If you own one or more surfboards, you probably know how it feels. Why are surfers so emotionally attached to surfboards? Why can't we let go of old boards?
There is a well-studied and documented mental health condition called hoarding.
Hoarding is a disorder. It refers to the act of collecting and retaining a large number of items, often more than one reasonably needs, and experiencing difficulty parting with any of them.
We hoard for different reasons - sentimental attachment, fear they might need something later, or simply enjoying the act of collecting.
It can be a basic household item, Lego collections, or even cars.
Although it doesn't always mean something negative, it can develop into a more serious behavioral pattern.
Surfers are known for accumulating boards and rarely sell or get rid of them. It doesn't happen to everyone, but most readers will likely relate to it.
Dissecting the Feeling
From a recreational standpoint, surfing is a very emotional outdoor activity. It takes place in the ocean, and quite often in places that, for some reason, are special to us.
It is also important to stress that it's one of the few sports that defies the limits of the human condition.
We were not designed to walk across the water. The liquid nature of seawater is not meant for us to step on it and travel.
So, the surfboard is the vehicle for this near-Biblical act.
The surfboard provides an experience that a large majority of those who have lived it will say is indescribable and unforgettable.
Ask any surfer where, when, and how they got up for the first time on a surfboard and rode a wave, and they will probably tell you, with flawless accuracy, how it went.
It's something you keep in your memory forever, alongside the most outstanding moments of your life.
The first surfboard is quite often the first of many.
It's hard not to keep going. After all, we really need a new board for one of the following reasons (and more):
- I only have a beginner board and I'm progressing;
- I want my first shortboard;
- I need an all-around board;
- I need to retire my favorite board;
- I need a mid-length for smaller days;
- I haven't got any longboard in my quiver;
- I am getting old and I need more volume and a wider nose;
- I haven't got a board with a five-fin setup;
- I haven't bought a new surfboard in a long time;
- I don't have any epoxy stick;
And so on, right?
A balanced quiver always needs a board with the specifications that haven't been covered yet by the previous family members.
Suddenly, we realize we need more space for our surfboards than the space that they reasonably (and rationally) deserve.
A surfboard collection is something that a non-surfer cannot process.
"Why do you need so many boards?" one might ask.
Although there is no valid answer to this question, one that truly makes sense to the non-surfer, most of us choose to reply with the closest thing possible to a rational explanation.
"Each board serves a different purpose and a different type of wave..."
It's usually something like this, with the verbal ellipsis included. Because the reality is that there is not much else to say.
Why We Fall in Love With Our Surfboards
And this leads us to the question: Why do we develop such a strong, sometimes inseparable emotional connection to our surfboards?
It's the memories. Pure and simple.
Imagine someone or something that lends you so many blissful moments, 100 percent hours of joy, elation, and euphoria.
Imagine a person or item that is always there for you, ready to help you live life in its plenitude, surrounded by the most beautiful natural elements on Earth, and with a devoted, unconditional love.
The waves ridden alone, the surf breaks shared with friends, the road trips, and surf travel adventures, the impossible late take-offs that were doable after all, the first, deepest, or longest barrel.
One of the characteristics of our human condition is the naive thought we all cherish and nurture that life is a never-ending experience and that there will be another chance to surf a perfect wave.
And so we purchase another shiny new surfboard. The one. The magical stick that will feed the dream and keep the candle of stoke lit.
No Letting Go
As our quiver grows, so does the pressure to keep our hoarding disorder under control.
We come up with excuses for not getting rid of some of the old models we no longer ride. It's always hard to pick one to sacrifice.
"...and I cannot sell that one because it was the one with which I did my first small air..."
"Oh, this one, no... It's my first polyurethane surfboard. I bought it when I went on a surf trip with the boys."
"I can't sell my first-ever surfboard - at all!"
Each surfboard has its own unique and special story. Selling them is like giving away an unforgettable memory. You cannot put a price tag on them.
Everything in our lives is driven by emotions, even when we think we're riding in the rational domain.
A surfer's quiver can grow as large as our desire to embrace new sensations, as long as it is still within a healthy bubble for those who are close to us.
After all, you only live once.
Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com
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