Paul Jensen with his Father in law from Puget Sound on Christmas Day. " Years ago he had planted a Sequoia tree that grew fast and was lifting, then breaking the concrete slab, so Farrell had the tree taken out…Fortunately the tree sections were between 8 and 12’…Someone who cared, cut and dried the 4x4’s slowly and unforced…I was given a few sticks and knew what I needed to do…Build a board for Farrell who has been so supportive over the years of my surfy thing…"
7ft 2" Sequioa Swallowtail
Ready for glassing and making that colour jump..
The raw sequoia has this fleshy salmon color…
The frame and top skin ready to go together.
Firstly happy new year to everyone out there, hope its a good one ; and thanks to everyone who has helped with the blog during 2010, its more fun when you're showing me your stuff too. Back to the Surf Spot post from the other day, Alex Williams has some good memories of owning one in the early 70s , which sounds great after surfing an awkward bilbo . Above is Alex's mini in '75 with his Spot on the roof rack, just before he replaced it with a Creamed Honey.-
Happy New Year to everyone and thank you for your continued support. I hope we all have a better year ahead of us than we have just had.Here in Queensland we have thousands of people with their houses underwater and the biggest floods ever.Some rivers are yet to peak so the worst of it is yet to hit.When we have tough times this year , lets just be tankful that we are not one of these poor buggers waiting for the water to drop and see whats left to start again.
Happy New Year to everyone and thank you for your continued support. I hope we all have a better year ahead of us than we have just had.Here in Queensland we have thousands of people with their houses underwater and the biggest floods ever.Some rivers are yet to peak so the worst of it is yet to hit.When we have tough times this year , lets just be tankful that we are not one of these poor buggers waiting for the water to drop and see whats left to start again.
Had hoped to take the Freak Fish along to this one but sadly(!) I will be on my way to the Mentawais just after this event so looks like it will be another year before i get over there. I’m sure it will be a great event. Contact grantnewby@bigpond.com for more details…
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| Finalists: (left to right) Shem Hannemann, Andy Pierce, Conrad Carr, Brian Poppleton, and Contest Director Blake Baxter. |
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| Team Riders, Andy Pierce and Conrad Carr |
Back again now although still up north; we hade two weeks in Lanzarote and the only day it was really firing was the morning we had to leave - bloody typical. Hope you all had a good very white christmas anyway.Here's a board which surfaced in Manchester, a long way from its original home. An early 70s diamond tail singlefin made by Surf Spot in the north cornwall hot spot of Bude. Surf Spot was one of Bude's first surf shops and they made a few boards but not many, and the finish wasn't as high as say Bilbo , Tiki or Creamed Honey, but they were a small production I guess. An interesting board though, yet another small board company which makes our surf history so varied in the UK.This one has no leash fitting, a nice bright yellow tint, and no stringer, just a band of glue. It has a transfer logo and a hand drawn pencil teardrop on the deck. No shapers name but it would have been made by one of the hot surfers in the local area, many of which shaped. For an old board it has really thin glassing on the underside so its done well to survive - I think it has been in an urban loft for 15-20 years as is often the story. The previous owner has done a couple of beauty repairs in the bodger's fave grey car filler, and don't they look nice. Apart from that its in pretty good condition and if I can get it watertight I'm surfing it on thursday. 7'3 x 21 1/2 x 2 3/4 - I think it'll float me.
I did get to surf it yesterday, and the annual christmas time surf in north wales with Matt came up with the goods again this year with shoulder high glassy waves, no wind, fish jumping and a stunning sunset at Hells Mouth near Abersoch. The surf spot cruised admirably on possibly its first surf in 20 years and is ready for more .
Yohei has been building wooden boards in Northern California for many years.They are framed and he uses the bead and cove method to build his beautiful boards.
This is a 9ft 11" longboard he has just finished.
He also makes his own wooden fins.
" Most of the wood used for this board is sustainably harvested from our local forests. Types of wood include redwood, Port Orford cedar, western red cedar, and fir. Botanically speaking, heartwood is a ‘dead’ tissue of plants, but this surfboard is pretty much alive, and it stands so natural in the woods. I can’t even imagine how harmonious one would feel on a wave."
Check him out at : www.taiyosurfboards.com
