One of the best memories of my entire life.
Noosa Heads, 2009 with my best friends.
Photo By George Trimm
Recycled Art
Making something out of nothing. This wood sculpture was a product of some scrap pieces of pine wood left over from cutting the outline for a couple hand planes. Once the outline is cut many people would think just to throw away the rest. I first see opportunity to try and make something unique. It is like a form of recycling. Instead of just putting this wood into the trash it can be recycled into a nice piece of art.
North Coast Handplaneing
After a bit of a blog hiatus. I've decided to start it up again to share a few of the projects I've been focused on over the last year as well as some of the inspiring people I've come across. I'll start with a birthday body surfing, hand-planeing session I shared with a couple friends last week on the north coast.Enjoy.
The friendly ghost travels to OR
Ben just dropped me a line from the magical North West and says that his mini-bob is doing it proper, according to the man, "the bob is rockin'...throwin' cups... Super stoked... I really haven't been happier with a board in a very long time." There you have it. I couldn't be more stoked for you Ben, hit me up when you get back this way brother!
Porpoise update
It’s still off with the fins, but i had an excellent session on it at North Watergate last week… it just flew.
I think the secret was the board, as is, needed to be ridden harder with the current fin set up to get the best out of it.
It’s still off with the fins but now i see this as just improving the initial speed and getting it planing sooner rather than anything more radical. As a shape it is incredibly manoeuvrable and harnesses loads of energy… a really fun board for the small stuff.
Echo beach
The Echo beach movement from the early 80s around Newport beach California was the birthplace of a new wave surf scene which affected boards and fashion across the surfing world and launched companies like Quiksilver and Stussy to superstardom. Brightly coloured wetsuits, checks , dots and bright sprays on boards were the go, and the surfing by guys like Danny Kwock was just as eyecatching.
Wooden Surfboard night at the Gold Coast Surf Museum the night before the Wooden Board Day
Surf World Gold Coast
Wooden Surfboard Night
Saturday 7th August 6.30pm for a 7pm start
$15 per head includes a sausage sizzle and drink
A great opportunity to mix and meet with other people interested in wooden boards and hear from some very talented individuals who build them.
Wooden boards come in many shapes and styles of construction. Tom Wegener, Roger Hall and Mike Connor will give a brief overview of their various methods of board construction and experiences. This will be followed by an open question and answer forum with the guys. A sample of what will be on display at the Wooden Board Day in the park at Currumbin Alley the next day,
Tom Wegener
An expatriate Californian lawyer turned surfboard shaper transplanted into the hills behind Noosa at Cooroy. He has spent the last 10 plus years building wooden boards and researching and finessing his love affair with the ancient Hawaiian Alaia
finless boards.” I hope the eyes of other shapers will be opened to the possibilities of applying the oldest methods in the world to today's cutting edge technologies.
"Historically in surfing, people have looked for lighter, faster technologies, thinking the holy grail is somewhere in carbon fibre and lighter, stronger materials.
"But my approach is to look as far back as we possibly can at the few surviving boards from the ancient Hawaiians and study what Captain Cook and his crew watched when they saw surfing for the first time, and draw inspiration from that."
Last year Surfing Magazine voted Tom “Shaper of the Year”. A great honour and recognition of his exploration into the heritage and roots of surfing that has inspired a new wave of innovation into this sport. " Wood is Good".
Roger Hall
A Kiwi with over 30 years of shaping boards in every shape and style, who has a well know reputation for innovation and quality. Roger has incorporated wood in to the handmade boards he builds for many years. Whether it is multiple stringers, nose and tail blocks, or beautiful inlays, Roger is a master of it all. He has always had a healthy supply of various timbers on hand and loves to combine them wherever possible.
A recent quote from Slide magazine sums up Roger very well. "Roger's enthusiasm and passion for finely crafting something more akin to a work of art is strongly evident. It would be a safe bet to say the prospect of bettering his craft is admirably motivating him much more so than the almighty dollar."
Mike Connor
A passionate woodworker who hails from Corndale, located west of Byron Bay. Mike’s interest in working with wood began some 25 years ago when he began experimenting and building various items as a hobby. He is largely self-taught although the opportunity to attend classes with local world-renowned cabinetmaker, Geoff Hannah, added inspiration and refinement to his creations. His love of wood has resulted in him exploring and collecting local and exotic timbers to the point of filling a large shed.
For the past 10 years Mike has pursued a full time career as a craftsman making various customised pieces ranging from furniture to woodwork benches, wooden tools and workshop jigs to make outcomes more accurate. Some teaching has followed and his desire is to share knowledge rather than keep it secret.
Today he specialises in crafting ukuleles and guitars as well as surfboards. This interest in surfboards has seen Mike link up with Bob McTavish to help recreate some of Bob’s well-known designs in wood.
To book a spot or buy a ticket please contact the Surf Museum :
Tomewin Street , Currumbin , opposite the entry to the wild life santuary
PH: 07- 5525 6380
Surf World Gold Coast is a not-for-profit museum dedicated to celebrating the history and culture of surfing.
Wooden Surfboard night at the Gold Coast Surf Museum the night before the Wooden Board Day
Surf World Gold Coast
Wooden Surfboard Night
Saturday 7th August 6.30pm for a 7pm start
$15 per head includes a sausage sizzle and drink
A great opportunity to mix and meet with other people interested in wooden boards and hear from some very talented individuals who build them.
Wooden boards come in many shapes and styles of construction. Tom Wegener, Roger Hall and Mike Connor will give a brief overview of their various methods of board construction and experiences. This will be followed by an open question and answer forum with the guys. A sample of what will be on display at the Wooden Board Day in the park at Currumbin Alley the next day.
An expatriate Californian lawyer turned surfboard shaper transplanted into the hills behind Noosa at Cooroy. He has spent the last 10 plus years building wooden boards and researching and finessing his love affair with the ancient Hawaiian Alaia
finless boards.” I hope the eyes of other shapers will be opened to the possibilities of applying the oldest methods in the world to today's cutting edge technologies.
"Historically in surfing, people have looked for lighter, faster technologies, thinking the holy grail is somewhere in carbon fibre and lighter, stronger materials.
"But my approach is to look as far back as we possibly can at the few surviving boards from the ancient Hawaiians and study what Captain Cook and his crew watched when they saw surfing for the first time, and draw inspiration from that."
Last year Surfing Magazine voted Tom “Shaper of the Year”. A great honour and recognition of his exploration into the heritage and roots of surfing that has inspired a new wave of innovation into this sport. " Wood is Good".
Roger Hall
A Kiwi with over 30 years of shaping boards in every shape and style, who has a well know reputation for innovation and quality. Roger has incorporated wood in to the handmade boards he builds for many years. Whether it is multiple stringers, nose and tail blocks, or beautiful inlays, Roger is a master of it all. He has always had a healthy supply of various timbers on hand and loves to combine them wherever possible.
A recent quote from Slide magazine sums up Roger very well. "Roger's enthusiasm and passion for finely crafting something more akin to a work of art is strongly evident. It would be a safe bet to say the prospect of bettering his craft is admirably motivating him much more so than the almighty dollar."
Mike Connor
A passionate woodworker who hails from Corndale, located west of Byron Bay. Mike’s interest in working with wood began some 25 years ago when he began experimenting and building various items as a hobby. He is largely self-taught although the opportunity to attend classes with local world-renowned cabinetmaker, Geoff Hannah, added inspiration and refinement to his creations. His love of wood has resulted in him exploring and collecting local and exotic timbers to the point of filling a large shed.
For the past 10 years Mike has pursued a full time career as a craftsman making various customised pieces ranging from furniture to woodwork benches, wooden tools and workshop jigs to make outcomes more accurate. Some teaching has followed and his desire is to share knowledge rather than keep it secret.
Today he specialises in crafting ukuleles and guitars as well as surfboards. This interest in surfboards has seen Mike link up with Bob McTavish to help recreate some of Bob’s well-known designs in wood.
To book a spot or buy some tickets for the night please contact the Surf Museum :
Tomewin Street , Currumbin , Opposite the entrance to the wild life santuary
PH: 07- 5525 6380
Surf World Gold Coast is a not-for-profit museum dedicated to celebrating the history and culture of surfing.
Hot Buttered by Ratso Buchanan
5'10 Hot Buttered from around 1980 with an eye wateringly bright spray - the 80s in all its glory , from the collection of Martin from Discoverysurf. Its shaped by top New Zealand surfer shaper Ian ratso Buchanan , possibly shaped in Cornwall at Ocean Magic. Ratso has been a guest shaper a few times in Cornwall over the years , and this board uses a burford blank, which Nigel imported into the UK. It has a twin fin + 1 set up, quite common in the transitional years from twins to thrusters, and is in great condition with no fading on those colours !
Surf Scene 1981
Hot Buttered team rider Derek Hynd '81
Derek at Fistral, '81 Gul Alder pro am5 Fin for Falco, Double Wing Zing and the Mini Swallow
Fresh surfing tools for those who love to draw limitless lines:
Check Out the Teeth on this one! Custom double wing swallow tri-fin..
Purple/blue airbrush makes the basswood stringer stand out..
Topside..
Mini swallow tri, sans wings..
True blue airbrush.
Clean white deck..
Five fin swallow for versatility (set up as a quad in this photo)
Black airbrush band on the deck..
A happy Steve Falco with his new stick!
Check Out the Teeth on this one! Custom double wing swallow tri-fin..
Purple/blue airbrush makes the basswood stringer stand out..
Topside..
Mini swallow tri, sans wings..
True blue airbrush.
Clean white deck..
Five fin swallow for versatility (set up as a quad in this photo)
Black airbrush band on the deck..
A happy Steve Falco with his new stick!
~ Burger Wednesday ~
For those of you who experienced your first Scotty Burger on Friday, here at the shop, don't fear... that doesn't have to be your last incredible cheeseburger experience.
You can actually make it part of your weekly routine. (I did quite some time ago)
You can actually make it part of your weekly routine. (I did quite some time ago)
Freakishly good weekend…
Freakfish was getting respect again this weekend. Sunday night glass off sunset session with a few friends resulted in some high speed carves, in a way only a freakfish can. As a new design this has so much potential – truth is at my years I can’t really do it justice… young rippers and aerial artists required, apply via email :)
Tony's board finished and road tested.
Ride report - " Surfed for about 2 hours off the shops at Lennox in 1 - 2ft clean beachbreaks. didn't leak (very important), paddles pretty well, good volume, caught heaps of waves, took a while to get used the nose riding rocker, not as loose as I expected after riding the pintail yesterday however moving the fin up may fix that, trims nice and gets good momentum. Suspect that it will be at home in small point waves, would like it to be a bit more agile so will keep playing with fins until I get it feeling like I can change direction when I want. 10" greenough fin looks at home"
www.tonycrimminstimbersurfboards.blogspot.com
Good Gift Idea
- Forest view
My newest hat was a present to my dad for Father's Day. This is his new golf hat because the white mesh will keep his head cool in the sun and with the UV protective coat on the hat the paint will never fade.
Swimmy Jimmy
Jimmy and I paddled out last night to shoot some water photographs in Newport.
Barrels were closing out and people strapped to giant fans were soaring overhead.
Barrels were closing out and people strapped to giant fans were soaring overhead.
Pig in a Shiny Blanket
The widepoint aft, narrow-nosed, rolled-bottom Pig got its name from cowboyin' enthusiast Dale Velzy, who likened its image to that of a pig when viewed from horseback. It's a time-enduring design, and a valid approach to Northcoast surfing.
Unlike the coastline south of Point Conception, the water up here goes from very deep to very shallow without much inbetween. Longboard design elements tend to focus more on controlling speed rather than generating it, especially during the takeoff and bottom turn, and the Pig does this quite well.
It's pulled-in nose adds some curve to the planshape, and fits into a steep curl more decisively. The rear widepoint is an excellent command center, and, in addition to getting into the wave earlier, sets an authoritative line when combined with the 'D' fin and bottom curves.
This particular model is the product of an ongoing effort with Leslie to squeeze the square peg of the design into the round hole of our Northcoast waves. She wrapped this pig into a classy volan blanket, glassed on the fin so skillfully foiled by the good folks at Rainbow Fin Co., lay down a matching resin deck pinline, then polished her up good.
Speaking of coasts, I'm on the east one right now. Did you know that sometimes in New England you have to use your car's A/C at night? I shit you not.
Unlike the coastline south of Point Conception, the water up here goes from very deep to very shallow without much inbetween. Longboard design elements tend to focus more on controlling speed rather than generating it, especially during the takeoff and bottom turn, and the Pig does this quite well.
It's pulled-in nose adds some curve to the planshape, and fits into a steep curl more decisively. The rear widepoint is an excellent command center, and, in addition to getting into the wave earlier, sets an authoritative line when combined with the 'D' fin and bottom curves.This particular model is the product of an ongoing effort with Leslie to squeeze the square peg of the design into the round hole of our Northcoast waves. She wrapped this pig into a classy volan blanket, glassed on the fin so skillfully foiled by the good folks at Rainbow Fin Co., lay down a matching resin deck pinline, then polished her up good.
Speaking of coasts, I'm on the east one right now. Did you know that sometimes in New England you have to use your car's A/C at night? I shit you not.
Getting the two boards ready to final shape
That looks better, just need to blend it all together in the final shaping.
Fine tuning the curves
Looks a bit better when you see all those laminates show up.
Clean her all up and knock a bit of wood off with the plane.
Gluing all the bits together
Planning the angles and mapping out the cut.
Cedar and Paulownia tail block
10 footer all ready for sorting the rails.
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