Professional Surfer Rob Machado or Robert Edward Machado who hails from a San Diego Country community found in Encinitas, California was born in Sydney, Australia in 1973 on October 16.

He went to San Dieguito High School where he was popularly known for his carefree attitude in the water and on land. Although he now typically rides a modern shortboard surfboards, people still refer to him as ‘soul surfer’ and this is due to his easy style which gave him the alias ‘Mr. Smoothy.’ In addition to shortboard surfboards, he is experimental trying crazy shapes from egg surfboards, retro fish surfboards, longboard surfboards, alaias, and everything in between.  He is considered one of the professional best goofy footers.

Rob Machado has been victorious in several professional surfers’ high-status contests and this includes the Triple Crown of Surfing – Pipeline Masters (Hawaii). Under his belt there is also U.S. Open of Surfing which is the largest event in surfing held on the mainland of the US. The competition that he won in Huntington Beach in 2006 was one only one of many and this followed right behind his 2006 win in the Pipeline Monster Energy Professional on the North Shore of Oahu. In addition, he was a member of the ‘West’ team which came out victorious in the surfing competition of the Summer X Games in 2006; this is staged in Mexico yearly and simply known as ‘The Game’

Although a retiree from World Championship Tour (WCT), he was one of the main contenders until a few years ago when injuries started to deter him. Nonetheless, he ended in the world’s top three rankings twice at the end of the year. Since his retirement, he has focused on a limited amount of surfing competitions but rather focused his energy on free surfing. His remarkable skill is displayed in films, videos and surfing magazines and this allow him to remain in the eye of the public as well as one of surfing's favorite people.

Rob is the host and a participant in a yearly event, Rob Machado Surf Classic and Beach Fair, staged on his home ground. This amateur competition includes locals of any ages as well as demo sittings with professionals including Rob. He also spends time with his children to give them pointers and guidelines. A Queen and King is crowned for the best performances overall.

Congrats to Nick O of Venice Beach who is the winner of the first Free Surfboard Giveaway.  He picked himself up a free 6'0" Retro Fish Surfboard - MP.  We will be holding another giveaway once we hit 4000 LIKES.  Tell your friends and spread the word.  Thanks for supporting Equinox Surfboards and check us out on FB at www.facebook.com/equinoxsurf. 

California features a variety of surfing spots and Maverick Surf Spot in Half Moon Bay is among one of the most impressive. You'll find this break 2 miles away from Pillar Point north of Half Moon Bay at the village of Princeton-By-The-Sea. The wave at Mavericks gets its shape from the underwater rock formations and caves.

The best massive wave surfers around the world arrive to Maverick as a winter destination. These surfers are the hellmen who are willing and brave enough to face the conditions at Mavericks. Depending on the swells and conditions, there's a contest there once a year however it's invite only.

Maverick got its name from a German Shepherd named Maverick, after the roommate of his owner and his 2 friends tried to surf within the waves off Pillar Point in 1961. He was with them because it was a customary for him to swim with either his owner or his owner's friend after they went out to catch a wave. Though they left the dog on the shores of the beach, he started to follow them out them out into the ocean. However, as a result of the unsafe conditions of the water, they took him back to the bumper of the car before rejoining  his friends within the water. These surfers failed to have success surfing that day though because the waves were simply too dangerous for them. They name the surf location after the dog since he appeared to have much more fun then they did that day. At first it was called Mavericks Point but was later shortened to just Maverick's.

Mavericks only has a few events a year and they typically attract large crowds that want to witness the big-wave surfing contests firsthand.  This doesn't happen anymore because environmental and safety issues have rendered it not safe for spectators to be there anymore.

Mavericks is not easily seen from land. As such, it remained a mystery to the public until early 1990's. Approximately 1/2 mile offshore is where the waves typically break many times in shadow of the Air Force Station of the Pillar Point making it virtually invisible from Highway 1 or any of the streets that neighbor it. A walking path is the sole access by land to Mavericks. Additionally, once you get to the shoreline, all you typically can see is a huge rock and the whitewash of previous waves that were once massive themselves.

Leave your beginner surfboards at home, big wave guns and tow boards are the only thing that work here....

If you're trying to seek out the best surf spot in California, then Trestles in Orange County is that place. Trestles is named after the train tracks that run the gamut of the San Mateo lagoon that's on the beach.  In contrast to how it was used before where Trestles wasn't opened to everybody, currently anyone can catch a wave there on their favorite shortboard surfboards; these surfboards might have been confiscated in the past.

Albeit there's an absence of amenities on the beach of Trestles; no showers, bathrooms or snack bars are there. However, the good waves that are on that beach makes one ignore those things and focus on the numerous locations that are there for you to surf.  This can be attributed to the very fact that it's accepts a variety of different swell angles and this makes for a large variety of surfable waves.

The most well known section of referred to as Lower Trestles or just Lowers. This spot attracts waves from a variety of various directions. When there's the summer southern hemisphere swells, this is often the time when the waves are breaking at their best. At this time, the waves go both left and right however the right is typically provides a longer ride than the left.  This is often where several amateur as well as many professional contests for surfing are held. When there's a summer swell, there are typically many surfers attempting to catch the perfectly shaped waves rolling through Lower Trestles.

The other main break is Upper Trestles located to the north of the Lower Trestles and has nice exposure to the southwest, northwest, and also west swells. However, this spot for surfing breaks equally as nice in the wintertime and summer.  Since this wave breaks and rolls down a point, the crowd can spread out more then at Lowers.  The correct swell can light this point up and give you 100 yard rides with plenty of face time.  Both Lowers and Uppers are breaks that are geared more towards shortboard surfboards but longboard surfboards and funboard surfboards will work as well.

Additionally, There is Church's, Cottons as well as Middle Trestles. These are 3 other alternative locations for surf breaks within the Trestles location. Middle Trestles and Church's are south of Lower Trestles. They're nice surf spots on their own. As such, they assist to absorb a number of the crowd from the Lower Trestles as well as from Upper Trestles. You may also notice Cottons to the way north of Upper Trestles. It's not as quick with respect to wave speed.  However, it connects to the inside wave creating a rampy left with a large shoulder  and this makes it very fun for surfers no matter age. To the south of Trestles, is another excellent break called San Onofre which is great for longboard surfboards.  We will review this break in the next installment of Surf Spot Breakdown and explain why it is the best option for beginner surfboards. 

Check out the new Equinox Surfboards Models for 2012.  Most models will be shipping around mid-April, but pre-order is available today.  The 6'10" Hybrid Surfboard - Blade is already available with many in stock.  Check out the full 2012 New boards or click any of the links below for details.  If you need any help deciding which board best fits your ability level, please drop an email to info@equinoxsurfboards.com.

5'8" Egg - Blaster	6'6" Retro Fish - Fire	6'8" Shortboard - Triton

7'6" Funboard - Lotus	8'6" Longboard - Burner	8'10" Longboard - Tree

6'10" Hybrid - Blade	9'4" Longboard - Phantom

Check out this guy named Jimbo Pellegrine. Guy must be pushing 350 lbs and rips. I don't think too many guys would have the balls to stand up to this guy if he cut you off. Word is he is from San Clemente, CA but moved to Indo to live the life.  I wish he was riding one of our Big Boy Shortboard surfboards