Stanley Pleskunas Extended Interview from the FISH movie. Watch till the end when he shares the epic story of Bird bringing Stevie 5 blanks to get shaped in the late 70’s.
Journal
Who is Eric Huffman By Chris Ahrens
Who is Eric Huffman?
There was this guy Bird whom I met decades ago while surfing the La Jolla reefs that he rode with passion, regularity and, often, brilliance.
I first met Bird when he was the shop gremmie at Select Surf Shop in Pacific Beach. Even then, in his mid-teens, he was becoming the go-to guy for all things surf.
I had never before seen anyone so surf stoked, or who had ridden such a wide variety of surfboards. His working knowledge of everything from Vee Bottoms to mini guns, eggs, fishes, longboards, their origins and builders was then and remains unparalleled.
From the ’70s onward, most anytime I surfed in the Windansea area, Bird was there, usually riding some new styled surfboard and explaining the subtle differences in how the board performed due to outline, fin placement, rail contour, concaves, channels and other variations on the theme.
Bird may not be “The Man,” since that is a revered position reserved for many of his close friends like Skip Frye and our fallen brothers Chris O’Rourke and Billy Caster.
I sometimes think of Bird as “The Man in training.” He is a lifetime apprentice who has soaked up the wisdom of past masters and freely passes on that knowledge to each successive generation.
He reveals surf history to these newcomers without them realizing they are learning worthwhile life and lifelong lessons. While doing so, he tends to incorporate the gentleness of Frye, the courage of O’Rourke and the integrity of Caster.
I can honestly say there is nobody I know more qualified to get someone, anyone, onto the right surfboard, or loan them a classic board, than Bird. (It is possible that a greater variety of surfboards have passed through the Bird’s hands than anyone else in the world, and he may have the largest rideable surfboard lending library on earth.)
I don’t think Bird has ever had a job outside of the surfboard industry, and God knew exactly what He was doing when he placed him on Morena Boulevard where he became the proprietor of “Bird’s Surf Shed.”
The Shed, as it is fondly known, exhibits hundreds of boards that cover the walls and ceiling and go back as far as the days of redwood surfboards, rocketing forward to futuristic surf craft designed by Daniel “Tomo” Thomson and Steve “Pendo” Pendarvis.
Most of the boards in view have been built within the past 40 years. Among those on display are highly coveted Frye Fish, Ekstrom Asymmetricals, Caster pintails, Mark Richards Twin Fins and Simon Anderson Thrusters.
The Shed is one of the only places on earth where you can live surf history by riding one of these benchmark boards rather than simply viewing them from a distance behind a glass case.
I recently caught up with Bird at the Moores Legends and Luau Invitational, where he rode among the legends on a winning team. As his heat was about to begin, the announcer called for Eric Huffman to get his jersey. Upon hearing the name printed on his birth certificate, Bird turned to me and said, “Who’s Eric Huffman? My name is Bird!” Right. No explanation and no last name required. BIRD. PERIOD!
Since birds are known to go out on limbs, I’m going to do the same by contradicting my earlier statement and saying that Bird Huffman ranks among the few, the proud, the elite who have earned the right to be called “The Man.”
On second thought, I won’t do that because I know he would humbly decline the honor. Being Bird, the Bird, the owner of Bird’s Surf Shed and all that implies is enough for one person. Many blessings, dear bro.
-Chris Ahrens
Original Post September 8th, The Coast News
The Fish Movie Extended Interview: Bird Huffman
The Shed Archives: Bird & Mitsven Talk Surfboards
Bird Huffman & Bob Mitsven
Theres been a lot of great moments of surfboard talk in The Shed over the last 11 years. Everyone has passed through the doorway into the hallowed halls of the old Quonset hut on Morena Boulevard. You never know who might walk in at any given time, but when we can, we try to document it.
This old video comes from 2010 when Bird and Bod took some time to discuss Mitsven shapes and go over some of the theories behind the process. Sit back and enjoy ther Three-part interview with Bob Mitsven.
SURF LESSON: Surfing Etiquette 101
Surf Etiquette 101: How to Maximize Your Learning Experience
Learn proper surf etiquette and the unwritten rules of the waves.
STEP ONE: THE SURFBOARD
Choosing the right board used to be a grinding search through surf shop racks looking for the right board at the right price. Let’s be honest; In todays world most people are entering the surf on a Costco Wave Storm soft board. The shape, width and thickness paired with the soft user-friendly foam has made it the best selling board in the world. The downside is there is nobody at Costco to tell the buyer the basics of what to do next. Also read our post on choosing a good first board.
WHERE TO GO
When choosing a beach to learn how to surf at, make sure you find a spot with a “soft” wave with a sand bottom. You’ll be riding the “soup” or white wash at first very close to the beach, so no need to rush to the outside and try to catch open-faced waves. DO NOT go to places that are overly crowded or have rocks or reefs. The reason for this is your safety. You don’t go to the public pool and try to do a gainer off of the high dive…crawl before you walk.
LEARN THE BASICS
We encourage you to go into your local surf shop after you’ve made your surfboard purchase (hopefully you bought a board from a surf shop) and find the owner or manager so you can ask them for some pointers. If you go to a surf lesson these should be covered right off the bat.
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- How to paddle your board
- How to navigate through an incoming wave
- How to lift up to go over waves
- How to go from prone to sitting
- How to sit and turn your board around to catch a wave
- How to enter a wave with out pearling (nose diving)
- How to stand up
- How to avoid collisions and being aware of those around you
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PADDLE OUT
Avoid crowds, surfers and swimmers. This means DO NOT paddle to the outside. Stay in waist deep water and get a feel for the power of the waves and learn the basics of controlling your board. NEVER throw your board when a wave comes…ever. This is a huge cause of injuries to surfers and swimmers. Be in control of your board at all times. Learn this before you try to even catch a wave. There will be no faster way to conflict with experienced surfers if you get in their way or hit them with your board because you bailed it.
When paddling out look for calm water but be aware of rip currents. Always learn near a lifeguard tower if possible. If you’re going it alone, feel free to ask an experienced surf you see for some tips. Most are happy to help.PAY ATTENTION
Be aware of your surroundings. Learn who has the right of way on the wave. Not sure what that means? Heres a few options to help clarify.
WAVE PRIORITY
Closest to the peak: the surfer that is furthest out or nearest the breaking past of the wave. This person has the right of wave if they have been waiting their turn.Never paddle around a person to get to that spot. Thats called “Paddling around” a person and is very frowned upon. Wait your turn and slowly approach that take off area for your turn to be closest to the peak. One person goes and the crowd moves up a spot close to that zone.
DO NOT DROP IN ON ANYONE
“Dropping in” or “cutting off” is one of the huge insults and violations in surfing that can result in a bad confrontation. If you see someone already up and riding, STOP PADDLING FOR THE WAVE. It’s not yours. Observe the right of way and you will avoid conflict. Repeatedly paddling around others to get into the inside position on a wave is a huge problem. Observe the flow of the crowd and do not cut off or paddle around others if they are waiting.
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DON’T BE A WAVE HOG
Share the waves. Don’t think because you can catch every wave coming in that you should. This will start to offend experienced surfers real fast. Even if you can paddle furthest outside and catch the waves first every time you reach the lineup, don’t do it. The punishment for this is loss of respect and better surfers will start to cut you off in protest of your ignorance.
IF YOU BLOW IT -SAY YOU’RE SORRY
If you drop in on someone, hit someone or bail your board and ruin someones wave, make sure you say you’re sorry. Like anything in this life, good manners are important. Be cool, don’t be a jerk. We’ve all been there and saying sorry goes a long way to make it right.
Most of all, be safe, smart and be a good steward of the beach. Theres so many people who litter, trash and make the beach not as nice as it should be. Don’t be one of them. Please come into the shop anytime to discuss the rules of surfing so we can help you have a better experience in the ocean.
Cheers!
XGAMES: Eric Bird Huffman Interview
XGAMES: Eric Bird Huffman Interview
Collectors exist at different levels of an aesthetic/psychological spectrum. Roughly speaking, their world is broken into thirds — on one end you’ve got the connoisseurs, in the middle the hobbyists, and on the far end you’ve got the hoarders. Walking into Bird’s Surf Shed, these tried and true distinctions immediately become a whirlpool. An old quonset hut that originally held Eric “Bird” Huffman’s board collection but now also houses his new surf shop, the Shed is more of a hands-on museum than commercial outlet. On the day I walked in, Bird sat eating pizza with early Pipe legend Joe Roper and a clutch of old friends. The arcing walls above them were filled with colorful boards made, surfed and stowed away in their lifetimes. But ah, what an auspicious time to be a surfer.
How It Began
The first board Bird ever “collected,” was a Mike Hynson “Hy-II” that he traded a pair of trunks for. It’s still here. The rest came to him “almost every way you can think of.” Bird started his career as a grom in a surf shop, had owned and managed companies, and now it looked like he mostly sold stories. Not many of these boards are for sale. But it’s not a static collection either — some are out on loan, being surfed. Just about all of the 460-odd pieces in his collection fit what Bird calls “journeymen” surf craft, meaning that they didn’t win championship titles but were instead surfed by regular surfers. The thing about these “journeyman” boards is: as you move backward in time the surf world gets increasingly small, and an everyday board quickly becomes a link in design DNA.
One of the first fifty blanks Skip Frye ever put a planer to rests next to a classic Mike Hynson, the work of two guys who used to surf and shape next to each other at Gordon and Smith. There’s a Diffenderfer and Brewer thruster, both made within weeks of Simon Anderson’s unveiling of the design. Things were happening so fast, Bird says, “They were mostly working off of pictures.” That’s an important point on the connoisseur aspect of his collection. You can literally watch rails evolve by comparing a number of Hot Curls produced in a six-month period, or by assessing the down-rail conversation between Australian and American shapers of the mid-’70s. Or even by appraising the history of one shaper, as each phase of shapers like Hynson, Caster and Rusty are represented.
But like a traditional hoarder, looks and condition don’t dint the fervor with which items are collected. In fact, some of the ugliest boards are the real treasures. Many of these are “ghetto glassed,” meaning that the finish work was done in an alley or parking lot somewhere, joint in hand. Looking over a couple, you notice that the tint of the glass just seems off. This is because they were glassed from the same barrel of boat resin, a barrel one shaper stole from the docks and the rest of the shapers shared in. Of these boards is Bird’s most personal, a 1973 Steve Lis. The old fish has no stringer because Bird bought the blank as a second from Mitch’s for five bucks. After it was shaped, the lack of stringer caused Lis to off-set his hand-drawn logo. Bird was on hand to complain, so Lis drew a new logo next to it. In the water, it was the best board Bird had ever owned. The design slid along so fast, it was compared to a bar of soap. When Bird’s needed a repair, he took it to Select Surf Shop for a professional job. Once fixed, however, the board sat on the Select rack with a $30 price tag on it — the cost of the ding job. Unfortunately, some shop rat sold the board to another customer on the basis of that $30 price tag. Decades go by. Bird’s renown as an appraiser of rare boards swells along with his collection. So one day a client sends Bird a number of photos in an email for assessment, and there’s the Lis. Bird wanted that ghetto-glassed board so bad, his horse-trading skills went out the window, and ended up giving the guy a rare Parish that had been surfed in the Duke.
There are boards here that a connoisseur wouldn’t blink at, boards a hobby-est wouldn’t understand, boards a hoarder would appreciate only as one more on the pile. As Bird began to close up shop for the day, the quonset hut is silent and empty, he says, “Times like this, in the mornings or when I’m closing, I just look up and I hear all these voices, all these people. Every board tells a story.”