Why does this board need another group? Is this Board not meeting your needs? I do appreciate I could be missing something so please excuse my ignorance if that is the case. It’s just that in my experience breaking off into fragmented groups tends do dilute the original message. Anyway, what do I know …………..

MBthong :

SIMPLE : he created the meetup group to meet other thongers LOCALLY and enjoy the beaches and just have fun .Sometimes you just don't have anybody to do things with 

MBthong… This is a great forum for what we all enjoy! And why is another thong site a not a great idea? It might more to get more people to enjoy wearing a thong at the beach, pool parties and paddle boarding with us. But maybe they haven’t because they have not found this site. It was not the easiest to find this forum, I am so glad I did. I’m 50 years old and it was not super easy to join, and as we all know the younger generation would love to join but it if there is any barriers to entry aka takes more than 2 seconds we might lose that person. Meetup is easier to join and search. There could be people that already wear thongs everywhere and paddle board but can’t find a fun group to join. And, when they search adult categories on Meet up, maybe my page will come up. (and any member can create and event, even if the event is not in south Florida) But the main reason is real time messaging. I had this same page last year, but lost my wallet and replaced all my cards and meetup canceled the page ( I didn’t update my CC info). But, when I posted the Flock Fest Beach party last year and all for us thongers were going to meet at a place that we could set up a fun beach area. An attendee, aka Happiness on the page right now, got to the venue before me and told everyone going that our planned meeting area was not available. He messaged everyone, in real time as we were arriving to the beach, to the new area that he picked for all of us to meet. We all met at new location and had a great time in our lil thongs. BTW Happiness looks great in his G Strings and is fun and very open wearing them.. He rides up and down Ft Lauderdale beach on his bike, just in a G String, hat, sun glasses and flip flops! Haha MBthong… I hope you understand why I did the meet up page, I meant no offense to you or anyone else on this page, and I think I followed the rules to post the page. I have also contacted the organizer of the sunsplash page to become a sponsor, I want everyone that wants to wear a thong in public to not feel scared and enjoy what we love to do! Be Safe Everyone and Thong Away!!

Tomorrow I set an event to go to beach. I will be posting real time photos of the event tomorrow. I will also (with permission of who ever is in the picture) of the thongers weekend coming up next month. So everyone here can enjoy our thong fun if they cannot make the event!

Just going to suggest Meetup in here. Looks like someone beat me to it!

There was a meetup group for Fort Lauderdale. Died due to lack of use or lack of enthusiasm. You need a number of locals who show up regularly for meetup groups to work. And it needs to be a subject where meeting up is a significant advantage to going out alone.

This is a great idea. Think Ill start a group here in north central Florida for beach trips and paddle boarding around the springs and rivers! I also have a nice pool for parties and plenty room for camping. I would love to have a group of friends to thong with!

I'd love to do some stand up paddle boarding in a thong! Song like a great time and would be great to do with others.

History shows meetup groups for thonging peeter out and die. Whereas meetups for bike rides or paddle boarding thrive. The problem can be thought of as a Ven-diagram: For a thong meetup you need the intersection of people who want to wear thongs publicly, around strangers, in a particular place, on a particular day - AND it needs to offer some reason for the person to go to a meeting. Since most women can thong anywhere you can, they have no reason to join the group. That leaves men who are bold enough to thong, and who are secure enough to be seen with other men in thongs, in public. Which eliminates many straight males who don't want to be seen as belonging to a gay group. Also many men, who are bold enough to wear thongs in public already do, without needing to go some place at a specific time to meet other men for mutual support. We have groups who ride bicycles and others for paddling, both kayak and paddle board. In Fort Lauderdale I often did paddle board events for friends on facebook. We would go out for a few hours and people who wanted to wore thongs, and people who did not didn't. It was not a 'thong' event. Sometimes I was the only one in a thong. Mostly some of the women wore thongs, and sometimes guys did too. Not pressure, just acceptance and friendly encouragement. In Spain half of the women were wearing thongs. Some go topless. We were not meeting to 'thong' but to enjoy the beach and go paddle boarding. The only SunSplash is a 'thong' meetup. Of whom quite a few would not thong boldly in public without mutual support. It is only once a year. I suspect that if every week or every month the novelty would soon wear off and the event die out. You really don't need others, just go and thong confidently. Do it like the women do, by just doing whatever you were planning to do, but in a thong. People who like thongers will smile and say hi, and those who don't won't. Along the way you may find supporters and possibly other thongers. More likely you will just encourage a few men to switch from board shorts to speedos. You will also meet people who admire your independence and courage. They may not tell you right away, but show it by being unconcerned, or coming to your defense if some dick is a prick. So make a meetup or facebook group, but don't make it about thongs. Make it about paddle boarding or playing frisbee golf, and you just do you. Just wear a thong. When I organize events I normally do a long list of 'instructions' that include things on timing, where to park, when we will return, what to bring, hats, etc. Somewhere in that mentioning I will, as usual, be wearing a thong - and my friends should wear what they find comfortable, thongs swimsuits encouraged. It is about having a good time. A day out. Thong swimsuits are incidental. I am sure you have seen the pictures. You don't need all the people around you to wear thongs, just be cool with you thonging.

There you go again James, making a lot of sense! I'm so glad you're head of this board, you are our thong wearing guru! LOL. Thank you for putting that so eloquently. And you are right. WE shouldn't need groups of other thong wearers to give us confidence. And in reality I probably wouldn't find any other thong wearing people here in this very conservative part of the state. I have no problem at the beach just doing my thing in a thong. But when it comes to paddle boarding on the rivers and springs around here I am very reluctant. I guess because I've had a few bad experiences just wearing a speedo. I've seen people laugh. I had a kid yell "freak!" at me while he jumped off his boat while the parents laughed at what he said. There's a lot of rednecks here on the waterways and I just don't feel like battling them. I just want to enjoy the outdoors like them but wearing my thong. There are paddling groups in this area on Facebook that meet at many of the springs and runs. I should just join them and show up in my speedo to test the waters and feel them out. I don't need others to have a good time paddling, but I would feel less vulnerable being a lone male in a thong going down the river.

Most comedians would be delighted if a stranger laughed. Sometimes you are going to get a silly comment but just remember these people have little brains and not much common sense. Your idea of joining paddle groups is sound. Once people are your friends they may comment, but only to riz you. However, because you are part of their group they will defend you against others. Being bold may then allow others, especially women, to make bolder choices too.

In my area of the Carolinas, where I normally paddleboard is a very metropolitan area. There are a few lakes around and several of meet up groups from Facebook or other that go out and about. I will frequently see groups out there, but I’ve never joined one. I’m considering one of them that goes to a local brewery on the water and then out to an Island beach for a Wednesday evening. First time around I would definitely wear my half back bikini to test the waters. That’s really the normal largest swimsuit I wear anywhere and in any situation. I know that I will get a few stairs or comments even with that in the first 15 minutes, but after that people get over it. I think most reactions is surprise and their internal thoughts of trying to normalize it. Around here it’s just not a common occurrence to see a man in anything other than boardshorts. Thongs on women around here are not as common either even on the lakes. My home routine for paddle boarding is out on the lake for 2 1/2 hours and getting in 6 to 7 miles so my norm is exercise and maximizing sun exposure in variety of thongs and string strings. As I posted on another threads, I will usually get at least one positive reaction from other paddle boards or boaters. Sure, there might be some surprise reactions, but if you’re going out and about, you’ve gotta take it all in stride! Just wave, smile, and a short greeting. This last Saturday when I was out in the morning, I did just just that with the lead of a group of six SUPs with dogs. The nice young and attractive woman and I chatted for a few minutes as she wanted to know where the sandbar was and I asked if this was the first time for them on the lake. It was, so I gave her some insight of the local area and what to expect as the boaters increased over the next couple hours. I told her I was getting ready to go in as I’ve already got my miles in and she commented and “you’ve also been working on your tan”. I definitely took that as an admiring compliment and told her thank you. I do wish I was with the Sun Splash meet up Group though for Friday out for a SUP Thongapalooza! Enjoy all!

You don't need to paddle with Sunsplash, sounds like you are doing fine on your own. I find people are less judgemental about clothing out on the water than they would be at the mall or in church. The way they drive past tells a lot about them. Some are like driving on the highway, not slowing or giving more room than they must. Others slow, dump their wake well before passing, give a wide berth and a friendly wave. The difference between arrogant selfishness and thinking of other water users. If they don't cheer most wave and smile. I don't know if it is something to do with just being in a happy place, but for the most part, unless it is a boat full of of insecure young men they are just happy to see someone living their best life. People are expecting to see bikinis or less on the water, and often express joy at less. There was a time when it was common to see the bow-candy on the boats round here going topless. You could easily observe from a bridge as the power boats passed under. Strangely, while full on thongs have become more common topless on boats in and around my city has decreased. I suspect that is because young women take social queues from social media - and social media has banned nipples but not bums. If I post a boating or paddleboarding picture with a nipple anywhere in it I get a several day suspension from Facebook. I sometimes go paddling with local meetup groups - actually facebook paddle groups. When I have nobody has said anything to me about my thong, although we talked about everything else. When doing a group paddle that I am not leading I take: (a) snacks and drinks to share, (b) an elastic tow rope, (c) a long wide paddle board. (e) an anchor (d) extra sunscreen and first aid kit. The snacks and drinks are obvious. A bag of cherries always welcome. The elastic tow rope for someone who is exhausted, can't handle a head wind or lost a paddle. Sometimes a young lady will bring a dog that is too large for their little inflatable, so I can help her out by putting the dog on my higher volume, more space, hard paddle board. A good way to make friends is to be helpful and thoughtful. Sometimes it is good to lead, but just as valuable is the person rounding up the rear and helping the struggling. In cycling groups when a car follows providing Support And Gear, we call that SAG. Be that person. Someone will be eternally grateful.

Great words of advice James! I will take them into account when I meet up for the local paddle group and let you know how it goes.