Italian Invasion @ Egor's

Francesco DiTommaso, from Bari Italy is a dear friend (and one of my best clients).
2 days off of the plane and not wasting any time, on the nose, sampling some California waves.

He is riding a Cherry Surfboards, 9'2", 2+1 performance longboard, his usual favorite pick out of my quiver to ride when he is here............until the surf gets good and he steps on the most recent balsa board that I have made for him.

Scroll down a few posts for a looks a the new chambered balsa 10-0 that Terry Martin and I made for him.

SIMM-21's (21st century Simmons)

After 31 years of shaping, I have created my first "model" series........The SIMM-21.
check it out! The shape translates well from 8'0" on down. Here is an 8-0, a 7-2 and a 6-3. Owners are Frank Cherry from I.B., Warren Canada form Jacksonville and Morgan Smith, Windansea local. I have gotten back glowing reports from Frank and Morgan. I think Warren is still waiting for surf (it is Florida). These boards are superb in everything from minimal size and poor conditions to overhead, lined-up point breaks. They catch waves extremely well. They have superb hull speed, carrying the speed through the flats and long cut-backs. And they are delightfully maneuverable. All boards are 100% hand-shaped.

Morgans board; Fins are koa, lace sycamore and maple. the twins are single-foil. The trailer fin is a small, double-foil, Simmons-template. It adds great stability and tail drive.

Diamond tail

Subtle single-into-double concave bottom.

Transitional rail line; hard up-rail at the nose to hard down-rail through the tail.

The subtle step deck is reminiscent of the original Simmons boards. it fits well into the wave face and lightens up the nose.

The Winged Simm-21 logo, each done by hand, signifies each model.

Warren chose a shell inlay to back the standard Cherry Surfboards logo.

The standard Simm-21 model is glassed with double 6oz on the deck and single 6oz on the bottom. They are very sturdy while remaining fairly light. 1/4" cedar stringer, solid tint on both sides, custom glass-on fins, glossed and polished finish and a glass leash tab are included.

Price: $895-$925

Turn-around time: 6 weeks (max)

Wood Under Glass

Dr Bob's 10-0 at Moonlight, just laminated, double 6oz both sides.

It always blows my mind when I witness the transformation that happens as soon as some glass and resin are added to the mix. This one lit up and came to life beyond my best expectations. Fin: African mahogany with flame maple pinlines.

Ready for Moonlight

Dr. Bob's board, ready to go to Moonlight glassing. Weight pre-glass; 29lbs

I can't wait to watch the wood come to life under resin on this one.

10'-0" x 23-3/8" x 3". Old-school longboard template, low-progressive rocker, 50/50 rails, glass-on D fin. At glassed weight of 39lbs(+-) it will be a rider and a super glider.

Mahalo Doc. JC

10'-0" Chambered Balsa and Redwood for Dr Bob Randolph

This templated balsa / redwood blank weighs just under 40 lbs before shaping. Anticipated finished weight after glassing: 35-40 lbs. This board will grace the main wall in Dr Bob's waiting room in his new Solana Beach office (when it's not in the water). More posts to follow: custom fin and finished-board photos. Stay tuned. Thanks Doc! JC

10-0 Chambered Balsa Nose Rider- Bound for Italy

This 10'0" chambered-balsa nose rider was built by J. Cherry and Shaped by Terry Martin and glassed at Moonlight Glassing for Francesco DiTommaso of Bari Italy. It will go home with him after his stay in So Cal this summer. This board was glued-up, rough-shaped, disassembled and heavily chambered, then re-glued and finish-shaped again by Terry. Finished weight; 28 lbs Fin: African mahogany, flame maple, Peruvian walnut. It will definately be one of FD's riders. I can't wait to do a little walking around on it myself this comming summer.

A new Italian Master

My good friend and apprentice, Francesco DiTommaso, in Bari Itay, just sent me these photos of his first personally-built board. a beautiful round-pin quad. FD borrowed one of my templates and shaped, glassed and made the fins for his first board. FD spends every summer here in LaJolla and Carlsbad. Although FD has had the benefit Of several instructional sessions in the shaping bay with me and with Terry Martin, you don't pull this off without the heart and the eye for the craft. FD has both in spades. FD shaped this in is home town in Italty, minus all the production products and amenities that would be available to him here in So. Cal.

Great Job Grasshopper. Love ya Bro, JC