It takes a while to get to the Fattyshack. Sometimes, as Bob Dylan tells us, the distance is not near. Wind, rain, and even snow have proven formidable obstacles, but, like the mail, boards must be delivered.Mostly, though, the drive is a much-needed retreat. Highway 101 carves a graceful line through Sonoma County's hills, vineyards, and redwoods, and each season presents something that never fails to inspire me to pull over and snap a few shots.
Last fall a personal board had made it into the minivan bound for Fatty's. Usually, I ask for clear glassjobs for quick curing and faster immersion into our chilly waters. But something about the fall--the green and red foliage, the crisp blue sky--conspired against this, and the words 'Fall Foliage' made their way onto the order card.
As per usual, Leslie's interpretation of the order was spot-on. Burnt red deck and bottom rails, a light green bottom, and a bold pinline in blue.
I've been surfing this little disc (6'0x20.5 with five fin boxes for quad, 2+1, single, 1+2 options) for a few weeks now, digging its ride. The other day, when walking past a patch of iceplant, I was struck by the same color palate from the fall--the reds and greens set off by a powder blue sky. Nature repeating itself.
So, if nature repeats itself, doesn't it then anticipate itself? 'Pre-peat' itself? Spring colors influencing the fall, which are then reflected in the spring, only to be reabsorbed into the fall.Either way, the board rides great as a 2+1 with a flexie center fin. It also rides well as a quad. haven't tried any other setups, but check out Fatty's patented 'hourglass' laps on the bottom--Kelsey thinks it looks like a bowling pin. It incorporates fin patches into the lamination, which (in my mind) preserves the directional flex in the tail.
Or looks like a bowling pin.
