This is my 48th year of surfing. I have always lived in Fla. but have traveled to over a dozen surf destinations and repetes every year. I have ridden C. I. boards exclusively for over 20 years, and currently own two M-13s, Waterhog, H-4000 a Fishcuit, and a Bisquit. I really love all my boards, they are relible and so well designed and made. They have enhanced my whole surfing experience and given me much enjoyment. My favorite board to ride is, to my surprise, is the Bisquit. At 62 years old this board has put an extra dose of FUN into my daily go outs. I like it so much I always take it on all surf trips along with a M-13. This summer I rode it every day for two weeks at Pavonies, Costa Rica, and it is going to Puerto Rico and Barbados this winter. Thank you for producing such superior and top quality equiptment. There is a sense of confidence and a pride of ownership built into each of my surfboards which I have not experienced with any other surf equiptment. In my opinion Al Merrick designs are the “State of the Art” and I look forward to all the future creations to come. Thanks alot and keep up the fine work.

Sincerely,

Fred Butts
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

Dane’s riding a 5′8″ x 18 1/2″ x 2 1/4″ MTF (Merrick Twin Fin) based off of an original Fish made for Rob Machado.

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Pictured: Dane Reynolds (USA), 23, current ASP World No. 11, dominated the peaky waves on offer at Les Bourdaines today, posting the highest heat total of the event, 18.27 out of a possible 20.

Credit: © ASP/ CI/ CESTARI via GETTY IMAGES

SEIGNOSSE, France (Saturday, September 26, 2009) – The Quiksilver Pro France presented by Orange completed an action-packed Round 3 today, and despite the smaller one-to-three foot (0.5 – 1 metre) waves on offer at Les Bourdaines, the world’s best surfers flew electric in front of a capacity crowd on the beach.
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Pictured: Dane Reynolds (USA), 23, current ASP World No. 11, continued to wow audiences today, netting an impressive 17.33 out of a possible 20 in Round 1 of the Quiksilver Pro France.

Credit: © ASP/ CI/ SCHOLTZ via GETTY IMAGES

SEIGNOSSE, France (Wednesday, September 23, 2009) – Round 1 and the opening four heats of Round 2 of the Quiksilver Pro France got underway today with the world’s best surfers detonating in punchy three-to-four foot (1.5 metre) peaks at Les Bourdaines beachbreak.

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Dane Reynolds is riding a 6-2 rookie squash tail 18 5/8 2 3/8 with glass on fins and of course his Ci traction . ( available on line now).

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Pictured: Kelly Slater (USA), 37, reigning nine-time ASP World Champion, admits that the Quiksilver Pro France is his last chance to get back in the 2009 ASP World Title race.

Credit: © ASP/ CI/ CESTARI via GETTY IMAGES

HOSSEGOR, France (Wednesday, September 23, 2009) – The Quiksilver Pro France, Stop No. 7 of 10 on the 2009 ASP World Tour, in ON this morning with Round 1 of competition heading out in clean three-to-four foot (1 .5 metre) waves at Les Bourdaines.
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HUNTINGTON BEACH, California (Sunday, September 20, 2009) – ASP World Tour sophomore Dane Reynolds (Ventura, CA), 24, finished runner-up to 2007 ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (Tweed Heads, AUS), 27, in his first Final appearance at the Hurley Pro Trestles, launching the young Californian from 20th to 11th on the ratings.

The progressive regular-footer wowed the crowd through the event’s entirety with massive aerial maneuvers and powerful carves while marching through an impressive list of the world’s finest surfing talent on the way to his Final bout with Fanning. After an amazing run at the Hurley Pro, Reynolds was stopped short of his first career victory by the veteran campaigner.
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Surfline.com has a great feature on Kelly’s Channel Islands Surfboard Quiver. There is audio linked to each of the different boards he’s been riding as of late. Listen to Kelly’s commentary here on surfline.com.

Kelly Slater may be the coolest man ever to appear on Wait Wait (other than Carl Kasell, of course.) He’s been both the youngest and the oldest pro surfing champion, and he has a shot at winning a record ten total world championships.

Listen to the Story here.