New SUP...finally

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...

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'...

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.