It’s that time of year again in the Northeast. Trees have gone bare, vacationers have gone home and the lineups are thin with bodies and full with waves. Luckily, with the start of every new board building class, we’ve had a new swell arrive at the just the right time. Our November class was greeted to waves on their first day. Here’s some photos to get you in spirit.
We’re always excited to add new products to our online store, and as much as possible, we try to support those companies whose focus is on providing the best product with the least impact on the planet.
Starting in the next few days, we’ll be carrying a full line of hemp and recycled board bags as well as recycled leashes from Wave Tribe.
To celebrate our new partnership, for a limited time we’re offering a FREE All Hemp Day Bag with every Home Grown Kit purchased. Place your order today and we’ll automatically add an appropriate sized day bag to your order. Bags will be drop-shipped straight from Wave Tribe and will arrive separately from the kit. You’ll get one of three great colors – chocolate, emerald blue or natural (color varies with availability). These bags are designed for everyday, but are tough enough to travel too.
THIS SALE APPLIES TO US ORDERS ONLY
This sale won’t last long, so don’t wait, order today!
THIS SALE APPLIES TO US ORDERS ONLY
Recently, we had the chance to talk at length with some legendary shapers at the Sacred Craft show in Del Mar California. These people – some of them foam shapers from the beginning – have helped make surfboard design what it is today. Part of the credit goes to foam – it’s quick and easy to shape, allows quick alteration of boards that need tweaking, or to have their fins relocated. But whether these iconic board builders worked in wood or foam, the experience and thoughtfulness that they have applied to board design have made all boards what they are today – or have opened our eyes to the true qualities of the boards of yesterday.
Tom Wegener with Mike
Tom Wegener is one that’s looking back to look forward… his long research into perhaps the most fully evolved board of the ancient Hawaiians – the alaia – is deeply inspirational. Tom’s choice to give up the hubub of a west-coast lawyering for the pure quest for a simple life crafting boards in Australia is impressive enough. But the discoveries he has made in shaping deceptively simple looking planks that are in harmony with ancient traditions as well as with the environment are stunning to see on film – as we were able to do during a presentation he made after the show closed Saturday night. Look for the upcoming Thomas Campbell film “The Present†that should be out this winter. Amazing.
Wegener Surfboards with alaia surfer Rob Machado
Another inspiration is Malcolm Campbell who, with his brother Duncan, invented in their late teens the first three-fin board (pre-dating the Simon Anderson thruster by a decade). The Bonzer was the most radical design of the times, and was made for many years by Bing, Gordon & Smith and Eaton with deep, deep concaves that run through radically oriented and shaped fins. As Bonzer5 Surfboards, the Campbells have kept evolving these boards to be some of the longest lived, most complex functioning surfboards the world has seen. Malcolm was so generous with his time when we met him that we’re already deeply grateful, but on top of that, he’s also given us permission to start work on a Grain bonzer-style board (name to be announced). We just got our first order for this board which promises to be a milestone in the Grain line.
Old-school Bonzer with Duncan Campbell
© Maggie Marsek 2008
We also have to thank Greg Noll who continues to move through the world as one of our true and lasting originals – never to be imitated, always respected. My short but memorable conversation with him left me with his words about our boards ringing in my ears: “radical craftsmanship”.
Greg Noll with tribute boards
© Maggie Marsek 2008
Meeting these guys and others and looking at their work inspires us even more to create the best shapes we can. And to get more wood in the lineup for a cleaner ride.
Thanks to Maggie Marsek and Rosa from Wegener Surfboards for the use of the photos in this post!