Surfer of the Week

The NSSA was in town hosting a couple of contests at the Hook and Pleasure Point,   Sam had 2 wins in the grom division, just bettering his big brother Ben's 1st and 2nd in juniors. They took turns surfing longboard, and both came home with a win. A good weekend for Team Coffey.

NSSA Surfer of the week

Surf Bum

Ben was in the right place at the right time when Sun Bum came to Santa Cruz. He went for a morning surf and came home with $1000. Not a bad way to start the weekend. 

HOW A 14 YEAR OLD WON BUM RUSH SANTA CRUZ

by Alex French, May 2, 2012,

RedBull.com

Last Saturday, Ben Coffey, a 14 year-old straight-A high school freshman from Santa Cruz, California, rode his bike down to Steamer Lane (the renown surf break that will play host to an ASP World Tour contest in a few months) to try out a new brand new board that his dad, Ward Coffey, the well-known surfboard shaper, made for him.

The waves were only knee high, with a few bigger sets occasionally rolling through. The lineup was crowded; there were roughly 30 people out there. On Ben's way out, someone on the beach casually mentioned that some sort of contest was going on.

It was The Bum Rush Tour, to be exact, a contest series with a unique set of rules. In Bum Rush there are no qualifiers or entry fees or applications to be filled out. There's no real heat structure, either. The judges simply stand on the beach and watch the action in the water (everyone becomes a contestant). After 20 minutes, they pick a winner.

Eventually one of the judges picked up a bullhorn and called Coffey out of the water. He walked up the beach and stood on a rock. Some guys sprayed him down with sparkling apple cider and handed him a big cardboard check for $1,000, which Ben says he'll use to pay for a surf trip to some place with warm water.Ben connected on a a number of long rides, carving out graceful turns. "I was still feeling out the board, so I really wasn't pushing it," he says. But according to one account, a few of those rides were so long that instead of paddling back out to the lineup Ben elected to run along the beach and paddle straight out to the top of the point.

Ben Coffey's surf pedigree is well worth mentioning. His dad, Ward, surfed professionally for a short time before he started shaping surfboards for a living in 1980. Ward shapes a few hundred boards a year. A handful go to Ben and his brother, but otherwise, Ward seems to be a pretty hands-off dad, not one of those "Little League Dads," who stand on the beach recording their kids' surf sessions and shouting instructions.

"YOU TEACH THEM TO SURF BY TEACHING THEM HOW TO HAVE FUN IN THE WATER. BY TEACHING THEM TO READ THE OCEAN -- HOW TO GET TUMBLED AND COME BACK UP."

"You teach them to surf by teaching them how to have fun in the water," says Ward. "By teaching them to read the ocean -- how to get tumbled and come back up."

Ward's wife, Ben's mom, is a surfer, too, and so it seemed only natural that Ben would shred.

Ben started on a boogie board then moved to a soft-top surf board. Now Ben shreds the Lane on an entire quiver of custom boards. But Ward says the biggest factor behind Ben's development is a gang of friends: "The critical thing is you get all of these kids together and they just push themselves harder and farther than I ever could."

Part of that push has come from three years of surfing on his school team. This is Ben's first year of competition on the National Scholastic Surf Association (NSSA) circuit. The day after winning the Bum Rush event, Ben caught a ride to compete in an NSSA event. He had been to the finals a few times, and on Sunday he paddled out for his heats, feeling especially confident. He made the finals and collected his first win.

The next day at school, Ben was the center of attention. His buddies were all a little jealous, a little miffed over Ben's weekend success and that humongous $1,000 check.

"None of them were out surfing the Lane that day," says Ben. "When I told them what happened they were all like, 'Man, I wish I'd been there." 

Board Meeting

When the folks at Duke University's Nicholas Foundation asked me to come up with a board to present to Bill Reilly during a recent board meeting, it was only natural that I created a board that fit his values. Bill's had a lifelong commitment to oceans, having most recently led President Obama's commission to investigate the causes of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Bill helped create the EPA, ran the World Wildlife Fund for years and now chairs the boards of companies as well as green causes. 


The board I put together used Marko Foam's E blank, a blank made with 100% recycled styrofoam, Entropy's Super Sap BioResin, a 40% biobased epoxy, and fins from FCS's GreenFlex project. Put them together and you have a board that is mindful, green, and environmentally aware. 


Bill was stoked to get the board, said he had a pretty big pond at his place to try the board out before he hits the ocean. I'm thinking consulting on a wave pool and private surf lessons might have to be put on the agenda at the next "board" meeting. 

LogJam Raffle Board

Here's your chance to get an insane board for the simple purchase of a raffle ticket at this weekend's Big Stick LogJam.

Logjam! 2012

April 28-29th, 2012. Pleasure Point, Santa Cruz

Big Stick Surfing Association (BSSA) is proud to announce the Logjam! 2012, the longest running "old boards, no cords" surfing competition is back at Pleasure Point for two days of amazing surfing action on vintage boards from the 1960's.

At 9'6" x 16 1/2 x 23 3/4 x 14 1/2, this glider is a real rider. Inspired by the man, Skip Frye, this board is a symphony of bottom contours and foiled rails.



The boys at Handcrafted really outdid themselves with perfect cut laps and flawless resin work.



Simply put, this board would go into my personal quiver but also, this one gets chalked up to community service.

Shaper's Alley

Check out the latest on Surfline.

A Day on the Bay

We scored a perfect day for the Santa Cruz to Monterey paddle race. Ben was paddling as part of Team Grom and I got to tag along as pit crew.

Thanks to Joe for putting it all together: kids, boat, and plenty of stoke!

And thanks to Paul for being an honorary grom (with lots of pulling power!) and for documenting the day:

Bay Crossing 2011 from Paul Steinberg on Vimeo.

This is a Sacred Craft

Wow! What a weekend. What a final day. The shape off was crazy, intense and a whole lot of fun. I felt like Man on Wire most of the time in that shaping room.

And I was really happy with the finished shape.

I want to thank all of you - my friends, customers and fellow surf riders - for your support and your ongoing desire to ride a custom surfboard. Without your feedback, input and individual tastes I would still be trying to rub two sticks together.

Needless to say I'm a bit over the moon with the outcome. To be able to thank and rub elbows with the masters whose dusty footsteps I've been following all these years is an honor indeed.

Sacred Craft Sneak Peek

It's been a log jam at Handcrafted for the last couple of weeks. The boys have been working overtime to get everyone's boards done for the Sacred Craft show this weekend. Here Fletch tries to figure out where to put my 10'6" Streamline, while a classic noserider of mine waits it's turn.

A freshly trimmed volan glass job, with matching tail block, are what make the classics, well, classic.

All dressed out and ready to glass, this is one of my Freeride models in a thruster fin setup.

The yellow Streamline is a board I'm really excited about. The lines and contours on the board are stunning and thought provoking; it has been very enlightening building this board. I can't wait to see how it turns out.

Science and Surfing

You're invited to "Surf's Up Nightlife" at the California Academy of Sciences this Thursday, Dec 2nd, for an evening filled with the science, art, and culture of surfing. There will be films, forums, and surf related displays. You can even see some tarp surfing.

I'll be sitting in on a round table on surfboard shaping and green design. Come on by and get your stoke up. There's going to be a lot of great stuff at a very cool location. Hope to see you there.



California Academy of Sciences
"Surf's Up NightLife" - Thursday, December 2nd

Mavericks Film with Pro-Surfer Panel

We’re pleased to present a screening from the soon to be released movie ‘Super Natural’ from Powerlines Productions. This includes footage from last year’s big wave event at Mavericks and giant surf from Pe’ahi (aka “Jaws”). The movie’s producers will introduce the piece and each screening will be followed by talks and Q & A with a panel of professional surfers. Check back as the event approaches for confirmed panel participants.

There will be two film screenings, each followed by the panel discussion. Seating is limited, passes will be available on a first-come, first-served basis on the night of the event.


Tarp Surfing and More

Throughout the building, we’ll have a variety of surf and ocean oriented activities. There will be a stunning display of tarp surfing in our central piazza, films and videos playing throughout the building, and other great surprises.


Surfing and Ocean Gallery

Our iconic African Hall will be transformed into and gallery dedicated to the art and science of surfing. We’ll have surf board art, interactive displays and games about the ocean and surfing from local Surfrider organizations and others.

Scheduled to participate are: Save the Waves, Marin Surfrider, San Francisco Surfrider, San Mateo Surfrider, Surfaid, Surf for Life, American Cetacean Society, Project Kaisei, Sea Stewards, Frank Quirarte, Art Gimbel, Doug Acton, Seth Migdail, Matthew Proehl, Paul Ferraris and others.


Expert Roundtables

Here is your opportunity to learn more on a variety of topics pertaining to surfing and the ocean in an intimate setting with renowned experts. We’ll have three topics this evening:

Surfboard Shaping and Green Design - Moderated by David McGuire and featuring James Mitchell, Danny Hess, Ward Coffey, and Kevin Whilden

Surfing and Environmentalism - with Kyle Thiermann and J. Nichols.


Planetarium

Enjoy the following planetarium shows this week at NightLife:

Life: A Cosmic Story
6:30 pm

A surfing film from Powerlines Productions (title TBA)
7:30 pm and 8:30 pm

Passes to planetarium shows are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Pick up your pass at the Planetarium Kiosk.

Samba for Surf

This is Santa Cruz and when the surf goes flat for a couple of weeks folks around here will try anything to appease the surf gods. In this case a local Samba band decided to do an impromptu photo / video shoot in front of the Steamer Lane mural by my shop.



I was in my shaping room when I started hearing an unfamiliar beat. It drew my outside to see these cats pounding out a hypnotic rhythm.



Next thing I know it's a party and gala clad girls on stilts with feather boas and hula hoops start dancing around.



Soon it was a carnival and a lively crowd gathered and watched the festivities unfold.

The mural has been the backdrop for a lot of interesting and creative photo ops. Santa Cruz has a richly colorful cast of characters who at an moment can pop up and remind us that life is really worth living. Whatever mojo these folks have it must be working because shortly after their gig we had that nice south swell and our first northwest of the season heading our way.

A Word from the Toy Maker

My fitness friends Scott and Todd at SurfStronger put together this nifty little video of me talking about getting a custom board. It gives some insight into the thoughts and process that go into shaping a board, plus the stoke I get from my customers.

As you can see, I'm serious about being a toymaker. And the gang at SurfStronger is serious about being fit and in shape to surf at your full potential. Their programs have worked great to help this stiff old geezer stay in the game. Maybe the next workout video will be ShapeStronger.

Wild and Wooly

After a nice run of surf and weather this fall and early winter, the door has now been kicked in and through it a series of storms has been pummeling the coast with heavy surf, wind, and rain. This annual scouring of the cliffs and beaches is a reminder that the sands of time wait for no one.



When the not so "pacific" ocean is on the march, it inspires awe and respect for it's moods and unrelenting power. A few days brought the low pressure close to shore which meant steep wave periods that sent rouge waves steamrolling through parts of the ocean that rarely see breaking waves.



A highlight is that the major rivers are now running and the much anticipated sand flow is in motion. Could it be a river mouth year? Well, as one sage curmudgeon once told me, if there is a big ole log jam flowing down the San Lorenzo River, there most likely will also be a big ole (surfboard) log jam at the river mouth this spring.

And the Band Played On

This was the last waltz for Gary Stachan in his role as a California State Park Ranger, including a long running gig as head ranger at Año Nuevo State Park. After 34 years of service, Gary is retiring. To celebrate he threw a classic shindig full of music, food, and good friends.



As a hardcore surfer and accomplished waterman, Gary has been outstanding in his field. He has always stood tall in the forest of bureaucrats and has embodied the meaning of stewardship of our state's wild places.



During his tenure, the parks along the North Coast have been transformed into real gems of stunning beauty that are well planned, accessible, and most importantly, still natural and wild. Gary was profiled in the summer 2006 Surfer's Journal. It's a good glimpse of a waterman's life as a California State Park Ranger.



How many rangers do you see in a surfboard print button down wearing a lei? Even though Gary will no longer be the front man at Año, rest assured that he has found his voice and will continue to hit the right note in more ways than one (more surfing and kitesurfing!)



I know that for my family, his work along this coast has made our lives richer. Let's hope that Sacramento and the people of California follow his tune and the song remains the same.

Feliz Año Nuevo

What the Pros Ride

The Big Top was in town and the Coldwater Classic at Steamer Lane had all the thrills and spills that make a three ring circus good theater. The waves and conditions were testament to why those rabid rumors fly around about where Surf City USA really is.



Dusty Payne was in town for the event and lost a fin so his dad stopped by the shop to see if I could do a rush fix job. As always, I'm stoked to step up, let our local know how shine, and take care of our little tribe of surf savvy travelers. And just as importantly, it's a great way to meet new people, talk story, and learn about their part of the world. Also, as a shaper, it's great to look at the equipment and see how that all translates into our everyday boards. What the pros ride really does have a trickle down effect on what us mere mortals surf.

Dusty also had one of those "Dumpster Diver" boards that Dane Reynolds has been riding. Talk about 1984 gone 2009. Very cool. In fact, I shaped out one for myself using the numbers. So don't be surprised to see me on a Stubby in the coming week.

Outside!

So the next time you call the shop for a surf report and I say it's 10' and perfect with no one out, I'll mean it. You see, I can now claim to have the closest surf shop to Steamer Lane and all I have to do is look out my front door and see that it's going off.



This mural project was painted by local artist and chalk wizard Marvin Plummer, and was masterminded by David Terrazas and the Santa Cruz Economic Development and Redevelopment Department. Here are some shots as the project progressed:



Being by the train tracks , this wall was often victim to some unsightly tags. So a fresh canvas was sprayed out.



Marvin lays out the basic outlines and starts the back fill shadowing.



Each day new elements would appear.



The day the lighthouse showed up everyone said, "Oh, I get it, that's Steamer Lane!"



Since it's done in black and white, the light during the day would change the moods and the overall feeling of the mural.



Being a surfer, Marvin was obsessed with getting Middle Peak just right and we had a lot of good conversations about it. I say he nailed it.



Talk about cherry picking the set waves! Marvin had the right tool for the job. The next time I see him in the water, my vote says he gets the wave of the day.

If you want to come share the stoke this Sunday, there will be a reception and site clean up to celebrate the completion of this cool mural.

Sunday / 27 September 2009 / 1:00 pm
820 Swift Street / 831 420 5157

Get with the Program

If you've noticed a bunch of bronzed kids in red swimsuits running, swimming, and paddling, then you've seen the Junior Lifeguards in action.



This great summer time program brings kids together to get in shape, learn ocean safety, and compete in games and events that are fun and sometimes wacky.



The Boogie Jump is one of the wacky games. What kid wouldn't want a chance to flip, flop, and fly over a stack of boogie boards? Here Sam does a front dive to clear the stack.



The boys line up for the Distance Paddle race. This tough event includes having to navigate some surf getting in and out of the water. When the surf is up, these nippers put on a good show with their wave savvy skills.



The Taplin event is a run / swim / paddle relay. Sam puts on his game face as he readies himself for the paddle.



Ben went on a tear in the paddle events this summer, winning at the local competitions and going on to win the Distance Paddle at Regionals in Seal Beach.



Team Santa Cruz celebrates their 2nd place finish in the Run Relay at Regionals. Do these kids look fit or what? These are the future lifeguards who will be watching over our beaches in the coming years.