Getting social...

Social networking is a great tool for a shaper (me) to communicate news, ideas, thoughts, photos' etc.with fellow surfers. You can now follow Thomas Patrick Surfboards on Facebook , Twitter (@tp4surf) and Instagram (#tp4surf)

The T-Belly saga continues...

Here's the latest iteration of my "T-Belly" belly board. With stringer-less EPS/Epoxy construction, and quad fins, this board is fast and responsive. 

The dimensions are 48" x 22-1/4" x 2" 23L. You can read all the technical stuff  HERE  These little gems are a blast to ride, and excel in marginal conditions. Plus they fit easily into the trunk of your car or the back of your truck. Don't leave home without one...you never know when an unexpected surf opportunity will present itself. Also, if physical ailments are keeping you from other forms of surfing, this is your ticket back into the lineup. Plus, a lot more soul than an SUP. Prices start at $299+tx

And now, for a little color...

In case you haven't noticed, surfboards, especially longboards and alternative shapes, have become multi-colored works of art. A case in point is this new custom Thomas Patrick Classic model being built for Kirt (seen in the previous post riding his Nova). Done all in resin tints, this board is a true one-of-a-kind custom.
Starting with a hand-shaped 9-3 noserider, Master Glasser Ray Lucke applied streaks of white opaque resin on the double layer of 6oz cloth on the  deck.

Applying white stripes

This was followed immediately by a coat of  light-grey resin tint. Clearly a two-man job, Ray is joined by glasser protege Mike.

Nearly finished

After the the main deck lamination hardened or "kicked", the board was flipped, the reversed lap trimmed and a blue tint inlay was applied to the bottom. Next, thin black stripes were added to the deck. This was left to harden overnight, and then lightly sanded the next day. In the next step, patches of color were added, again using tinted resin. These were also allowed to kick, and then the entire deck received a clear "hot coat".

Taping-off for the hot coat

Logo placed

My Grandson Kyle and his dad Bruce watch Ray applying hot-coat

This board will be a stunner when its completed next week. Be sure to check back....

9-0 Nova in action....

I love to see my boards in action! This is Kirt on his 9-0 Nova single-fin at Church's during the 2/1/15 swell. Kirt is always one of the best surfers in the water at Church's and he always rides Thomas Patrick Surfboards.  I usually do the Novas as 2+1, but that's what a "custom" board is all about. Your board, your way.

The dimensions are 9'0" 18-1/2" x 22-3/4" x 15" 3-1/4". I built this board almost 3 yrs ago and its good to see it being put through it's paces. You can see it when it was brand new here. So Cal has had good waves in abundance this winter, and good waves deserve good boards. Order your custom board today!

The last TBG3s...

These are the last two TBG3s. The one on the left is for a 300lb rider, while the one on the right is for a 170lb rider. The biggest difference in these last two G3s is the switch from a well-defined tail concave to a blended double concave tail with slight V. While I prefer quad fins, both customers chose the twin fin set-up.

I start work on the new TBG4 next week. This board will be 3" longer (at 48"), than my old TB3. The extra length will necessitate changes in the outline, the foil and fin position. 

Recent interview with MyPaipo.org...

Check-out my recent interview conducted by Bob Green of the MyPaipo.org belly-board forum. I'm building more and more of these fun little boards.

Pricing starts at $299. Contact me for more info or if you want to test drive one.

"All the way to the stairs...

Photo shows Cove a low tide with sand from summer SW swells

My local break is known for its long, peeling winter waves which, with the right conditions, can offer leg-burning rides down almost the entire length of the point (see photo below). That is, of course, only if three or four of your "closest friends" don't drop in on you somewhere along the way. Like many California point breaks, the wave ends in a cove. At my break, there is stairway access to the Cove beach, and the goal becomes one of riding a wave until you get "...all the way to the stairs." The larger the swell, the further up the point you can take off and still make it to the stairs. Today was my turn. I was surfing my 7-3 Widget, with low expectations, jockeying between the shortboarders and the longboarders, and settling for leftovers. I caught a couple of fun ones, but nothing to write home about, you know, 2-3 turns and a close-out. Then a big set had everyone paddling for the horizon, myself included. After the 3-4 wave set passed, I found myself pretty much alone on the outside, lined-up with the public restroom and with lots of bobbing heads on the inside. Without much of a lull, a second set appeared, and at head-high, almost as large as the first. I paddled for the first wave, but missed...too far out. I let the second wave pass and was now in perfect position for the last wave. Three or four strokes, and I was up and riding.

To my pleasant surprise, everyone else had either been washed in or had caught one of the previous waves. Looking down the line, I had no one in front of me for a hundred yards. I put the Widget through its paces, making long, carving turns, dodging paddlers and  pumping through sections as necessary. While there was certainly no danger of me being mistaken for Kellly or Dane, I was surfing at my humble best, and enjoying every second. The Widget was flying down the wave, and it wasn't until I entered the cove that I realized how far I had come. By then, the wave was down to chest-high, but still lined up. My plan was to pump all the way to the stairs, but the wave took me past the stairs before closing out. After wading in and walking back up the point, I decided to call it a day. Always better to leave the water on a high, I always say. Later, using Google maps, I calculated the distance traveled  to be 1,650ft or over 500yds!!

Here's the board I was riding. The Widget Quad, 7'3"  15-1/2" x 22-3/4" x 16"  2-3/4" 52L. Low rocker for speed, quad fins for hold and bump-wing tail for qucik turning. The full outline offers plenty of paddling speed and gets the board up and planing. If you're ready to step-down from that longboard, don't waste your time with an oversized "fish". Get a Widget and watch your surfing performance progress to higher levels. The Widget is available form 7'0" to 8'0".

As good as anywhere in the world...

Surfer's Point, Ventura, CA Late Fall, 2014

Photo by Matt Wyatt website

“Your local break often turns out to be your favorite break. No matter where you go, you remember those two or three days when your local break is as good as anywhere in the world. You live for that.” -Yvon Chouinard, Surfer’s Path Magazine, 12/04

Whooohooo!! Hope you're getting some...

It's been more than a year since we've had a run of swell like this. Its been pretty much HH or better since Thanksgiving. And, it looks like the WNW swells will continue through Xmas Day! Today was pretty much as good as it gets. Mild offshore breeze, waves 6'-8', glassy, well-shaped and relatively uncrowded. With waves peeling 150 yds or more down the point, the long paddle back up the point after each wave took its toll, and I was completely done after 2hr.

I surfed my 9-8 Nova with a 2+1 setup and scored some great waves. The Nova is the perfect longboard for these type of conditions. Its quick rail-to-rail, with a short turn-radius and plenty of speed. The dimensions of my Nova are 9-8 x 23" x 3-1/8" giving this 190lb "Grandpa" all the float he needs, without sacrificing performance. Younger/lighter surfers will find something suitable in the 9-0 to 9-6 range. Call/text/email me to chat about your new Nova.

            

Bennett's new Widget...

I met Bennett last summer, when he came out to California for a visit and some surf. He was looking for a board to replace his 7-10 CI M-13, which he considered too corky, He took my 7-3 Widget demo board for a test drive. Liking the performance of the 7-3, he went home and over the next few months we exchanged emails, nailing down his requirements. Two days before Thanksgiving, he was back in Ventura to pick his new board.

Final dimensions were 7'8" 15-1/4" x 22-3/4" x 15-7/8" 3" 60.6L. The board is eps/epoxy contruction, and with a triple-4oz bottom and double-4oz deck, the board is both light and strong.

Gloss & polish finish over resin-tint abstract and black pinline give this board the personal look of a true custom.