Every so often we meet a young lad who is everything we dreamed of for a Degree 33 ambassador. Meet Luke McLaughlin! If you see him in the water he will be catching lots of waves and doing stylish turns or cutbacks in just about any situation. It is amazing how well he surfs the smallest of conditions. When most of us older guys are watching the ankle biters from the beach Luke will be charging it on his Cloud or Easy Rider drawing long lines and making sections. But don't get the wrong idea, Luke is not a wave hog. He will be the guy giving a wave to another surfer in need or high fiving his buddy after a good ride. This attitude and stoke extends beyond the lineup as he is the same guy in and out of the water. Luke and his family of five are staples at Cardiff Reef and can be seen there almost every weekend. Here's a short interview to learn more about him.
Name: Luke McLaughlin
Age: 16
Years Surfing: 8 years
Homebreak: Cardiff
Other Sports/Hobbies? Skating, and music
Favorite Music/song? Classic rock and ska
Two of Lukes favorite boards The Poacher Fun Shape and The Cloud Groveler both in Epoxysoft hybrid construction.
What’s your favorite thing about surfing? My favorite thing about surfing is how creative you can be with it.
What are your go to boards (size and type)? My go to boards are grovelers , mid lengths, and fishes. The Degree 33 Cloud, The Easy Rider are the two I ride most.
Best wave you can remember and where? The Best wave I can remember was at the right just north of Beacons in Encinitas.
Airs, Barrels or Noserides? All 3 in my Dreams
What’s one thing you can’t leave the house without? My phone
Favorite thing to do other than surfing? Playing guitar and drums
Photos by Daniel Bocater
