Thomas Patrick Surfboards

My idea of fun on a Saturday...

2012-01-25T23:38:00.000-08:00

Stan and I worked on his new "Super T-Belly" last weekend. We spent a lot of time talking about design elements, and I got a chance to explain the shaping process, what I was doing and why. Of course we had to swap surf stories, which is always part of the deal when surfers get together. Is this a cool gig, or what? Here's some more shots of the shaped blank....

Board is now in Ray Lucke's capable hands for glassing. I'll post more pix when its done.

Today is TSJ Day....

2012-01-23T19:00:00.000-08:00

My favorite surf mag arrived in the mail today...

If you don't already read this cover-to-cover, you should...definitely worth a cup of coffee at Barnes&Noble.

New Board for Tom...

2012-01-22T23:36:00.000-08:00

Chris brought in his dad's 15-yr old Stewart and asked if I could shape something similar. I kept the outline similar, but made some changes in the bottom contours to update the performance. I used a "green" density foam blank from USBlanks and 6-oz Silane cloth on deck and bottom. Replacing the 3/16" cedar stringers with 1/8" cedar compensated for the extra weight of the denser foam. End result is a board that is more durable but no heavier than the board its replacing.

Father and son with old and new

Old and new bottom view

Board dimensions: 9'6" 18-3/4" x 23-3/4" x 14" 3-1/8" Custom laminated wood tailblock and new True Ames fins finish off this classic beauty.

Dolphin Fan's Noserider

2012-01-08T13:54:00.000-08:00

Dolphin fan Ilan and brother Tito

I shaped this 9-6 Neo Single-fin for Miami Dolphin Fan Ilan. Boards dimensions are 9-6 18-3/4" x 23" x 15-3/8" 3". Board has typical Neo features: half-length, blended nose concave, moderate "V" in tail and eggy, 60/40 rails.

The two 1/8" cedar stringers can be seen clearly through the tourqoise and orange resin tint glass job (by Ray Lucke). A clear True Ames "Slick" model center fin finishes off this noseriding beauty.

Ilan was able to watch the entire shaping process from raw blank to finished shape.

Heading to a nearby break for a little tip-time...

New SUP...finally

2011-12-16T17:32:00.000-08:00

This is my first SUP. The design was a cooperative effort between Ray Lucke and me. Having glassed a large number of SUPs, including limited-class racing SUPs, Ray has a good eye for what works. Using Aku Shaper, the designed shape's file was sent to Marko Foam who machined the 1.7lb EPS blank. After receiving the blank from Marko, I made some adjustments in the thickness of the nose and tail, and added the wings to the tail to get tail-width down to 17". Dimensions are: 10-0 20-1/2" x 32" x 17" 4-1/4". I wanted an SUP that would offer good paddling for flat-water touring, but would still be spunky enough to surf.

Board was air-sprayed light yellow, and glassing schedule was 6-oz E-glass + 6-oz E-glass deck and 6-oz E-glass bottom. Red pin line and gloss & polish finish completed things. After glassing, the dual leash cups, one-way air vent and deck pad were installed. Fin set-up is 2+1, with FCS Fusion side-bite boxes. I plan to start off with a 9.5" True Ames Faberow Flex fin, and will switch to the 7.5" TA Wayne Rich Power fin with TA Side-bites after I get a little more comfortable surfing the board.

Already I'm very impressed with the lightness (26lb) of this board despite its huge size. You'll definitely see me building some EPS/Epoxy longboards in the near future.

More Surf Quotes...

2011-12-08T10:53:00.000-08:00

This quote from another master surfer/shaper helps me get through the "dry spells"...like today.
Lopez was asked how he manages to live in Bend, OR, so far from the ocean and surfing.

‘There are always moments in surfing that hold you over-that’s the thing. It really doesn’t take much. For me, it’s always been a moment here or a moment there: a good turn, a tube, a drop, those kinds of things can carry you for a long time, months, sometimes years.”

-Gerry Lopez, “The Surfer Interview” September, 2004

I have a few "mind-videos" that I replay when I haven't surfed in a while. None look like the above, however...

Winter swell dreamin'...

2011-12-03T18:01:00.000-08:00

Late Fall is a time to put away the noserider and break out the “winter board”. In this case, a 9-6 blue tint, reverse-lap, pinlined Nova Speedster Pintail, sporting TA side-bites and a 7” Wayne Rich Classic center fin, all in red (of course!). Dimensions are: 17-1/2” x 22-3/4” x 13-3/4” 3”

What's unique about this board is that I used a “red” density USBlanks blank. This is the density that most PU shortboards use. To counteract the lower density (and to prevent excessive heel denting) I used the more expensive, but stronger Silane cloth, instead of E-cloth. End result is a relatively lightweight longboard, which will resist excessive denting (or so I hope)

I kept the rocker at just over 4” in the nose and just under 4” in the tail, and used more of a continuous curve throughout. There's slight concave in the nose and a fair amount of V in the tail.

Like all of my "Shop" boards (wink, wink, nod, nod) this one's for sale. Shoot me an email if interested.

My Cure for Flat Spells...

2011-11-28T12:24:00.000-08:00

Like most of you, I absolutely hate flat spells. Its bad enough when the waves are so small that you have to drag out your 9-9 (or something bigger) just to catch a wave or two. But there are days when even a 10-0 won't get you up a riding...because there are simply no waves to ride. And again, like many of you, surfing is my only form of exercise. Can't play soccer anymore due to bad knees, likewise running is out for the same reason (and because its just so boring). Roller hockey, softball, other team sports require a commitment that I just can't make ("sorry I missed the playoffs guys, but the surf was just too good"). Hate going to a gym and I'm only good for about two days of body-weight exercises (push-ups, chin-ups, etc). Likewise for cycling or swimming, after a couple of days I'm struggling to answer the question "...and why am I doing this?" So, SUPing seems to me to be a good way to stay in shape for surfing. It gets out on the ocean (or bay or lake or ?), lets you enjoy some peace and solitude, helps to build core strength, and burns a few calories in the process. So, here's my first attempt at shaping and building an SUP.
Ray Lucke and I worked on the design using the Aku Shaper software. Dimensions are 10-0 20" x 31" x 17" 4.25" thick. The file was sent to Marko Foam and used to machine the 1.7lb density EPS foam. I finished shaped the blank, adding a couple of wings to the tail to facilitate turning, and thinning the foil in the nose. After air-spraying the yellow color, the blank was glassed with 7.5oz E-Glass using RR Epoxy Resin, two layers on deck and one layer on the bottom.

Lots more to be done; sanding, pinline, glossing, polishing, air-vent, deck pad, leash cup and recessed handle for carrying. Board will be set-up as 2+1 and is designed as a "cross-over" SUP, or one that can handle flat-water paddling or be surfed. I'll post more pix when she's done, so stay tuned...

Latest T-Belly...

2011-11-16T21:11:00.000-08:00

This twin-fin T-Belly is headed for Nor Cal. It was just polished out yesterday, so I thought I's take some good pix before it heads up there.

The T-bellys have a number of unique features. The deck has a 1/4" concave starting about the mid-point and deepening towards the tail. Thickness along the stringer is 2-1/2" while thickness at the rail is 2-3/4". The concave offers a snug fit for the rider.

The bottom also has a beveled rail in the rear half of the board the facilitates rolling the board over on the rail to turn. With less than 1" tail rocker, the bevel offers an additional 3/8" of rocker at the rail.

The bottom is relatively flat in the middle transitioning to slight convex or "belly" in the nose.

I don't like the look of handles or straps on the deck, but realize that there is a need for grip enhancement. Taking a cue from shortboards built for doing aerials, I add "thumb grooves" to the front-half of the T-Belly for better grip.

My New Velzy...

2011-11-15T18:23:00.000-08:00

I made a ridiculously low bid on this 9-6 Velzy “never-ridden-never-waxed-with-original-foam-packing-pad-taped-on-bottom”...and I won!! I caught the auction on the next to last day. There was one picture of the deck, shot from the tail, and a close-up of the signature, but no dims and not enough time to ask questions. I bid thinking I would never get it so I wasn't too concerned. I assumed that the board was a single-fin, pintail noserider with boxy 50/50 rails, and thought it would make a great small-wave board. The lady I bought it from told me she bought it from Velzy's widow shortly after he died in 2005. The lady stashed it in her garage and left it there just as she bought it. And, yes she was disappointed that the winning bid was so low. (another Velzy, bought by her friend at the same time under the same circumstances, fetched $1100 at a recent sale)

When I went to pick it up I discovered that it was indeed a “new” late model Velzy, but I was surprised by the shape. As can be seen in the pictures, it looks remarkably similar to a Taka DT2 or DT3 in outline and rocker, with pinched eggy rails and a 2+1 fin set-up. Hardly the traditional NR that I was expecting, but a beautiful board nonetheless.

I spent the day today "blueprinting" the board shaped by arguably the most famous shaper of all-time and one of my surfer/shaper heroes. Here are the dimensions I collected: 9'5” 18-3/8” x 23-1/8” x 15” 3” thick, NR 5-1/4” TR3-7/8”. Bottom has shallow (1/8”) blended nose concave that extends 36” down the length. There's a short (maybe an inch or so), flat section right where the nose concave ends that begins to turn convex or rolled panel V as it progresses towards the tail. At 48” up from the tail, this V is 1/4” deep at the rail, where it remains until 12” up where it becomes 3/16” and then progresses to “0” at the very tail. The rail is turned up in the last 6” of the nose and then becomes more of a 60/40 egg rail, turning down hard in the last 12” of the tail. Nearly half of the nose rocker is in the last 6”. This flip is undetectable from the deck side, as the bottom has been brought up to the deck. The final 3” has nearly a 1-1/8” radius. Yeah, I know...geeky shaper stuff. Here's the best part...

...of course I'm gonna ride it!

Another Happy T-Belly Owner...

2011-11-14T22:25:00.000-08:00

John stopped in today to pick up his new 48" T-Belly. He likes to surf the breaks on the Channel Islands and the quad set-up will help him do just that. Fins are FCS GX (front) and smaller FCS GL (rear). This board has the standard T-Belly Bottom, with slight belly in the nose flowing into the flat mid-section with progressive single concave out the tail. Rails are soft in the nose transitioning to down hard in the last 16". I put a bevel on the bottom out at the rail, that starts at the end of the flat section and progressively widens to about 1.5" at the tail. The bevel serves the same purpose as "V"; increasing the rail rocker and allowing the board to more easily roll over on the rail for turning.

8-8 Mini-Nova Squaretail...

2011-11-04T18:27:00.000-07:00

This custom board was built for return customer Kirt who has a penchant for geometric color designs and fast single-fin longboards. The board's dims: 8-8 18" x 22-3/8" x 14-5/8" 3-1/8". The rails are pinched 50/50 with a hard edge in the last 16" of the tail. Bottom features subtle nose concave with "V" in the tail. Laminated wood tailblock punctuates the cedar/basswood T-band stringer. Color work by Ray Lucke is a combination of air-spray and black resin stripes.

Long and Short....

2011-10-28T21:51:00.000-07:00

Busy week at the shop can be seen in photo below. Blanks waiting for further action are a 4'3" T-Belly for James in Nor Cal and a 9'6" Nova Speedster for the shop. Others include a 4-pak of SUPs fresh off the CNC machine, and a ding repair in the foreground. Can't you just smell the resin?

Nathan's finished noserider...

2011-10-25T09:24:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I met Nathan and worked with him on shaping a noserider. Well, here it is, all glassed and ready to ride:

Ray at Lucke Glassing did the fabulous resin work...

September was a busy month...

2011-10-11T14:38:00.000-07:00

Made it down to Panama to visit friends, but forgot to order a decent swell. Dang...is it just me or was the surf bad all over the world this summer? Anyhow, I also got a chance to visit our Nation's capital, a trip I highly recommend to anyone who hasn't been yet. Waaay too much to see in 4 days!
In between trips I knocked out a couple of T-bellys, one for a visitor from Florida and another for a local customer.

This one is finsihed...

This one is waiting for glassing. Note the grab-rail groove in the nose.

Better pix to follow, I promise!

It's not always about selling boards...

2011-09-06T16:23:00.000-07:00

Nathan called and wanted a new noserider. When I learned he had already shaped some shortboards, I invited him down to the shop and together we created this beauty. Nathan did most of the work, while I offered encouragement and some helpful hints. Even Ray got into the act, schooling us both on tailblock grinding.

Surfing and shaping are soulful experiences meant to be shared with others. I always invite those interested to watch me shape their new board. Those that do go away with a new appreciation for their equipment, and a better understanding of how and why it works.

When's the last time you saw your board go from raw blank to a shape begging to be ridden? Isn't it time you did?

Just add waves....

2011-08-23T20:08:00.000-07:00

...preferably shoulder-high or bigger. Here's the new 7-6 HYB4/3 fresh from the factory.

This is a great board for "mature" surfers (you know who you are...) who need a little more float than the 6-6 "Big Boy" thruster gathering dust in the garage, or for the longboarder wanting to sample a little more speed and responsiveness in his/her surfing.
The HYB4/3 shapes feature a full outline with a 15-1/2" wide tail. The full outline is combined with a tightly-tucked 60/40 rail and a single concave bottom with "V" in the last 12". The double-wings help to pull in the tail in the last 12" and work with the "V" to keep turning loose and smooth.

The 4/3 or "5-fin" set-up allows the rider to choose either tri- or quad-fin performance. I like the TA Channel Islands Hexcore fins in front and TA LB Side Bites in the rear on my quad set-ups. The CI template is designed for riders over 180lbs, and offer incredible hold and drive. What I like about the 5-fin set-up is that it offers the rider a wide range of fin configurations, and with FCS plugs there is a huge inventory of fin templates available.

Give me a call or drop me an email if you see an HYB4/3 in your future and want to talk about it. Pricing for the HYB4/3 starts at $465 with quad composite/molded fins included.

Abstract art goes surfing...

2011-08-19T14:56:00.000-07:00

Kirt loves his colors bright and bold, and with a Modern Art flavor a la Piet Mondrian. He's also a fan of sub-9' longboards, made for speed and responsiveness. This 8-10 Mini-Nova Speedster fills the bill nicely.

Dimensions: 8'10" 17-1/2" x 22-1/2" x 14" 3-1/8" NR5-1/2" TR3-5/8". Bottom has a nice continuous rocker with double-concaves and V in the tail. Amazing air-spray work by Ray Lucke of
Lucke Glassing in Camarillo, CA, with gloss and polish finish.

Designed with a 2+1 fin box configuration, Kirt surfs it more like a tri-fin with "schimitar" side bites and a 4-1/2" center fin.

Pickup day is always a happy day!

Coming soon to a break in VC...

2011-08-13T18:30:00.000-07:00

Took a break in the busy summer season action to build a 7-6HYB4/3 "shop demo" . Here it is shaped, with fin boxes inserted and ready for glassing.

The HYB4/3 is a mid-sized hybrid shape with a single-concave bottom and "V" out the tail. Dimensions are
7-6 13-1/4"x21-3/4"x15" 2-7/8". The double-wing, round-pin tail helps to pull in the wide 15" tail and lends itself to easy turns and smooth cutbacks.

The 4/3 or "5-fin" configuration adds maximum versatility. The board can be surfed as a tri-fin or a quad, depending upon rider preference. I like to use FCS Fusion plugs because there is a wide selection of FCS-based fins to choose from, and the cant of the fins can be set differently.

There is also a 7-8 tri-fin, swallow-tail version of this board at the shop, but it going to a Westlake, CA surfer upon completion.

Surf Quote....

2011-08-12T11:10:00.000-07:00

"Waves can't be the god of the sport; if they were, we would all live in Hawaii. It has got to be getting out in it that counts -- surfing because you love to surf, and getting pumped full of life and whip and snap. I used to ride junk waves all day long, training for the good moments. You do this, and one day you are sitting out there all alone, waiting for a set, and someone will paddle up and ask how the surf is. 'Man,' you tell them, 'you should have been here an hour ago.'"

-Phil Edwards

Artwork Ken Auster

Phil Edwards is one of my surfer/shaper heroes. I think the Phil Edwards Model Hobie is one of the most beautiful LB shapes ever created. (He was responsible for the Hobie Cat design as well)

A grom and his board...

2011-08-01T23:31:00.000-07:00

Wetsuit = $99
Board = $370
Pushing grandson into waves on his first "real" surfboard = Priceless

7-2 Single Fin...

2011-07-28T19:28:00.000-07:00

"Morning of the Earth" is one of my favorite surf flicks. The 7'-8' single-fins were state of the art at the time, and the smooth, flowing lines being drawn by the riders inspired me to shape one for myself.

This board is 7'2" 13-1/2 x 21-1/2 x 14-1/4 2-3/4" Rocker is pretty flat throughout with a little V in the tail. Tucked 60/40 rail turning down hard in the last 16".

I love yellow surfboards with red fins....reminds me of summer.

Fin choice is critical on these. I chose the Skip Frye Flex because its a little more upright and a little stiffer than the L-Flex.

I like to do my pinlines in any color but boring black. A color that contrast with or compliments the primary color really "pops". For an extra bit of detail, ask your shaper to order a stringer glue color that again, contrasts with or compliments the primary color. Unlike pinlines, stringer glue color is a freebie on my shapes.

Keeping it in the family...

2011-07-25T11:41:00.000-07:00

This 10-0 Nova is headed for my son-in-law. The Nova is a very versatile shape and can easily be fine-tuned to meet the needs of its intended rider. In this case I kept the design very simple and straight-forward shape-wise to make it more "user-friendly". Overall dimensions are slightly fuller than normal plus a little extra thickness and some nose kick to compensate for the late take-offs that sometimes plague beginners. The single-fin set-up with the 10" TA Farberow Flex is a forgiving fin, providing good stability at slow speeds, but responding well when pushed. The aesthetics of this board are classic "longboard" with triple 1/8" cedar stringers, airspray rails and red pinlines. And a tailblock (of course!)
Dimensions: 10'0" 18-1/2" x 23-1/4" x 14-1/2" 3-3/8"

I build and shape all of my own tailblocks. No two are exactly alike.

Most glass shops will run the pinstripe over the stringer(s) because its easier, less work. Ray and I think it just looks better if the stringers are taped-off, so we take the time to do it that way. Sure its more work and most people wouldn't even notice this little detail...but we do.

Summer rush has died down, wait-time for new boards is down to just over three weeks. Order your new board now!

Another "mini"...

2011-07-25T11:02:00.000-07:00

Surfers everywhere are moving away from conventional shapes in an effort to enhance and expand their surfing experience. Some shapes are completely new while others are size-variations of more traditional shapes, e.g. "big fish", "mini-longboard", etc. Here's a prime example of the latter.
The owner of this new board would normally ride a 9-6 to 10-0 LB based upon his size and experience. But he has begun to discover the fun to be had in sub-9' shapes. He wanted to try a classic noserider outline in shorter length, complemented by the old-school aesthetic of resin tint, pinline and multiple-stringers.
Dimensions: 8-6 18-1/2" x 22-1/2" x 15-5/8 3".

TP Gromster

2011-07-01T00:51:00.000-07:00

This little nugget is going to Grandson #2. Its 5-2 x 18-1/2 x 2-1/4". I kept the outline full and the widepoint behind center since this is where he'll be paddling and standingThe board is outfitted with ProTek fins, which have a composite core with soft-rubber edges. Lucke's air spray and pinline work really pop on this little stick.

Phil looking for a little cover-up...

2011-06-30T15:46:00.000-07:00

Here's a great GoPro shot of Phil trying to pull his big 10-6 Nova into a glassy little backside cover-up.

I love getting photos like this one, of surfers riding my shapes. It completes the story. If you've got a similar shot or vid, get it to me and I'll post it up on the blog.

Another CraigsList find...

2011-06-24T07:41:00.000-07:00

Feeling the need-for-speed? This 8-6 single-fin mini-glider will get the job done. I shaped this one a couple of years ago and got a chance to ride it a few times (every day for a week actually). This board is fast (just look at the rocker, or lack of rocker I should say) but the pulled in pintail, moderate V and double concaves keeps it nimble. Available on CL at http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/spo/2450240774.html

South Carolina bound...

2011-06-06T23:24:00.000-07:00

This beautiful 9-8 Nova just completed the journey from Ventura, CA to Charleston, SC via Amtrak. Packing and shipping added only $150 to the final cost. Board arrived completely unscathed. Finished in light-blue resin tint and with tight 2" cut-lap by Lucke Glassing, no need for pinlines.

This board was identical to the 9-8 "Green Wedgie" Nova but sports a single, 5/16" cedar stringer instead of the wedge. Cedar is a great choice for light tint boards. It offers a striking but elegant appearance.

Fins included a 9.5" True Ames California Special (shown) for smaller days, and a 2+1 combo with a 7.5" TA L-Flex center fin and TA side-bites for those occasional East Coast hurricane swells.

Green Wedgie...

2011-05-20T21:14:00.000-07:00

I sold my blue 9-6 Nova because I wanted a modern LB with just a little more float (too many beers, too few waves...). And because, living in Ventura County you see a lot of Yater LBs with a wedge stringer which I think is pretty cool. And finally because I love light-green resin tint on a LB. So here, fresh from the Lucke Glassing factory, is my new Ice-Green 9-8 Nova Wedgie. Dims: 18" x 23" x 14.5" 3.25". Shallow half-length nose concave with V in tail. NR 5" TR 3. 5. Double 6oz deck, single 6oz bottom. 2+1 fin set-up for max flexibility. I tried a True Ames 9" L-Flex B as a single but it seemed like it wasn't enough fin for the board. Shifting to TA SBs and 7.5" TA Wayne Rich Classic did the trick. Board is now for sale.

Sometimes you get it all to yourself...

2011-05-18T10:34:00.000-07:00

This shot was taken of me at what was then my home break in Carlsbad. I surfed every day before work and on this morning I had the place to myself. This place is normally crowded, regardless of hour, but on this day

just me and the photog from SurfShot showed up. Yep, that's my old Green Neo I'm riding.

Something fishy...

2011-05-10T20:33:00.000-07:00

I have a handful of customer-friends that challenge me with requests for alternative shapes. My friend Jay is at the top of the list. Jay's responsible for the "Mini-Glider", the "Neo-Bat", the "T-Belly" and now the "Kingfish". Dims: 7-8 16-3/4x22"x16" 3". This board has a 3/8" cedar stringer with beautiful Gephart marine-ply fin skillfully glassed-on by Ray at Lucke Glassing. Resin-tint bottom and rails with black pinline and gloss & polish completes the picture. Board is designed for lined-up points and reefs, and should be ordered 24" shorter than your regular longboard ;-]

The yellow board arrives...

2011-05-10T20:07:00.000-07:00

I met Steve, who lives in Panama, several years ago when he was looking to add a board to his quiver. Well, three boards and almost weekly emails later we have become good friends and surf buddies. Here's Steve with his new 10-2 Nova "Panama Cruiser".

Steve also rides a TP 8-0 Speed Egg 2+1 (Tiger Stripes) and a TP 7-10 HYB2+1 that he now surfs as a tri-fin (Rising Sun).

Living in Panama, Steve gets waaay to many "6'-and-glassy" sessions, not to mention warm water. I'll be heading down there this fall to do a little R&D.

Kirt's 9-2 Nova Single-fin...

2011-04-28T20:30:00.000-07:00

Kirt spends a lot of time in the water and has a pretty solid quiver. He approached me about a month ago and asked me to build him a 9-2 noserider single-fin. This board we came up with is really a comination of the Neo and the Nova, with pulled in tail, half-length concave, eggy 50/50 rails and balanced rocker (4" at both ends). Ray at Lucke Glassing is responsible for the beautiful blue resin tint bottom & rails, grey rein tint deck inlay and wild multi-color patch work (Kirk's idea) on the nose (all resin work, no spray).

Phil's new Widget...

2011-04-22T15:13:00.000-07:00

After nearly ending his surfing career trying to surf his 10-6 in OH beach break, Phil asked me to shape hinm something that would fit better in that situation. After a lot of discussion, we came up with this 7'10" Widget 4/3. It can be surfed as a quad or a tri. With its full outline and 3.25" it offers plenty of paddling power. Singe- to double-concaves keeps it nimble and responsive: Finished off in S-Glass 6+6 Deck and 6 bottom, this board will be durable as well. (Forgive the crappy phone-cam pix)

Fin Fairy stopped by yesterday...

2011-04-16T05:06:00.000-07:00

Once or twice a month I order fins, both for new boards and for customers that need a new fin to spice up their surfing. Yesterday's delivery had a little drama associated with it, but eventually Chuck Ames, owner of True Ames Fins, came to the rescue. Unlike some fin companies (who shall remain anonymous here) True Ames not only has great fins but great customer service and super-prompt delivery. So, yesterday here's what came:

1. This is a set of glasson marine-ply Geppys in the Hobie Fish template for Jay's future 7-8 Kingfish. Pretty sweet, eh?
2. This is a 9.5" Josh Farberow Flex fin for Jerry's future 9-8 Nova. This is the fin he'll use on those small days in South Carolina. My personal favorite for an all-around LB single-fin.
3. & 4. Here's Jerry's 2+1 set; a 7.5" L-Flex with Hexcore Sidebites in FCS. Never know when those hurricane swells will kick up.
5. This is a new center fin for Dan's 2+1 6-10 Mini-Nova. Dan wanted a little more hold on those bottom turns. I'm anxious to get some feedback from Dan on this fin.
6 & 7 This is a five-fin set for for Phil's new Widget 3/4. He'll use the CI template (7) in Hexcore when he wants to surf the board as a tri, or switch out the CI center fin for the two Hexcore TA sidebites (6) when he wants to surf the board as a quad. Using the combination of FCS plugs and Hexcore fins really keeps the weight down on multi-fin boards.
Remember, buy a new Thomas Patrick surfboard and get 30% off on any new set of fins, leash or board bag.

The process...

2011-04-07T14:45:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd show a little bit of the process of board building. This is a 10-2 for Steve down in Panama. After a long discussion via email, we settled on this hybrid longboard design which blends some classic features like egg rails and single-fin set-up with a more modern outline. The triple-cedar stringer and wood tailblock are just pure longboard no matter what era. Here's the board after final shaping:

Then the bottom lamination in Volan with light yellow resin tint

Getting ready to add stripes...

...and not just airspray, but genuine, old-school opaque resin stripes.

Just the bottom-half of the middle stripe is needed. Stripes will be "feathered" into hot coat to minimize raised edge and then entire board gets gloss coat.
All done and ready to go to Panama

Blast from the past...

2011-03-22T14:17:00.000-07:00

Surfer Matt Aden bought my favorite noserider, the 9-8 coke-bottle green tint, triple stringer with bamboo pivot fin Neo over a year ago. Here's what it looks like:

I really loved that board, but I knew Matt would be stoked with it. Recently, he was kind enough to send me this bitchin' little vid of him and his bros enjoying a sunny winter day on the Green Machine.

CraigsList Find...

2011-03-20T20:03:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon an ad for one of my boards on CraigsList today, check it out.
Here's what I said about it when I sold it 2 yrs ago:

This board is at the short end of the hybrid spectrum, but retains the centered wide point, balanced outline and volume (paddle power) that hybrids are known for. The rails are boxy; round in nose, softly tucked in the middle and down hard at the fins. Quads are known for their speed and smooth-handling characteristics, and this board is no exception. The finish is 4oz+4oz deck and 6oz bottom, clear, wet-sanded gloss coat. Glass work done by West Coast Glass Encinitas. Price includes LokBox composite fins and tail-pad.

Board is located in Bakersfield area, so if you're looking for a used "big boy" quad, shoot this guy an email.

A Mini-Nova for Dan...

2011-03-07T22:41:00.000-08:00

Dan has a couple of Thomas Patrick boards, as well a quiver of boards by other shapers. Dan likes to experiment with different shapes, so last month he approached me about shaping a mini-longboard similar to the Bear Wombat, the Walden Compact Disk, the Greek Shorty or the Taka Scorpion. The idea of a mini-longboard is to have a board with longboard features, e.g. wide nose, wide tail, low rocker, etc, but in a length that will fit easily into a beachbreak. He and I spent a couple of weeks discussing this shape and identifying performance expectations. I sent him a couple of drawings and he gave me feedback on what he liked or didn't like.

This is the board we came up with. Dimensions: 6' 10" 17-13/4" x 21-3/8" x 15-1/2" 2-3/4". The bottom has a subtle single-concave in the front half that transitions to "V" in the tail with double-concaves feeding into the fin array. The board has a 2+1 fin configuration which allows the board to be surfed as a 2+1, a single-fin, or with the proper 4" center fin, as a thruster. The board has a 3/8" cedar stringer and with the clear, wet-sanded gloss finish, it projects a clean, classic look.

Say "Hello" to Baby Blue...

2011-02-03T19:45:00.000-08:00

Fresh from Ray Lucke's Glass Works comes this beautiful little speed egg. This is my "Wayfarer" model and its designed to offer great performance in a mid-length size. I wanted a board I could lock away in my camper shell or in the wifes's BMW (when necessary). This board's size makes it easy to transport and store in hotel/motel rooms. Here's the CraigsList spiel:

7-10 Speed Egg
Dims: 7’10” 16” x 21-7/8” 14-1/2” 3-1/8”
This new Thomas Patrick Speed Egg features tightly tucked rails with a spiral-V bottom. The tight tuck maximizes bottom surface and gets the board up and planing quickly, while the double concaves keeps the board loose. 2+1 fins setup keeps the handling predictable with plenty of drive and hold. Color is light-blue resin tint with red-orange pinline, with a sanded gloss finish by Lucke Glass in Camarillo. Moderate nose kick with low tail rocker makes the board forgiving in steep take-off, but very fast down the line. Price does not include fins, although I can add any new fins (including the Marlin Bacon solid bamboo set shown in photo) far below retail. Priced at only $399.00. Call Thomas 805-856-8554 or email if interested. www.tp4surf.com http://tp4surf.blogspot.com/

Flashback Mod Fish

2011-01-29T11:27:00.000-08:00

This was a shape I did a couple of years ago and was one of my favorites.. A 6-4 modern fish with quad fin setup. What was unique about this shape was the use of a slope deck to extend volume out to the rails while still maintaining a nice thin rail. Dimensions are: 6'4" 15” x 20.5” x 15” 2.75”. Board featured LokBox quad fins. As shown in the pix, I first ran the Turbo Speed Dialer fins but didn't like the feel...too "drifty" on hard bottom turns. As a 185lb surfer, I need a little more fin. In a quad setup I like the Taylor Knox fin template in front. It has a 4.68" depth for extra hold and drive. Then I like to use either the smaller LBXM3.8 80/20 foiled rears or just LB side-bite for the rears. It has a 4oz+4oz deck & 6 oz bottom with clear, sanded-gloss finish to add durability while keeping overall weight low. The double-wishbone pinlines (red&blue) give the board a classic look. Glass work was done by West Coast Glass in Encinitas. The board surfed fast but smooth.

Scott's new Nova...

2011-01-17T09:04:00.000-08:00

Customer Scott in San Clemente asked for a 9-6 Nova to go with his 10-0 Nova Pintail. He asked for a classic look, single-fin with triple stringer and tailblock...I want one!

He also ordered a 9.5" True Ames Wayne Rich Classic fin...

Scott and his quiver

New Board for Phil

2011-01-09T13:46:00.000-08:00

This is Phil's second Thomas Patrick, the first being a 9-0 Nova Speedster Quad. Phil is a big guy and wanted something to keep up his wave count on those smaller days, but still work when the waves got bigger. After much discussion, the end result was this beautiful 10-6 Nova 2+1. Dims: 19"x24"x14.5" 3.625" Ray at Lucke Glassing did all the glass work, including sanding and polishing. Those are old-school black resin gloss-coat stripes you see, over blue air brush stripes. Here we are getting ready for the first go out at San O.

Here's another used board For Sale

2011-01-04T12:59:00.000-08:00

9-6 Thomas Patrick Nova Surfboard
Dims: 17-5/8”x 22-3/4”x 13-3/4” 3-1/8”
My daily driver has beautiful dark Ice Blue resin tint by Moonlight with gloss & polish finish. Three cedar stringers: 1/4”center with 1/8” on both sides. Moderate rocker with blended half-length nose concave and moderate tail “V”. Pulled in nose and tail allows this LB to go anywhere on the wave, while the nose concave extends your tip time. Progressive 60/40 rails for the right combination of speed and forgiveness. Wave range is waist-high to overhead-high, beach-, reef- or point-break. This is the board you can use just about any day, anywhere and have fun. It has a few heel dents on deck and one pro-repaired ding. Price includes new LBXJT side-bites and clear 7.5” TA L-Flex center fin. Only $399. Call Thomas 805-856-8554 or email if interested.

More stuff about fins...

2011-01-03T11:44:00.000-08:00

The importance of fins, or should I say the correct fins, for your board, your specific break and your particular style is often overlooked. Second only to bottom rocker, fins have a major impact on a board's performance. The modern removable fin system makes experimentation with fin templates and fin location a no-brainer. Changes in fin shape and/or location can radically alter the way a board rides. A while back, I posted some fin basics which you may want to review. This time I'd like to share a tool that I use to compare center fins for longboards. Fin Comparison Tool Its not too difficult to use or to make your own. It allows you see at a glance how various fins compare in terms of base, depth, rake and overall area. My current favorite for single-fin LBs is the True Ames Velzy Noserider. For 2+1 set-ups I like the True Ames L-Flex or Skip Frye Flex in 7.5" and the FCS GL Template for side-bites. On mid-size quads I like the LokBox Taylor Knox in front and the LBXM3.8 for the rears.

One of the things that I try to offer my customers is value---bang-for-the-buck. I offer new fins at 60% of retail when purchased with new boards. Likewise on select new board bags and new leashes.

Used Boards Gotta Go!

2010-12-29T19:29:00.000-08:00

Near new 9-6 Neo Single Fin. Dims: 19”x 23”x 15-1/2” 3-1/8”

This is a special longboard. This board has all the features associated with a true noserider; wide nose and tail, parallel rails, half-length nose-concave and kicked tail. But it also features very knifey, pinched-low rails with thinly foiled nose and tail, almost hull-like which reduces the over-all volume. The Velzy Nose Rider fin provides solid hold when on the nose, but releases easily for turning. All of these feature combine to provide a longboard that noserides extremely well, but maintains an easy turning, and light and lively feel. Great for surfers under 180lbs. Light grey resin tint rails and bottom, with clear deck and red pinline. Pristine condition, no dings or scratches. Asking $499 includes fin.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

2010-12-24T20:20:00.000-08:00

Its been a while since my last blog entry back in September. I hope all of you are well and enjoying the Holidays. Over the past three months I've successfully re-located to Ventura County north of L.A. I'd be lying if I said its been an easy transition. Seems like there were road blocks every step of the way. Everything took twice as long as anticipated but it seems I've finally settled into my new life in Ojai, CA. What's more, I have a great new glasser, Ray Lucke of Lucke Glassing, and a place to shape. I was actually able to build two longboards last week for customers who had previously purchased used Thomas Patrick surfboards. I'll post some pix as soon as Ray has finished them...should be next week.

I know that last Fall I promised a “special offer” for anyone owning a Thomas Patrick Surfboard. Well here's the offer. If you own a Thomas Patrick Surfboard I'll take $100 off the retail price of any new board ordered by January 31, 2011. Use the pricelist on my website (www.tp4surf.com), take the base price and add any extras, and then subtract $100. That's all you'll pay. Email or call if you have any questions or just want to talk about your next board.

TPS is moving!!!

2010-09-22T11:25:00.000-07:00

I’m retiring from my “day job”, leaving North County San Diego and relocating to Ventura County at the end of September. I’m stoked to have more time to shape and surf. I’ll still be offering great boards at a great price, and hope that my new location in Ventura County is more convenient to surfers north of LA, and for those of you east of Ventura. But I won’t forget my surfers in San Diego, Orange County and the IE. I’ll be happy to personally deliver your board down south and share a few waves at my old breaks. I’ve also shipped boards as far away as the East Coast and have customers in Central America. What I’ve found is that there’s always a way to get that custom board into your hands. Watch for the special offer I’ll be making in October for anyone who is currently riding a Thomas Patrick surfboard.

Fin Placement - Single-fins

2010-09-14T13:22:00.000-07:00

With all the small surf we've been having this summer, a lot of LBers are switching out their 2+1 set-up for a nice single-fin...but now where does that fin go? Fin placement has a major impact on the performance of any surfboard. Many surfers don’t realize this and simply leave their fin wherever it was placed when they bought their board. Or, they just place the fin anywhere in the box, assuming that its location is unimportant. The location of the fin relative to the tail can impact both speed and turning. For single-fin surfboards, some shapers recommend that the trailing edge of the fin be placed 8-1/2” from the tail, and then adjusted forward or backward from there in ¼” increments until the desired performance is achieved. Bill Thrailkill is a master shaper who shaped for both Hansen Surfboards and Hobie Surfboards in the late-60s and the 70s. He teaches people to lay the fin flat on the bottom of the board at the tail, with the base of the fin on the stringer and the tip hanging over the rail. Then he instructs people to slowly slide the fin along the stringer until 20%-30% of the tip hangs over the rail. This is the spot to locate the fin, and if you have a center fin box, you can adjust from there to your liking. What I like about Bill’s approach is that it automatically accounts for different fin depths and tail widths.

Neo and T-Belly

2010-09-10T07:48:00.000-07:00

Reef and I talk about a couple of his boards on Board Riders Review

Belly Up!!

2010-09-06T00:56:00.000-07:00

Belly Boards are descendants of the short wooden planks called paipos which were ridden in the Hawaiian Islands 100s of years ago and are still ridden there today. The belly board is a foam and fiberglass version of the paipo. I bought a belly board in 1966 and used it to surf Huntington Pier during the summer when the blackball was up. This was before leashes and every wipeout led to a long swim to the beach to retrieve the belly board. I decided it was easier just to body surf. The following summer I shaped a BB from a broken longboard I found in the trash. Officially my first shape. Glassed and sanded it myself, and was making a fin for it. Unfortunately, someone stole it from my garage before I had a chance to finish it.

So...a little over 40 years later I shaped this 51" beauty for my buddy Reef from SliderMag. Reef has a knack of talking me into shaping some really interesting boards, and this one is no exception. This board's design was inspired by the work of Larry Goddard who spent over 30 yrs perfecting belly boards ridden at the classic point breaks of California in the 70s, and later in large surf at Makaha and Wiamea on the North Shore of Hawaii in the 80s & 90s. Goddard painstakingly documented all of his experiments in BB design and published his work on the web a few years ago. Standing on the shoulders of this giant, I took some of Goddard's basic ideas and added a few tweaks of my own, specifically, bottom contours and rail shape. I also chose to use asymmetrically-foiled fins, toed-in about 1/8" over symmetrically-foiled fins set straight.

The design characteristics of the belly board, with its wide planing area and low rocker, make it one of the fastest surfcraft available. Belly boards are 6”-8” longer and have more volume than the modern foam body boards, and also have a stiffer flex pattern. They plane faster because of this. They also make full use of tail fins and can be built with any fin configuration. Fins give a belly board greater hold and greater responsiveness than foam body boards with no fins.

My T-Belly features a convex bottom in the front half which transitions to a flat middle and then “V” with single concave out the tail between the fins. This bottom shape allows the T-Belly to roll up on rail easily for turning, to plane smoothly and allows water to flow quickly across the bottom and out the tail. The rails are full to maximize volume, with soft and forgiving tucked-rails in the nose transitioning to a tighter tucked-rail in the middle and then to down-rails in the last 9” of the tail. The fins are set close to the rail about 2” off the tail, and serve as a pivot point for turns. Switching to a deeper set of twin fins provides the hold necessary for steeper and/or larger waves. The foil of the board keeps most of the volume under the rider’s shoulders, chest and hips, and the nose is scooped-out slightly to reduce swing weight. A light concave runs through the tail of the deck for better rider fit. The T-Belly is fitted with a leash cup about 4" below the nose.

The T-Belly has a wide wave range from small, dumpy shore-break to as big as you can paddle into. Because of its size, it makes a great travel board. It can fit easily into the back seat or the trunk of your car. The T-Belly offers a unique riding experience. Riding prone reduces wind resistance for greater speed, and with your head just inches from the surface of the water, the sensation of speed is enhanced. If you like making little 2-ft, shore-break barrels, or want to experience breath-taking speed in larger waves, the T-Belly may be just what you’re looking for.

Here's a nice clip from my favorite fin company True Ames.

2010-09-05T23:58:00.000-07:00

True Ames Surf Fins HD Video Catalog from trueames on Vimeo.

Some notes on noseriding…technique

2010-09-02T14:45:00.000-07:00

So, now that you know why noseriding is possible it’s time to learn how. Obviously you start by having the right equipment, here the choices are pretty wide…any longboard will do. (Please keep in mind that the remainder of this discussion pertains to LB.) You’ve probably noticed by now that you turn a LB from the tail, but need to move forward in order to keep up with the speed of the wave. (note: Failing to move forward after turning usually causes the board to stall, and board and rider are soon overtaken by whitewater. This is a common mistake by novices, who erroneously blame their board for being too slow.) You’ve probably also noticed that the faster the wave is breaking, the further up towards the nose you need to be to keep up with it. Most surfboards have a spot somewhere along the length where all of the many curves of the bottom, rails and outline converge to provide maximum planing speed. On a LB this spot is usually just forward of center.

As a wave rises from swell and begins to pitch over, water rushes up the face. The speed of water moving up the face is greater as you get closer to the pocket (that spot 2 foot or so just in front of the spot where the lip has just pitched over.) You are going to utilize this upward flow of water to support your weight, so this where we want to get to. There are two basic ways of getting to this spot:

While in trim I maneuver my board to the upper third of the face by weighing the wave-side rail. Simultaneously, I move forward just enough to stay up with the speed of the wave, ideally just ahead of the pitching lip. So, my movement is towards the nose while weighing the wave-side or inside rail. I want the nose of the board to be heading upward as I move forward. This is important because it will keep me from pearling. If I get too high on the wave face, I un-weigh the rail either by slightly shifting my weight to my heels [regular-foot going right] or to my toes [goofy-foot going right]. I must keep the board in the upper third of the face where the force of the water flowing up the face will help to support my weight. Any lower and I may pearl/any higher and I may inadvertently pull-out or get pitched over by the lip.
This is a good approach for learning the basic technique. A rider can gradually get the feel for trimming the board in the upper third of the wave while in a position forward of center. As you move closer to the nose, you’ll develop more confidence in the ability of your board to support your weight without pearling. But remember, you can’t make full or radical turns from this position. You can and should learn to make the subtle adjustments in direction that will allow you to stay in the steeper, upper-third of the wave. Focusing on the steepness of the wave just ahead of you, un-weigh the rail as the face flattens, causing the board to slow down a bit. As the breaking wave catches up to you and the face steepens in front of you again, weight is once more applied to the inside rail. This process is repeated indefinitely until the wave either closes-out or becomes so flat that you are forced to move backward to the tail and cut-back.
Once you are comfortable moving to the nose from a forward trim position you’re ready for a more advanced maneuver. This maneuver starts with a good bottom turn after the initial drop-in. The radius of the bottom turn and the speed of the turn are timed to coincide with the speed of the wave. If the wave is particularly slow-moving I may want to “fade” or turn back towards the peak as I take-off. This is just an opportunity to stall a little while the wave face steepens in the direction I ultimately want to go. Then I turn back, drop-in, and do my bottom-turn. In either case, as I come off the bottom, I hold the turn until I’m heading back up the face. My target is a spot just ahead of the pocket. As I head up the face, I start my move to the nose. Again, timing is of the essence. I want the nose to rising up the face before I move forward, and I want to be on the nose at precisely the same time that my board enters the upper third of the wave. Piece of cake, right?

When learning to noseride, I recommend staying up on the nose as long as possible, even to the point of wipeout. It’s the best way you can learn the limits of your equipment, and you may be pleasantly surprised at how long you can be fully committed on the nose. I also recommend getting to the nose anyway you can, e.g. shuffle, skip, leap even. While “cross-stepping” to the nose is better stylistically, learning to “cross-step” is just about as difficult as learning to noseride. Save that for another time. Watch as many videos of surfers like Joel Tudor, Alex Knost and Jimmy Gamboa noseriding and pay attention to where their board is on the wave. Study the timing of their movements. Notice how the water flows over the tail and under the board. Then, get out in the water and try it!

Some notes on noseriding…basic theory

2010-09-01T15:44:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons, maybe the main reason, I ride a longboard is because I like to noseride. For me there’s no greater enjoyment in surfing than planing across the face of a wave with nothing in front of you but the wave. Well, sure, turning is fun, going fast is fun and dropping in on an overhead wave and cranking that big bottom turn is really fun. But to me, perching on the tip with the wind in your face and the lip hissing in your ear is pretty hard to beat. But it seems impossible to accomplish.

Nose riding isn’t too difficult if you understand how it’s possible. First you must understand that in most cases, only about 2’-3’ of the bottom of your board is “working” at any one time; that is to say, “planing” along the surface of the water. And that’s the 2’-3’ directly beneath your feet. This is much more the case when you are trimming across the face or turning, then when you are just paddling. Surfboards have a curved bottom, and when there is enough forward motion, the board actually rises out of the water or begins to plane. On a longboard (LB) you move back and forth, shifting that 2’-3’ zone and taking advantage of differing rocker curves, rail shape and outline shape to speed up, slow down or turn. Wherever you are standing you are also applying your bodyweight in a downward force due to gravity. (On a shortboard there’s no need to move other than subtle weight-shifting back and forth. All the “work” is taking place in the back-half of the board.)

For noseriding, what’s going on at the tail of the board is just as important as what’s happening at the nose. Once the LB has been turned across the face of the wave and the wave begins to break, the tail of the board is covered with whitewater. The weight of this water on the top of the tail of the board is an important ingredient to the successful noseride. It helps to counter the weight of the surfer on the nose, much like a partner on a teeter-totter. The bottom of the tail “kicks” or curves up abruptly in the last 20” or so. The flow of water along this part of the bottom creates suction, pulling the tail of the board down into the water (hold the convex side of a spoon against the stream of water from a faucet to demonstrate this suction. Notice how the spoon is drawn into the water flow), and complimenting the weight of the breaking wave on the deck. Then there's the fin, which ideally is wide and deep. It helps by keeping the tail anchored in a position on the wave where the water flow will hold down the tail. Finally, there is the physical weight of the tail-half of the board. Try picking up your board by the nose and you’ll immediately feel the weight of the tail. Remember what I said above about the work being done by the 2’-3’ beneath your feet? Well, when you’re on the nose, the 6’-7’ feet or so behind you is on the other side of an imaginary fulcrum. That’s a long lever that multiples the downward effect of the all tail action. (And that’s also why there is an advantage to longer, heavier boards for noseriding) As you can see, there’s a lot going on behind you.

Up front, on the nose, is where you hope to be. Some boards have a wide nose (18.5”+) for more planing area, and a concave on the bottom for added “lift” (do the faucet and spoon thing again, only this time hold the concave side of the spoon in the stream of water. Notice how the spoon wants to lift away from the water flow). Of course, you can noseride on a narrow nose with no concave, but the wide-nose with concave seems to work better when noseriding in small, mushy waves. Another nose design feature is the so-called “wing-nose” which features a hard, down-rail edge in the first 6” of the nose. This creates a wing-like profile in the shape of the nose, with curve on the deck-side and flat on the bottom-side. Water and/or air moving across such a nose shape is said create upward lift, at least theoretically.

Finally, the shape of the outline and the rails also serves to enhance noseriding. Most modern LB, like my Nova, have a continuous curve in the outline. The more classic-shaped LB, like my Neo, have much less curve in the outline and can be almost straight. These shapes are sometimes referred to as “popsicle sticks” due to their almost straight, parallel rails. The straighter rail line holds a straighter line across the face of the wave which aides noseriding. Likewise, 50/50 rails hold into the wave face better than down-rails, and help to keep the rail from sliding down the wave-face.

So we have the weight of the surfer on the nose countered by the downward force on the tail (weight of water+weight of board + suction created by rocker) and upward force at the nose (lift from nose concave). Now, it’s just a question of getting from the tail to the nose.

Next: Noseriding Technique according to tp

Caught a couple of fun ones last week at my local break...

2010-08-30T11:09:00.000-07:00

All photos courtesy of Kevin at CGIPix www.cgipix.com Check his website for a ton of photos taken during the best week for waves this summer in North County SD. That blue Nova needs a new owner...make me an offer I can't refuse

THE OTHER RULES…

2010-08-29T12:49:00.000-07:00

Everybody knows or should know the “no drop-in” rule. That’s when you catch a wave that someone else is already riding. Don’t do that. It’s been around ever since “skegs” allowed surfers to go left or right. Before that, surfers just rode straight in, so any given wave could accommodate a number of surfers. Not following this rule can lead to damage to someone’s board and/or injury to another person or yourself, so it’s a pretty basic rule. Yeah, I’m always amazed at how many people either don’t know this rule or conveniently forget it. But to be honest there are times when “dropping in” occurs for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s pure accident, I didn’t take the time to check the peak before paddling-in or I was “sure” the guy in the better position wouldn’t catch the wave/make the drop/make the section/was going the other way/whatever. When this occurs, the right thing to do is to kick-out as soon as possible. When it’s not possible, I try to stay as far ahead of the rider behind me, constantly looking for an opportunity to kickout, and all the while maintaining control of my board. This is not the time for noserides, big cutbacks, floaters or other risky maneuvers. I realize I’m in the wrong and try to minimize my impact on the rider behind me. Once I’m able to kickout, I wait for the rider who was behind me and offer an apology. Giving respect with a simple “sorry dude” goes a long way. Take the time to learn the lineup, where people are taking-off, who’s surfing on what and where they’re sitting relative to the peak.

Here are some other rules or “guidelines”: Shortboarders take off much later than longboarders, so if you’re on a longboard and a SBer is closer to the peak (sitting deeper), don’t commit to dropping-in until you’re sure he’s not going for the wave. Better to let the wave go then to push over the edge, only to T-bone a SBer in the middle of his bottom turn. Just because you can catch the wave first on the shoulder doesn’t mean you have the right to. Be aware and show respect. If you’re riding a shortboard, don’t sit directly in front of a LBer paddling for a wave. Show respect and stay out of the way. When I ride my shorter boards, I frequently find myself sitting “inside” of the LBers. Oftentimes a wave will come and the LBer will start to paddle for it. If I think they won’t catch it, I move closer to the peak but out of their path. I’m ready to go when or if they quit paddling. By moving closer to the peak, I now have the better position. Some people contend that the person paddling from the further-est out has the right-away, or that the first person standing has the right-away. I believe that the person taking off in the most critical position has the right-away. Of course, this is a judgment call and there can be a lot of grey area when a peak is particularly wide. Letting others in the lineup know what you intend to do at these critical times can help. “Going right” or “I’ll take the left” keeps the surprises to a minimum.

The person riding the wave has the right-away. Don’t paddle in front of someone on a wave when you’re paddling back out. I hate it when people do this to me and I’m pretty sure you do too. Always paddle behind them, through the whitewater if necessary. The only exception is if you can cross in front of them without causing them to change direction. Lots of surfers try to paddle over the unbroken part of the wave instead of facing the whitewater, even if it means forcing the surfer who may be having the ride of his session, to cut-back or kick-out to avoid a collision. That’s wrong and disrespectful. Do the right thing, paddle in the opposite direction of the rider and take your beating in the whitewater behind him so that your fellow surfer can enjoy his wave. Isn’t that what you’d want someone else to do for you? As it happens, sometimes it’s not possible to avoid interfering with someone else’s wave. You wipeout, and as soon as you surface and collect your board, you realize you’re in the way of someone else. When this happens, and it will, take the time to apologize.

Another “paddling” rule is to always paddle around the impact zone or the area directly in front of the peak. Sure, it’s the long way back out, but it minimizes the possibility that you will interfere with another surfer’s ride, as well as the chances of you getting run over by someone dropping into a wave.

Here’s another: Always try to control your board, especially when it’s crowded. Just because you have a leash doesn’t mean you should just let your board fly whenever you wipeout or kick-out. Sometimes it’s impossible to hold onto your board, like on bigger days. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try, and it certainly doesn’t mean you should just bail off your board at the end of a ride instead of executing a good kick-out. Flying boards are a danger to others and are just poor style. This brings to mind the debate regarding leashes. Some people believe that the surf leash ruined surfing by eliminating one of the natural crowd-control mechanisms of surfing…the long, cold swim to the beach to retrieve your board. I’m old enough to remember those long swims and when there were days when it felt like I was swimming more than surfing (because I was). But I also remember dodging 35lb logs while paddling out on crowded days at Doheny. “Log jam” was more than a metaphor back then. I surf without a leash when it’s shoulder high or smaller. And on bigger days, when there is greater risk that I’ll be separated from my board, I wear a leash. But I still surf like I’m not wearing one and I keep my board under control at all times.

Bottom-line, it’s just like your mom taught you…treat others like you would like to be treated. Give respect to get respect, and leave your agro-I-deserve-every-wave-because-I’m-so-bitchin’ attitude on the beach.

WHAT’S THE BEST BOARD FOR ME? (Cont’d)

2010-08-27T10:44:00.000-07:00

Advanced Surfer - You surf at least three times a week and have for three or more years. You’ve mastered all the basics and have developed a smooth, flowing style. You catch more waves than you miss and you’re a regular at your local break. You’re comfortable in waves up to 8' faces and have surfed double-overhead waves on occasion (maybe triple-overhead even). You have at least three boards in your quiver including a travel board, because you sometimes journey to far away surf destinations. Your board selection is based primarily upon your mood and the wave conditions. At this stage you should be comfortable on just about any shape that fits your size and age. You should also have a working relationship with at least one shaper.

If you haven’t already started, now is the time for experimentation. Alternative shapes will allow you to break away from your usual surfing routine, and force you to adopt new approaches to the same waves. The choices here are many with new shapes (or variations of older shapes) popping up regularly. The current trend includes fuller outlines in shorter lengths, multi-fins, bottom contours other than single-to-double concaves,e.g. multiple-channels, concave-out-the tail, tri-plane hulls.

You should have enough experience under your belt and accumulated surf knowledge to become an active participant in your next board’s design. The give and take between you and your shaper will lead to achieving new levels of enjoyment in your surfing.

WHAT’S THE BEST BOARD FOR ME? (Cont’d)

2010-08-26T10:03:00.000-07:00

Intermediate Surfers – If you can catch 50% of the waves you paddle for, you can turn front-side and back- side, you have no problems avoiding collisions while riding a wave, and you are becoming more comfortable in shoulder-high or slightly larger surf, then you’ve reached the Intermediate level. Now, you may want to stay on a LB and learn to nose ride and/or to link carving turns across the trimline. Or, you may decide that you want to surf a shorter board, and learn to surf in a more “vertical” style. The intermediate stage is also when many surfers begin to build a collection of surfboards or a “quiver”. The advantage of the quiver is that it insures that you have the right tool for the job. Most surfers have a board that works well for them in small surf (below shoulder-high) and another board that works well for them in larger surf (above shoulder-high). This is the basic two-board quiver. A LBer may have a classic single-fin noserider for small days and a 2+1 modern LB for bigger days. A SBer may have a 6-2 squash-tail thruster for bigger days and a “fishy”-shape (flatter rocker/fuller outline/thicker) for smaller days. Having a quiver isn’t a requirement for having fun, nor does it guarantee that you’ll always have an “epic” session. It should, however, maximize your chances of having either. Besides, having multiple boards to choose from will keep your surfing fresh. As an intermediate, try to select a shape that matches your abilities, but also one that will be a little more challenging to ride. Now would be the time to downsize in order to gain a little more performance. Going slightly shorter, narrower and/or thinner can yield a big difference in responsiveness. Conversely, adding more volume may be just what you need for conquering those smaller days. As an intermediate you should also be trying other shapes and sizes as the opportunities present themselves. Borrowing a friend’s board for a session can open your eyes to new possibilities.

At this point, talking to a shaper will really help you define what your next board should be. Many shapers have a quiver of “loaner” boards that you can try out to help you dial in the right board. If you plan to buy a used board, try to arrange to ride it at least once before purchasing it. Even just paddling it around on it can give you a pretty good feel for how well the board’s size fits you. With a new board, make sure that you understand what the “return” policy is. Most shapers will either replace a board that “doesn’t fit”, or refund your money, assuming the board hasn’t been damaged. However, some will not. Just be sure you know what the policy is.

Next: Advanced surfers

WHAT’S THE BEST BOARD FOR ME?

2010-08-24T10:51:00.000-07:00

The single-most important thing to remember in selecting a surfboard is that surfing is supposed to be fun. The fun comes from catching and riding waves (in that order). It doesn’t matter how expensive, how new, how beautiful or how trendy the board is. If you can’t catch waves with it you’re not having fun and it’s not the “right” stick. The biggest mistake surfers make is to choose a board that is too small for their size, ability, fitness-level and/or experience.

Beginning Adult Surfers - Get a used modern longboard. As a new surfer there are a number of skills that need to be mastered including paddling stamina, wave selection, paddling into waves, “popping-up” in one smooth motion, maintaining balance, turning after the wave has been caught and smoothly exiting the wave when the time comes. All of these skills can be learned much quicker on a longboard. I recommend at 9’6” to 10’ X 23” wide x 3.25” thick for men 5’10’-6’0”, 175-190 lbs. and a 9’to 9’6” x 22” wide x 3” thick for women 5’4”-5’8, 125-140 lbs. Smaller people can go slightly smaller in board size and larger people should go a little bigger. The rule of thumb is go bigger than you need if you have to, but don’t go smaller. One of the big reasons that there is an abundance of used boards on the market is because many beginners are convinced to buy a board that is too small for them. They buy a new board they can’t yet ride, become frustrated and then quit. Once the basic skills have been mastered, it will be time for you to pick another board (maybe a custom) whose performance capabilities is a better match for your skills and style. As a beginner, buying a used board that is the right size will get you into the sport without spending a lot of money. Once you gain some experience, you’ll have a much better idea of what you want/need in a surfboard. Most experienced surfers have gone through several surfboards. The board you ride will change as your abilities change and/or your riding style changes.

Next: Intermediate Surfers

TAIL SHAPE

2010-08-23T10:16:00.000-07:00

There are basically two tail shapes; square and round. All other tail shapes are a variation of these two. "Square tails" include square, rounded square, mini-square, squash, diamond, swallow and bat wing. Square tails offer more projection and drive. They also add more volume to the tail by increasing tail width, and release quicker when turning. "Round tails" are round, thumb, round pin and pin tail. Traditional fish tail is actually two pin tails. Round tails smooth out turns and offer better hold in steeper faces. They also reduce the volume of the tail because they are narrower, allowing the tail to sink easier into the wave face.

ABOUT FINS...

2010-08-19T10:58:00.000-07:00

Fins add directional control and stability to the surfboard. The surface of the fin has its own foil, which can be symmetrical (curved on both sides) or asymmetrical (curved on one side and flat on the other). Fins have flex, both horizontal and vertical, depending upon the material used to make them. Fins have "base" (length of fin where it connects to the board), "depth" (distance the fin protrudes from the bottom of the board), tip width and rake (horizontal distance the tip overhangs the trailing edge of the fin). Fin configurations come in two basic styles; Single-fin and Multiple-Fin. Multi-fin configurations include 2+1, Twin, Tri, Quad and 5-fin. All of the fin factors I just mentioned can be used in a variety of combinations to achieve a desired effect. The combinations are almost endless. Finding the right fin and/or fin combination is critical to the overall performance of a board, as is the location of the fin on the board and/or the location of the fins relative to other fins in the configuration. Trying different fin templates, sizes or combination of fins is one way any surfer can fine tune the performace of their board. There are some who say the right fin can transform a "dog" into a "magic" board.

Rules-Of-Thumb: Narrow tip is easier to turn, while wider tip offer more stability. Wider base offers more drive, while narrower base turns easier. Stiffer flex gives more drive and speed, while more flex turns easier.

FRESH FROM THE GLASSER (Global Glassing)

2010-08-17T12:46:00.000-07:00

My "Hooray-the-groms-are-back-in-school-late-summer-noserider"

9-6 Neo 19"x23.25"x16" 3" Half-length nose concave, pinched/blade-y rails and a little extra tail-kick. I went a little thinner than what I usually ride, but increased the outline all the way around for more planing surface. I wanted a lighter feel with better hold on steeper faces (late fall at Rincon perhaps?)

I like this 9.5" "Slick" fin because it's upright with a wide tip for holding-in on noserides, but not too wide at the base for easier turning. Another fin I have been experimenting with is the 9.5" Velzy Noserider. Great hold and even better turning than the Slick. Both fins are by True Ames.

BOTTOM CONTOURS

2010-08-16T11:28:00.000-07:00

Concaves, flats, "V" panels, bevels, etc are all control surfaces added to the bottom of the board to achieve specific effects. Concaves give lift at the cost of some drag, while flat surfaces give speed at the cost of stiffness. Concaves and channels are also used to direct the flow of water across the bottom of the board. When considering bottom contours remember that a surfboard is a collection of compound curves, with convex surfaces morphing into flat or concave surfaces. Or, single concaves blending into double-concaves. The location of these control surfaces relative to the curve of the rail, the curve of the rocker and the location of the rider dictate the performance of the board on a given wave.

Perhaps this interaction is most apparent on a modern longboard (MLB). The tail has bottom rocker that accelerates in the last 24” or so. Applying weight here (at the tail) raises the front 2/3 of the board out of the water making it easier to turn (imagine what happens when you step on a rake). The board can now be swung or pivoted on an axis around the fin. The MLB also has a narrow tail which creates more curve in the outline at the tail. By leaning the board over on its rail a rider can take advantage of this curve-ier shape to shorten the radius of his turn. The “V” panel actually helps in two ways. First it makes it easier to roll the board over on its rail (think here about the difference between standing on a plank with a flat bottom versus standing on a plank with a round bottom) The “V” shaped into the bottom of the tail also increases the rocker curve at the rail. Tilting the board over on its rail allows the rider to take advantage of the increased rail curve made possible by the outline and the increased bottom rocker curve made possible by the “V” panel bottom. Hang on, there’s more…Some shapers will add even more contours to the tail bottom by inserting small concaves on each side of the stringer where the “V” panels are located. These surfaces create “lift” by re-directing the water flow down. The added lift reduces drag yielding acceleration through the turn. Keep in mind that all this happens in the last 24” or so of a 9’ MLB. Once the turn has been completed, the rider must move to another location on the board where the combination of curves and contours optimizes the desired performance, e.g. the mid-section where the bottom is relatively flat rail-to-rail, the rocker has hardly any curve and the rail has a tucked-edge so that water will release easily for maximum speed.

RAILS

2010-08-16T10:04:00.000-07:00

There are three basic rail shapes. There are round or 50/50 rails, where 50% of the rail is above the apex and 50% is below. This is the classic rail shape. There are 60/40 rails, where 60% of the rail is above the apex and 40% is below. This is a more modern rail shape. And down rails, where the rail curves down to the bottom, forming a hard edge. The thickness or volume of a rail can be "full" (or "boxy"), regular or thin. Round or 50/50 rails can be thinned or drawn-out, so that they resemble the pointed end of an egg. These are referred to as "egg" rails or "pinched" rails. Sometimes, the apex of these pinched rails is below the centerline of the rail. They are then referred to as "pinched low". Most modern surfboards have rail shapes which combine all three basic shapes, with a "soft" 50/50 rail in the nose, flowing to a 60/40 tucked rail in the middle and turning down to a "hard" edge in the last 16" or so of the tail.

Rules-Of-Thumb: Round rails are forgiving, 60/40 rails (especially with a "tucked" edge) give a good combination of speed and control, while hard edges maximize water release for speed.

ROCKER AND OUTLINE DIAGRAMS

2010-08-12T14:52:00.001-07:00

The standard way of calling-out board dimensions is to list the length in feet & inches, the width of the nose 12" down from the nose, the width of the widest point of the outline and then the width of the tail 12" up from the tail (all in inches) and finally the thickness at the thickest part of the board along the stringer (not the rail).

ROCKER

2010-08-11T11:11:00.001-07:00

"Rocker" is the curve along the bottom of the board, from nose to tail. Some would say this is the single most important design feature of any board. Rocker determines how fast a shape will be, how easily it will turn, how well it will paddle and how well it will catch waves. While rocker is sometimes described in terms of maximum nose rocker (NR) and tail rocker (TR), the entire curve needs to be considered. Rocker is usually parabolic, which means the amount of curvature accelerates at both ends. Rocker is usually measured by placing a straightedge on the bottom, parallel to the stringer and touching (or tangent to) the exact middle of the board, lengthwise. The vertical distance from the tip of the board to the straightedge is the NR and the distance from the tail to the straightedge is the TR. Rocker can be further quantified as the measurements up and down the length of the board at regular intervals, say every six inches. Rules-Of-Thumb: Increased nose rocker allows for steeper take-offs and more vertical surfing. Decreased NR paddles easier and improves nose riding. Increased tail rocker makes a board easier to turn, while decreased TR makes a board faster.

SURFBOARD DESIGN 101…

2010-08-10T10:29:00.000-07:00

Every surfer should know a little about surfboard design. I'm always amazed at how little even some of the most proficient surfers know about what makes their board perform. Knowing some of the basics will help you to have an intelligent conversation with your shaper about your next board. It will also allow you to better evaluate the features of a board being hyped by the sales guy at your local surf shop. When you buy a car you don't need to know how the air-fuel mixture is calibrated, but you should know the performance difference between a "V-8" and a "V-6" engine, or an automatic and a stick-shift transmission. There are six main features you should know about: Outline, Rocker, Rails, Foil & Bottom Contours, Tail Shapes and Fins.

It's important to remember that a well made surfboard is an integrated and balanced design. Every design feature impacts performance and must be considered in relation to all other design features. Usually, there are performance trade-offs that must be made. A board with a lot of rocker at both ends will not be as fast as a board with minimal rocker, but the rockered board will turn much easier and much quicker. As a surfer, I might be willing to sacrifice some ease of turning for more speed, or vice-versa. A "dog" is a shape in which the performance trade-offs are so striking that the board is essentially un-rideable. A "magic" board is one in which performance trade-offs are barely detectable.

The shaper has to balance the board, keeping in mind the performance requirements of it's intended rider. I might compensate for speedy, low tail rocker by increasing fin toe-in slightly, then I would have a board that is pretty fast but not overly stiff. Or I might increase thickness along the stringer by 1/8" to accommodate thinner rails, making them easier to sink into a turn while keeping overall volume in the right place. Try not to focus on any one design attribute, instead look for balance and harmony in your board. "The whole is greater than the sum of the parts."

Every shaper has his own ideas about design, and what makes a board work. And, while there is some consensus among shapers regarding basic design theory, there is also some disagreement. Keep in mind that surfboard design over the years has relied upon a trial-and-error approach, as in “move that fin 1/4” back and see what happens”. What we have is a lot of experiential data, with after-the-fact explanations and speculations. Add to that the variables of wave size and shape, rider age and size, and so on, and you can easily see why surfboard design is not an exact science. However, knowing a few of the basic design features will help you to make a better choice when selecting a board. What follows are the basic concepts of surfboard design as I have come to know them.

Next: Rocker

Getting my blog on...

2010-08-09T10:09:00.001-07:00

My buddy Reef says I neeed to have a blog for Thomas Patrick Surfboards. And, he should know 'cuz as a surfer/hip-cat designer dude he knows a lot about such things (to see what I mean go to http://www.slidermagazine.com/ ). So while he's busy re-building my funky garage-built website into a primo pro model, I'll be doing my best to get this blogging thing down.
My plan is to use this blog to present my ideas on surfcraft design and function. I frequently get questions from my customers about design and I always try to provide them with a well-thought out reply which, I'll admit, can be a little lengthy at times. I'm thinking this blog may be a good way to share that info with anyone else who may be interested. I'll also try to post photos of recent boards I've completed, and hopefully photos of surfers riding my creations. Getting feedback from surfers on how a board performs is very valuable to a shaper, and hopefully surfers riding my boards will use this blog to give me such feedback, positive or negative. Maybe we'll all learn something in the process.