.blank panic.

I remember when, a few months ago I told my roommates about the "panic" that Clark foam's closure was causing amongst surfers and surfboard shapers. They laughed at my use of the word "panic." I wanted to hit them, because something that seems so inconsequential to those who don't surf is in actuality, was very important and very much a prevalent topic amongst those whos happiness and livelihood were dependent upon it. In an attempt to explain the issue at their level I said "what if the manufacturers of orange rubber [for basketball] or the foremost manufacturer for snowboards was shut down permanently?" to which they quickly shut down with the retort that it just wasn't possible. It grated against me, their lack of understanding, but they were right.

In very few other industries will you see the level of control that Clark possessed over an increasingly lucrative industry. You don’t see it in cars, in computers, in phone service providers, in fast food. I can’t think of another example that matches Clark’s dominance in producing just around 90% of the country’s blanks. It’s unheard of and unparalleled.
Surfboard shapers and blank producers allowed themselves to become much too dependent upon Clark's monopoly. I'm not against Clark foam, my first board had the "Clark foam" logo stamped upon the tail. But the fact remains that with the security that Clark's dominance left upon the surfing community, there was the definite potential that should the day ever come, that Clark closed its doors, that the surfing community would find itself in a state of panicked chaos. And that day came.

In yesterday's issue of The Honolulu Advertiser an article depicted the supposed rebound of the surfboard production industry. I suppose that there are times when I agree with my roommates that the media, and even myself, have blown the surboard "panic" out of proportion. When N. was interviewed by a local newspaper about the impact that this has left upon a business such as TheSurfboardShack he responded that there had been little or no impact that he'd notice in the following weeks. He told me that the newspaper remained persistent, calling him multiple times to ask whether his sales had been affected or prices had risen. The site, to this day, has seen little or no effect as a result of Clark’s closure. The newspaper never received the response they were looking for. Perhaps the media is as shocked as I am that surfboard shapers and surfers alike have been able to weather the storm as well as they did. Either way it is apparent that the “panic” has begun to subside. This is particularly good news to me since I still have hopes of a new 9’0 for a graduation present. Yes, I dream.