9' 1" , 2+1 Speedster for Francesco
I shaped this one this summer for Francesco.
It has a low rocker overall, with slight nose kick in the last 18" and slightly lifted tail in the last 18'.
I has a very subtle single-into-double concave bottom. I built a custom box fin for it to make for easier travelling. It will be Francesco's go-to board for the bigger days in Italy (Yes...they do happen).
Fin woods: flame maple over poplar veneers, dyed black and white, center lam; Peruvian walnut.
California state bear logo: Angel wing clam.
REFLECTION ~ Beautiful opaque-black glass job by Michael Miller
Wounded Warrior tribute board.
These fins were commissioned for an 8', solid Sequoia Redwood gun by Al Merrick.
The wood for the board was taken from the last Giant Sequoia legally taken from the Northern California Redwood Forest. The approximately 4000 year old tree was already down when the permit was taken to remove it in the early '60s. This board will be sent to Washington DC to be auctioned off. All proceeds will be donated to the Wounded warriors fund.
Fin woods:Quilted maple over flame koa over California redwood burl
Templates: Al Merrick tri-fin gun.
I will post photos of this board when it is finished. Stay tuned!
"Diamond on fire" D template fin #2
I am shaping a 9'-0" pig for Akimasa in Japan. Akimasa requested this particular fin design for his board after seeing the same framed fin I did last year for Steve Shiremacher.
I will be posting photos of the finished board soon.
"John and Susan" Tribute boards
Dave Yearwood of yearwood surfboards in North Carolina was recently inspired to design and shape two unique, high performance short boards, the "John and Susan" boards as a tribute to my late wife Susan Cherry and myself. Dave came out to visit me a few weeks ago and we designed fin sets for both boards.
Here is what we came up with.
Reverse "D" template single-foil quads. Woods: Flame maple over white poplar over koa.
Custom tri-fin set. Wood: Solid figured koa.
Simm-21 sets headed to Japan on 7'6" and 7'2" Simms.
Woods: Solid koa
7' 0" Simm-21 Quad Fish "HogFish"
I designed a new template set for HogFish, single-foil x 4, Reverse"D" trailers for fluid control and a fuller profile on all foils.
Finished tri-color HogFish below. Next to it, L to R, 6'0" Mini Simmons out of chambered paulonia wood by Francesco Di Tommaso and a 7' 2" Simm-21 for James Badger.
Ebony and Ivory
This is the 2nd 7'-2" Simm-21 I have Shaped for Warren Canada, My buddy from Florida. The first looked very much like the one I just finished For James in the photo above. The stunning design in it's entirety was Warren's vision.
Fin Woods: Macassar Ebony, Holly, Flame maple pin lines.
White opaque resin panels with black resin pinlines.
Chambered ultralight-balsa stringer.
Framed Art Fin
For Christopher Tomlin. Wood: Figured crotch wood, Bubinga.
Glass-on, Singlefin for Doug Smith
This is going on a new, classic longboard Doug is having shaped.
Template: Tyler "Zeke"
Woods: Figured Sapele, birds-eye maple and flame koa veneers laminated over 1/4" Marine Ply
Chambered paulonia Mini-Simmons
Francesco Di Tommaso crafted and laminated this board in Bari Italy. He brought it with him to be finished by Michael Miller. The main reason being the unavailability of the right resin products in Italy.
The template he worked with was from an original 10'0" Simmons Spoon.
The board is chambered throughout and has a surprisingly nice weight for a paulonia board with a standard glass job on it.
Fins: Solid Koa by J. Cherry. Fin Template from original 9'0" Simmons owned by John Elwell.
8' 0" Agave, 70's Style Pipeline Gun
I made this board for the 2011 Sacred Craft show. It seemed at the time like the perfect choice to build and shape from the superb stash of agave I had stored up. This last winter I traded it to Francesco for a pristine, 1963, 10' 0" Phil Edwards Model Hobie.
Francesco is taking it home this summer. The 10' 0" Phil hangs in my living room.
For more on this board and it's construction click on "agave boards" on the home page.
2011 Tavarua Model
Francesco and I designed and shaped this board at the end of his visit last summer. He left it for Michael Miller to glass. This Summer it's headed home to Italy. Next Summer....hopefully....some Tavarua barrels with it!
Fins: 1/4" Baltic Birch ply, outside panels; Redwood burl veneer, inside panels; green/gold abalone veneer. By J. Cherry
Marine Ply, Single-Foil Twins for Florian Saylor