Friday, February 19, 2010

Huntington Beach and Beyond

I just got back to Huntington Beach to work on some surfboards and fix the deck of my parents house.
I am really excited to work with Hydroflex Surfboards in Oceanside this weekend. I had lunch with Carl Ekstrom and he showed my some top secret finless design work that was amazing!!! We stopped by to see Jim Phillips and the boys up on the hill. Jimmy was working on some beautiful wood boards and some unreal five stringer logs as well. I am also going to be shaping some boards in Global Glassing over the weekend hopefully we will run into Jeff Clark and congratulate him on the big win. Crow Haley came by and we discussed some changes and new improvements to our new big wave leash so keep your eyes peeled.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Seven Degrees of Surf

I'm lucky to get to work with guys like Curtis Hesselgrave and Brian Wilson at Fins Unlimited. I was blown away by Curtis Fins right away. Curtis lent me his longboard with a fin he had been developing. I have never gotten so much projection on any other board. He has since made me many fins from quad sets for small wave boards to full gun fins for Mavericks.
Erik at Axxe Wetsuits is another guy who has changed my life. The Axxe program is simple. Make the best wetsuits in the world. I feel like a cheater out there in the cold San Francisco water. My 5/3 has lasted over two seasons and gives me so much flexibility its like not having a wetsuit on at all. Another added bonus is that they dry quick if I want to get back in the water in the afternoon.
Crow Haley has been making and refining my leashes for several years now. He makes all the leashes by hand in America. I used one of his leashes at Peahi Jaws last season that saved my life.
Matt Shadbolt was my hero at Huntington Pier and The Wedge. He has been helping me get sweet shades from Electric Sunglasses. My favorites are the BSG II Polarized. They are great for driving and fishing.
Dick Brewer is my shaping teacher. He is the best shaper and designer in the world.
We just finished a DVD together about how to shape surfboards.

Kitesurfing

South Wind today at Ocean Beach. I went for a downwinder with Jamy Donaldson, Grant Twiggy Baker and Randy Cone. Ended up walking back to Noriega and getting a ride back from Danny Hess. It sure beats paddling! Ben Andrews could win the Mavericks Contest on Saturday.