Long Distance Skateboard Pumping and Cross-Disciplinary speaker cabinet innovations
Originally, the Thrasher 8" full range was named after Thrasher Magazine. Cross Disciplinary vibrational studies from Long Distance skateboarding go back approximately 8 years which is when Clark began skateboarding for some of his daily transportation. Clark now focuses on long distance skateboarding on the open road in order to continue to develop and test the durability of the materials and production techniques shared by the wooden construction of the speakers.
- Vibrational research - Clark has studied and developed the mechanical structure of vibration damping, efficient LDP distance skateboards in the the same way he has tuned the organic (solid wood) internal speaker bracing and vibration damping materials (Coral Acoustic Wavebreakers) that goes into the Triton, Marlin, and Orca, and Benthic speakers as well.
-Clark has also studied musical instrument (Clavichord) design visiting clavichord workshops as part of his thesis in college and has had luthiers, harpsichord makers, acousticians, studio engineers, skateboard manufacturers, and other vibration experts as consultants on the speaker designs.
Hand made is human powered production. Considering a speaker as large and heavy as the Triton, for instance, fully hand making them in our workshop in the way that we do as well as providing the supporting, warehousing logistics requires physical training, reflexes, and agility that are developed on the job and honed through endurance sports.
The Triton is named after the locally manufactured RoeRacing Triton skateboard deck, designed by the local long distance skateboarding pioneer, advocate, and prior Guinness World Record holder in the 24 hour UltraSkate, James Peters, who himself is also a trumpet player in a few local jazz bands. The Triton deck, uniquely, has an internal constrained layer of damping material which inspired the use of the Coral Acoustic Wavebreaker constrained layer of acoustic damping material inside the Triton, and then later the Orca and Marlin enclosures.
Short Version of our STP ride: https://youtu.be/vXDRUeaUlgw
Long Version STP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0OWIkYFfZw
James' Website Pavedwave.org: http://pavedwave.org/
Roe Racing skateboards: http://www.roeslalom.com/decks/triton
In Sept 2014, Clark was the first skateboarder to ride in the grueling Passport2Pain.org ride, completing approximately 25 miles and 3000 feet of elevation gain.
In July 2015, Clark was the third skateboarder to ride from Seattle to Portland in the "STP" Bicycle Classic. 206 miles in two days with friend James Peters, who himself had skateboarded the STP 7 times prior(!) James' other riding buddy was a few years earlier with local ultra marathon runner, and another prior Guinness World Record holder in the 24 hour UltraSkate, "Barefoot Ted" MacDonald. (www.barefootted.com).
In August 2015, Clark became the 2nd person to skateboard the RSVP: Ride from Seattle to Vancouver B.C. and Party in two days, 208 miles, also with friend James Peters, who had skateboarded the RSVP alone 5 times prior.
Clark skateboarded those three acronym rides in one year to raise awareness about the viability of a skateboard as powerful, efficient, entertaining transportation that can be skated ambidextrously - just like his ambidextrous tool usage in the wood shop - even over extreme distances, elevations, and difficult riding conditions, making a point to cover above 50% of the mileage of both rides in goofy stance (Clark rides regular stance naturally).
Clark Blumenstein's skateboard designs and setup recommendations can be found at www.Vivalongboards.com. Custom Bamboo, Balsa racing skateboards, Bamboo Mini skateboards, Slalom and LDP accessories for any longboard.
