More Progress On The Grain and New Balsa Fish

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Photos by Dan Lewis and Dennis Murphy

Since the last time I was up at the Murphy Ranch and did a post on the Grain board the weather up there became too cold to work on the board. The next phase was to build the rails, which consists of a process of stacking 1/4 inch long strips of wood one on top of each other to make the curve of the rail.  The process is borrowed from wood boat building and is referred to as the bead and cove method. Meaning that each strip has a concave bottom and rounded top.  The bead fits in the cove and lets the wood lock into place with the help of the glue.

The barn it is being built in wasn't heated and the cold temperatures made the risk too high for cracking the bead and cove strips.  So it sat for a few weeks until recently when the weather warmed up and they could get going again.

I haven't seen the progress yet in person but was fortunate enough to hook up with Dennis and chat about its progress and get these photos.

While Dennis and Dan were waiting for the weather to warm up for the Grain, they started a little side project to keep themselves busy. To my shock they surprised me with some photos of their next project, a scrap Balsa and 100 year old reclaimed redwood 5'10" Quad Fish. The board is chambered out and is set to weigh in at 10 pounds glassed. That is most likely the weight of a glossed and polished 6' fish. The redwood used is from a recycled water tower on his property. The wood is surprisingly light on it's own because of the age but once chambered it is exceptionally light.

Here are a couple photos of the project. Keep an eye on the Murphy Blog for more details and it's progress.

Glued and rough shaped. The swallow has yet to be cut.

Murphy In the Ranch Shaping Room

Fresh Spring Grass, Redwood and Balsa

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Photos by Dan Lewis and Dennis Murphy

Some More Of The Last Swell

Cardiff Green Room

Style'n Floater

Classic Off The Top

David did his best to get around during this last swell and it paid off.  He got some amazing shots.  Here are a few that I liked.  You can see more at Surfline and Transworld Surf.

Erik Doing His Thing

I had these shots in my mail box for over a month now and forgot all about them. They are of Erik by his better half and local artist Lauren. When looking for things to post I was stoked to find them.  

Erik is an amazing surfer and continues to inspire all of us when we are out with him. He also acts as our surf coach and mentor and tells us that someday we too can punt huge airs and pull four 360's in one wave. We all want to believe him but he may up against the old dog theory. We take the advice though and it makes us feel good that he at least believes in us. 

On the other hand the groms flock to him in and out of the water as they intuitively know that they have a chance. I get a big kick out of seeing how he takes his time with random kids in the line up to teach them new things or give them pointers.  He is so stoked all the time that it is inspiring to see how he uses that to help others. 

Knox at North Leucadia

Here are a couple of shots by David of Knox at north Leucadia yesterday.  Apparently as usually he was killing it. These are the B shots. The A's went off to Surfline so keep an eye out for them.

Someday We Will Go

Does anyone know where this is? Even if you did I bet you wouldn't tell. This image came to me while I took a birthing class over 3 1/2 years ago. 

In the class they had us do an exercise to think of a safe place in our minds to relieve stress. I pictured this right point and I was surfing it with my grown daughter of the future. That exercise was powerful yet until recently I had forgotten about it.  

Now all this time later it came to me again while my daughter and I were drawing last weekend in the backyard. It was on a whim that I drew this and it triggered that memory. It now sits on my refrigerator as a post card of the future. Someday we will surf this place.

Cheryl Sorg Reception - Encinitas Library Sat. March 14th 1-3pm

Photo by Angela Carone

Just a reminder that the reception for Cheryl's show is this Saturday afternoon, March 14th, from 1:00-3:00 in the Community Room at the beautiful Encinitas Library, as well as out on the adjoining patio, with its gorgeous ocean view. Come join her for pastries, caffeine and mimosas! (and art of course....)

Also for you KPBS blog Culture Lust lovers you will find a post on her as well. You can check it out here.

Fatherhood Is Great

A couple of weeks ago I took Binki II in for some repairs to the Ding King. Binki II was a board made by John Turberville a few years back. John and I go way back and he used to live on Coop when I first lived on Jupiter. He had been shaping me boards since 97'. Now he is retired. I wanted him to make a dupe of Binki and he did but he made this board as well for himself. When I rode it I had to have it so he swapped this one for the one he made for me.  I have been trading off between Binki I and Binki II for a about 4 years now.  I love them both.

I haven't ridden her in months and was itching to get her fixed up so I could take her out. On the day I took it in my daughter and copilot came with and she got really excited about seeing the place.  She loves boards and likes to look around surf shops at them. She was very interested in what they were going to do to my board as she sees it in the garage and even asks to wax it with me. When we dropped off the board she made me promise that I take her with me to pick it up.  

A week passed and the board was ready. When I got the call I was really excited. Then I remembered my promise to wait for her to pick it up.  As a couple weeks went by our schedules never made it possible for us both to be together to get the board, until today. 

So, after I took her to dance class we had a date for Ding King and went over to pick up the board. She was just as excited as I was and my sister from Japan was even there to document it. Look at the first shot of us out front. She is holding the board with me.  A proud moment for her and for me. Fatherhood is great. 

Beautiful Murphy 5'10" Quad Fish

I was down at the Sorrento Valley Murphy shaping room today with Chris and took a liking to this board. Couldn't help but take some shots.  Check out the Murphy blog for more photos.

6' 1" Casper - Flying Fish

My friend Hans Enyedi has been sending me photos of the progress of his Casper board. We did a post a while back on it when it was still being shaped. Now the board is ready to surf complete with resin tint and wood fins that he made as well. Personally I'm blown away at how nice the board turned out for shaping, glassing (resin tint no less) and making his own fins out of his shape shake in his back yard. Good work Hans! I can't wait to try this board out. Now that this one is done he has already started on another.

Photos by Hans

What I Watched - The Present Premier

So Anne, Kirk and I went to see the premier of The Present.  I don't have any of my own pictures because frankly I got way too excited about the whole thing and left my camera at home. It happens to the best of us. If you want to see some cool shots check out the Sea Layer blog as Maggie is an amazing photographer. 

The event itself was really good. The vibe was amazing and some of my favorite parts were actually not in the movie at all.  I did love the film don't get me wrong, but when you get to sit back in your own home town theater and listen to the Mattson 2 with Ray Barbee live, (How amazing are these guys? Seriously. The drummer blew me away with his closed eye playing and Ray Barbee is just an amazing energy. Then there is how the Mattson 2 play off each other with a telepathic ability. I can't get enough. These guys are gifted.) and sit through it with some of your favorite surfers (Dan Malloy, Chris Del Moro, Rob. Devon Howard etc. etc. ) you start to get to realize that we live in a magical place.  

As for the film,  I can't wait to actually get my hands on a DVD. I realize that when I see films for the first time in a setting like that it is really hard to get the full vibe of it. The experience is so great on a lot of levels that you have a hard time focusing solely on the film, which deserves it's own undivided attention. It has to do with the excitement of the event and the energy around you that makes you walk out with everything a blur.  At least it did for me.  

The thing that I really like about surf films are that the good ones are more like albums then they are like pop culture movies. They get better with  time and the really good ones let you explore new depths as you watch them over and over again. I have films I have watched 20 times. Sprout was like that. When my daughter was born I didn't surf much and the film became a great way to reconnect with surfing.

The film had it's standout moments as well, even with the blur of the evening. I really liked the Tudor segment as it was entertaining and I liked hearing him speak of the guys that influenced him. The other stand out segment was the Rasta, Malloy, Del Moro segment at Sunset and Waimea on the Alaia boards.  It had the same vibe as the Lopez board segments in Sprout, which was a great segment.

The message of the movie was good and Campbell's narration is always a welcome. All and all a great time. Thank you, Thomas!

Dirty Wax Art - Wave by Lucas 13

Today I received this special piece of wax art by a long time friend Lucas. He did a really good job and even included a little wax man in the tube. 

I met Lucas when he was 2 years old and now get to watch him surf. In fact last weekend I had the pleasure of noticing some kid surfing really well and then realized it was him.  That was a cool moment. I was able to see him as a surfer not just a grom. His younger brother Logan is surfing really good as well.  We'll get some shots of them both up here shortly.

Lucas was the first to send in his wax art. I hope there are more of you out there working away on your dirty wax.  

Photo by Ed

Living the Dream at Age 7

Here are more shots from David of his son and his best friend fulfilling their dream as free surfers. It's a good life if you can get the job.  Here they are putting their time in the water with the surf cams on their boards and David on the beach to get all the action. These guys don't mess around.  When the surf is solid (2 to 3 foot) they have work to do. They, like all the great free surfers before them, gear up, get their camera crew and go to work. 

Photos by David Gray and Board Cam

Happy Fins by Bereket, 5 1/2 and Genet, 3 1/2

Bereket, 5 1/2

Genet, 3 1/2

Here are a couple of fins sent in by proud father and back yard shaper Kipp Denslow.  I met Kipp's wife at a meditation class. After the class we started talking surf and she mentioned that her husband shapes fish boards.  Naturally I was intrigued so I urged her to have Kipp send in some shots.  Turns out he makes some amazing boards.  My favorite is the 50/50 blue and brown board.  Love the color scheme.

The fins are great. They put a smile on my face when I opened my email.  Enjoy.

New Form Of Wax Art

Erik came over today to show me his wax art. He rides for Sticky Bumps and gets all the R&D wax from the factory.  This time he got a bunch of colored wax so he waxed up his fish with these checkers. When he showed me I couldn't help but take a picture.

Hummm Back Yard Fish

My friend Hans Enyedi from Newport Beach sent in these photos. He has been busy shaping again and this time made a 6' fish. He shaped and glassed the board in his backyard. I really like the resin tint. Check out the bottom. It looks like there is a jelly fish in it. If all goes well I get to ride her next week along with the Casper he shaped.

Board Cam

Here are some classic shots.  David got his son a Go Pro board cam for Christmas.  He just hooked it up the other day and his son took it for a spin. The first shot is classic, I love how the water is caught in the air and the colors going off around him. 

A Few From Our Friends In Australia

Andrew Kidman, Photo By Mick Waters

Neil Purchase Jr. Photo By Mick Waters

Mick Waters Photo By Andrew Kidman

In September of last year I bought the movie Believe and was so stoked on the film I emailed Mick Waters, the Australian filmmaker, to congratulate him on a job well done.  Mick, who wrote back stoked as ever to connect with his audience, has over the months become a friend.  He has also become a daily follower of the site, and even submitted some Fin Art that he and his two kids made.

The other day I got an email from Mick and to my surprise received these photos.  They are of course of Andrew Kidman, Neil Purchase Jr. and Mick.  Seriously, these guys are 3 out of my 4 all time favorite Australian surfers/artists.  (All I needed was a shot of Rasta to complete the set.) You can imagine how stoked I was to get these. I'm not sure where these are taken other then AU but maybe Mick can comment and let us know. 

Over the coming months I will be featuring more of Mick's work.  He and his crew in AU have been producing some amazing work that continues to inspire me. He has a new film coming out that I will do a post on called "Little Black Wheels".  It is of a surf trip he took around AU with his pregnant wife, 2 year old daughter and dog in a little white van. The trailer is great and there are a few segments already floating around YouTube that will make your mouth water.

When Mick's new movie comes out he is currently planning a trip to the US to show it off. Cross your fingers, he is a true independent filmmaker so he has to fund this whole project himself.  He will stay here in Leucadia when he comes and we will help him do a La Paloma premier. There is even talk about filming his journey and making a movie out of it. 

Anyway everyone meet Mick.  Mick meet everyone. We are looking forward to your trip here so you can get to know everyone in person. In the meantime keep sending us shots!

That Ol' Pan Speed Dialer Fins By Kirk

Here are some fins Kirk sent in. He worked on it on and off for weeks and then sat on the final product. Anne like a good wife took up the lead and shot the photos.

The front fin is particle wood, left over resin from a dig repair and abalone from a trip to Nor Cal.  The back fin is particle board and beer bottle caps from his favorite beers. Both fins are mounted to an old recycled tin.

Really cool fins Kirk, thanks for sending them in!

1976 Encinitas 7'10" Single Fin

I ran into Steve Reilly today at Grandview. We got to talking and he started telling me about a 7'10" single fin he had shaped by John Kies in 1976 that he still owns. I told him to snap a shot and send it over. Here is what he sent alone with the story. Enjoy.

I had it made in 1976 by the recently opened Encinitas Surfboard shop. I was living primarily on the central coast at that time, in Los Osos attending Cal Poly SLO, working on a master's degree, but was down here for the summer. I was introduced to John Kies, co-owner and (then sole) shaper by a
friend of mine from UCSB days, Kenny Bernard, who had gone to San Diguito HS with Kies.

[Kenny would be another good story tangent for the Leucadia Project, but I think he's still living in Australia. He is one of the most talented surfers I've known. He grew up around north county, surfed for the Hansen team in the 1960s, started with his brothers the Swamis surf club. His mom was even the "den mother" of the club. His older brother had a surf shop on the coast highway in downtown Encinitas for a number of years. For a while in the '70s his mom owned a house on the bluff just south of Beacon's. The house had a separate cottage slightly down the bluff (since fallen and gone), a great place to check the then-uncrowded Leucadia surf conditions. I lost touch with Kenny in the 1980s at some point, after he'd sailed his boat to Australia, hooked up with Simon Anderson who had recently invented the thruster, and was spending lots of time surfing the western Pacific with him. Came by my house in Cardiff around 1982 or so and gave me an incredible slide show of the then-unknown spots they'd been surfing from his sail boat, and the incredible things that could be done with the "new" 3 fin
design...John K. knows Kenny's whereabouts, I'm pretty sure].

But I digress. I told John about the macking reef breaks I was surfing along the central coast and he designed & made this board for me. At the time the general style was called a "California Semi-Gun". It was designed for waves from about head-high to as big as you've got the cojones to surf. Its about 7'10", very thick as boards were then, down rails, stable and fast. Has the de rigueur wings near the tail to loosen it up a bit, but man can this thing fly on a long open face. Color is balsa tint on the bottom and rails, clear deck with red pin strip. Simple and clean design, I've always admired it. Still have the original single fin. The board never had a leash plug (weren't yet invented in '76) but I did add a fin screw with an eyelet in about '77. Mostly surfed it leashless, even on the reefs. Used it down here as a winter swell board for a while, but it ended up on the rafters about 25 yrs ago, and its aging nicely.

Let me know if you're interested in taking some better shots and I'll bring it by your place.

Steve

p.s. really like what you've been doing with the Leucadia Project web site. Very nice.

p.p.s. I've also got a circa 1963 Con longboard hanging in the garage. 9'0" rounded pin. Picked it up in 1981 when I moved back to Cardiff before the modern longboard era began. Placed an add in the Pennysaver and got it for $35 from a guy a couple blocks away whose son had left it in his garage since about '65. Shape's not as pristine but an interesting, fun board nonetheless.

Photo by Steve Reilly

Pinwheel Fins by Lukas - 5 and Ajia- 2

More fins were sent in by proud father and Avo lover, Jason Werbelow. Apparently the two loved coloring the fins so much that when finished they insisted that he put them up in their bedroom. Pretty cool.

Thanks Jason for sending them in!