Last Feb, one of my younger brothers and I were returning from SFO back to IAD. He was continuing to ZRH. He carried on a new snowboard ! When the GA saw what he was bringing on board, she freaked (a little)! My brother offered his boarding card (business on a three-class 767) and said with a straight face the check-in agent said it was ok to carry-on . The GA then said "ok". Once on board, the FAs were happy to store it in one of the lockers.