In the heart of northwestern Minnesota is an exciting visitor destination called River land. Seven vibrant communities comprise this region. River land communities include East Grand Forks, Crooks ton, Thief River Falls, St. Hilaire, Red Lake Falls, Fertile and Foss ton. With its majestic rivers, scenic campgrounds, challenging golf courses, fantastic fishing, museums and cultural attractions and fairs, the River land region offers summer and fall visitors endless opportunities for family fun and relaxation.

River land offers winter visitors miles of snowmobile and cross country ski trails, hunting, ice fishing and warm hospitality. Transforming into a haven for those hardier outdoor enthusiasts, River land becomes Winter land U.S.A. because of its fun-filled winters and warm hospitality. Several accommodations are strategically placed along some of the major trails. Read the rest of this entry »

For travelers carrying cash has been always a big problem. Alternative way of the cash is to carry travelers check or credit card. Travelers from any part of the world can buy bullion as a means of secured wealth. United States Gold Bureau sells silver, gold or other precious metals and coins for immediate personal delivery or arrange for convenient and safe storage at an independent bank or depository. Read the rest of this entry »

The Comp Squash board shape is the Nineties’ classic short board style. Designed for intermediate-advanced surfers, recent versions feature a consistent, flowing rocker from nose to tail, double and single concaves to increase speed and add lift. Rails are soft up front and get hard toward the tail. Read the rest of this entry »

If you don’t see a Table of Contents on the far left, then you can go to the frames version. The focus is on long boards, but the info is applicable elsewhere to all boards. For more info specifically on paipos (Hawaiian body boards) head over to Rod Rodger’s page.

All info has been gathered through my brief experiences and discussions with many people but it is not the definitive source on surfboard design, so please let me know if your experiences or opinions differ from the info below and I’d be happy to discuss it with you.

This information provides basic knowledge for the beginner while there are far more subtle and advanced design issues/techniques that this guide cannot come close to describing. Read the rest of this entry »

Windsurfers choose equipment made of strong, lightweight advanced engineered materials for peak performance.

The core of each windsurfing board is made of lightweight polystyrene polymer foam. The outer skin layer of the board is made of carbon fiber-reinforced composite with high impact resistance. Read the rest of this entry »

A Minnesota getaway is a chance to do the things you like best, with the people you like best. Leave behind your cares, the everyday routines, and the endless” to-do” list. And take home something that money can’t buy.

The best souvenirs of all are the stories you bring home–the memories, the laughs, the family folklore that’s created. Now’s the time to start dreaming about the stories you’ll take home this summer. Read the rest of this entry »

The long boards are designed in two basic bottom configurations: 2-stage and 3-stage bottoms. Both are built around the surfers stance. Either can be upscale for bigger guys or downsized for smaller guys or woman. For some reason, woman generally prefer the 2-stage bottoms.

The 3-stage bottoms are designed to be forgiving and have the most utility in the widest range of conditions. The front third of the board has a teardrop concave for nose riding the back third of the board has a moderate vee panel. The rocker is custom and proprietary. Read the rest of this entry »

Concept: Takeoff deep, get in steep or get in early and scream it-if you don’t call off at least 5 other guys off the shoulder, you weren’t deep enough!. Complete confidence and predictability. These boards have been called magic. I always have one in my quiver. But they aren’t for everyone-they do require a high degree of skill to be ridden in large, intense conditions.

Design: There are two size ranges which are distinctly different in concept: 6′3″ to 7′0″ and from 7′4″ to 8′4″. All are round pin tails with very clean, beautiful lines. My absolute favorite boards to shape. Read the rest of this entry »

Open Ocean has brought back the concept of having three fins on boards. It has been 8 or 10 years since we have seen a big push on the concept. Board design and sail designs have changed since the concept was here in the mid 80’s. Our sport is a funny one.

It will take off on an avenue, put on a blinder, and will take 10 years to to look back. Open Ocean has taken old good ideas with some new good ideas and has designed the 90’s version of the three fin system. Read the rest of this entry »

The field of sports and leisure equipment is one where large improvements in performance have been made through the development of advanced materials. This is demonstrated well in this example, where we will be looking at the materials and construction of a modern windsurfing board.

As with all materials selection and design processes, the first step is to decide what properties we want from our component. Make a list of all these properties and discuss how you might try to achieve these with different materials. Read the rest of this entry »

Are you tired of having your surfboards and other sporting equipment (see also fishing rod racks and bike racks) piled on any available floor space in the garage or in your home? Pirie surfboard racks are the answer! Read the rest of this entry »

Our Fishing Rod Racks are suitable for your home and/or garage. They undergo continuous product testing and have come about because of a genuine demand by fisherman for a well made, long lasting racking system for their fishing rods (fishing poles for our American visitors).

Because of the different rod diameters and differing reel sizes our rod racks are available in different size cylinders and different spacing along the bottom (or wall) plate. Generally they are suitable for Estuary fishing rods, light game rods and heavy tackle rods. For special orders and shop fit outs we will fabricate to your size, specification and material. The racks are of aluminum or structural stainless steel construction and are usually powder coated. Read the rest of this entry »