When purchasing hockey equipment, the most important aspect to consider is that the equipment is properly fitted. When equipment is not suitably fitted, the player is exposed to injury.

This guide is intended to be used by parents, coaches, trainers and players when selecting appropriate protective equipment before stepping on the ice. The information contained herein should only be used as a guideline when purchasing hockey equipment.

Three important factors should be stressed when evaluating hockey equipment: (A) that the equipment is in proper condition, (B) that the equipment is properly maintained throughout its life span and (C) that the equipment fits properly.

A. If any piece of equipment is cracked or is structurally unsound, it should be replaced immediately or properly repaired by a professional. Equipment should be inspected often so that all breaks can be recognized immediately and properly attended to.

Kangaroo Island’s surf varies dramatically throughout the year. This guide lists five locations around Kangaroo Island where surf breaks can occasionally be found. The main swells role in from the SouthWesterly direction making waves on the South and West coasts of Kangaroo Island. Northerly winds and larger swells are more common in Winter which turns on better waves. Large Westerly swells combined with a Southerly wind can often produce waves on the North Coast of Kangaroo Island.

Hanson Bay

95km from Kingscote
125km from Penneshaw

Definitely not for beginners. Hanson Bay has one main beach with occasional sand banks and a permanent rocky point break. The best winds to look for is a NorthEast to Northerly. Strong rips and undertows occur in the bay, as well as Hanson Bay’s exposure to larger waves, makes surfing at Hanson Bay more strenuous. Caution and a fair amount of experience are a necessity. On days of no swell the point offers spectacular diving and the main beach has excellent fishing.

Board Building

The subject of board building is near and dear to this author’s heart. In the late 1960s, I started designing boards and surfing for a shop in Huntington Beach called Soul Surfboards. At that time, Dale Velzy was their shaper, and I got to spend many hours in the shaping stall with Dale going over board designing, watching and eventually learning how to shape.

When Dale retired from shaping around 1971 and went to Roger’s Foam to sell blanks, he gave me his shaping stand, templates, planer, lights, and other equipment so I could shape on my own. I subsequently was one of the shapers at my shop, Wave Trek Surfboards for several years, and still have and sometimes use this equipment today.

Shaping Racks

By Bruce C. Gabrielson PhD the “Original Huntington Beach Snake”
“Founder of US High School Surfing”

Author’s Surfing Biography

I began surfing at the Seal Beach power plant in the early 1960s. Since surfing wetsuits were unknown back then, the warm water made this break one of the most popular places around. It was there that I got to know Chuck Linnen, Chuck Dent, and many of the other early day surfing locals.