By Steve Breazeale
There might not be a better person who can speak to what a professional surfer needs in terms of board performance while surfing Lowers than Nate Yeomans.
Yeomans, a San Clemente native, grew up surfing at Lowers and knows it well. As his surfing career continued, so did his history with the break off the shores of San Clemente. He has surfed professionally at his hometown break multiple times.
About a year ago, Yeomans transitioned to the sales side of the surf industry. He currently works for …Lost Surfboards as a sales rep. He now bridges the gap between surfer and shaper.
Yeomans explained how the break at Lowers is notoriously slower than what the best in the world are accustomed to, which forces them to modify their boards beforehand.
“Most of these guys will be riding a standard shortboard design, but they’ll tweak it a little bit for waves specifically at Trestles,” Yeomans said. “Their boards will have a lower tail rocker that creates more speed and more drive.”
Surfers like Kolohe Andino and Evan Geiselman, the local wild card qualifier at the Hurley Pro, will be riding …Lost boards in the contest.
The Hurley Pro serves as a sort-of hometown event for …Lost, which is based in San Clemente. The company’s founder and co-owner, Matt Biolos, is a world-renowned shaper who builds bonds with local surfers. As a young grom, Yeomans was drawn to the professional allure of Biolos and his boards.
“A lot of guys order Matt’s boards when they come to town. He’s one of the world’s best shapers, specifically for that area. His boards are perfect for those types of waves (in San Clemente),” Yeomans said. “Being able to fine tune your equipment with your shaper down the street is awesome.”
Read more of the Hurley Pro/Swatch Pro special section edition HERE:
Discussion about this post