse hits kid bathing in shallows. Because Roy has surfed without incident doesn't mean everyone will and when such incident happens it could be fatal. Use common sense unless your surfing in the middle of no where solo use a leggie.

You can't bring yourself to say that helmets are a good idea?

I do admit that it's a big responsibility being legrope free in crowds and that not everyone using no legrope will take that seriously.

A helmet doesn't do much for your eyes, nose, teeth & throat.......

happyasS's picture
happyasS's picture
happyasS Sunday, 26 Jul 2015 at 8:31pm

I own an old gath. it has nearly no internal padding and is not designed to crumple. this helmet will do nearly nothing to stop you getting knocked out. ergo. I dont see the point in wearing it. Are newer helmets better designed?

Point aside, Surfing and helmets were never meant to go together. Perfect way to ruin your experience with nature.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Sunday, 26 Jul 2015 at 8:49pm

Noticed a few at Chopes wearing helmets [Gath I presume] last swell and a steamer also being being worn for protection.
Niccolo's wipe out footage is on Surfline : Fucknhell !

AndyCarroll's picture
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AndyCarroll Tuesday, 8 Sep 2015 at 12:10pm
mrwizard wrote:

I love to surf some of the old classic boards that I have that dont' have legropes. But never in a crowded lineup, no more than a few people, just too dangerous for everyone else.

I also like to surf my old nose rider without a leash but would never do it around Byron, way too much chance of taking someone out. I prefer to keep my leash free sessions for my annual 2 week cruise South

AndyCarroll's picture
AndyCarroll's picture
AndyCarroll Tuesday, 8 Sep 2015 at 12:10pm
mrwizard wrote:

I love to surf some of the old classic boards that I have that dont' have legropes. But never in a crowded lineup, no more than a few people, just too dangerous for everyone else.

I also like to surf my old nose rider without a leash but would never do it around Byron, way too much chance of taking someone out. I prefer to keep my leash free sessions for my annual 2 week cruise South

AndyCarroll's picture
AndyCarroll's picture
AndyCarroll Tuesday, 8 Sep 2015 at 12:10pm
mrwizard wrote:

I love to surf some of the old classic boards that I have that dont' have legropes. But never in a crowded lineup, no more than a few people, just too dangerous for everyone else.

I also like to surf my old nose rider without a leash but would never do it around Byron, way too much chance of taking someone out. I prefer to keep my leash free sessions for my annual 2 week cruise South

AndyCarroll's picture
AndyCarroll's picture
AndyCarroll Tuesday, 8 Sep 2015 at 12:18pm
surfer281049 wrote:
Roy Stuart wrote:

I wore no legrope for 20 years and caused no issues. Given that one can't expect to control others, the only sensible solution is a helmet.

Helmets suck. I would suggest driving for an hour and finding an uncrowded beachy. Surf leash less there if that's your deal.south of Iluka / Yamba I surf without leash

Roy Stuart's picture
Roy Stuart's picture
Roy Stuart Wednesday, 9 Sep 2015 at 5:53am
happyasS wrote:

I own an old gath. it has nearly no internal padding and is not designed to crumple. this helmet will do nearly nothing to stop you getting knocked out. ergo. I dont see the point in wearing it. Are newer helmets better designed?

Point aside, Surfing and helmets were never meant to go together. Perfect way to ruin your experience with nature.

Gaths do plenty to protect the melon. I've had some pretty heavy blows to the lid one of which would have taken me out for sure if I hadn't been wearing it. it's true that they don't protect against concussion as well as a motorcyle lid but they offer way more than the bare head. Obviouly they prevent gashes too.