Reverse "D" Box Fin Completed

This one is for ME. I built this one especially for my 9'6" Donald Takayama Model T.

Nothing against the pivot fins that usually go here, but this is the one that works for me in all of my single-fin longboards. It is not just nostalgic and cool. The depth and area of this template provides superb control on the nose. The soft radius of the trailing edge allows for smooth and effortless turning ability. Woods: Purpleheart, Philippine mahogany, Peruvian walnut and maple checkers.

Glass-Ons for Phil Edwards

2 of 5 glass-on single fins for Phil Edwards. Phil was enticed to come out of shaping retirement to do a very limited series of solid redwood longboards. I was absolutely honored to be invited to do the fins for this limited series. These two are laminated, beads ground to shape, ready to glass on. They are a tad rough-looking at this stage, but will be pure in form (Phil's Template), clean and beautiful when they are finished. Woods: Old growth redwood, reclaimed from a defunct , Northern California winery, Lace sycamore (diamond) and maple pinlines.

I also had the pleasure of presenting Phil with a special fin I made a few years ago, inspired by a Grannis Photo, which exalts a legend, a legendary label and a popular board model of the early 60's. Phil will always remain as one of my most admired and personally influential figures in surfing history.

7'-2" simm-21 for Bobby "Diamond" Donnelly

I love my Clark Hatachi and my Skil 100, but my favorite shaping tool.....especially for clean work on multiple strigers........my Grandad's razor sharp smoothing plane. Foiling out the tail in this one.

Task-specific, hand-made tools are up there too. I use an adjustable-arc sanding block for clean and symetrical concaves.

This one will get an Ice-blue full tint by Michael Miller.

Fin set: quilted maple over parota. Cheater-coated, ready to laminate in this photo.

Aloha Bobby D

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.