New Rudders for Josh Hall and Kaneoshi

Josh Hall is shaping a custom 6'-8" for one of Yuichi's friends in Japan.  He and Yuichi wanted me to translate one of Skip's box templates into a glass-on, marine-ply version.  This is the single-foil x 4 quad set that I came up with.   4.0" lead fins ~ 3.5" trailers. 

Woods:  Elm burl veneer over Baltic birch ply with black glue line. 

 This simm-21 set below is for Yuichis friend, Kaneoshi's 7'6" Simm-21 model

Woods:  Quilted maple veneer over Finnish birch ply, black glue line.

http://www.wavesforever.com/

http://www.joshhallsurfboards.com/

FUN   STUFF!!!

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.

5'6" Simm-21 ~ For My Friend, Tatsuya in Japan.

This clean little Simm-21 is headed to Tatsuya in Japan via Yuichi Imai's wavesforever.com

http://www.wavesforever.com/

Many thanks to Yuichi and Tatsuya.  I had fun shaping this one!  Aloha,     JC 

New Box Fins Have Arrived!

I'd have a hard time choosing which is more fun, shaping custom boards.....or building cool fins for them.

But Fins are so much easier to ship!!  I always love getting photos back from friends and clients of their boards with my fins in them or glassed onto them. 

7.0 marine ply box fin for Kris Chatterson in Brooklyn, NY

9.0 box fin for Francesco Di Tommaso's Tyler gun, Bari Italy

Thanks to Kris and Francesco for taking the time to send the cool photos of their boards

Aloha,  JC

New Box Fins

The 9.0 fin is for my buddy Francesco in Bari Italy.  The 7.0 Marine ply Frye template is for Kris Chatterson in New York.

 Woods:  Flame maple, Macassar ebony, red glue lines

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)

Got Fins?

This batch of Finnish Birch, marine ply fins is for Teppi Uchida in Newport beach

In this photo the fins are shown in bare wood, ready to be sealed and laminated.

Thanks Teppi.  I'm anxious to see some of these boards!

9.0 Center Box fin for Francesco's Tyler Gun

Francesco picked up a new 9'-2" Tyler fun-gun this summer, A beautiful double-ender with a deep red opaque lay-up, a yellow-gold tint on the deck and an olive brown pinline on the cut lap.  He needed a box fin for it, so this is what I came up with.

Woods:  Flame Maple over (2) flame maple veneer layers with a center of Macassar ebony

I used red glue for the lamination..  In this photo the fin is cheater-coated, ready to be laminated and the base laid up for the box.  Aloha Bro,  JC

Gun Racks for Jess

I'm usually busy shaping boards and foiling fins.  It's nice to take a break once and a while and bust out a nice set of racks for a friend.  These are for the Hobie, Terry Martin  balsa gun belonging to Jess Seiffert shown in one of the my recent, previous posts.

 Woods:  African mahogany, Macassar ebony, Brazilian cherry, 3/8" Finnish marine ply

Kustom Rudders for Holly and Joe

Holly Yang and her boyfriend Joe are back in Maine right now, building a couple hollow-wood boards with Mike Lavecchia at Grain Surfboards.  Holly and Joe wanted a couple custom fin sets to take with them.

I finished these just in time for their trip.

Aloha Holly and Joe.    SEND PHOTOS!!!

Sacred Craft Expo 2011 Del Mar

Sacred Craft, October 8th and 9th, in Del Mar was the biggest and the best one yet!

Thanks to all who stopped by to visit and to all those who attended and supported the show and all of the shapers, craftsmen and artists that made the show as great as it was.

Here's a couple shots of my space this year.

Thanks a million to Chris Tomlin, Kevin Dotson, Frank Cherry and Kenny Pruitt for all the help this year. 

L-R: Josh Martin, JC, Chris Tomlin and My brother in law and mentor, Terry Martin

Koa Quads and Tri's

Thes fins are shown cheater-coated, ready to laminate.  The Tri-fin set is for Steve Schirmacher.  They will go on an 11-0 that Skip Frye is shaping for him.  The quad set is for my young friend and shaping side-kick, Christopher Tomlin.  I am getting ready to shape for Chris the 11-0 Fish-Simmons that these fins will be on.

Hawaiian Style, Barry Kanaiaupuni ~Robert Rudine ~ JC Finz

This beautiful gun was built by Robert Rudine, one of the best blank builders and shapers in the business.

This one was shaped By the legend, BK in Hawaii.  This board was selected as one of the top 6 boards considered for "best in show" at Sacred Craft Del Mar.  Some a-sym, carbon fiber thing took top honors.

Go Figure!

Below is the fin set I made for it, figured Hawaiian Koa.