CHERRY SURFBOARDS BLOG

Do You Carry a Hand-Gun in Your Car?

You never know when one might come in handy. These three hand-guns or hand-planes are for Bobby "Big D" Donnelly.

They have a rolled, up-rail nose, blending into a smooth rail-to-rail concave and a harder, down-rail tail.

Woods: Light and dark balsa, redwood and Peruvian walnut.

Finish: multiple layers of laminating, hot-coat and gloss resins.

Dimensions: 17-1/2" x 8" x 1" approximately.

11' Chambered Balsa and Redwood Glider for Mitch

Mitch Talcove with his 11-0 glider. Mitch, a surfer and deep Mexico explorer since the 60's, owns Tropical Exotic Hardwoods of Latin America, located in Carlsbad. I get almost all of the exotic hardwoods I use from Mitch. Mitch also located and shipped up a container of superb-quality balsawood last spring when the rest of the state was completely out. I was stoked to Build and shape this board for Mitch out of some of the same wood that he brought up. Mitch, after many years of working too much and surfing too little, has decided that this is the vehicle he will use to change that pattern. This one is a rider! Mitch and his son, Marty christened it on the same afternoon that he picked it up. When one has finally worked his way to prosperity...........He can ride what ever the #*&% he wants! YOU GO MITCH!

Fin set woods: Old-growth heart and figured redwood and flame maple.

Nose and tail blocks: Laminated maple and peruvian walnut, capped with redwood lace burl.

Nose block

Dimensions: 11.0 x 23-1/4" x 3-1/4" ~ Weight: 31lbs

Glassing: By Michael Miller Surfboards; double 6oz both sides.
www.mmillersurfboards.com

Aloha Till Next Summer Grasshopper

Susan and I always hate saying goodbye to Francesco DiTommaso, his wife, Manuela and daughter, Vittoria. They spend 8 weeks here every summer, but it's never long enough.
Francesco shapes in Italy. But he always takes a couple new boards back to Italy with him
(plus a blank or two to shape) This year it was a 9'6", Hobie, Tyler Warren, One-fin-Pin and
a 10' chambered balsa nose-rider that Terry Martin and I built and shaped for him.

Terry, JC, and Francesco at the Hobie factory. Tyler Warren One Fin Pin

10-0 chambered balsa ~ 9-6 OFP

Francesco "Grasshopper" DiTommaso~riding my 10-0 balsa Simmons at Terramar

Perched on the OFP-Terramar

Ciao Fratello. See ya next summer. JC

11" Glider for Christopher Tomlin

This one is currently at the glasser's, being patiently awaited by CT. I usually glue these up myself, but Chris ordered this 11-3D, blue-weight blank with the 3" stringer from US blanks.
They obviously used some of the lightweight balsa that is finally available at times. The finished weight is really nice. This one has a very subtle single concave bottom.

Fin: Glass-on, 10" flex template. Sapele veneer over 3/8" Marine ply.

Aloha Chris, JC

New Simm-21 for Wayne Payne

Smiley face! Just what I like to see. Wayne is a San Clemente local. This 7-2 got it's maiden session at Middles. Wayne wanted a little extra paddle-power so we left the thickness of this one at 3". Initial board report; He loves it!
Aloha Wayne. JC

Glassing: Michael Miller Surfboards http://www.mmillersurfboards.com/

Above photo: Wayne Payne

Fin Woods: Inside panels; Parota. Outside panels; Flame maple over bubinga veneer.

New Fish for Kaleb

When Kaleb Shirmacher told his dad, Steve that he wanted to start surfing with him, Steve came to me for Kaleb's first board. Steve gave me some basic parameters and I put together this killer, 6-0, High performance but user friendly fish. Steve asked me to make some Marine ply canard quads for it. We had Michael Miller do the basic, sanded-finish, clear glass job. Steve and Kaleb took it to Scorpion Bay to christen it. Kaleb is an athletic kid, who I am sure will be as talented a surfer as his dad. What a treat and an honor to do the first board for the beginning of this young mans surfing career.