Bird

Who is Eric Huffman By Chris Ahrens

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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 SHED TIP OF THE DAY: HOW TO BUY SURFBOARD FINS

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HOW TO BUY SURFBOARD FINS?

We know there are a lot of options out there for fins these days, we hope this tutorial helps shed some light on the subject for you.

Step 1: CHOOSING THE RIGHT FIN

Surfboard fins are a crucial part of your surfboard setup. Choosing fins that will work best for you and your surfboard depends on your size, riding style, and your surfboard’s fin box system.

Before talking about fin size or different fin configurations, it is important to distinguish between glassed-in and removable fins.

 

GLASS ONS VS. REMOVABLE FIN SYSTEMS

Glassed-in fins are laminated into the surfboard. As you might imagine, a glassed-in fin might be smoother and more sound than a removable fin. However, glassed-in fins are difficult to repair and are difficult to travel with and do not offer the versatility of removable fin systems.

Surfboards with removable fins, have “boxes” that fins are screwed into. Removable fins can be added or removed using a fin key and adjusting the small (typically stainless steel) inset screws. Don’t force your fins into the box as that may damage your board or the fin. Instead, make sure the screws are loose enough and that your fin is facing in the right direction. Center and outside fins have different shapes, so make sure you are using the right box. Once your fins are in place, tighten your screws with the key, making sure the fins are secure but not too tight.

 

surfboard-fins-dane-reynolds-birds-surf-shed

BOX TYPES AND COMPATIBILITY

Although longboard fin boxes are generally cross-compatible across all boards for single fin set-ups, the rest of the fin boxes out there are almost certainly equipped with one of these two box types:

 

FCS

These fins have two tabs that are secured to the board using set screws. FCS recently launched the FCS2 “keyless” Fin Standard, meaning fins can be installed or removed without a key or grub screws. FCS2 is also backwards compatible, meaning you can use your twin tab FCS fins with the new FCS2 system. Set screws are required. (All of our twin tab fins come with screws) Visit the FCS website HERE

 

FUTURES

The other fin box, Futures Fins, connect to your board using a Truss Base along the entire length of the fin box (unlike plugs) for a strong, lightweight connection. Quick and easy set screws hold the fins in place. Visit the Futures website HERE

 

FIN SIZE

The following chart is what Captain Fin’s recommended fin size according to rider weight. If you are between sizes, consider the type of board and/or type of waves you will be riding with that particular setup. For example, if you are in between size Medium and Large, you might pick size Medium fins for your small wave board, but size Large fins for you big wave board.

GROM UP TO 115
SMALL UP TO 155
MEDIUM 140-190
LARGE 175+

Dane-Reynolds-fins-birds-surf-shed

 

FIN CONFIGURATION

Once you’ve decide on your fin size, you need to understand your board’s fin configuration. To determine your fin configuration, examine the base of your surfboard near the tail. The number of fin boxes you see is the fin configuration and will likely range from 1 to 5. The most common surfboard fin setups are Single, Twin, Thruster, and Quad. Many boards are now equipped with 5 Fin boxes so you can mix and match more easily. There are also many boards offered with a longboard single fin box and regular side fin boxes called 2+1.

 

  A single fin box is most common on longboards and is the most traditional fin configuration. Turning with a single fin is limited, meaning single fins are ideal for fast, straight shot surfing. Single fins will provide stability, control, and predictability to your longboard. Longboard single fin boxes are long and allow you to move the fin forward for a looser feel, or further back for more control.

 

 

The Twin Fin configuration will make your surfboard fun, playful, and maneuverable. Twin fin setups are ideal for your shortboard fish and can even be fun in bigger waves. Twin fins offer a skatier feel and longer, more drawn out turns.

 

 

These days, 3 fin setups are the most common configuration and can be found on a variety of surfboard shapes and sizes. The two outer fins are closer to the middle of the board, angled towards the board center (”toed-in”) and can be flat on the inside in order to increase water tracking and speed. The center fin is closest to the tail and is symmetric on both sides for stability (see Foil for more info). Tri-fins perform well because they add stability, control and maneuverability that beginners and pros excel on.

 

 

  Quad fin configurations offer speed in smaller surf by channeling the water to the end of the surfboard and out the tail for acceleration. Two fins near the rails of your surfboard will also add stability and hold in big-wave surfing. Lastly, quad fins are great for generating drive through turns.

 

 

  Five fin configurations are not meant to be surfed with all five fins. Five fin boxes allow you to mix and match fins depending on your preference and the surf conditions. Swap from the freedom of a twin fin, to the traction of a thruster, to the speed of a quad without changing boards.

 

 

The Sweep, toe, Base Length, Foil, Flex, Height and Cant are important measurements of every surfboard fin, and should be considered when choosing your next surf fins.

  The sweep, or rake, is how far the front edge of a fin arcs backwards. Rake or sweep angle is a measurement that determines how far back the fin curves in relation to its base. Fins with a small rake (large offset) help propel the board, are very stable and predictable but are not ideal for making sharp fast turns. On the other hand, fins with a large rake angle and a small offset will allow your board to have a tighter turning radius, but are more “squirrelly” and playful.

 

The toe or splay of a surf fin is defined as the angle of the side fins in relation to the board’s stringer. Side fins are typically referred to as “toed-in”, with the front of the fin angled towards the middle of the board. This causes water to pressure the outside of the fins, for increased responsiveness.

 

  The base length of the fin is the widest point of the fin, and sits flush with the board once installed. This length can affect how the board will respond to turns. Longer fin bases create trajectories for water to go past – so your surfboard will move faster. If you want to make sharp turns, however, look for a shorter fin base length.

 

Foil refers to the shape of the outside and inside faces of your fin, thinnest near the tip and thicker near the base. Foil alters the flow of the water over the fin surface and has a direct impact on the performance of your fins and board. Middle fins are always symmetrical and convex on both sides (50/50) for even distribution and stability, while outside fins are usually convex on the outside face and flat or curved on the inside. A flat inside face creates a solid balance of control, speed, and playfulness, while a curved or concave inside face maximizes lift with minimal drag, ideal for speed generation and fluidity.

 

The flexibility of a fin, or lack thereof, can significantly affect the way a surfboard rides. In general, a flexier fin will provide a skatier feel on more playful waves, but a stiff fin is ideal in faster more hallow waves.

It is important to note that high end fins can be both soft and stiff – they have flex patterns. Many fins now have a stiffer base for tracking and stability, with a softer tip that make it easier to break your board loose while turning.

As a rule of thumb, stiffer fins work well for all ability levels; they are forgiving, stable and predictable, creating a solid platform for progression and big wave riding alike. Soft and flexible fins are great for making fast, sharp turns and will give free surfers a lively feel to their boards, but are more difficult to control compared to stiff fins.

 

The height is measured from the base of the fin to the tallest point of the fin. This measurement can change your board’s stability and grip through turns. For surfers who desire a board that is easy to control, a taller fin will be more forgiving and handle turns in a relaxing manner. Shorter fins do not grip the water as well, but rather allow the board to be more buttery when turning, ideal for spin-like maneuvers on the water, for example.

 

Cant is the tilt of the fin in degrees, in relation to the base of you surfboard. For example, a fin that is straight up in the fin box has no cant (90°) and will likely make your ride faster, while anything more than 90° will increase responsiveness. In order to enhance rider-to-board connectivity and responsiveness, especially through turns, you will benefit from canted fins. The less cant a fin has the more drive and acceleration your board will have but will also be less playful. In turn, the more cant a fin has the looser and more maneuverable your surfboard will feel.

 

That’s a lot of information…so what fin is best for you? The best way to know what fin is best for you and the waves you surf is to try different sets. Just like test driving a car, you should test drive fins in a variety of configurations and types.

  • Stiff boards paired with small, flexible fins with a little sweep will add playfulness.
  • Soft or looser surfboards will go faster and have better drive when paired with stiff, large fins with ample sweep.
  • The cluster or placement of the fin refers to how spread out or how close together the fins will be when attached to your board.
  • A spread out cluster results in more control and wider, drawn out turns. A cluster that is closer together results in faster, more responsive turning.
  • Fin location in relation to the tail will affect your board’s feel. Set forward creates a looser feel. Set further back provides more hold and control.
  • Surfboards with a lot of rocker may benefit from larger fins. Ideally, your board’s rocker matches the curve of the wave, which is why a more “rockered” board matches up well with a more curved, “hollow” wave. Larger fins will help you hold onto the steeper face of the wave.
  • Surfboards with wide tails operate better with larger fins.
  • Shortboarders riding large waves will want a larger, more raked fin.

Skip Frye SMALL TRI-FIN SET FCS

Skip Frye MEDIUM TRI-FIN SET FCS

Skip Frye LARGE TRI-FIN SET FCS

Skip Frye Fin – Black 7.5″

 

Information Courtesy Captain Fin Co

SHED SESSIONS: San Diego Edition

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Shed Sessions: San Diego

Original Post Date: Dec 29, 2018

Bird loans out a sacred Stevie Lis double wing fish to local ripper Jake Halstead in some pumping South-San Diego reef breaks.

Next up Lucas Dirkse borrows Joe Ropers personal G&S gun in some heaving slabs.

& finally, Jojo Roper paddles out a killer Caster Chris O’Rourke model at the reef Chris and his father Joe made famous.

SHED SESSIONS: Dylan Graves June 2020

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SHED SESSIONS-Dylan Graves

Dylan Graves has proven himself a glass-half-full kind of guy. Over several installments of Graves’s “Weird Waves” series, we’ve seen the Puerto Rico-bred surfer greet everything from barely rideable Arctic glacier pulses to Pacific Northwest standing waves with the sort of enthusiasm typically reserved for head-high-and-pumping.

He froths on weird waves, it’s clear. But what about weird boards?

In the latest installment of Shed Sessions, Graves’s brio for the bizarre meets a formidable challenger in a 70s-era Stanley Pleskunas single-fin with inlay flex deck. Handpicked for Graves by Bird’s Surf Shed patriarch “Bird” Huffman, the board–which features a rolled bottom, wide-based, glassed-in fin pushed back toward the tail, and a soft-deck meant to allow the board to flex and twist in imaginative ways–is truly otherworldly, a seemingly perfect foil for surfer bent on locating the outermost limits of pure fun.

Eric “Bird” Huffman: How The Bird Got His Wings

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HOW THE BIRD GOT HIS WINGS

Words By Eric “Bird” Huffman

I was born in San Diego, California on April 17th, 1957. I was the fourth child of Robert & Marion Huffman. By the time my folks stopped having kids there were nine of us in total. I have five sisters and three brothers. My folks loaded up the old Studebaker, hitched on a wooden trailer, and headed west to check out California, leaving the cold and snow of Minnesota.  After their car broke down at Mission Bay, they planted their roots and decided to call San Diego home.

My mom was into the beach and La Jolla Cove was her SPOT. She would load the kids into our old Plymouth and hit The Cove as many times a week as possible. As the family grew, a Volkswagen van became the preferred mode of transportation. For as long as I can remember the beaches of San Diego have been like a home to me. We all grew up with the ocean being in our lives, so wave riding of some sort was pretty much a given. Styrofoam boards, hard rental rafts, skim boards, belly boards, etc… everything was part of the quiver. Whatever we could get our hands on we would ride… and let’s not forget about the many hours spent bodysurfing. The ocean was everything to us as a family.

Growing up in Mission Hills (which is about 3 miles from the beach), the winter beach days were far less frequent. It was a bummer, but we had no wetsuits to keep us warm so we just had to deal with it. As my two brothers grew older they both started to ride kneeboards. Kneeboards are shorter and easier to transport which is a good thing when you’re peddling on a bike 3 or 4 miles each way to the beach. At that point in time they cost a whole lot less that a surfboard so it just made sense. The boards we rode were basically like belly boards that could be ridden on your knees. Mark and Rex started to get into it and were able to infiltrate a group of young kneeboarders who surfed at Sunset Cliffs and some of the La Jolla areas that most stand up surfers feared to tread. Being the little brother I was constantly under-foot looking for rides to the beach and, more importantly, my own equipment.

We all continued to grow and so did kneeboarding as a sport. Special shapes were being built by some of our fellow kneeboarders as well as a few regular surfboard shapers. Most our boards were built out of garages of friends and surfers we met at the beach At that time, a 3rd-quality blank from Mitch’s Surf Shop in La Jolla was only $5.  Resin, fiberglass, fins, buckets etc only cost a few dollars more. Add in $10 for the shaper fee and you were in the water. Sounds cheap, right? Not so fast. Paper routes paid poorly back then and doing yard work took away from your time in the water, not-to-mention that a boards lifespan was short, as the quality of construction was poor and NO leashes were even thought of at that time.

 

SELECT SURF SHOP

At that point in my life all I wanted was good equipment and that was pretty how I got into the Surf Biz in the first place. There were very few surf shops in San Diego at the time and boards were not cheap. By sheer luck, a neighbor up the street owned the coolest surf shop in town. Select Surf Shop and its owner Phil Castagnola were everything that was cool about surfing at the time. They had the best boards and the heaviest locals. On any given day at the Select there was hot chicks and cold beers, plenty of smokes and other sorts of contraband. It was for sure where I wanted to be.

Select-surf-shop-phil-castagnola
Big Phil Castagnola Owner of Select Surf Shop and Olympic Surfboards

 

Phil knew EVERYONE and the shop was like a Mecca that drew all the core faithful through its doors. Enter a surf-stoked 13 year-old Catholic school kid and the game was on. I would work for nothing; cleaning, running errands etc… just for a chance to hang out and get a ride home. Over time, I became a payable employee but not a coin was exchanged as all funds I acquired were invested back into the best equipment I could get my hands on.

At first it was just some better quality used stuff, then as I started getting new gear at TEAM pricing, it got better and better. I soaked up all the information and made all the connections I could. As time went on I was lucky enough to know and work with countless first-rate board builders and world-class surfers.

Shapers like Bill Caster, Skip Frye, Hank Warner, Stevie Lis, and Gary Goodrum all became friends and mentors to me. Surfers like Chris O’Rourke, Dale Dobson, Tim Lynch, Gary Keating, etc… would talk story and share surf tips with me regularly. Over the 10-year period that I worked and managed Select Surf Shop there was never a dull moment. There were times that Big Phil owed so much money to people that I was afraid that somebody would come in and beat it out of him.

On more than a few occasions when it looked like that was going to happen Phil would work his magic, calm the person down AND then borrow even more money from them! Such was Phil’s way. The ultimate conman/salesman/hero and friend that always had a smile on his face. I learned and saw things at Select that sent me down the road of life well prepared for what lay ahead.

 

LA JOLLA SURF SYSTEMS

At the very end of 1979..maybe early 1980, I was approached by Jeff Junkins to manage a great shop at La Jolla Shores called La Jolla Surf Systems. At first I was hesitant to make the move. Surf Systems was everything that Select wasn’t. It was well funded, well stocked, and very commercial and big brand oriented. Not only would my paycheck triple from what I was making at Select, I would actually get the money. After a bit of soul searching I made the move and “sold out” as I was often reminded by some of the older crew who I looked up to.

I soon settled in to a rocky few years at Surf Systems. It was made quite complicated by a co-owner who was often hammered or was high as a kite on any one or several illegal substances. I did manage to learn quite a bit about buying and stocking a full-service surf shop and I also continued to meet all the major players in this fast-growing industry. At around the two-year mark at Surf Systems I couldn’t take any more of the drama that was going on between the owners and I up and quit. It was the first and only time that I was not working in the surf industry in my entire life. But that wouldn’t last for long.

La Jolla Surf Systems and one of the most famous ads ever. Proofs in the Pudding. Shawn Stussy, Bill Caster, Bird, JLJ, Tim Bessell and Gary McNabb.

 

WINDANSEA BEACH AN SURF

After a few months of planning and scraping some money together, I partnered with Bill Caster and Ernie Higgins (who was Bill’s Glasser at the time and a former manager at Select.). We opened up Windansea Beach an’ Surf in 1983 on the corner of Bonair street and La Jolla boulevard, just a block up the street from the legendary surf break Windansea. Rent was only $125/month with all the waves you could catch within walking distance. It was tight from the get-go. We were vastly under-capitalized and trying hard to compete with a growing number of well-established surf shops in the area. It was a hard fought battle to survive.

All that I had learned from the past years from Phil at Select and from JLJ  at Surf Systems was not enough to make success a sure thing. Now I needed to meet and deal with the upper management of the surf industry. Most everybody is your friend when you work at a surf shop, but it’s a whole different story when you own one. Even after knowing quite a few of the major players from throughout the industry, I had to pay my dues. It would be years before I could become a dealer for a lot of the key brands.

As the years passed by and business would come in and go and by 1990 the economy was once again in a bad way and my partners wanted out of the business. Recessions and trends would come and go and running a surf shop never got any easier. I was still meeting and working with all of the best people involved in the surf biz and new things were learned everyday but still I knew things could be better. I liquidated whatever I could and borrowed a chunk of money so that I could buy out the partners and struggle on as a surf shop owner. Those were some rough but wonderful years spent in our Pacific Beach location at the foot of Crystal Pier. Skip Frye shared a door on the side of my shop and a great community evolved over the years.

 

Windansea Beach an Surf
Tom Curren in front of Windansea Beach an surf 1990

 

LOOKING FOR A CHANGE

In late ’91 I struck up a conversation with Rob Ard who owned one of best surf shops in OB called South Coast. He was closing down his inland store and wanted to concentrate his interest back at the beach areas. We struck up a test market plan where I would market and sell South Coast Surfboards and clothing in my Pacific Beach location  to see if there was a market for his product. After a trial period time of approximately a year a plan was made to partner up with one of Rob’s old managers, Erich Tramonti, and turn Windansea Beach an’ Surf into South Coast-Windansea. While That venture was another pivotal step in my growth as a business owner, It was difficult to unlearn all I had up until that point. I was and always will be a surfboard lover and my focus will always be loyal to that first and foremost. By the time 2011 rolled around, I was ready to go solo and go “Back to the Future.”  I turned my old quonset hut where i used to store my collection of boards into Bird’s Surf Shed.It was a leap of faith, but I knew in my heart that it needed to happen, for my own sanity and for my love of what started it all…The Surfboard.

So now, after almost 50 years working in the surf industry, I have my own store and I continue to make sure that I always have the best equipment available. My commitment to surfing has never been stronger and I couldn’t be more thankful to be where I am today.  I continue to meet new people on a daily basis and learn more about how to cater the business to what my customers want, and most of all, I enjoy giving back to the surf community which has given me so much.

Thank you all and Best Regards,

Bird