When I was a young man I trained in Tae Kwon Do with a club affiliated with the World Tae Kwon Do Association in New York. It was a free club sponsored by the local community college. Because it was a free club we welcomed students from other schools to train with us on occasion. Some would come to test their skill against another style; some would come to supplement their workout with an extra training day. All were generally respectful.
On one occasion a young fellow showed up from a local Kung Fu school. Obviously the two styles are quite different so he had some trouble adjusting to the exercises and drills that we did. Not because he was unskilled but simply because they were different than he was used to. Imagine a pro football player performing baseball drills. He may seem clumsy doing so even though he is a well trained athlete.
This particular student chose not to accept that fact. Whenever the instructor corrected his form (after all he was there to teach Tae Kwon Do and not Kung Fu) the student would resist and say “Kung Fu is better, we do it this way” This infuriated the other students but the instructor calmly proceeded to teach the class.
About halfway through the lesson, the new student had had enough and left abruptly. The instructor thanked him for visiting and extended an open invitation for him to return. The student proclaimed that he had no intention of returning because, he said again, Kung Fu is better.
After class a few of us approached the instructor. We were angered at the students’ lack of respect and wondered why the instructor had tolerated it. He simply said “That was the voice of ignorance speaking”. He explained that no one can judge if one style is better or worse because they all work in their own way. If one can successfully defend themselves with Kung Fu, why is that any better or worse than if one did the same with Tae Kwon Do or any other style? What is best, he explained, is what works for you. Had that student truly mastered his art he would have realized this simple fact and would not have spoken so harshly. Rather than resist the differences in styles he would have done better to observe them and learn from them.
The point of this tangent is that I have clearly stated elsewhere on this site that “wood is better than foam” for building surfboards. That is my opinion, obviously, and one that I stand by. Not because I have any empirical evidence to support my claim but because it’s what works for me.
However, remembering the lesson I learned that day, I do not want to be the voice of ignorance. And so, I have decided to train in another style, so to speak, and see what I can learn from another school. I have decided to try my hand at making a foam board or two. Not so that I can prove that wood is better but simply to observe and see what I can learn.
What I have learned so far is this:
Building from foam is much easier.
It is much faster.
The ability to crank out shape after shape is liberating!
The waste that is produced is disheartening.
The materials are a toxic soup.
Which medium produces a better board?
That depends on what you want from your board.
Have I concluded that one is better?
Well, for me I think wood makes more sense.
For others who prefer foam I can only say that if it works for you then it is better for you.
In the end I’ll probably continue to work in both mediums but my heart will always be in wood.
Hi, nice approach to life and reflected nicely in the boards. Have made a Roy Stewart dragon and the guy is great. Knowledgeable and very open with it. Wishing you all the best for the future.
Will.
Hey Will,
Sorry for the late reply.
Its been a while since I’ve checked in and to be honest I’ve been neglecting this site a bit lately.
I got discouraged by the amount of spam I’ve been getting and I guess I got lazy.
Anyway, Glad to have you on board.
I’d love to see some pics of that RS Dragon that you built.
How’s she ride?