Bros not Pros, Vol. 2

DukeStorm and SquidForce present interviews with local legends.

1 / 19 /2009
with Charles Mencel

Name: Charles Henryk Mencel
Occupation: BCC English adjunct and other...
Born: Georgetown, Medical
Where/When: Jersey Shore Medical 01/16/1983
Married/Groms? No
Nickname(s):Snakeshark, chardonnay, slow arm, mencil-pencil, karol, brue,
leonardo di chazio.
Years Surfing: 15ish
First surfboard:early 90’s WRV. Brave “team” board. It had sponsor decals
under the laminant...so cool but hard to ride.
Favorite Surf Spot: Dog Beach
Quiver:5’ 7” Lis twin keel- Steve Seebold, 5’ 10” Round tail twin- Steve Seebold, 6’ 3” Round-round pin-Steve Seebold, 6’1” Wide-bat quad- William Riedel, 6’ 6” Swallow thruster- Gordon Quigg, 6’ 8” Squash Slab - G.Q., 7’ 0” Round Pin- Glenn Minami,
8’ 4” Round Pin quad- Brett Marumoto, 9’8” Squash Spoon- Reynolds Yater, 12’6” modified Mistral Windsurfer
Shaper(s): Steve! Seebold

DS/SF: SUP?
CHM: Yeah.

DS/SF: Pop outs?
CHM:Some people wait 2 months for what I consider a pop out.
Buy American.

DS/SF: Slater or Curren?
CHM: Slater backside. Curren frontside.

DS/SF:Tubes or airs?
CHM: Tubes.

DS/SF: Zog’s or Palmer’s? 
CHM: Palmer’s.

DS/SF: FCS, Futures, Glass On’s, lok box? 
CHM: All but FCS.

DS/SF: Traction? 
CHM: Only on my longboards... Astro.

DS/SF: Travels?   
CHM: Barbados, Mainland Mexico, Hawai’i, Costa Rica, California, The Northeast, repeat offending.

DS/SF: What’s hot?   
CHM: Jose’s, big Easterlies, Squid Force, Alex King’s car.

DS/SF:What’s not? 
CHM: Wet wetsuits, classic jersey skunkings, bro deal gone bad, leg humpers, snoring, sweep, and tangled leash.

DS/SF: What do you look for in a longboard?   
CHM: Long, and flat.

DS/SF: What do you look for in a shotboard?   
CHM: Rocker and rail.

DS/SF: Finish the following statements: 

It all made sense when…
…I heard Freddy McGregor.

Priority goes to…
…Tony Clark.

A good day of surf is…
…Rideable with more than one element in your favor.

Getting burned is when…
…Someone looks and goes.

You’re blowing it if…
…Your friends are surfing and you aren’t. People are cruel.

I hate it when…
…The surf pumps over night.

Radical is…
…Larry Devine.

When the surf is flat I…
…Work, skate, tinker.

If I could have a drink with three people…
…One of my grandfathers, Lana Turner (with grandfather present), and...Mark Scorzo.

DS/SF:Advice for beginners?
CHM: Buy good boards, support your local store, Summer Time Surf! AND: Surfing isn’t for everyone: Like Collin Fallon once said, “Surfing isn’t bowling.”

DS/SF:Shout out to?
CHM: My family, The “Way Behind Crew” (Patrick Mc loch-ness, A. King, Mc Graw, Ryan, R.J., Tiny Tom, and anyone else pushing the progressive limits of what was radical 15 years ago), original W.A.C circa 95’- Where we at?), Pier Beach rats, W.A.R Ho’ Dads, Mike “slow mo” Harris a.k.a “Sunset Mike”-(From who all good things come), Joe “always right” Egan @ Spring Lake Liquors (thanks for the endless support), TR @ 3rd Ave Surf, Body Glove for the rubber. All the guys that made life hard when I was young; I probably could have used some more.

DS/SF: Any last thoughts?
CHM:It’s getting crowded. Ride practical craft. Try to think twice. Hydrate.