The Caster
Posted onBy “Silent Mike” Schoaff
Nicknames are a cornerstone of surfing lore. No surf lineup or parking lot adjacent to the shore exists without a core group of regulars gathering with some of the most descriptive, funny and beloved nicknames that you will ever come across. More on this in an upcoming piece. In the meantime, Jersey Greg (Greg Martindale) recently introduced me to a surfboard that he and his older brother Eric simply call “The Caster”. One can’t help but picturing the late 70’s preteen Martindale brothers mentioning “The Caster” in their distinctive New Jersey accents – “Da Kaaster”.
Greg and Eric grew up surfing machine-like rights breaking off a jetty in Sea Bright, New Jersey with their Cousin Marty Palscik. Eric and Greg’s grandmother owned a beach home with their own little jetty directly out front. Eric, Greg and Marty named the spot “Grandma’s”. Other nearby surf spots included a similar jetty just to the north (still in Sea Bright), followed by a series of 4 jetties (in Sandy Hook State Beach), and culminating up the peninsula at “The Cove”, a wave that has been likened to a slightly smaller version of Rincon on its day.
Grandma’s House Sea Bright, New Jersey Late 70’s
Eric purchased “The Caster” used from local New Jersey surf legend Derf at the Local Motion Surf Shop in Sea Bright, New Jersey in 1979 for around $200.00 (price reflects a standard known $50.00 mark up on the East Coast due to shipping, taxes, etc.). In a shop with a mix of mostly Local Motion’s, McCoy’s, Island Style’s and a few Caster’s. Divine surf god’s intervention must have been in full effect when Eric chose to buy “The Caster”, not knowing that almost 20 years later his brother Greg would be bringing “The Caster” back home to La Jolla when he moved permanently to San Diego.
“The Caster” returns home
“The Caster” is a 6’0” Round Pin Single Wing Twin Fin, it is 20 plus inches wide, nearly 3 inches thick, and rocks an early predecessor to our modern-day fin systems (Fin System Star Fins). It is uncertain who the shaper is (perhaps Bill Caster himself), the board has S-982 marked on the bottom, which could mean that it came from the now defunct Spectrum Surfboard Factory and was #982 of Production. The artwork is a magnificent Starburst Airbrush. Older core locals in the La Jolla area would surely want to shred this classic late 70’s second generation shortboard revolution piece of craftsmanship and history.
More than a Wall Hanger
Greg’s introduction to some of the most localized spots in San Diego was softened by “The Caster” as the board had the hardened crews acknowledging a shared mutual respect because of Greg’s board choice. Greg relates “The Caster was like a key to the city. Since I was the new kid in town, I would get instant street cred. Whether at Windansea or Newbreak the locals would tell me that they grew up riding Casters. Like the gnarliest locals, that most surfers were trying to stay away from, I’m having full blown conversations with. Meanwhile, I’m from New Jersey. Crazy.”.
“The Caster” is super-fast and performs best on quick down the line waves. It is also very loose, but it’s mostly about forward projection with this legendary stick. Greg emphatically states that “The Caster is the epitome of a magic carpet ride with plenty of speed and glide to it”. Greg also claims that the board is nearly indestructible, not surprising considering the era and pedigree that it’s from.
“The Casters” value is priceless to Greg, but it could be appraised for approximately $2,000.00 depending on who you talk to and who the interested party is. But as Greg kept reminding me “No Sale”.
Greg most recently broke out “The Caster” for Sheldon Englehorn’s Celebration of Life Paddle Out after a 20-year hiatus. Joe Roper from Joe Roper’s Surfboard Repair, personally restored the board recently to duplicate its original structural and artwork excellence (after a leashless session at OB Jetty in the early 2000’s led to some unfortunate damage).
Joe Roper, “The Caster”, Greg Martindale
Greg reflects “The Caster could be a wall hanger because of its beautiful artwork and craftsmanship, but I will always have wax on it, and it will be surfed when the conditions and the moment seem right. The Caster will always be part of my rotation”.
Surfing was always a source of release for both Greg and his brother Eric as they navigated through troubles growing up and “The Caster” was their quick escape from life’s difficulties. Today “The Caster” transports Greg to a place of stoke, blazing forward discovering serenity and bliss down the line. “The Caster” is the board that connected Greg to his lifelong love of surfing.
Eric Martindale riding “Da Kaaster” at Grandma’s Mid 80’s