New Life for a Classic '62 Gordie

A couple of years ago my brother Frank brought this early 60's Gordie to my house.  He had found it at a garage sale and purchased it for .......ten dollars.  Frank left it with me and asked if I would do some ding repair whenever I had the chance.  I immediately admired the board for the memories it evoked of my early surfing career and for its classic style, including the wide balsa and redwood T-band stringer, the curved outboard stringers and the custom fin that so identified the elements of surfboard design that were emerging during the first few years of the 60's.   The second board of my young surfing career in 1963 was a Gordie, a 3-stringer with sky blue resin panels on the outside rails and the same template fin, with a different glue-up pattern, as on this board.  I wanted it!

Fortunately, Frank was not similarly attached to the board as I.  I traded Frank a Simm-21 as I recall for the Gordie and it became mine.  This board was very straight and solid with no delam issues and the stringers and logo were in superb condition.  It was a great candidate for a like-new restoration.

So that is what I did, including Gordies original fin.   Check it out.

Phil Edwards Models x 2 ~ Early 60's & Early 90's

I have owned the late-80's, early 90's Phil Edwards Model for several years.  It has always been one of my favorite boards.  I had often dreamed of somehow, someday acquiring a pristine early-60's model to go with it.  By agreeing to take another precious board of mine in trade for this original Hobie, Phil Edwards Model my Brother-from-another-Mother, Francesco Di Tommaso made my dream come true (it's a long story).

I am truly grateful F.D.   They make a great photo together.

Top: 9'-8" P.E. Model shaped late 80's or early 90's.     Bottom: 10', early 1960's P.E. Model 

 The early board has the solid-ash, Reverse D fin, standard to the model.  The late model board has a fin box, as did most.  The reverse D box fin is one based on Phil's original template that I made for the board.

Pigs a Pair-9'8" and 9'10" Modern pigs headed for Japan

I built and shaped these two Pigs for Yuichi Imai of  http://www.wavesforever.com/ .  The clear volan 9-10 is for Dan and the pink volan 9-8 is for Ruichi.  They are on their way to Japan.  Dan and Ryuichi wanted me to do a "modern" version of the pig.  It didn't require much changing.  The template and 50/50 rails are true to the originals.  I simply added some subtle rocker, moved the fins up a couple inches and per request, added shallow, blended nose concave.  The 3" balsa stringers are chambered.

Glassing:  http://www.mmillersurfboards.com/

Thanks Yuichi, Dan and Ryuichi.  I had a blast building and shaping these boards.    Aloha,  JC

Home at last~Jess's Hobie, T.Martin Balsa Gun

Jess's long tome dream has finally materialized.  God bless all the wives who appreciate  that a beautiful board can serve as beautiful living decor as well.

(when its not dropping into green bombs)

10' Hobie balsa gun by Terry Martin for Jess

Jess Seiffert finally treated himself to a long awaited dream, a 10' Hobie, balsa gun, shaped by Terry Martin

I had the pleasure of doing the koa, maple and ebony fin. 

 Jess and Hobie Jr.

Woods:  Koa, Maple and Macassar Ebony

Custom 9'-8" chambered balsa for Bobby "diamonds" Donnelly

I built and shaped this 9'-8", 21 lb, chambered balsa longboard for myself a few years ago.  I was very happy to pass it on to my good buddy and shaping apprentice, Big "D".  (OK...ex-shaping apprentice.  He's making great boards on his own now)  Bobby is one of our "wounded warriors".  He is very active in the camp that introduces wounded warriors to surfing as a therapeutic sport.  Big D still maintains a truly positive attitude about his own recovery and that of others.  He has a huge heart.......and post-bk amputation, He still surfs better than most.   He makes me really proud to be his friend.

Aloha Big D

Lotta Fins Goin' Off = Too Busy To Blog

Business in February has been keeping my head down, bustin' out fins (a good thing).

 Terry Martin shapes X2 for Big Steve.  One-fin-Pin (L) and a classic noserider (R)

10" Cherry flex template for the OFP and a 10" pivot for the noserider.

 JC quads for the 7'5" and 7'11" T. Martin round-pins below.

T. Martin quads for Big Steve, sitting at Moonlight, waiting for cloth, fins, and color.

 Reverse D template.  Figured crotch Jatoba. Laminated ready to glass on.

                   9.5" lacewood fin.  This one is going on a T. Martin 10' balsawood Legacy Model.

 Center Box Fins!  Check it out.  These (3) are For sale;  Tattoo $265, Reverse D, $245, Bonzer $175
(plus Ca. state tax)  No Charge for local shipping.

 9.5" flame Maple.     Tatoo designs are woodburning and watercolor on a fine-sanded wood surface.

 Reverse D, full template.   Woods:  Imbuya (Brazilian walnut) and inlaid diamond of basketweave pattern, end-grain doug fir, with purpleheart border.

 All are custom fit bay hand.......Straight..........Snug.

6.5" Bonzer   woods:  Narrah and maple pinlines.

Italy~ Secret Point~ Francesco Di Tommaso on his "Tube Machine"

January, 2011, Francesco Di Tommaso

Northern Mediterranean, Southern Italy

When Storms in the Mediterranean kick up a long enough fetch for swells to hit Italy.....This happens.

Frigid winter air and Santa Cruz winter water temp's Don't keep Francesco out of the water.

Back in 2007, Francesco told me, "I'd like you to shape me a gun.....disguised as a longboard".

This is what I shaped for him.   This 9-0, pulled-in double ender, with low relaxed rocker, subtle single-into-double bottom contour and a set of reverse-D-template quads that I designed for it....... is deceivingly fast.  This is what he is riding in these photos.

Dimensions:

Francesco and his wife Manuela both have an impressive command of the English language, but I still find myself doing this sometimes......trying to interpret his exact meaning.

in Italian this means, "I'm cool with it".

After riding it, he has named it,  "Tube Machine" or T.M. for short.

Thanks for the photos.  Aloha Bro.

JC

Tyler Olson's 2nd Commerative Board

T.O. just picked up the 9-0 longboard that commemorates the birth of his second son.   Tyler will ride these occasionally, but his main goal is to pass each of these on, in great condition, to his boys when they are old enough to surf.    Board #1 is 9'4" glassed in volan.  Board #2 is 9'0" glassed in standard cloth.

"SOUL ARCH"

Aloha Tyler