Editor’s Note: Have a question for Dibi Fletcher? She’s definitely got answers. Or at least a perspective. Don’t hold back, shoot her a DM on Instagram and ask away. Here’s this week’s dispatch from the Matriarch of Radical…
Hey Dibi… I wasn’t the best surfer in my crew. I never got sponsored, never made a surf movie, never even had a photo in a magazine. But I’ve surfed three mornings a week for almost forty years. Did I miss my chance, or did I get exactly what surfing was supposed to give me? – Anonymous In Ventura
Hey Anonymous In Ventura… I’ve interviewed champions whose names are fading, and I’ve met unknown surfers whose stories I’ll never forget. The best competition surfers aren’t always the ones history remembers. Sometimes it’s the ones who keep showing up after everyone else quits. Forty-years of watching the new day begin out in the water is an amazing achievement and might be the greatest experience surfing has to offer. I think you may be overlooking the magic surfing has brought into your life.
Hey Dibi… My six-year-old wants to surf because I surf. The problem is, I think I want it more than he does. How do I know if I’m sharing my passion, or trying to relive my youth through my son? – Trying to Get It Right
Hey Trying to Get It Right… Here’s a simple test. If your sone decides next year he’d rather play the drums or collect bugs than surf, will you be disappointed? Children shouldn’t inherit our unfinished dreams. They should flourish with their own dreams with our help and encouragement. Take him surfing. Let him love it or not. Your greatest legacy won’t be raising a surfer, it will be raising a happy kid.
Related: Hey Dibi: Are Wave Pools In The California Desert Legit?
Hey Dibi… My favorite break has become famous. Parking is impossible. The lineup is overcrowded. Every day I hear someone say surfing isn’t what it used to be. Do old surfers complain because they’re right, or because they’re old? – Crowded in Encinitas
Hey Crowded in Encinitas…. BOTH. Every generation thinks it arrived just before surfing changed forever. My generation wasn’t any different. The crowd isn’t the biggest problem; it’s the lack of good manners. I’ve heard surfers on the beach talking about great sessions in a crowded lineup and complaining about one jerk ruining their day with only two people out. The number isn’t the issue, it’s the attitude.
Hey Dibi… I spent twenty years on tour trying to beat everyone. Now I paddle out and realize nobody cares who I used to be. Why is that so hard to accept? Former – Somebody In Queensland
Hey Former Somebody in Queensland… Because your identity was so wrapped to what you did and not who you really are, it was a shock when you realized “it” retired before you did. Now, you feel bereft without your past surf image to cling to. You’re at a crossed road, rather like leaving a friend you’ve spent a lifetime with and stepping forward into the unknown. Good luck with this next part of the adventure. It’s the hero’s journey that all great stories talk about. Embrace it an enjoy every facet of it, it’s over all to quickly.
Hey Dibi… Customers ask me to build boards that look vintage but surf like tomorrow. When did nostalgia become another design feature? – Covered in Foam Dust
Hey Covered in Foam Dust… Probably the same time grey hair became distinguished. People aren’t buying yesterday; they’re buying how they think yesterday would make them feel. Your job isn’t to recreate the past. It’s to remind them that shaping a great board is function over fashion. It’s harder with some than others but I’m sure you’ve given the pitch often. Think about it clearly so you can explain it concisely. The fewer words the better, keep it tight less room for misinterpretation. You’re the master craftsman build trust with your customers and they’ll be back when ready for their next magic board.
Related: Hey Dibi: What’s The Best Way To Deal With Surf Rage?
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