About FloridaSkater.com

Updated 1/17/01

FloridaSkater.com is about skateboarders and Florida.  I think everyone who has skated for a period of time and made it part of their life feels a certain "brotherhood" with other skaters.  Growing up in the 70's and 80's I made skateboarding a big part of my life, traveled around the State for contests, shows, demos, etc.  In doing this I bonded with a group of friends that had something uniquely in common.  Skateboarders have their own culture, style, music, clothing, and attitude.  No college fraternity, high school class reunion, or sports team could compare to the gangster feeling of being a skateboarder!  In this site we plan to give a glimpse of those times, people, places, and things that made it special...just because.

If you would like to contribute please drop us an email and send a photo of yourself with a story for our Reader Contribution of the Month section.

I wasn't actually going to put any info on the site about me.  But I'm guessing that people are wondering who "Steve" is.  So I am putting this up on probably the most remote spot on the site.  If you've actually come this far and wondering who the hell Steve Marinak is, well...I started skating in 1974 at 10 years old.  Skated all the way through college...funny you can read that two ways...and actually both are true!  I was sponsored by Sundancer, Sims, Walker, and FOX, and in that order.  I was a local at Skateboard Safari in West Palm Beach in the 70's.  Then backyard ramps were the thing for a while.  We had a traveling demo team called Interspace, which included Scott McCranels, Pat Love, Johnny Miller, and myself.  We also had less frequent members of the demo team as well like Dan Murray, Mike Folmer, Mark Lake, even Rodney Mullen joining in on our road shows.  I was ranked 3rd or 4th overall in the Florida Backyard Ramp series sponsored division.  Around then I did a SkateZine called Interspace, after Transworld printed my address I was getting quarters from all over the world for copies!  Started a jump blues band called the Sapphire Kings in '87, this lasted till '97 shortly after my son Stevie was born.  SwingTime Magazine out of San Francisco proclaimed us the "best unsigned band in the country".  By that time we were known as the "Sapphire Kings Blues Orchestra"...man it was a full on wall of sound!  Three saxes, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, bass, guitar, drums, piano.  I played guitar and sang.  Since then my wife Melissa and I have had a girl, Ingrid.  She's unreal, will be three this year, has no fear and will grab my board, launch out of the garage and down the driveway in a coffin, hair draggin' on the road and in the wheels but she doesn't care.  For work I have a computer sales/solutions company.  And now I am enjoying skating with my kids, and my old buddies.  And having a blast doing this site and getting in touch with so many old friends and skaters.

Me at 10 yrs, my frontyard, 1974, Bahne/Chicago Trucks/RS racing slicks (loose ball bearings).  I still have this board in near mint original condition.  Home made high-jump from a curtain rod.  No shoes.

1975. My front yard ramp, a 4 x 8 sheet propped up.  I had graduated to precision bearings!  Gosh that was heaven!  Road Rider 4's/Bennett Truks/Bahne.  Still no shoes.

As you can see I used that BAHNE for everything, high jump, ramp, slalom.  Check out the football helmet.  I remember it was huge and I had to hold on to it so I could see.  The contest coordinator made us wear this thing for safety!  At the end of your run you had to run it back up the hill to the next guy.  I'm surprised we all didn't get head lice!

1978 Skateboard Safari.  Rockit/Powerflex 5's/Trackers.

Interspace Demo Team, 1982: Scott McCranels, Dan Murray, Steve Marinak, Johnny Miller, and Pat Love (sitting).  We actually made money doing this, $100.00 per person, every show.  We traveled the State with our portable half pipe, did shows for Fantasma Productions, Gary Propper the 60's surf legend started the concept and worked for Fantasma before going on to invent the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  We felt like kings, we stayed in the same places (Playboy Club) as the rock bands headlining the shows, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Foghat, '70's bands like that.  We did shows for Taco Viva, Burger King, and many other Florida businesses. We had additional sponsors other than our board sponsors like Vans, Sundek, and Z-97 radio station (great cutting edge alternative rock station).  We even signed autographs and got "dates".  Hey what else could a 17 year old ask for!  Board: (mine) Walker Mark Lake.  Pat's is a Walker Shawn Peddie.  Scott's is a Sims Folmer.  Dan's is a Powell McGill....all Florida boards!

  1984:  St.Pete ramp.  Channel Plant.  Fox Pat Love Model/Tracker Mags/Mini Cubes.

1984:  Andrecht hand plant.  I remember this was about the week before John, Paul, and Chuck were leaving for California.  And was probably my last time riding the St.Pete Ramp.  After they left, I dove more heavily into my guitar and band.

  2000: Local reunion at my house of the Interspace Team: Johnny Miller, Pat Love, Mike Folmer, Steve Marinak.

2000: YMCA kidney pool, West Palm Beach.  First day back after a loooong break, but hey, you never ever quit skating!  It's still right there in your head no matter what.  Notice the board is the same as two pics above!  Mike shuddered at the thought and demanded I save that Pat Love model.  So I did, and I am now riding a modern/old school design.