A New Request........6'5" Simm-21 Quad Fish

Dan Stupar called me last month and asked if I would do a Simm-21 for him, but change it up a bit.............to a fish with a quad set-up. Heck, why not? the board is getting a Michael Miller ultra-violet full tint glass job as I am composing this. This one will absolutely RIP.

"Coke-Bottle" Green, 6'-3" Simm-21

Cary Kinkead's 6-3 Simm-21. Fin set; figuered ash and imbuya.

Glassing; Michael Miller

Hawaiian koa~California redwood

Al Merrick template big-gun Tri fins, Old-growth California redwood, figured koa with white maple pin lines. This fin set will go on a 10-6 Merrick gun........the gun is of solid redwood, chambered down to a weight in the 30 lb range. The board and fin redwood are out of beams and staves from huge industrial casks that once aged red wine (early 20th century) at a now defunct, northern California winery. Pretty cool! Owner, blank builder; Larry Fuller

Reverse "D" for a "Pickle" Warren One-Fin-Pin

This Reverse "D" fin is going on Francesco's 9'-6", Hobie, Tyler Warren, One Fin Pin, shaped by Terry Martin. The board will have opaque, eggplant-purple rails and a creme panel down the center of the Two outboard-set cedar stringers, with some of Pickle's incredible line-drawing art in black on the bottom. The fin should set it off just right.
Cheater-coated, ready for Laminating.
Woods: Jatoba figured crotch wood, quilted maple, white flame maple, black ebony and pruple-heart.

Laminated, 3 layers of 6 oz both sides with a 1/2"-5/8" glass bead.

Bagged and ready for a trip to Moonlight Glassing. The finished board is going to be INSANE!!

Stay tuned.

More LJ Cove Action From Richard Kenvin

RK said, "Action isn't all that great in this one but its a cool photo.wind is blowing very hard offshore here, getting under the board. Kid behind the wave is Lucas, he likes riding the balsa too."

Holly Yang's New Steve Mast Board

Holly Yang always looks this upbeat, but this day it was in appreciation for the cool Steve Mast board she was picking up. Also an incredibly talented tattoo artist (his #1 gig) Steve has been shaping superb, innovative boards on "the Hill" by Channin and Fins Unlimited for a long time.
This is Holly's second Steve Mast creation that I have had the pleasure to fit with rudders.
Beautiful board Holly and Steve. Thanks for inviting me to have a part in it's creation. JC

Richard Kenvin~Film maker, Test pilot, Historian

Wednesday, January 20th. Richard Kenvin streaking under a double-overhead lip at La Lolla shores. He is riding a 7-2 Carl Ekstrom asymmetrical rocket. RK frequently test pilots Carl's innovations.
RK same day same board................ just deeper.

Amazingly, the following surf shot at the La Jolla cove is RK, same day, different spot, different board. He is riding the 10-0 Bob Simmons reproduction that Terry Martin and I built in May, '08.

Original, early-50's, Bob Simmons, twin-keel spoon. This one is white over solid balsa. I'm not sure about his particular board, shown here at the Oceanside Surf Museum, but in the early-50's many balsa boards were painted simply for UV protection.

Terry's shaping bay at Hobie. T. Martin and J. Cherry studying photos of several Original Simmons boards before T. Martin puts the planer to my close-to-shape blank to finish the 10-0 reproduction board.

Finished reproduction; 10'0" Simmons twin-keel spoon. 7' of parallel center concave in the bottom.

Jan. 20th, 2010. RK on the 10-0 at La Jolla Cove. I love how this take-off shot puts a measure to the wave against the 10'0" board and how it shows the paddle power and early-entry capabilities of the design. RK makes it look effortless. With the twin keels set back on the corners, the center concave and the 32 lb. weight of the board, it would like to have a mind of its own when it comes to picking a line. Riding it requires some forceful input at times. RK does it as well as anyone. La Jolla shots were courtesy of RK and his photo crew.