Bros not Pros, Vol. 3

DukeStorm and SquidForce present interviews with local legends.

2 / 16 /2009
with Paul Dungee and Ryan Curtin

DukeStorm recently had the opportunity to speak with Long Beach Island Surfers/Scribes/Watermen Ryan Curtin and Paul Dungee. Both Curtin and Dungee are only in their early twenties, but their zest for travel and quest for killer surf has these two LBI locals embarking on the trip of a lifetime. Armed with only one way plane tickets, four surfboards, a few thousand dollars and the basics needed for “life” on the road, these two goofy-footers left Atlantic City International on February 9th headed for their first stop-Lima, Peru. This is the first stop on a six month trip which will have the lads making their way North from Peru, criss-crossing through Central America, Mexico and eventually ending at the US-Mexican Border. Their timing couldn’t be better..a bullseye for prime South Swell Season in Central America and Mexico. Below you’ll get some more insights into what makes these Bros Not Pros tick. Suffice it to say, with strong family values, an affinity for old-school surf style, and a love of gonzo, beatnick journalism, these boys are in for one helluva trip!

Names: Paul Dungee and Ryan Curtin
Occupation: Student/Traveler and Restaurant worker/Teacher/Lifeguard
Born Where: Camden, NJ
Born When: 1/5/1988 and 8/7/1986
Married/Groms? Not yet
Nickname(s): None and Curto, Nightcrawler
Years Surfing: 10+ and 12+
First surfboard: 6'4" Ron Jon and 6'0" Line Drive
Favorite Surf Spot: South LBI, Long Island
Quiver: (PD) 10'0" Hap Jacobs, 5'10" Bing quad, 6'0" Stretch Quad, 6'2" Firewire , (RC) 5'8" Surf Prescription, 5'11" Rawson Quad, 6'0" JS, 6'4" Step up, 6'6" Local Motion.

DS/SF: SUP?
PD: NO.
RC:No, but I have a converted 11'6" beater windsurfer!

DS/SF: Shapers(s)?
PD: Bing, Hap Jacobs
RC: Doc Loesch, Rawson, Eric Ingersall(local underground shaper)

DS/SF: Pop outs?
PD: All custom now.
RC: The right one maybe.

DS/SF: Slater or Curren?
PD: Curren.
RC: Curren – the style master.

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

DS/SF: FCS, Futures, Glass On’s, lok box? 
PD: Futures.
RC: Futures.

DS/SF: Travels?   
PD: Never left the East Coast!
RC: Cape Town, SA, Mozambique.

DS/SF: What’s hot?   
PD: Stretch Quad.
RC: Couderoy, Mustaches, Harmonicas.

DS/SF:What’s not? 
PD: China Boards.
RC: The loss of the Pine Surf Shop.

DS/SF: What do you look for in a longboard?   
PD: Light, Spoon Nose, turnable.
RC: Big and Ugly-a real lineup pleaser!

DS/SF: What do you look for in a shotboard?   
PD: Flexability, manuerverabilty, all around performance.
RC: Speed, speed, speed..

DS/SF: Finish the following statements: 

It all made sense when…
PD: …I started surfing.
RC: I was 13 and didn’t have to work.

Priority goes to…
PD: …family.
RC: …the guy in position or the old heads in the line-up.

A good day of surf is…
PD: …better than any day at work.
RC: …when your getting shacked and making it.

Getting burned is when…
PD: …some kook drops in on you.
RC: …someone looks and goes anyway.

You’re blowing it if…
PD …your not surfing.
RC: …your not doing what you love.

If I could have a drink with three people…
PD …Hunter S. Thompson, Allan Weisbecker and (no response).
RC: …Jack Kerouwac, Mickey "Da Cat" Dora, Hunter S. Thompson.

DS/SF:Shout out to?
PD: Andrew Geisler, Brittany Strumbel, Jimmy Schwartz.
RC: My family, Kyle G, Johnny O, the Halloways, Scuba Steve, & the Surf City Beach Patrol.

DS/SF: Any last thoughts?
PD: Nervous, excited, amped…a total smorgasboard of emotions!