We love Sacred Craft

We really do. The organizers call it a “consumer surf expo” but it's more like a cross between a reunion, a swap meet and a fair. We've been to every one they've had, but we love to keep going back, because it's not only a chance to gape at the unbelievable boards that other builders are making, but also to meet up with board and kit customers, past, present and hopefully future. This year, there's going to be some new stuff going on – honoring Rennie Yater for one thing, but also an “Antiques Roadshow” style event (just with old surfboards) and a “game show” called Surf Nerd, where Pete Townend is up against Shaun Tomson to see who knows the most obscure surf trivia.

Also, we're getting a bit of a bigger booth so that we can screen parts of Mick Water's new film “Little Black Wheels”. Mick's an Aussie known for artful surf flicks like “Believe” and “Hot Buttered Soul”. We've been doing some cool stuff with him that we want to share.  Show up at the Ventura County Fairgrounds on April 10 and 11.  It's gonna be good.

Mondo Movie Madness - Rockland Maine

Our New England locals will also have a chance to see Mick Water's work at the upcoming “Surf Film Festival” to be held by the Rockland Strand Theatre in Rockland Maine. Along with Little Black Wheels, the Rockland Strand will be showing four or five other notable surf flicks, some with local connections, some from far afield. We're planning to be there in the Pug with some boards, some schwag, and maybe our friends from Corduroy.  The line-up of films should be posted on the Rockland Strand Calendar as the date gets closer. The theater itself is a completely restored historic building that should be just dripping with amazing atmosphere.

Rollin' Nolan East Coast Ramble

Nolan has lived his whole life in Maine – he grew up in Maine, was schooled in Maine, learned to play nice with others and discovered girls in Maine.  Having returned to work with us (in York, Maine) after graduating last year with a currently idle degree in Physics from Colby College of (yes, unbelievably) Maine, we decided Nolan needs to see the world... Well, at least the East Coast U.S. part of the world.  So this spring, we're kicking him out-of-state for a surf-trip in our 1966 bread van – a.k.a. “the Pug”.  The plan: drive to Cape Hatteras and back during a solid month-plus that will be filled with scheduled and unscheduled board demos, camping, surfing, a little road-side board building, and some cruising of surf shops, or surf competitions – or “surf” anything really. We just want him to come back with stories he couldn't possibly get by staying in Maine.  We'll have some special deals for people that meet Nolan on the road or help him to clean a beach here or there, and he'll be posting to our facebook page and tweeting - whenever he's not driving, that is.  If you're reading this, and you live within a few miles of the beach, you may get a call or DM from Nolan looking for a shower. Stay tuned to our blog for more news.

Nolan's Last-Chance Spring Sale

Nolan's also the guy that packs all the kits so unfortunately while he is gone, kit packing will be put on hold. The good news is that we're gonna have a quick sale on kits until Nolan hits the road. So get your order in before May 1, and get a fast 10% knocked off your kit.  What the hell... make it 10% off kits OR custom boards. All orders placed by May 1st will be shipped before Nolan hits the road. If you live anywhere near Nolan's route (whatever that may be) we'll refund your shipping cost, 'cause Nolan will have your kit with him in the truck.  Bad news is you may have to meet him at the beach to get it... or  maybe that's good news too! For any orders that we receive while he's gone, we'll send building manuals out as soon as you order so you can start getting your head around the process.

Pandan - Now Available as a Kit

The 6'-10” Pandan funshape was initially added to our line as a custom board, but not as a kit.  The first we built was a thin little blade – fun-shaped but slender and slight.  With the original a little too “pro” for most surfers, we re-designed it as a 7'0” x 20-1/2” x  2-1/2” and had a trusted local test-build it as a kit.  Verdict: The 7-0 Pandan kit is a little more of a challenge to build, but surfs great.  With a deep single to double contour, and a thruster setup and squash tail, this is still not your fat uncle's fun-shape.  But it's a great board for light-weight, or intermediate/advanced surfers.

New Tests on a Promising Product

A few years ago, we met the guys from Entropy and quickly realized that they had a lot to say about sustainability. Soon after, they launched two new resins – Surf Sap and Super Sap which are 33% and 55% compounded with organic post-industrial waste from pine-based paper pulp and bio-fuel byproduct. Rey and Desi Banatao are engineers by trade and surfers and environmentalists by passion who, after our successful initial tests, we can salute for developing the first bio-resin we've used that is not only high performing but also uses less energy and water and creates less harmful byproducts and greenhouse gasses  in production. Look for more news about our use of Entropy Bio-resins on the blog.

If you haven't already, you can sign up to receive this newsletter on any page of our website. For more frequent news, check our Builder's Blog and now you can follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks for your interest in Grain Surfboards, we're happy to have you on board.

You are receiving this email because you subscribed, purchased a product or otherwise showed interest in Grain Surfboards.