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

Twins and Channels

Matt has always liked variety in his quiver. For this fall, he decided to create a modern twin fin and to revamp his old 6 channel step up board.



This twin fin with glass on fins follows the same basic rocker profile, rail shape, and overall volume that his thrusters have had in the past. We just ran a little more vee out the back to make up for the lack of a center fin.



Taking his old 6'2" and stretching it up to 6'4", we made a true step up board that he can go to when the waves are pumping.



Yes, it's a glasser's nightmare, but the simplicity of no moving parts and a sand job that is as fine tuned as the shaped blank when it left my shaping room is what this deal is all about. These things take time and are expensive to make. But after you ride one, you may justify scrimping on those lattes so you can throw down and get into the groove.

The Customer is Always Right

Despite all the crafty catch phrases and nifty little posts I come up with, customer comments and feedback is beyond a shadow of a doubt the best way to share the stoke and let everyone in on this far out thing called "custom surfboards". Here are some photos and kind words from a couple of my fellow wave riders.



"Just wanted to let you know once again you have succeeded in making an amazing board. Bar none the best board I have ever ridden. The size and shape fit me to a tee. It is so responsive, so quick down the line and I can make those drops that I wanted to in the past. You are a true artist. Expect to see me coming around for a long time. -Scott"



Scott also did these hand drawings.



We did outputs on rice paper and the white knock outs on the lighthouse worked perfect.



"It works great Ward! Plenty of drive and it seems to like to turn off the top. It felt like I had been riding it for years. Thanks again. -Brad"



Brad's last board had glass on keels and he was a little apprehensive about going with box fins. But after we took a good look at the options, he was super stoked to try this rasta future fin setup.

Yesterday I was lucky enough to surf some fun pre fall NW waves with Brad and got a first hand view of how well the board goes. His assessment was right on the money.

Surfer and Artist of the Week

Carly came by the shop and picked up her new 5'10" round tail, busted out this nice color job with paint pens, then headed up north to take the win at this weekend's NSSA contest. Congratulations!