[The April issue of] TransWorld Business takes a look at the state of the surf hardgoods market, checking in with the industry to see how surfboard sales are faring.

The past five years have been tumultuous for surfboard manufacturers. All markets naturally ebb and flow, but the ripples that formed in the
wake of Clark Foam’s closure in December 2005 quickly turned into waves. For many surfboard builders, dodging and duck-diving the formidable set of challenges that ensued has taken a toll.

That being said, there appears to be a lull on the horizon. After three years of retailers reporting being over inventoried with surf hardgoods, the tide seems to have begun its turn. According to a survey of 75 of the leading surfboard retailers in the U.S., 76 percent described their current surfboard inventory as either about right, slightly under-stocked, or under-stocked. Of the remaining 24 percent, 22 percent said they are only slightly overstocked, leaving a mere two percent in the flooded category.

see full story at Transworld

Our new online Surf Catalog is a rallying call on behalf of threatened surf breaks around the world. It’s packed full of stunning images, compelling videos, the best surf gear available and action alerts from our friends at Save The Waves Coalition. Give it a look and share with your friends – it’s time for all surfers to come together and protect our precious surf breaks.

Sign up for FCD Surfboard emails inside the online Surf Catalog and you’ll be entered to win a Patagonia Wetsuit. Click “Join Our Mailing List” to enter (lower-right corner). Existing Patagonia email subscribers must sign-up in order to be entered. *No purchase necessary; see official rules at Patagonia.com.

Our thanks go out to everyone who contributed to this issue. We hope you like it.

www.patagonia.com
www.savethewaves.org

see the original blog post at thecleanestline.com

Rusty is proud to announce the addition of 20-year-old Balinese ripper Mega Semadhi to the surf team. Hailing from Bali’s famed Bukit Peninsula – home to iconic breaks such as Uluwatu, Padang Padang, and Bingin – Mega honed his tuberiding and aerial skills at an early age and has fast become an internationally recognized talent.

“We are very excited to have Mega on board,” said Rusty Indonesia’s Kane Faint. “Mega’s progressive, innovative surfing is the perfect fit for Rusty. I’m looking forward to watching him take his surfing to the next level.”

Mega Semadhi

“It’s great to start the year fresh, knowing that Rusty is behind me 100%” said Mega. “Some of my favorite surfers ride for Rusty so I’m really happy to be part of the team.”

In 2010 Mega plans to build on his international profile while continuing to compete on the Indonesian Surfing Championship tour. You can catch him in the Ulu’s lineup whenever it’s pumping – throw him a shaka and he might call you into a wave!

www.rusty.com
www.rusty-europe.com

see original rusty post at their blog