What the blank???

COME HELL OR HIGH WATER MOVIE in Seal Beach This Saturday Night!!!

2012-01-26T10:17:00.000-08:00

This Saturday January 28th, Canvas Shop is proud to present Come Hell Or High Water-The film explores the history and progression of the sport of bodysurfing and the pureness that comes from riding a wave. Shot primary in 16mm, the film takes a unique look at the culture, beauty and simplicity of the sport, capturing the stories and locations of those who belong to this community. Woodshed Films, Patagonia, and Nixon are proud to announce the world tour for Keith Malloy’s debut film project, Come Hell or High Water.

While Malloy is most widely known for his time in the water as a surfer, his exploration into the world of bodysurfing began some 10 years ago when he wanted to reconnect with the ocean and did so through bodysurfing. Said Malloy about this project, “It’s about taking a breath and kicking your feet in the big blue sea.”

Movie will start at 8, Ray Barbee plays at 7, event is free. Located at 702 Marina Dr. Seal Beach CA. www.canvasshopsb.com

Canvas Shop is a shop with a mission to make fantastic custom canvas products and to sell goods that we believe in and whose makers share our passion for craftsmanship and community. We also offer great classes and workshops, please check out our current schedule. Our storefront is our workspace, and we welcome all to come and visit and have a cup of coffee and see what we do.

Definitely go check this out if you have some time. It is an awesome shop and it will be a great time.

See you there.

RECYCLING FOAM - MARKO FOAM!!!

2012-01-23T11:37:00.000-08:00

This is pretty cool it made the "big time" news. People have been bringing us their foam packaging and we've been getting over to Marko to make blanks. Better than it ending up in the dirt or in the ocean.

Fish Out of Water!!! Surfboard? Snowboard?

2012-01-18T05:50:00.000-08:00

This is pretty wild! Maybe not the most functional but definitely a really cool build. It's awesome to see Doc of Surf Prescriptions get into it and shape away incorporating the snowboard into the surfboard. Dig the cool wood/carbon inlay to adhere the bindings to. That was pretty crafty! Also neat to go behind the scenes at Futures Fins with Owner/operator Vince Longo and watch them install the fin boxes. Signal Snowboards does a nice job of vacuum bagging the carbon deck on the board.

I'm sure that board was hard as hell to surf but Rob Machado sure can rip on just about anything! With all the volume it looked tough to get it to bite in the powder. This looked like a great project and the boys obviously had a great time with it.

Thanks to Surf Prescriptions, Future Fins, and Signal Snowboards for giving us a little look into the production and testing of this board.

Sean Collins - Surfline Entrepreneur

2012-01-04T12:12:00.000-08:00

By Brad Nadell:

I'm sure by now you're all aware of the untimely death of Surfline Entrepreneur Sean Collins. Growing up as a Harbour grom in the early eighties, I had the pleasure of getting to know Sean. He was one of my local idols as I loved his smooth style and the way he carried himself. I couldn't wait till he'd come back from his Mex trips so we could look at his pictures. Subsequently, some of the photos would make it to the wall of fame at Harbour Surfboards. Sean was usually at the Harbour functions getting bombarded with forecasting questions. If I didn't see him around the shop, I would run into him surfing at the Side. Sean usually didn't have too much to say, but was always super cool to be around and whenever he did say something it was complimentary or insightful.

I remember he used to bring the early Surfline Faxes to Harbour for Rich to feed to us frothing young surfers. It was truly groundbreaking as I couldn't wrap my head around those faxes. Later in life I was lucky enough to do business with Sean as we have run ads on Surfline since it's inception. Check out this cool video I found of Sean back in the Surfline Fax era (1991).

Our best wishes go out to Sean's family, friends, and his staff.

RIP Sean

Happy 2012!!!

2012-01-01T07:48:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!! Hope everyone had a safe and sane New Years Eve with lots of celebrating. Did you make a New Years Resolution? One of ours is to have more fun events at our shop. We will keep you posted as our other new resolutions come to fruition.

Thanks for the great year in 2011. We couldn't have done it without your support and patronage. Here's to great year of board building in 2012!

RIP Sean Collins and Grandma Billie

Support In Love Seal Beach

Machado Get's His Board Glassed With Entropy Resin!

2011-12-26T14:15:00.001-08:00

2011 was a fun year for us here at Foam E-Z. We were able to talk surfboards, build some boards, play with some new tools, meet new people and…basically do what we love. We have some fun stuff lined up for 2012 in the way of new products, events, inter-web, multi-media, and graphical shenanigans. But before we let the cat out of the bag on any of that stuff, here’s a little lost footage that we just recently found from the Sacred Craft show in Del Mar in October 2011.

We met up with our buddies from Entropy Resin and got in the mix as Rob Machado was “shaping” up one of his famous Channel Island “Motor Boat” models. We thought it would be a cool idea to glass it right on the spot using Entropy Epoxy Resin and guess what?…It was! I’m sure that he’s in some exotic location with the board shredding, and wondering, “Whatever happened to those fine fellows from Foam E-Z?” Here we are, bringing you some of that lost footage and suggesting that you make a New Years resolution to try epoxy in 2012. Rob would want you to.

E-Z Square Pro Video Tutorial Starring A Famous Actor!

2011-12-13T16:40:00.000-08:00

Enjoy my debut as the resident shaping tool aficionado! Go ahead and laugh, I know my acting doesn't compare with Brad Pitt but at least we look good on camera!

Hopefully this tutorial will ease the learning curve when using the E-Z Square Pro. In case you didn't know we recently upgraded our E-Z Square Pro to now have the ability to measure and mark toe-in on fins. Everything is done with just the one tool! All the detailed instructions are on the square in case you don't have a computer in your shape room or don't own a smart phone.

Keep your eye out for more tutorial/demonstration videos of our products to come.

Thanks for your support!

2011 Holiday Shipping Calendar!

2011-12-07T11:48:00.000-08:00

If you can believe it the holidays are right around the corner. Hope you were good this year so you don't get coal in your stocking! Where did 2011 go????

There is only a couple of weeks to prepare so here is our Holiday Shipping Calendar just to be sure your gifts make it under the tree in time. We don't recommend waiting till the last minute but... the dates are on the calendar for that reason. If you plan to order blanks or board building kits please call to be sure they'll make it on time. In general, blank shipping takes a max of five business days but with the holidays things might get delayed. Better to be safe than sorry.

Hope everyone has the happiest of holiday season.

Thanks for your support!

Brad

Black Monday 6 Years Ago Today!!!!

2011-12-05T13:28:00.000-08:00

Six years ago today we received the infamous fax from Clark Foam. In case you don't remember, the fax basically said that Clark Foam was closing their doors!!! Luckily, Walker Foam stepped up to fill the immediate void. After about a year or so US Blanks went online and proceeded to become our number one blank supplier.

December 5th 2005 changed the surfboard industry forever. It opened the door for more innovation, EPS/Epoxy boards, Chinese imports, Surftech, and more. Things have settled down quite a bit from those days and the custom surfboard market is more popular than ever. It's also a great time to build your own board BYOB!

The E-Z SHAPING PAD, The Most Versatile and Efficient Surfboard Shaping Tool Available!

2011-11-29T05:50:00.000-08:00

We are very excited to announce that after many months of testing, it's finally available! The E-Z Shaping Pad is the most versatile and efficient shaping pad on the market. The medium density foam is extremely light, flexible, and comfortable to use. The pad increases accuracy and consistency while saving time and energy in the shape room. The E-Z Shaping Pad is so versatile that you can use just this pad to do most of the shaping steps on a board. These pads have been thoroughly tested by a number of professional shapers over the past year.

The E-Z Shaping Pad can be used to shape decks (convex), bottoms (concaves), and flats with some e-z manipulation of the pad. The abrasives we've chosen are unbelievable at cutting foam at a consistent rate, the aerated mesh keeps the abrasive from clogging up, and the durability is un-paralleled. The E-Z Abrasives come in two styles; HD = Heavy Duty and LD = Light Duty. These abrasives work incredible with both Polyurethane and EPS Foam. The hook/loop backing allows for quick abrasive changes. Check out this video to see how e-z the pad is to use:

The E-Z Shaping Pad Combo comes with the E-Z Shaping Pad and your choice of TWO (2) E-Z Abrasives. By purchasing the E-Z Shape Pad Combo you get one (1) Abrasive FREE, a $5.00 value.

The E-Z Shaping Pad is so simple, yet effective, that we're sure it will become your "go to" tool in the bay.

Interview With Christian Saenz, Local HB Upstart!

2011-11-26T08:12:00.000-08:00

I've known Christian Saenz dad for a long time. He first started working at Huntington Surf and Sport as a sales guy and has moved up the ladder to be one of the main managers. I really don't think he would approve of his son doing an interview with Bryan Seacrest. Please don't tell him about this interview if you bump into him in HSS.

This interview is the second installment of I.S.I.I, Interesting Surf Industry Interviews! In this episode, Bryan Seacrest interviews Christian Saenz and we get to see what he can do in 1 Week in HB.

Enjoy!

Turkey Day, then Black Friday!

2011-11-21T08:43:00.000-08:00

We here at Foam E-Z love giving thanks. Therefore we want to thank you, our customers, by offering 10% OFF EVERYTHING under our roof on Friday, November 25th. That includes all fin installation kits and power tools…for real. Yes, even resin, and fins…and cloth…yeah, everything! Come on in and take advantage of this one day only deal, we'll be open from 10-4pm.

If you can’t make it to the shop, don’t sweat it, we have a redemption code you can use online. Just enter EZBLKFRI11 on November 25th upon checkout. The offer is only valid on Black Friday the 25th and cannot be applied to phone orders.
Thanks again for the support and we hope you have a great Thanksgiving.

Gobble! Gobble!

Whitney Lang, A Unique Board Builder From Newport Beach

2011-11-10T06:03:00.000-08:00

Check out this video of our customer Whitney Lang laying up a board with pigmented resin. She's been building boards for a few years now and has really come a long way since we first met her. There is a small community of women that are involved in board building but Whitney might be the only one who builds boards from start to finish. Her specialties are Retro-fish with bright resin colors. If she's not in the garage working on a surfboard you can find her surfing one of her fishes at RJ's! Check out her Facebook page for more info.

KE11Y Wins ELEVEN And Talks Candidly About Andy Irons!

2011-11-04T08:35:00.000-07:00

I'm sure by now you've all heard that Kelly Slater has won his unprecedented Eleventh World Title at the Rip Curl Pro Search, Somewhere in San Francisco. Kelly locked down the title in the final minutes of the Third Round in classic Slater fashion eliminating Australian Dan Ross. Unbelievable to think but it looked like Kelly was destined this year as he and Owen Wright battled for first and second contest after contest. Ironically Wright had the heat just after Kelly's and had to surf it while Kelly was getting mobbed on the beach.

Ironically also Kelly locked down the title on the anniversary of Andy Irons untimely death. After a year of being asked question after question about Irons. Kelly sat dawn and spoke candidly about the life and his relationship with Andy Irons. Here's what Kelly had to say:

How I Remember Andy

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011

I’ve been asked for many opinions and interviews about Andy Irons and the situations and decisions that lead to his early departure from our world. It’s not something I take lightly. I have my own opinions about not only Andy’s choices and how he ultimately got to the place he did, but also about the way these things are handled from all sides of the story. But what is right? And whose opinions actually matter other than those of his family and closest friends about who they knew and how they feel inside? What is it that each of us hopes to take away from the Andy Irons story? And what is it that we want to give to the story of his life?

I dealt, in a strange way, with the death of my own father through Andy. Even though he was 6 years younger, he reminded me of an older brother and for that reason alone we had a heated relationship. We wanted the same thing and knew the other was in the way.

My father passed away in April 2002, and I made shirts with his picture on it. Andy and I weren’t close then so he had no idea, and for the next few months I stumbled around like a zombie tripping out that I would never again see my dad. Andy had just started his roll that year by winning a couple of events and taking the lead on Tour, and I had just gotten back on Tour but found myself not really caring about winning anything except maybe a war of words or a fight with somebody. Andy was just the guy.

I’ll share a story, but for the sake of brevity, I’ll just say this: We got really drunk on a Tavarua trip. We got into a shouting match. I said something about him thinking he’s the man for winning a couple of contests. He screamed and laughed at me, “You’re going baaaalllldddd, hahahaha.” I told him he’d know how I felt when his father passed away, and he started kicking me in the face. (I had earlier punched him in the face in a crazy 10-man wrestling match in a taxi). Then Shane Dorian tackled him and pulled him off me telling him my father had just died a few weeks ago. Andy started crying hysterically and hugging and apologizing to me for the next half hour before he went to bed and then apologized again the next day. In some weird way I think I just wanted him to know that I was hurting because he had a way of just sorta being tough even though he was one of the most sensitive guys in the world. There was just this strange and awkward dynamic between us. Months later, he won his first title and all I could think to do was give him one of the shirts that I had made with a picture of my dad on it and congratulate him. He gave me a hug and thanked me and felt really awkward that I gave him a shirt with a picture of my dad on it. On one level he knew what it was about, and on another level he wasn’t gonna let me put a chink in his armor and wear that damned thing. For all I know, he either burned it or hid it. I’ve often wondered.

The following years have been pretty well documented in our history. Not always correct or spot on, but at other times pretty accurate. The press maybe said some things that we might have thought but never verbalized. I loved and hated the guy, but I probably only hated him because I admired and envied what he was capable of.

A year and a half before he died, at the first event of the year, he told me he was making a documentary about the changes and lessons in his life, and he wanted to help any kids that had ever looked up to him and struggled in their lives, because he now knew what was possible. He was so clear and happy and confident and positive. We stood off away from everyone else and had our first and only real one-on-one, heart-to-heart talk. I actually welled up with tears for how proud I was of him and how insanely unbelievable it was to have Andy look me in the eye and talk straight to me. He told me he had always looked up to me and asked me if I’d work with him on this documentary. He told me he couldn’t believe how amazing life was and discussed with me his fears, his goals, his struggles and his family. It was the true epiphany in Andy’s life: the moment he was open to clean out and shift all the things holding him back from his actual potential as a human being. And that’s the exciting thing: he had so much more ability and knowledge on so many levels. I won heats against Andy at that particular event and the following one at Bells. The only reason I’m sharing that is because both times he smiled and said good job and although he was pissed off at losing, I could see that he was enjoying the process of learning how to accept things, even the things he really hated, like losing…and to me!

The last time I saw Andy was in Portugal a year ago. I was just about to clinch the title, and he saw me at the event and gave me a hug and told me he was really proud of me and that he hoped I would win the title in Puerto Rico and that he was “psyched” for me. I was thinking “Man, if I had only beaten you in Tahiti, this thing would probably be done,” and I sorta mentioned that to him, and we laughed. He gave me a big hug and high five, and I never saw him again.

Two weeks later in Puerto Rico, some people were saying he was sick, and some people said he was partying. Some people said he never left his hotel room. Martin Potter and I were really concerned when he missed his first heat. I just remember them calling his name and his three-man heat surfing without him, and I felt really weird about it. We agreed that we needed to go see him at his hotel and see if he was alright, because there’s no way that he would fly all that way just to miss a heat. Then we were told that a doctor had seen him, and he was sick and resting. I was uneasy about him going missing, but at least it was an update.

When he missed his next heat, and I heard that he had left, I was really worried. I got a call from a friend who was with him in Miami the night before and he asked me why Andy wasn’t staying in Puerto Rico and he told me Andy had caught a flight home thru Dallas. I called Andy’s phone and got no answer. I sent him a couple of texts and got no reply. That was within 30 minutes of when he was found in the hotel in Dallas. About two or three hours later I got the news that he had died. I sat on the beach with a homeless dog and started getting calls from people.

The story of Andy Irons may likely never feel good to us whether you were his friend and you miss him or you have a strong judgment about his shortcomings and it made you angry. No matter what, it doesn’t make sense for someone so gifted and in touch on so many levels to die alone in an airport hotel room nowhere close to anything that mattered to him. But remembering someone can sometimes be about the toughest thing you ever had with them and feeling like your life is better for having experienced that with them. And if that can make you laugh or smile, you’re honoring their life and their legacy, I believe.

I have questioned whether anything in our relationship and battles had any impact on the course of his life or whether I could have made a difference somehow. Maybe that’s just my own form of denial, but one thing is clear, I still can’t believe that Andy is gone. Hell, I still can’t believe that Todd Chesser is gone and Donnie Solomon and Malik Joyeux and a whole bunch of other good friends are gone. An anniversary is best used for remembering the good things and letting it all sink in more so that the sadness fades away and the good memories remain. And if we learn anything from that, let it be that the positive impact of Andy and all our other friends who are gone bring us closer to the ones and the things that we love right here, right now.

I’ll leave you with one last thought of Andy. The other day I was with a friend who had given Andy some rims for his car. In his office, my friend had a signed board from Andy. The autograph was signed, “Picture me Rollin’!” And so I will, buddy.

With love and respect,

Kelly

Grant In The CooperFish Booth During Sacred Craft Oct 2011!

2011-10-25T05:50:00.000-07:00

Well Grant was at it again! He just can't control himself. What do you expect after all the hard hitting interviews Grant just needed to have a little fun. He decided to stop in to the CooperFish booth and chat with the CooperFish Calendar girl. Check out the video .

TRANSPARENTSEA, For A Good Cause!

2011-10-18T08:28:00.000-07:00

I don't know if you have seen what TRANSPARENTSEA is all about but it's pretty rad. A cool group of ocean lovers (surfers, etc...) are making there way from Santa Barbara to San Diego on these cool little Hobie water crafts powered by wind and pedals! The crew will make their journey by sail following the migration of the grey whales along the southern California coastline. On the way the crew will come to port for four major regional events. Each night hosting Minds in The Water movie screening, followed by live in concert Band of Frequencies, art show & auction and in support Surfer’s for Cetaceans (S4C) and other ocean minded charities.

Minds in the Water is a feature-length documentary following the quest of professional surfer Dave Rastovich and his friends to protect dolphins, whales and the oceans they all share. Through Dave's journey - a five-year adventure spanning the globe from Australia to the Galapagos, Tonga, California, Alaska and Japan - we see one surfer's quest to activate his community to help protect the ocean and it's inhabitants from the threats of commercial slaughter and pollution.

TransparentSea is an awareness campaign aimed at highlighting coastal environmental issues, with particular attention given to cetaceans (whales and dolphins) and the waters they inhabit.

The first journey (Byron Bay to Bondi, Australia, 2009) successfully highlighted the plight of humpback whales and the threat faced by Japanese whaling fleets.

The second (California, October, 2011) traces the southern migration of the California Grey Whale from Santa Barbara to Baja, Mexico with an emphasis on engaging key coastal community groups and drawing awareness to the causes they support.

Check it out!

Sacred Craft Interview with Sarah from Rainbow Fins

2011-10-14T06:02:00.000-07:00

Here's another hard hitting interview from Sacred Craft Fall 2011. Based out of the Santa Cruz area, Rainbow fins has been making fins since the late sixties. This is a family business, Glen (the dad) is the chief designer in the shop while Sarah (daughter) is out on the road selling these beautiful fins. Their specialty is their "Stained Glass" Fins which are a one of a kind art piece. They make the full range of fins from keels to SUP fins. Come on by and the fins out.

Sacred Craft Interview with Rusty (Surfboards)

2011-10-10T08:17:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at Sacred Craft this past weekend! Hope you had a chance to attend. We were lucky enough to make some time to roam around and get some killer interviews. Check this one with Rusty of Rusty Surfboards.

Sacred Craft Interviews This Weekend October 8th-9th!!

2011-10-04T15:34:00.000-07:00

Sacred Craft is back at the Del Mar Fairgrounds and we’ll be there, October 8th and 9th! We’re going to be teaming up with the fellas over at Solspot.com to bring you (almost) LIVE VIDEO interviews and updates throughout both days of the show.
If you can make it then head on down. It’s well worth the drive for getting a face full of knowledge from some of the industry leaders and other wacky dudes like Carl Eckstrom, whom they’ll be honoring at this show.
If you've been to the shows in the past then you know we really whoop it up with lot's of giveaways and killer "show special" pricing on our one of kind board building supplies. You might be asking yourself what else will be going on at the show? Here's a short list of some of the bitchen activities:

* Tribute to the Masters Shape-off honoring Carl Ekstrom presented by US Blanks
* Billabong’s Art of Shaping Auction LA County Edition
* The REEF Redemption Sustainable Craft Showcase
* Art Grotto produced by Matt Beard benefiting SurfAid International
* The Soul Project Quivers Lounge
* Korduroy.TV short films lounge
* Plenty of aloha with PRIMO Beer flowing
* Book signings “No Bad Waves” by Mickey Munoz in the Patagonia booth, and Chris Dixon author of the new Cortes Bank book entitled “Ghost Wave”.
* Roadshow style collect-able surfboard & memoriblia expert appraisals (Sat only)
* Live music featuring Seth Petterson, Boo Stubbs & One Shot Wonder, Boaz Jazz Troupe, Kevin White Pacific Jazz Guitar featuring Bridget Eliza on vocal , and more
* Longboard skate zone feature LOST Skateboards slalom challenge open to the public.
* Great deals on surfboards, gear and art
* Sunday morning demo the boards of Sacred Craft at 15th St Del Mar 7a-10am

Make sure to follow our blog "What The Blank?"or log onto Surf.Solspot.com for all of the video updates from Sacred Craft Del Mar 2011.

ACCIDENTAL ICON: THE REAL GIDGET STORY

2011-10-03T09:10:00.000-07:00

Indie Film Distributor Level 33 Entertainment announces the release of the documentary film ACCIDENTAL ICON: THE REAL GIDGET STORY on DVD and VOD.

'ACCIDENTAL ICON' tells the story behind the world famous book and film franchise that brought surfing to the masses more than half a century ago.

In the summer of 1956, Los Angeles teenager Kathy Kohner
discovered Malibu, boys and surfing. She had so much fun with Malibu surfing locals who sported handles likes Kahuna, Moondoggie and Tubesteak that she wrote it all down in her diary and showed it to her father, screenwriter Frederick Kohner. The rest is history, as they say, with the book becoming a bestseller and inspiringna string of movies and TV series that spanned more than 30 years.

The film is narrated by Jorja Fox (CSI) and includes appearances by Academy Award® winners Sally Field and the late Cliff Robertson, Gregory Harrison, pro surfers such as Layne Beachley, Holly Beck, Summer Romero, and many more.

The film has screened at several film festivals and most recently on Southern California's KCET. The movie is now available on DVD everywhere and will soon be available on VOD, PPV, and iTunes.

PROS AND WHAT THEY RIDE!

2011-09-22T06:14:00.000-07:00

We have pro surfers come through our shop from time to time and it's always interesting to hear what they got to say about their boards. Some guys work closely with their shapers, some just leave the guess work up to their shaper, but the bottom line is these guys are riding potato chip thin boards with unforgiving rails and ripping on them! I thought it would be interesting to see what some of the pros were riding this past week down at the Hurley Pro in Trestles . Here is a small cross section of the guys and their boards. Obviously some are more tuned into their sleds than others. Enjoy the vids!

PAT GADAUSKAS

View this video at Hurley.com

MICK FANNING

View this video at Hurley.com

MICHEL BOUREZ

View this video at Hurley.com

BEDE DURBIDGE

View this video at Hurley.com

FUTURE FINS COLORED BOXES, FUN STUFF!

2011-09-08T06:19:00.000-07:00

Custom paint, graphics, drawings, and glassing have always been fun ways to personalize your board. Now you can add Colored Fin Boxes to that list thanks to the magical mystical wizards over at Futures Fins. Besides offering 7 new colors (Red, Neon Orange, Neon Yellow, Lime Green, Blue, Purple, Black), they have also redesigned their boxes to be lighter and stronger bringing fashion and engineering together to make us all cooler than ever. Check our boy Grant starring as "The Fin Connoisseur" in the official Future Fins video release:

Introducing the new colored boxes from Futures with Interwoven Laminate Technology (ILT). The lightest, strongest fin system in the world now bonds even better to the skin of your board. The cutouts in the ILT Box create a stronger bond without increasing weight, because resin is interwoven between the flange of the box and the fiberglass of the board. The interwoven resin forms pillars that lock the fiberglass to the flange with a solid physical connection. Our colored ILT boxes are all made right here in Huntington Beach, CA, and are available in a full range of colors, including red, orange, yellow, lime-green, green, blue, purple, and black.

10% OFF STORE-WIDE THIS LABOR DAY!!!

2011-08-31T15:12:00.000-07:00

Labor Day, it’s a time to relax, reflect, Bar-b-q, hang out at the beach, or... you could catch up on the important things like, ding repair or shaping a new stick. We want to help you out by offering a one-day sale of 10% off store-wide on Monday the 5^th of September. If you aren’t able to stop in then place your order online and when you check out enter the code EZLABOR2011 to receive 10% off your order. One use per customer, not valid on phone orders. We’ll be here “laboring” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. pacific standard time so come by or order online and take advantage of the savings.

Whatever you do remember to enjoy your day!

Thanks for your continued support-

The Foam E-Z Crew

Stretch And Nathan Fletcher Chat It Up!

2011-08-09T07:11:00.000-07:00

Take what you want from this video. Both guys are real knowledgeable about surfboards and definitely about shaping. Nathan Fletcher buys his tools and materials from us from time to time. We've been lucky enough to hang out with Stretch a few times and collaborate on different projects. Check out the Marko Foam blank in the background. Stretch has been dedicated to using EPS even before Clark Foam shut down and Marko Foam is his foam of choice.

Hopefully Part 2 will have more information, we'll have to see!

Manufacturing Stoke!

2011-08-03T20:42:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Clay from Marko Foam is hosting the movie Manufacturing Stoke at his "Boat House" building at 1640 Pomona Ave Costa Mesa, Ca. 92627.

Come join us Tomorrow, Thursday August 4th for the Orange County premier of Manufacturing Stoke, a movie brought to you by Misfit Pictures, highlighting the current status of surfboard manufacturing from sustainability to responsibility.

Go to www.manufacturingstoke.com to pre-purchase a ticket or come pay at the door,

Adults are $10 a ticket and groms are $5. Proceeds help support the sustainability movement.

Come early for happy hour, Seabirds truck will pull in at 5:30.

See you there!

Bunger Surfboards - Since 1962!!!

2011-07-22T06:42:00.000-07:00

We found this great article about Tom Bunger of Bunger Surf on Long Island NY. Tom has been a great customer of ours since 1998. Check it out:

"IN THE SHACK" with Tom Bunger By: Paul Di Marco
When I hear the word September, I think about Hurricanes, hollow barrels, warm water, and New York. Yep New York! I have so many great memories of epic surf on Long Island, New York that I’m not sure if anything could ever replace them. This September is the first ever ASP World Championship to be held on the East Coast of the U.S., The Quiksilver Pro New York. The contest will be kicking off in Long Beach and pros from around the world will be competing for the biggest prize purse in surfing history- $1 million dollars!

With all the East Coast hype, I felt like the next “In The Shack” should focus on New York Board Shaper, Tom Bunger. Tommy is a busy guy between raising his kids and running the Bunger Surf Board Factory. His family owns one of the oldest surf shops in the North East, Bunger Surf Shop. They have been shaping boards for 50 years, delivering style and culture to Long Island’s surf community. Charlie Bunger, Tom’s dad has been shaping surfboards since 1962 and during the 1990’s, Tom Bunger finally picked up the Skill Planer and started shaping under the Bunger Brand.

This “In the Shack” interview was not easy. Tom is a busy bee shaping boards and working hard…..special thanks to Tom’s awesome wife, Agnès for all her help with this interview. It just shows behind every great man stands a great woman!

NickName: Tommy

Home Town and Break: Gilgo Beach, Long Island, New York

Where did you grow up? West Gilgo Beach, Babylon, New York

How old were you when you started surfing? I was nine when I got my first board, but I was always using long boards lying around at the beach.
Who or what inspired you to start shaping surfboards And when? My Father inspired me to start shaping. He gave me a Skill Planer and a blank. He showed me how to template it and cut it out, then said "shape it".

Go back to the first board you shaped and tell us about it- size, shape and any issues you had with it. A 6’8” Short Board. It worked well. The rails were a little too down which made it fast, but trailed a little bit.

What makes your short boards different? Also explain the mechanics of shaping a board for getting airs? Bunger Boards are hand shaped, glassed and finished with my hands only. Most of my short boards are designed for getting maximum speed and airs.

Tell us about this new era of short boards and what’s to come from Bunger? Everything is getting shorter and wider; the West Coast finally figured it out. We’ve been shaping boards like this for a while now.

What type of materials do you use, glass, fins, form? All the best resins and cloth made in the USA.

Who does your art? I do most of the art on the boards I shape. For the crazy stuff I bring in Tim Van Wyne. His work is amazing!
Who also shapes under the Bunger name? We have a few guys shaping for us, Squeak from Phoenix Surfboards, Bo Hawkins from Hawk Surfboards and team Phil.

How do you feel about computers designing boards versus handmade boards? If you want the same board as everyone else, then I guess it’s okay,but every surfer is different and needs something different.

What advice would you give people looking for the right surfboard? Be honest with your ability; look for something with the right balance for all the conditions.
What was your First Board? My first surfboard was a 6’8” BUNGER

Goofy or Reg? Reg.
What’s your favorite type of board to shape? I like making all types of boards, but my favorites are the boards I make for the team riders and my friends.

Does any other family members shape besides you and your Dad? Nope they help run the shop.

How can I order a custom board? It’s simple, call the shop or blast me an email to discuss what type of surfer you are and what type of board you need. 631-321-7753
Do you ship a lot of boards out of state? Nope we don’t ship too many boards out of state, but we will and have before.

Bring us back to your childhood. What do you remember about your dad shaping and surfing as a kid? I remember seeing my Dad covered in foam dust and I was like “ I wanna do that when I get older".

Who rides for Team Bunger? Corey Stanton, Chris Tomlin, Alex Fawess, Graham Eickelberg and Matt Wunderlich

How do you feel about the ASP Tour coming to NY? It’s about time they recognized us!

Do you have any advice for Groms? Respect your Elders

Beer, Booze or wine? Beer and wine

Haters should? Hate themselves

Where can Atlantic Surf Life find Tommy Bunger during the winter? Rincon, PR or France

Do you still surf the coldest days? Yes only when it’s pumping and sunny.
What’s the biggest wave you've ever ridden? Where? Mexico, Solid 10 foot at the Mex Pipe.

Best surf trip ever? Hawaii

Go-to board when it's double over head and pumping? 6’10” Pin Tail

What’s your Magic Board in small surf? I ride an old classic Bunger 360, but I mostly work when it’s small.

When your not surfing or shaping? Hanging with Family.

What inspires you when you shape? Knowing that a customer is going to get full enjoyment out of my boards.

Favorite Food? Tartiflette (French Food)

What’s playing in the factory? We play it all and we play it loud!

Website? www.bungersurf.com, www.lisurfingmuseum.com, www. bungersayville.com

Facebook? Bunger surf boards (Since 1962 Tom Bunger)

Email: bunger@optonline.net

Closing statement? Support your local shaper and buy American made products.

SolSpot New HD Camera and FREE Beer Launch Party!!!

2011-07-18T07:51:00.000-07:00

The guys over at Surf.Solspot.com are launching their 13th FREE HD camera this week and doing it with style. They are throwing a camera launch party at The Longboard Restaurant this Thursday (21st) and are giving away FREE BEER to the first 100 people in attendance. It fits in nicely with their company motto – everything free!

The camera looks at the south side of HB pier and then pans all the way down towards Beach Blvd. Plenty of ripable faces in that area! You can check out the cam at http://surf.solspot.com/wahoos

Cheers to FREE HD CAMS & cheers to FREE BEER!

New Island Fins In Stock, Check em' Out!

2011-07-13T08:30:00.000-07:00

Island Fin Design owner, Steve Mock, stopped by our shop the other day to show us what he's been working on. He has been making surfboard fins in Hawaii since the early 1980's for some of the biggest names on the North Shore. Dick Brewer, Bonga Perkins, and Garrett McNamara are just a few that look to him for his quality glass on and box fins. Solid colored fins are common place in the surfboard market, so Steve decided to go with a more custom look that will give your board that little something extra. These beautiful multi-colored fins are reasonably priced ($59.95-$71.95) and hand made right here in the good old US of A…well actually on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii. Come by and check them out or call/email us and we can ship the fins to you. We’re proud to carry Steve's fins here at Foam E-Z.

SUMMER SIZZLER, BOARD SWAP AND 15% OFF SALE JULY 16th!!!

2011-07-01T11:03:00.000-07:00

We are having a Summer Sizzler and Board Swap on Saturday July 16th from 10-3pm. There will be FREE food, music, a great selection of boards for sale, and 15% off SALE STORE-WIDE (excluding power-tools)! This is a great opportunity to get a new, used or vintage board, nothing over $500! Cash & Carry which means there’s no tax! Call or email us if you have a board(s) that you’d like to sell at the event! Look forward to seeing you. Stayed tuned for more details.

Rob Machado Fins by Futures!

2011-06-23T07:15:00.000-07:00

The Rob Machado signature fins are available to the public and are in stock at Foam E-Z. They look really awesome and have similar construction to the Black Stix but are made with renewable resources.

After nearly 10 years of riding the Futures system, Rob Machado has signed off on his first ever signature fin. The collaboration between Rob and Futures is the perfect blend of cutting edge hydrodynamics and environmental sustainability.

Rob’s fin features a torsional flex pattern, thanks to Futures’ V2 foil and a layer of strategically placed carbon fiber. Combined with renewable, fast growing bamboo, the fin is both light and lively. Designed for Rob’s explosive style, the bamboo carbon matrix stores potential energy and releases it as a burst of kinetic speed.

Rob had been riding the V2 AM1 BlackStix for years, he said, “I knew that was a good starting point for me in designing a fin. I just really liked the flex that the BlackStix had. I don’t know exactly what it does but it feels good. I am more of a feel kind of person, you know… sometimes it just feels good.”

“We have been lucky to work with Rob and we are proud of how this fin turned out,” says Head Designer and Founder Vince Longo.

Rob’s fin is made of a high quality epoxy resin, instead of polyester. Not only is epoxy resin stiffer, lighter and better performing, it is also more resilient and releases less VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds).

The Rob Machado Signature Fin represents a step forward in decreasing the environmental impact of the resin transfer process, while remaining Strongest, Lightest, Fastest.

SUPER SAP CERTIFIED AS BIO_BASED!

2011-06-21T06:29:00.000-07:00

Entropy Resins is pleased to announce that its Super Sap® 100/1000 System has been certified as a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) certified bio-based product.

The USDA Bio-PreferredSM Program is a voluntary labeling program used to certify consumer bio-based products in the U.S. The certification uses the ASTM D6866 standard to measure the biobased carbon atoms in a product. "With so many products in the market place being sold as 'bio-based', it's difficult today for customers to distinguish between what is real and what is green-washing", states Entropy CEO, Desi Banatao. "With the ASTM certified 37% biobased carbon measurement for our Super Sap 100/1000 system, and our calculated total bio-mass of 50% which includes the bio-based oxygen and nitrogen atoms, we are walking the walk and setting the bar for our industry", states Banatao.
From their start in 2009, Entropy Resins has pushed the boundaries of what can be done with bio-based materials to create strong, durable, and lightweight performance composites. Today, their customers range from artists and hobbyists, to sporting goods manufacturers and wind energy. Entropy Resins and the USDA BioPreferred Certification Program sets the next standard in verifying biobased content for sustainable performance composite resins.

The Entropy Bio-Epoxy has similar working times to the Resin Research Epoxy and the clear resin is very clear. If you want to reduce your board building carbon footprint this along with Marko Foam's EnviroFoam is a great place to start! Come on by or give us a call for more info.

Lincoln Logs by Jacob Young

2011-06-08T08:48:00.000-07:00

Jacob Young came to our shop a while back and seemed to know what he wanted right out of the gun. He bought a blank and booked a couple of sessions with Grant in the Shape Box. Jacob had a great feel for the surfboard and caught on quick. His first finished shape was a success! Not only does he shape surfboards but also shapes handplanes. Apparently Jacob is a direct relative of Abe Lincoln (former president), therefore he used the name for his surfboard brand. Check out his blog you'll see he's a pretty creative guy and seems to be years ahead of himself. Keep up the great work!

FUTURE'S TOUR, High Tech!

2011-06-03T13:38:00.000-07:00

We've been down to Future Fins so many times that almost didn't notice all that's going on! The boys down at the factory put together this great video for everyone to see. It is an awesome insight of the daily happenings and also a little view of their incredible surf team shredding it up. We appreciate the behind the scenes look at the high tech world of removable fins done the Future way. Check the video!

Pottz Is In The House!!!

2011-05-19T09:03:00.000-07:00

Martin "Pottz" Potter was recently in town to pick up his new board from Tim Stamps, that's right, Tim made Pottz a killer new stick. They met a few months back while Stamps was visiting/shaping on the Gold Coast of Aus. I asked Tim how the whole thing transpired and here's what he said: "I talked Pottz into ordering a board after spending the day watching the Snapper Rocks contest and putting down a few coldies."

Potter was passing through on his way to Peru for the ISA Worlds Junior Champs. I just talked to Pottz and he told me that this event is the event that has spawned some of our top talent on the WQS, names like Owen Wright, Jordy Smith, Steff Gilmore, and many more. This event is for kids under 16 and involves 26 to 28 different countries around the world. Pottz has been working for Quiksilver since 2000, helping to develop their youth team riders. He also announces at various Quiksilver events around the world. David Scales' from 1HOURINHB was lucky enough to hook up with Martin Potter too. David shot the below video as Pottz worked with a couple groms giving them Pro advice before they head down to Peru. Mar Ohno of Japan also came by to lend his WQS experience.

Here's a little history on Martin Potter:

Potter began surfing in Durban, South Africa, at age 10. By 15, he took the world by storm, defeating Shaun Tomson to win his first professional contest and finishing second in his first two IPS events. The following winter at the Pipe Masters, he outlasted the meanest tube of the winter, a 12-foot screamer that delivered him into stardom.

Through the '80s, he was a card-carrying member of the Big Four, along with Tom Curren, Tom Carroll and Mark Occhilupo. His fluid, powerful, radical style -- an unheard combination -- made him one of the most admired surfers anywhere, rippling several generations after. He also helped pioneer aerials, although his were fluid extensions of powerful off-the-tops rather than the forecast hip-hop tricks of today. A teenaged Kelly Slater even patterned his style after Potter's, plastering his walls with shots of Potter putting his trademark green-and-yellow explosion boards through their paces.

Garrett Mcamara Interviewed by Grant at Sacred Craft Santa Cruz 2011

2011-05-05T09:06:00.000-07:00

Grant Interviewed Garrett McNamara at Sacred Craft in Santa Cruz this past March! Garrett has been riding an Eco-Friendly tow board over the winter. The board is built with Marko EnviroFoam and Entropy Bio-Epoxy. As you will see Grant hit Garrett with all the hard hitting questions to get to the bottom of this cutting edge tow board! Thanks to Rey for the footage and editing.

Wandering Around The XXL Awards with Juan!

2011-05-03T13:52:00.000-07:00

Every year the big wave surfing community comes together for the Billabong XXL Awards. This event acknowledges the best of the best and rewarding them handsomely for putting their lives on the line for the biggest tubes, the biggest wipe outs, and the best ride of their lives...so far! I was lucky enough to attend the event. The bar was great, the free monsters kept you jacked up the through the whole event, the sound and video made you feel like you were really a part of each wave! While walking around the venue you had ample opportunity to run into some true big wave legends as well as some other celebrity presenters such as; Doc Paskowitz, Jeff Clark, Mark Healy and his amazing leather tasseled jacket, UFC fighter Tito Ortiz, Playboy Bunnie and Miss April Jaclyn Swedberg and so many more. They were all completely accessible to the fans. This years event had it all, a live web cast, FUEL TV cameras and interviews, celebrity announcers and a few heart felt emotional moments in remembrance of those that we have lost over the last year. Everyone was choked up including main announcer Sal Masekela. The winners of the night included Keala Kennelly for Women's Performance Award, Sion Milosky won the Surfline Overall Performer Award along with multiple generous donations from his fellow award winners, Wipeout of the Year went to Mark Mathews, Biggest Wave Award given to Benjamin Sanchis, Monster Paddle went to Shane Dorian as well as claiming a new record for this 57ft wave and tube ride! The final award of the night went to Danilo Couto for his Ride of the Year at Jaws earning him 50 G's and a 1YR lease on a new truck! In summation, everyone got to see great waves ridden by the best, on huge screens, while chugging Monsters, surrounded by celebrities and tons of OC eye candy with soft undertones of loss and the celebration of life.

This is my account of the night..... Johnny Walters

Billabong XXL Awards Show Extravaganza

2011-04-28T10:46:00.000-07:00

Big waves, big wipe outs, and big screens! That's basically the idea behind the Billabong XXL Awards that are going on this Friday, April 29th, at the Grove in Anaheim. It's a great time that brings the big wave community, and fans, together to watch the best big wave footage from the past year on a monster screen with huge sound so you can hear all of the bone crushing wipe outs. Oh yeah, they'll also award some maniac $50,000 for the best ride. If you can't attend, then check it out on Fuel TV, or watch the live web cast online. We'll be there so if you're lucky enough to attend then say hi!

Delve Fest This Saturday April 23rd!

2011-04-20T07:21:00.000-07:00

Who likes FREE stuff? We like free stuff! We are going to be hanging out at the coolest food drive ever this Saturday, April 23rd at the Canvas Shop, 720 Marina Dr. in Seal Beach, sponsored by Delve clothing. All you have to do is show up at 7 p.m., bring 1, yes one, uno, can of food and you’re in! There is going to be live music, art, a showing of Stoked and Broke on a big screen, free Beer and Burgers...yipee.

After we fill our bellies we’re going to be doing a glassing demo on a 5’10” Fuse model surfboard with Tim Stamps of Stamps Surfboards and selling raffle tickets for said shred stick. Tickets for the surfboard raffle are only $10 and we’ll be drawing the winner at the party so you gotta be present to win. Don’t worry we’re not going to give you a half finished board, we’ll finish it and the winner can pick it up from the shop. Hope to see you all there.

OHANA DAY 2011 In Seal Beach This Saturday!!!

2011-04-14T06:58:00.002-07:00

Come on down to the Seal Beach Pier this Saturday for Ohana Day, i'ts gonna be a great time. We will be set up giving out goodies and have some blanks/free shape time in the Box to raffle off! Many local surf businesses will be down there donating stuff to the raffle.

The day is sponsored by the Huntington and Seal Beach Surfrider chapters – brings out beach-goers for a day of fun for the family (translated to ohana in Hawaiian). And with Earth Day celebrated this weekend, it’s a perfect way to educate the youth on keeping beaches clean and safe.

It’s always a good time, with plenty of fun and educational booths set up on the sand. Last year, there was a sting ray exhibit where kids could pet the rays – don’t worry, the stingers were pulled out!

There’s also a demonstration by lifeguards and free surf lessons for the kids on a first come, first serve basis by M & M surf school, as well as skate ramps set up in the parking lot.

And there’s plenty of be raffled off, with proceeds benefiting Surfrider Foundation!

Hope to see you there.

Travis Potter Talks About Malaria And Chasing The Perfect Wave

2011-03-29T09:22:00.000-07:00

Travis Potter began his surfing life like a lot of other young, aspiring Orange County grommets. It starts with a glimmer of talent, soon followed by local sponsorship, obligatory NSSA contests, then it’s a career bound for the World Qualifying Series. At 13 Travis was on the North Shore for his first winter, a ritual he’d maintain for the next 10 years. But at 15, he discovered Indonesia for the first time and was addicted immediately. When he does return home to Seal Beach, it’s only to say hi to Mom and Dad, bang some nails, lay a little tile and save up just enough money to get back as soon as possible.

In April of 2008 Travis contracted a potentially deadly strain of cerebral malaria while traveling through the Southeast Asian island chain of Papua New Guinea. He has since recovered and talks about his experience in the following video.

Quick Recap From Sacred Craft Santa Cruz!

2011-03-23T06:18:00.000-07:00

Sacred Craft in Santa Cruz was a blast! If you’ve ever been to that town then you already know how cool it is and that coolness spilled over into the show. What the show lacked in international surf brands it made up for in local talent. It was a really great venue right smack dab in the middle of down town Santa Cruz and that energy carried through both days. If time permitted we could have had an encore and added a third day to the party. Cristina and I had a great time doing interviews, demos, and taking pictures. It was awesome meeting new people and seeing our NorCal customers faces. Ward Coffey won the Mike Marshall award for the closest representation to a Doug Haut Bump Model (from the 60's). You can check out some of the happenings from the show on our Facebook page. Look for my goofy little video promoting a great discount code we have going through the end of March.

We’ll see you at the next Sacred Craft in San Diego, where they’ll be honoring Carl Ekstrom for his super rad hats...or innovative surfboards, not sure which ones are wackier? Look for a full re-cap in our upcoming newsletter.

Reporting Live From Sacred Craft This Weekend!

2011-03-17T13:31:00.000-07:00

This weekend, March 19^th-20^th, Sacred Craft will be taking over Santa Cruz and honoring shaper Doug Haut. Grant and Cristina will be at the show to bring you interviews, pics, and video throughout the days, so you don’t have to feel bad for missing the show! "Like us"on Facebook so you can follow us around the show throughout the two days. If you have any requests for content then send them to us on Facebook and we’ll try to oblige. If you’re going to be at the show then look for us and say “hi”. We’ll have some freebies that we want to get rid of so we don’t have to lug them around both days. See you there…or in CYBERSPACE!!!

Adler Paddler - A Great Way To Celebrate A Great Man!

2011-03-15T20:55:00.001-07:00

So it's been just over a year since our buddy Steve Adler passed away and it's time for a memorial event. It's aptly named the "Adler Paddler" and it's happening this Sunday March 20th. Steve loved the sport of stand up paddling and this will be a free event open for both experienced and novice paddlers, in hopes to get people out together enjoying this great sport.

The other main purpose of this event will be to raise funds for Clark Adler's (Steve's son) college fund through sales of event T-Shirts and an amazing raffle. We will also use this event as a platform to raise awareness and educate people about Ascending Aortic Aneurysms. Also Amy Yasbeck of the John Ritter Foundation will be at the event! She is going to do a book signing with all proceeds to go towards the John Ritter Foundation & the John Ritter Research Foundation. The Thoracic Aortic Disease Coalition will be providing some educational information for the event.

So come on out for a fun or serious race around Naples island. Just under 3 miles. Bring down your paddle board, prone, or stand up, or borrow one from a friend. If you don’t have a board we will have a limited amount of boards and paddles to rent on site for a donation to the cause.

When: March 20th 2011 / 9am for a 10am start

Where: Leeway Beach/Belmont Shores/ Long Beach/ Ca

What: Fun/Stroll for a good cause or Race/ for a good cause/ Just under 3 miles around Naples island

For more info check the Facebook page or www.paddlewithpurpose.com .

See you there!

Waterman's Guild, A True Old School Glass Shop!

2011-03-09T06:42:00.000-08:00

Ever thought about it? When you place your order, what happens next? Where exactly does that order form go? Who are the guys behind the scene that make it happen? This is the place, these are the guys. Waterman's Guild is located in Santa Ana, Ca and has been glassing boards since 1983. Specializing in color lamination, Waterman's has a reputation among professional surfers and shapers as the premier glass shop in California. Shapers like Almond Surfboards, Matt Barker, Fineline, Gato Heroi, Randy Gibbs, The Greek, Gtec, Harbour, Hobie, Hurley, Bruce Jones, Matt Moore, Jed & Greg Noll, Jerry O'Keefe, Sonny Vardeman, and Dewey Weber have been coming to the Waterman's Guild for years to have their shapes waterproofed.

For over twenty-five years they have done all phases of production for the biggest names in the industry. Because of this expertise they are also called upon by collectors to do restoration of classics and flawless ding repair. All work is done in house by Greg Martz (owner) and his long time crew.

Thanks to Brock Jones for the cool video!

The Real Entropy Interview With Rey!

2011-03-03T12:54:00.000-08:00

We at Foam E-Z want to spread the good word about Entropy. They're producing high-quality Bio-Resins and Epoxy at competitive prices along with a great carbon footprint savings.

We spent an afternoon at their warehouse and laboratory and here is what we learned.

Also, check out this skit "Bio-Resin: Not for Eating"

Citrus Shapes - Cool article off Korduroy.TV

2011-03-02T09:38:00.000-08:00

Citrus Shapes

Daniel and Curtis are two childhood buddies who grew up surfing San-O, Church, and Lowers together. At 23 years old, fresh out of college, and into the “real world,” the two got inspired and decided to make their own shaping room…and they got all their materials for FREE! Here’s there story:

First off, what was the inspiration behind the “free” shaping room?

We were inspired by our buddy who is a shaper in Morocco. He taught himself how to shape by watching a video and now he makes boards for professional Moroccan surfers. He started running his business with a low budget and he had to get creative due to lack of resources. This showed us that quality/creative boards can be produced if the effort is willing to be put forth, even on a low budget.
Where did you manage to get all of the materials for free? Who donated the land space?

The supplies for the shaping tent were an accumulation of generous people and getting creative with our resources. It started with needing a roof over our heads. We didn’t know where to even begin, but realized that we needed something because it was November and if anything was going to happen in the middle of winter it had to be done in some sort of shelter. Daniel’s dad, Randy, had generously offered us an old outfitter’s tent that he and Daniel used to take camping every year. It is 20 x 16 feet, so we figured that would be plenty of space. Then we needed a place to set up shop, so Curtis’ dad, Rick, generously offered us a place to build our tent… not sure how pumped his mom is on the huge eyesore in her backyard now. Then the floor was built off of old pallets donated from Daniel’s old plumbing boss and the lights from his pops. Lastly, a majority of our tools were given to us by a family friend, Stan, who has shaped in the past. Stan also gave us tons of advice in getting started, he is a man to be listened to because of his expertise in building sail boats. So everything needed for the shop was free… HUGE!

Seems like a pretty cozy situation with a fireplace and all. Where did you get the idea for adding in a fireplace? Any other unique features of your setup?

Yeah we needed to keep it cozy and we figured that it would help us stay warm in the middle of winter. It keeps things a little interesting due to the fact that we are working with flammable chemicals with a blazing fire, all inside a small tent. But it’s all good!

How long did it take you to put everything together?

We were able to build the whole thing in a couple of days thanks to Curtis’ dad. He saved us hours of backbreaking work by leveling the dirt out with his tractor. Then the tent took us about 30 min to set up, the floor took a day, the racks a couple of hours, and presto, the Shred Shed was born!

How many boards have you made so far? What kind of boards?

We have each made one so far and have started another. The first boards were both 5’8” single-fins. We decided to do massive diamond tails. Curtis did a slight v-bottom and Daniel wanted to keep it as flat as possible to see how much speed he could get. We are just wanting to build the boards that we imagine in our heads. We are excited about experimenting with unique shapes and having fun riding them.

Where would you suggest one to look when wanting to learn how to shape, build their own shaping room, etc.?

Just be honest with people about how little you actually know and ask questions. What helped us out was talking with guys that had experience. People were pumped on our ideas and our desire to make different types of shapes, so they would give us as much advice as we wanted. We also must give credit to JC and “Shaping 101.” A must for anyone starting out. A huge help came from the videos that you, Korduroy, shared with us: Shaping Room, Shaping Blocks, etc. Lastly, find a best bud to share the experience with!

What do you find to be the most difficult part of shaping? What about the difficulties of glassing?

The hardest part of shaping is staying clean… the stuff gets everywhere! Also with our first boards we wanted to take our time so we used no power tools. When we finished shaping we had some serious arm-pump from the surforms.

As for glassing, is like working with a time bomb, before you know it it’s too late. Most of the frustrations came in this part of the process. What you thought was a great shape can turn into a disaster within a blink of an eye. It was a fun process and we learned a ton from it. It is amazing how much detail is involved to get a perfect glass job.

What has been your favorite step of the process…besides surfing the final product?

There were so many nights where we both didn’t want to close up shop because we were so pumped on how things were turning out. Every step of shaping gave us so much stoke because we were seeing this ugly block of foam begin to turn into something that looked like a surfboard. This started out as a project to see what we could create, little did we know how much fun we would have with it!

Do you feel like you have found a new hobby to take serious or is it just something for fun every now and again?

We have fallen in love and are actually planning on building many more boards. Between the two of us there are so many things we would love to shape, it is just hard trying to figure out what will be next. Right now we are starting to work on some shapes for a trip to Costa Rica. For now we are stoked on shaping our own boards, but who knows what might happen in the future.

Do you have a name for this project?

Yup, the name is Citrus. We decided on this name for two reasons. One, we are shaping in the middle of orange groves and two, we hope this project produces some good fruit for all enjoy and take part in.

For anyone that is interesting in following us on this adventure, check out our blog at www.citrusshapes.com or Facebook.

Also, if you have any questions about what we are doing or just want to drop a line and say hey, email us at citrusshapes@gmail.com

Thanks Korduroy for all the help. Keep the stoke coming!!!

Entropy Resins - Don't Drink It!!!

2011-02-25T10:34:00.001-08:00

I'm scared to post this little teaser video we did with Rey Benatao of Entropy Bio-Resins but here we go!

I didn't do the camera work, it was on a tri-pod i think!

Enjoy Brad

Look for the full interview coming up in the March Newsletter. Everything you want to know about this Bio-Epoxy and everything you don't want to know about Grant! Just don't drink it.

John Peck - The Penetrator Breaking On Through To The Other Side!

2011-02-22T15:59:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the guys at Korduroy.TV for putting together this awesome video of John Peck. It is a great representation of John, a man who has always lived on his own terms. We first met John Peck back around 1994 when he came into Foam E-Z to buy a blank for the Penetrator he wanted to make at the time. He since visits the shop from time to time get a blank or a tool. Each time he shows up he exudes an incredible sense of peace about himself. Anyone who has met him will know what I am talking about.

From being credited as the first to surf real Pipeline in 1963, to one of the most extreme proponents of mind-altering substances in the psychedelic seventies, John Peck has always been exploring the boundaries of his existence. He has been exploring ways to optimally ride waves for over 5 decades and it's this research that has lead him to refine his Penetrator longboard design. In this episode of Korduroy's All Yew series, we learn about the evolution of the Penetrator and how John approaches the board creation process.

Ole Surfboards - A True Legend!

2011-02-21T08:15:00.000-08:00

The 80-year-old Lahaina resident was inducted into the International Surfboard Builders Hall of Fame December 2009 at Doheny State Beach.

''I'm pretty honored by the whole thing,'' Olson said. ''I've been doing it for a long time. I started shaping in 1956.''

Olson was a wood shop teacher at Ranchos Alamitos High School in Garden Grove, Calif., when he first got interested in building surfboards. While he was still teaching, Olson opened a surfboard shop.

''I would shape boards after school, sometimes at night, and on the weekends,'' Olson said. ''Everyone was talking about surfing back in the early 60's, it was new.''

''Back then you could sell them a two-by-four with a one-by for a fin,'' he added with a laugh.

Olson took a teaching leave of absence in 1971 to visit Maui and made the Valley Isle his permanent home. He still surfs his favorite spot, Mala Wharf.

Olson is the fifth surfboard builder from Hawaii to be inducted into the SBHF, joining the father of modern surfing, Duke Kahanamoku, and Oahu's Rabbit Kekai, Ben Aipa and Barry Kanaiaupuni.

Inductees are selected by current members of the SBHF. Olson was selected by Phil Edwards, a noted surfing pioneer and shaper for Hobie Surfboards.

''Ole is the oldest-living board builder that is still making boards. It's great these guys get recognized. When these guys are gone, they take a lot of surf history with them.''

Bruce Jones, Some Serious Experience!

2011-02-09T12:00:00.000-08:00

Bruce Jones has built premium surfboards for three decades. The company, renowned worldwide for its products, was founded by Bruce in 1973 after he shaped surfboards for many years with some of the biggest surfing names in the sport: Hobie, Gordie, and Brewer to name a few.

Bruce was there at Hobie's, during the golden age of the mid 1960's, when the best shaping talent in surfing history was gathered in one place: Phil Edwards, Dale Velzy, Terry Martin, John Gray and Ralph Parker, among others. Starting in the gluing department, Bruce worked his way into rough shaping, then into the actual shaping room and lost no time in getting help from everyone involved in shaping surfboards. In the mid to late 60's, Bruce moved to Huntington Beach, California where he shaped for Vardeman Surfboards, doing all the Jackie Baxter Models, which to this day are considered rare collector's items, being the first board on the west coast to combine the low tail rails of the Hawaiian Gun (for speed), with a refined longboard outline and eventually a turned down, flat-bottom nose for superb nose riding (influenced by the famous Morey/Pope John Peck Penetrator model).

At night, Bruce would shape surfboards for Gordie Surfboards. Gordie (Gordon Duane) had a reputation for being a superb craftsman but very hard to get along with. Bruce put up with him and learned some of Gordie's shaping techniques and most of all his dedication to perfection through using these techniques. Bruce did a short stint with Dick Brewer in '69, ghost shaping surfboards for him on Maui. He then went on to shape for Russell Surfboards, Newport Beach, and then Ole Surfboards in Sunset Beach, California from where he launched his own business. Bruce has made a number of surfboard blank molds for Clark Foam and most recently for US Blanks.

Enjoy this great little video with Bruce Jones shaping and designing filmed and edited by his son Brock.

Round 2 - Bettis Shapes Up An Orange Foam from US Blanks!

2011-02-07T12:39:00.000-08:00

Round 2!!! We had Matt Bettis give the Orange Foam from US Blanks a whirl. The more shapes the better when it comes to R & D on a new blank. This time we got some better audio and video equipment so we don't look as ghetto...still ghetto but with a touch of class! Anyways, the foam is looking solid so check it out and listen to what Matt had to say about the blank. We'd like to thank Matt for donating his time and expertise in the name of research.

Foam E-Z and Matt Bettis shape a US Blanks Orange Foam from grant ramey on Vimeo.

The Inside Scoop at Quik!!!

2011-02-01T20:37:00.000-08:00

Is Dane sponsor shopping? There's been some big changes at Quiksilver in recent months. Kelly won 10, Julian went to Nike, Steph joined the team. We sat down with surf team manager Chad Wells to get the inside scoop. Check the video!

A big thanks goes out to David Scales of 1HourinHB.com for filming and editing this video.

Let us know what if you think Kelly will come back for another year, if Dane will jump ship, and how you feel about Julian's departure.

Foam E-Z Takes A Quik Fieldtrip!

2011-01-19T14:00:00.000-08:00

We took a field trip the other day to the Quiksilver headquarters in Huntington Beach, CA and sat down with team manager Chad Wells to get some inside info on Slater, Julian, and Steph. It’s been a pretty wild couple months for the crew over at Quik. Slater won #10, Julian took off to join Nike 6.0, Steph Gilmore signed to Women’s Quiksilver (not Roxy), Dane is Dane, and we’re not sure if Slater is coming back for the 2011 WCT season….and there is plenty more. That’s just a little sampling of what’s to come in the Foam E-Z February Newsletter.

If you’re not on the email list then you’re missing out on the latest industry happenings, product reviews, events, and monthly promotions. Shoot us an email to Support@FoamEZ.com and we’ll throw you on the list.

2 Hours In HB With Simpo And All The Other Local HB Rippers!

2011-01-11T08:36:00.000-08:00

These guys are amazing! They absolutely tear up the waves flicking airs whenever possible. Boy how surfing has changed in recent years. This crew (Brett Simpson, Shaun Ward, Ted Navarro, Derek Peters, Billy Hopkins) of local pros are all from the HB area riding boards from local shapers like Tim Stamps and Mike Ward. Thanks to David Scales of 1HOURinHB for the killer footage.

Orange Foam Sample Get's Glassed, The Update!

2011-01-07T08:18:00.000-08:00

Here is the video sequel to Stamps shaping the US Blanks Orange Foam sample. It's just a short little diddy but choked full of information about the glassing of the blank. This 5-8 Thruster is 2-3/8" thick, has Future Fins boxes, and with a single 4oz deck with a 3/4 4oz deck patch and single 4oz bottom glassing schedule had a finish weight of 5.5lbs! We should have the Orange Foam in stock by middle February. Soon to come, the final video in this series "How the Orange Foam surfs and holds up".

Enjoy!

HAPPY 2011!!!

2011-01-01T10:13:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a safe and insane NYE, hopefully you didn't get into too much trouble. Another year has passed and we are looking forward to even better things in 2011.

In celebration of the new year we are extending the 10% off sale on all Resin, Cloth, Pigments and Tints. Either mention the sale when shopping in the store or use this code EZDEC10NL online.

Our best wishes go out to everyone for a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year.

The Gang at Foam E-Z

Tim Stamps Test Shapes an Orange Foam US Blank!

2010-12-27T09:03:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a great X-mas holiday weekend and are now ready to get back down to some serious business of building boards.

About two weeks ago the brass over at US Blanks threw us (Foam E-Z) a sample Orange Foam surfboard blank to shape out. This NEW surfboard foam is 6% lighter or 1/2 pound compared to their Red Foam formula. We thought we would enlist pro shaper Tim Stamps as test pilot since he is a stickler when it comes to his foam. We knew we could get an unbiased, honest opinion from Stamps whether it was good or bad. We interviewed Tim at the end of this video for his take on this new foam. We were pleasantly surprised by US Blanks latest creation so look for the Orange Foam at Foam E-Z in 2011.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like...

2010-12-24T11:16:00.000-08:00

December is my favorite month of the year because it means one thing; Christmas! To me, it’s all about the decorations, music, presents, oh yeah, family and friends too. Now, that time is finally here, which can be a good thing and a bad thing for some. The folks who have spent the last few months shopping and already getting their presents together are now able to relax and enjoy the holidays. While others (like me) are rushing and using every last minute to buy gifts and wrap them in time.

This past week, we’ve had many people come into Foam E-Z to get Board Kits, DVD’s, and other board building supplies as presents for their loved ones. Though it has been crazy and stressful at times, it has been fun and rewarding as well. We have received so much candy and cookies; I think it’s safe to say that we all might die before the New Year. We definitely want to thank all our customers for their amazing support and all the great holiday swag.

Have a very merry Christmas and be sure to make a toast to anything or anyone!

Enjoy the holidays-

From C-Monkey and the rest of the Foam E-Z Crew

Some Holiday Shopping Motivation!

2010-12-17T11:11:00.000-08:00

This one goes out to all our procrastinating friends out there!! There are only 8 days until Christmas and since you’ve waited this long to start your shopping we thought we’d help you out by being open on Friday, Christmas Eve from 10a.m.-2p.m. I would recommend trying to get your goods before then but chances are you’ll lag. We will be here providing some holiday cheer!!

For those of you out there in cyberspace you can still place your orders and have them shipped out until the 23rd of December. Check out the shipping calendar above to get a general guide for shipping deadlines so you can make sure your package arrives on time. If you would like exact transit times to your location then just give us a ring and we’ll put one together for you.

Happy shopping and please try to smile when you're sitting in traffic at the mall!!!

Thanks for the support in 2010.

The Crew at Foam E-Z

Foam E-Z Holiday Party Recap! (Cristina's perspective)

2010-12-14T06:14:00.000-08:00

The Foam E-Z Holiday Party began on a cold, but not so cold Friday night in December. One by one the crew showed up to Brad’s humble abode. Once everyone had arrived, the party began.

We were each greeted by Brad’s daughter Bailey giving us a mini air guitar performance for a very unique welcoming. We then all wandered to the kitchen and were given drinks of choice and snacks to keep our hand’s company. It was hard for me to decide on whether to eat all of the m&m’s or chips. So I ate both. Hugs and stories were swapped and then my favorite time happened; DINNER.

After we had all stuffed our faces with a plate or two of the tasty Thai food, we let our bellies rest by the fire place. With a long couch full of friends and food in my stomach, I was very content.
Once we had digested some and could move again, we got a little mushy and gave some Christmas presents out. It was uncomfortable, hilarious, and sweet all at the same time.

Then we looked through old surf books and heard some stories about the characters that come into the shop all the time. We also got to see what they looked like before they were present day dinosaurs.

All in all I’d say it was a great party. Minus myself getting lost on the way there.

Happy holidays-
C-bags

Beach Demo Was a Blast!

2010-11-29T12:03:00.000-08:00

Wow the Beach Demo was a blast this past Saturday even though the surf was a meager 1ft!!! Luckily the skies were clear and the air was a brisk 4o degrees to start the morning. Tim Stamps brought down twenty surfboards all shapes and sizes for the kiddies to try out. There were longboards, contemporary shortboards, quad fish, and even some experimental stuff. Future Fins showed up with more fins than you'd see in a fish tank. They had their new killer stuff including the Elevon Quads which some people were lucky enough to try out. Adam from Solspot showed up to do his demo and give his forecasting tips but unfortunately we had some serious technical difficulties with our electrical equipment. Since we didn't have electricity David Scales from One Hour in HB got to surf instead of showing his surf movies. Unexpectedly, Chas's Pit Crew (SB and HB hot groms) showed up and got the opportunity to test ride the stuff and give it a real go. Even a few local pros were there to rip the knee high dribblers.

A special thanks goes out to Stamps Surfboards, Future Fins, Solspot, One Hour in HB, and all the people that came to show their support. Look for a detailed report in our upcoming newsletter with feedback from the test riders themselves!

BLACK FRIDAY: Shape Till You Drop!!!

2010-11-24T06:09:00.000-08:00

Attention!!!

Black Friday is near and we will be here so don’t fret!! Yes we will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, November 25th but we'll be open on Black Friday November 26th, from 10-3pm. The shop will be stocked and ready to accommodate your surfboard building needs.

Word on the street is that there are going to be some in store specials on some luxurious items such as the E-Z Finish Shaping Pad regularly $8.95 will be on sale for only $5.00! All Resin Research Epoxy and Fiberglass Cloth (including Ribz) will be 10% off. We also have the world famous E-Z Square on sale right now for only $24.95 marked down from $33.95 as well as the E-Z Calipers with Gauge marked down to $74.95. In addition, the CF Planer is on sale for $379.95 ($20 off). So cruise on by, take advantage of the savings, and stock up on goodies for yourself or for the board builder in the family.

Look forward to spending Black Friday with you!!!

BEACH DEMO HAS BEEN MOVED TO SATURDAY NOV. 27th

2010-11-18T06:11:00.000-08:00

Stamps Surfboard and Futures Fins Demo Presented by Foam E-Z

We’re moving!!...the beach demo to Saturday, November 27th. The demo was originally planned for this Saturday, November 20th but it looks like the weather isn’t going to cooperate with us. We’ve decided to push it back one week to Saturday, November 27th. The weather is looking clear and crisp and we’d rather hang out in the sunshine than tough it out in the rain. This should give everyone enough time to recover from Thanksgiving and a chance to work off a few pounds. Tim Stamps of Stamps Surfboards will be providing all of the boards and Future Fins will be providing all of the fins so you don’t need anything….except a wetsuit. If you want you can even bring your own board down and try out some of the fins too, but why not thrash around on someone else’s board for a while.

Besides the boards and fins we’ll also have some super rad surf videos playing on a flat screen courtesy of 1HRinHB as well as some jams. The guys from SolSpot will be there to show a bitchen demo of how there new site works and some forecasting tips. Of course there’s more, we’ll also be giving away some freebies and have some refreshments so make sure you get there early to get your pick of boards and fins.

Just to re-cap, the demo is still on and it is still on the South Side of the Huntington Beach Pier, we’ve just moved the date to November 27th. So cruise by and check out the latest shapes/designs from Tim Stamps and Futures Fins. See you at the beach!!!

BS and Mini-BS from David Lee Scales on Vimeo.

Mark's Benefit Party was a success!!!

2010-11-16T06:41:00.001-08:00

So the party went off without a hitch thanks to all the people involved. The raffle absolutely blew up with so much stuff being given away pretty much everyone left with something! Congratulations to the winners of the unbelievable surfboards that were given away. A special thanks goes out to Todd for manning the bbq under the stress of the many hungry guests. We raised over $2500 for Mark which will certainly help with his bills. If you didn't make it to the party and would still like to donate you can make checks payable to Mark Bouvier Irrevocable S.N.T. (special needs trust) and either drop them at the shop or mail to: 18685 Main St. Suite 101-465 Huntington Beach Ca 92648; If you'd like to donate online you can do it here

Here's what Mark sent to us after the event:

I am absolutely overwhelmed by all of the love and support I was shown by my friends in the surf community this Sunday at the fundraiser hosted by Foam E-Z, Aloha Glassing, and Shelter Surf. I can't even begin to express my appreciation of all of my friends who pulled together to raise money so that i could continue my recovery. It has proven much more expensive than even my insurance was willing to afford but thanks to the efforts of some really awesome people: Brad Nadell,and the crew of Foam E-Z, Steve Albin, (and Kim Albin for the awesome cupcakes and root-beer floats) and Matt Bettis and the crew of Aloha Glassing, Jack Sykes of Line Up Surfboards , Tim Stamps of Stamps Surfboards, Graham Day of Shelter Surfshop as well as some of the great vendors of surf supplies such as Futures Fins, US Blanks, Quiksilver and local shops like Harbour Surfboards. Thanks again to these great people and many more. We were able to raise enough money to keep me going on my way to a full recovery (HOPEFULLY I DIDN'T FORGET ANYBODY!), so hopefully someday I can get back to my life as I'd like it to be. A huuuge thank you to everyone who turned out to show me all of your love and support, there were so many familiar faces. Friends from the water, friends from the shop, and some new friends I hope to paddle out with someday in the not too distant future. So in conclusion, the fundraiser was a great success.
A million thank you's to everyone who made it possible and to everyone who came out to "give a bro some dough"
all of my aloha, mark bouvier(boonz) and hopefully I'll see you all in the water soon---

Mark's Benefit Party is Tomorrow Sunday Nov 14 2-5pm

2010-11-13T08:36:00.000-08:00

So the benefit party is almost here and we are stoked at how many people and businesses have come together and donated in one way or another. Here's a short list of some of the stuff being raffled off:
Four surfboards: Bettis Longboard and short stubby, Stamps shortboard, and a LineUp Longboard
Future Fins has donated an assortment of beautiful fins, Quiksilver has donated some board bags and other goodies, Harbour Surfboards gave us some bitchen tees/sweatshirts, ProBox Fins dropped off some stuff, and many people have donated money to Mark.

Thanks to everyone for all there generous donations and we're looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. There's gonna be lots of food and fun so bring the whole family. Please spread the word.

Foam E-Z Team

Benefit Party for Mark Bouvier Behind Our Shop, Nov 14!

2010-11-02T10:46:00.000-07:00

On Sunday November 14th from 2-5pm there will be a benefit party for Mark Bouvier. If you don't know or remember Mark he is the former "Saturday Guy" at Foam E-Z. Mark was involved in a horrific auto accident over a year ago. He sustained head trauma that has paralyzed his left side. Mark has been working tirelessly with rehab specialists to gain movement in his arm and leg back. The hard work has paid off and he is starting to see some real gains. The bummer is all this rehab is ringing up a huge bill that his insurance can't pay.

RadRob, Lopez, Mark Bouvier

We're hoping to generate a lot of interest in hopes of bringing many people out to contribute to the cause. Many people/businesses are stepping up with generous donations that will be raffled off at the party. Stamps Surfboards, Bettis Surfboards, and Line Up Surfboards have gotten together to donate some beautiful boards that will be going home with some lucky party goers. Future Fins has donated a bunch of goodies for the raffle. There will also be a Hot Dog BBQ, live music, and all around shenanigans going on. Raffle tix (5 for $20) will be pre-sold at Foam E-Z, Aloha Glassing, and Shelter Surf Shop. Of course, tix will also be available at the party.

Come on out and support Mark.

Looking forward to seeing everyone!

Foam E-Z Team

BEACH DEMO Saturday Nov 20th, hope to see you there.

2010-10-19T12:45:00.000-07:00

Check it out, a free surfboard and fin demo!! We’ve been trying to put one of these together for a while and with the help of Stamps Surfboards and Future Fins we’ve got it bagged. Stamps will be providing a variety of boards to test ride, from shortboards, to retros, and Futures will be bringing a plethora of fancy fins. We’ll be hosting the event on November 20th @ 8:00 a.m. on the South Side of the Huntington Beach Pier. All you have to do is show up, pick a stick, snag some fins and surf. For real, you can test ride any board and any fins, it’s totally up to you. We’re also going to be giving away plenty of goodies as well. So take advantage of this opportunity to ask some questions, try out some boards and ride some fins. Hope to see you there!! Check out our Facebook Page for updates.

2010-10-12T11:41:00.000-07:00

In case you haven’t heard the Froghouse Surf Shop in Newport Beach is in jeopardy of having to close their doors due to a zoning issue that has been overlooked since the mid 70’s. This is sucks because The Froghouse has been a staple of the Newport Beach scene for over 40 years and it makes a lot of us wonder why now, all of the sudden, is the city council pursuing this zoning issue? The whole situation is a bummer not only for TK Brimer (owner) but for everyone who has ever stepped foot in the shop. Entering the doors is a nostalgic trip for many who still frequent the shop and a look back into the independent surf shops of the 60’s and 70’s for the younger generations. It’s just sad to see the City Council of Newport Beach trying to hinder a business that has been a positive part of their city for so many years. We say booo to Newport Beach City Council, booo indeed!

Let us know what you think.

EXTENDED RETAIL HOURS!!!

2010-10-01T08:16:00.000-07:00

Happy Fall to All! The weather has been killer and so has the waves. The kids are back in school and everything is cool. Our shop is mellow, come down and say hello.

As of today October 1st we are officially extending our hours in hopes of better meeting our customers needs. Monday through Friday we will be open at 10am and closing at 5pm. We have added an additional hour to our Saturday's and now we are opening at 10am and closing at 3pm. Longer hours = more fun, Yippee!!!

We have plans to add more hours down the road but could use your feedback as to what you'd like to see.

Local Artist Shane-O featured at the La Jolla Art and Wine Festival

2010-09-27T13:41:00.000-07:00

Harbour Surfboards employee and artist, Shane Bowman is one of the artists to be featured at the upcoming La Jolla Art and Wine Festival. Shane is a local kid who attends Long Beach State and is in the art program there.

A little about his artwork:

The influence of the ocean and its surroundings inspire me to create paintings and drawings with a little twist on nature. I realized art does not have to be a delicate oil painting stuck on a wall; it can be tangible and common without depreciating the value and beauty of the work. In the spirit of this idea some of my paintings have been done on surfboards, old fins, old cabinet doors, recycled plywood, and sheet metal so it can be displayed outside.
My artwork in this event will be featuring the exploration of this idea through the use of acrylic and oil mediums. There will also be one of a kind hand-painted trucker hats.

About the event:

Shane was lucky enough to be 1 of the 14 artists selected under the "Emerging Artist Scholarship" category for the 2010 La Jolla Art and Wine Festival.

The La Jolla Art & Wine Festival takes place on October 9 and 10 from 11:00am -6:00pm on Upper Girard Avenue between Pearl Ave. and Genter St. The event donates all proceeds to key programs at three area public schools: La Jolla, Torrey Pines, and Bird Rock Elementary. These commonly underfunded programs include art, music, science, physical education, technology, and on-site medical care by a school nurse. All three beneficiaries are part of the financially troubled San Diego Unified School District.

Besides supporting a good cause there are plenty other reasons to come down and check out the event:
- There is going to be over 100 artists- with just about anything you can think of: 2D, 3D, ceramics, sculpture, jewelry, fibers, etc.
- Live music will be played by multiple artists throughout the event
- A beer and wine garden featuring wines and beers from the region
-local restaurant and farmer's market vendors

Tickets: $15 for 2-day pass, $10 for 1-day

For more info go to www.lajollaartandwinefestival.com
or visit his blog at www.designsbybowman.blogspot.com

One Hour at Lowers- Free-Surfing Footage!

2010-09-22T09:51:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken by Scott Durzo and summed up the magic of this years event.

Check this video of Simpo, Dane, Mick, Kelly, and more taken by Dave from One Hour in HB. The free-surfing footage is from the Hurley Pro at Lowers Friday and Saturday mornings. I'm sure you all watched the contest live or on the web but watching the boys warm up is pretty spectacular too. ENJOY!!!

LOWERS - Slater, Simpo, Mick, and Dane from David Lee Scales on Vimeo.

ROBERT AUGUST End of Summer Sale!!!

2010-09-07T06:35:00.000-07:00

Hey guys Robert August is having a killer end of the summer sale for the entire month of September. All their goodies are on sale including their classic surfboards, Endless Summer DVD's and posters, and more. The Robert August showroom is right next door to our shop so if you're in the neighborhood come by and check it out.

Check the flyer below for more details...

We have Stained Glass Fins by Rainbow Fins!

2010-09-02T05:45:00.000-07:00

The Rainbow Fin Company "Stained Glass" line was created to offer surfers a functional yet colorful option to our standard offering of high performance fins. Since every fin is hand built one at a time, each fin offers completely unique properties that can never be duplicated, making each fin a work of art.

FUNCTIONAL ART

Although each fin is worthy of being hung on a wall, they are also used as functional surf fins on your board. Our “Stained Glass” fins are available in any of our high performance fin shapes, and can be used safely on your board to enhance both the performance in the water and the overall look of your board on land.

INNOVATION
RFC has been a leader with innovative designs using the latest technology and hand crafted perfection for over forty years. Our industry leading fins have incorporated materials like G-10 Epoxy, RTM, fabric pattern inlays, multi colored layers of glass, Lava Rock, carbon fiber, bamboo and Volan cloth just to name a few. During our R&D process we discovered the break through “Stained Glass” look, and after substantial development we were able build artful fins inspired by the rising sun, banner fish, sand dollars and ocean waves.

Foam E-Z carries the Stained Glass Fins in a variety of templates. Please call or check the site current designs.

Sacred Craft Summer 2010, it was a Blast!!!

2010-08-23T10:03:00.000-07:00

When it was announced that Sacred Craft would be teaming up with the ASR this year there was a lot of gripes and grumbles. We have to admit, we had our doubts as well. Merging something with such an indie vibe into something so corporate is quite the gamble and to be honest it turned out to be a hit. Sacred Craft started a day after ASR at the San Diego Convention Center on August 14th-15th in the Sail Pavilion. We were honoring Simon Anderson and his massive contribution, the thruster, to surfing and the vibe was awesome. Brad was so amped that he went for back to back tarp barrels and made it out of both, check the pic!

We were involved in glassing demos with Stretch Surfboards, Stamps Surfboards, Greg Loehr from Resin Research, Entropy Bio-Resins, and Podunk Surfboards. We chucked hats, shirts, and stickers out to the crowd and even raffled off the Stamps 5’10” “Fuse” quad fin that had the new colored boxes from Future Fins as well as Stamps’ signature quad fin set. Whew, it was very generous for everyone to pitch in and donate a whole board and all the materials and labor.

On top of that there was plenty of shaping action going on around the show, between the Young Guns Shape Off and the Tribute to the Masters. They were replicating a Simon thruster. Matt Biolos of Lost Surfboards was deemed the winner of the Master Shape Off and generously donated the $1000 he won to charity. Although they didn’t win, Pat Rawson, Brian Bulkley, Larry Mabile, Jason Bennett and Michael Barron, put on a shaping clinic for the crowd. Luckily our booth was right by the main shaping booth and next to U.S. Blanks so we were right in the thick of it. There were legends of shaping, surfing and basketball all around us. Bill Walton was cruising around the show, or should I say towering above, not to mention, MR, Shaun Thompson, PT, Aaron Cormican etc...standing shoulder to shoulder with regular guys and gals, taking pics and enjoying the show.

Yeah the show is different, but if it weren’t for change then we’d still be clicking rocks together to make fire. Old school, new school, industry folk, the show had it all and the vibe was kicking! Scott Bass created a great environment that still brought out the best craftsmen, artists, and crowd from all over the world.

The Parting a movie by Foam E-Z customer Jeremy Lynch

2010-08-17T13:31:00.000-07:00

Check out this short movie from one our customers Jeremy Lynch, it stars Andrew Doheney. Might be a little too artsy fartsy for most of you but the idea of recycling used boards is fun.

Jeremy has traveled extensively and now resides in Huntington Beach, California. He is working as a Director, Editor, Shooter, Writer by day and an Artist by night.

"The Parting" from Jeremy Asher Lynch on Vimeo.

Sacred Craft this weekend in San Diego, it's gonna be a blast!!!

2010-08-10T09:05:00.000-07:00

Here we are again, gearing up for another Sacred Craft show. This weekend August 14 & 15 we will be at the Sail Terrace Hall at the San Diego Convention Center. In case you're not aware, Sacred Craft is running in conjunction with ASR. Although ASR isn’t open to the public, the Sacred Craft is! It should be even more cranking with a large overflow crowd from ASR. This Consumer surfboard expo is marking the 30-year anniversary of the legendary Australian's revolutionary Thruster design. Sacred Craft and the entire surfboard industry will honor Simon Anderson and the 3-fin Thruster design during the Tribute to the Masters Shape-off presented by US Blanks .

That ain’t the only cool thing though, we’re going to be involved in a total of three glassing demos. We'll be working with Marko Foam and Stretch using Resin Research Epoxy . Also we will be assisting in a vacuum bagging demo with Entropy Bio Resins. Just a heads up, the demo you don't wanna miss will be on Saturday August 14 at 1:30p.m. (all glassing demos will be held at the Show Floor, aisle 100). Greg Loehr of Resin Research Epoxy will be glassing up a Stamps Quad Surfboard that we will be raffling off…..for FREE!! That’s not it, the board will come with a FREE set of Stamps signature quad fins by Future Fins !!! Holy crap we are jealous cause we can’t win, but you can! All you have to do is show up to the demo early and fill out a ticket, that’s it. If glassing isn’t your thing, check out the schedule, I’m sure you can find something that will make it worth the $10 entry fee. You can find us in BOOTH #606Tribute to the Masters Shaping Booth . Click here to view a complete floorplan of the event, click on the Sacred Craft Tab at the top.. Hope to see you all there.

Check out this cool footage of Simon Anderson at the Surfabout Contest 1981 Narrabeen, Aus:

Future Fins new TechFlex Series, check em out they're red hot!!!

2010-08-08T20:39:00.000-07:00

Take your surfing beyond glass-ons with Future Fins next progression. TechFlex was designed to stiffen up the fin in the right places with strategically placed carbon in the base and the tip. This activates flex in the middle of the fin, creating maximum lift for those who prefer flatsided fins. The TechFlex is perfect for the experienced surfers with a powerful approach or any level surfer in powerful waves.

Simpo going back to back at the US Open on Future Fins

These fins are stiffer than RTM Honeycomb and Blackstix, but softer than Fiberglass. They are more responsive than Honeycomb and are great for harnessing power. The TechFlex Series have a natural feel for a controlled ride and predictable release for high performance surfing. If you're used to riding Glass-ons then the TechFlex Series is a perfect transition to the high performance world of Future Fins.

Check out the high res pics and descriptions of the Future TechFlex Fins here!!!

Foam E-Z customer/legend Randy Lewis to be inducted into the Surfers Hall of Fame!

2010-08-02T07:54:00.000-07:00

Randy Lewis, one of Huntington Beach’s best surfers and a noted surfboard shaper, will be inducted into the 2010 Surfer’s Hall of Fame on Friday, August 6th at 10 a.m. in front of Huntington Surf & Sport (corner of PCH and Main). A lifelong Huntington Beach resident, Lewis will be inducted along with Ian Cairns and Stephanie Gilmore.

Lewis began surfing in 1961 and was considered a childhood phenomenon along the lines of one of his prodigies Bud Llamas. He started competing in the boys 14 and under division of local events and went on to place third in the 1967 U.S. Championships Junior Men’s.

He also won the West Coast Championships in 1976 and 1977 and the San Onofre Surf Club titles in 1978 and 1979. From WSA events to the annual Huntington Beach contest, Lewis competed all the way up through the Super Grand Masters and was often the point leader in his divisions. He finally retired from competitive surfing in 2006 when he won his last event, the City of Huntington Beach Championships.

In the mid-60’s, legendary shaper Gordie Duane took Lewis under his wing and taught him his board shaping secrets. Soon thereafter, Lewis was shaping and riding for the famous “Hole in the Wall Gang”, an assemblage of seasoned Huntington Beach surfers who weren’t part of the regular contest circuit, but were great competitors in their own right.

From 1977-87, Lewis operated his own surf shop, the Randy Lewis Surf Center, on 5th street. Over the years he has worked for almost every Huntington Beach surf store and currently shapes at Chuck Dent. Among the big name surfers who rode Lewis boards-Llamas, Michael Ho, John Boozer, and Joey Hawkins.

“Randy Lewis is one of the greatest shapers to come out of Huntington Beach,” said Surfers’ Hall of Fame founder Aaron Pai. “He surfed the Huntington Pier with style and grace and was one of the hottest surfers out in the water.”

“Anyone who grew up surfing in Huntington Beach in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s knows the name ‘Randy Lewis’! This guy is right up there with all ‘the best’ surfers and shapers in town. We are honored and excited to be able to induct Randy Lewis in the Surfers’ Hall of Fame this August!”

Randy is famous in the world of skateboarding for his one cover shot on SkateBoarder magazine in 1964 (Vol. 1 #2). For a time, Randy tried his hand a motorcycle speedway racing in the early 1970’s in Costa Mesa, Irwindale and Bakersfield at the urging of friends. After racing alongside the likes of future world speedway champion Bruce Penhall, Randy quickly returned to the water where he was more comfortable. His parents, Mary Jane and Forest (a retired city police officer) still live in Huntington Beach.

The 2010 Surfers’ Hall of Fame induction ceremony pays tribute to those individuals who have made an indelible mark on the sport, industry and culture of surfing. Annually, tens of thousands of visitors to Huntington Beach’s downtown area literally walk in the footsteps of surfing superstars and legends from several eras including Laird Hamilton, Mike Doyle, Jack O’Neill, Robert August, Greg Noll, Jericho Poppler, Kelly Slater, Lisa Andersen, Martin Potter, Al Merrick, Shaun Tomson and Rob Machado who are already immortalized in cement.

The Surfers’ Hall of Fame induction ceremony is open to the public, free-of-charge.

Hope to see you there!

Green Foam Recycled Blanks at Foam E-Z!

2010-07-12T08:59:00.000-07:00

Green Foam Recycled Blanks are here! Were happy to be carrying the latest
product from U.S. Blanks. Green Foam blanks are made from recycled rigid polyurethane foam waste produced in manufacturing surfboards it is then reintroduced back into the parent product.

We’ve had the opportunity to shape up a few and have been very pleased with the
results, so now were stocking them for all of you! We are excited to see our
quality selection of “green” products grow and be put to the test by you, our customers. If you have any questions or comments just call us up and we’d be happy to chat about any one of our environmentally friendly products from U.S. Blanks, Marko Foam, and Entropy Bio Resins.

Peace!

Surfer Photo Editor Shapes in "The Box" with Grant

2010-07-07T10:48:00.000-07:00

Surfer Magazine is doing a feature on How To Shape a Surfboard for the October 2010 issue. Grant Ellis, Surfer Magazine Photo Editor, is the test subject with Grant Ramey (from Foam E-Z) as the shaping instructor. The Shaping lesson took place in Foam E-Z's Shape Box. Joel Patterson will be conducting the interview for the magazine.

Check out a snippet of the experience.

How To: Shape a Surfboard with Grant Ellis from David Lee Scales on Vimeo.

The Ding Shop-Surfboard Repair DVD Now Available!!!

2010-06-28T09:10:00.000-07:00

Finally a quality Ding Repair video has been made and we have it!!! This DVD has been a long time coming. It shows how to fix many of the most common dings and some unusual ones too. Every surfer should know how to fix their own dings, it is the best way to keep your boards value up and keep it in good working condition! The Ding Shop DVD also has a brief but informative section about board building with an appearance from Donald Takayama.

Charles Kirkley AKA Dr. Ding has repaired thousands of surfboards at the Ding Shop since 1982. After years of being asked where to start, what to do, and how to do it? This DVD shows you.

Go on a quick factory tour to view the board building process, see the 10 Step ding repair process used for all dings, and watch as Dr. Ding explains and shows how to repair dings anyone can fix. Then move to the Ding Shop to repair boards with more severe damage. Learn valuable techniques for cutting and manipulating cloth, pouring resin, glassing, and sanding.

Be prepared for the inevitable and learn how to fix your board, by watching the first of it's kind, "The Ding Shop Surfboard repair DVD".

Check the trailer below:

You're Invited to the upcoming Foam E-Z BBQ!!!

2010-06-14T17:10:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody,

We would like to formally invite you to Foam E-Z’s Back Yard B-B-Q. It will take place on Saturday June 26th from 11a.m. to 3p.m. and the food and drinks are completely free, we just want you to come down to the shop and meet our new staff. Check out the video invitation for more details.

Foam EZ Commercial from David Lee Scales on Vimeo.

Hope to see you there.

The Foam E-Z Cru

Doc Shapes up a Marko Foam EnviroFoam Blank

2010-06-02T08:21:00.000-07:00

Here's some cool video footage of Doc from Surf Prescriptions Surfboards shaping up the Marko EnviroFoam Blank. This is one of the boards we glassed with Entropy Surf Sap Epoxy at this past Sacred Craft in Ventura, Ca. After glassing the bottom of this board we raffled it off to one of the many spectators. The lucky winner was Mary Barbour of Santa Monica!

Art, destruction, or board building??????

2010-05-12T08:25:00.000-07:00

Well our customer, Chris James, took a pretty clean Channel Islands 70's Single Fin and ripped the glass off and reshaped and glassed it. He is an artist and did it for an art project for his art school. That original board was worth some pretty good dough to the right guy.

Here's some words from the artist about the art piece:

"Ordinarily in sculpture you would make something out of some other material: a head in bronze, or a bull out of a bicycle seat and handlebars(picasso). In this case I want to see if you can make a sculpture out of the materials of the subject itself: can you make a sculpture of a tree out of a tree? Or in this case a surfboard. I don’t think I got an answer since what I made out of a 1979 al merrick tri plane hull is still ride-able, but I have shown it in a couple galleries as well. But that is what was the impetus for the work."

Check out Chris' video; is it the death and destruction of a classic 70's Channel Islands Board or art?

1 HOUR IN HB

2010-05-03T21:18:00.000-07:00

Check out this killer video blog 1 Hour in HB put together by local vidiot David Scales.

You know how people move to Hollywood with dreams of seeing movie stars all over town? Well that's what Huntington Beach is like, except those movie stars are pro surfers. On any given day, not only will you see our local contingent of professionals, but often a couple of world traveling pros will paddle out and catch a couple.

This blog documents those sessions and experiences. Some of the pros documented: Brett Simpson, Alana Blanchard, and Micah Byrne.

Super Session - Simpo, Aritz, Ward, Crews, Harris, Guilmette from David Lee Scales on Vimeo.

As a full-time gig, Dave owns and runs MAWL (Music , Art, Wine, Love). It's a great little wine tasting and gathering spot next to the 405 and Valley View St. It's an awesome spot to drink wine, beer, eat cheese, hang with friends/family, check out art, and much more...

Earth Day Sale - 10% off all Green Surfboard Supplies!

2010-04-22T06:48:00.000-07:00

Want to reduce the carbon footprint on your next big DIY project? Have you been waiting to try Entropy's Bio-Epoxy on your upcoming surfboard project? Well, quit procrastinating and help celebrate Earth Day by receiving a 10% discount on all our bio-epoxy resin kits and Marko Envirofoam Blanks. From Earth Day, April 22nd through April 28th, just type "EARTH2010" in the coupon field during checkout, and receive 10% off all products in the Green Surf Supplies category. It's our way of giving back to Mother Earth by getting the most environmentally sustainable surf products into your hands at the cheapest possible price!

As you probably know, we recently made the pilgrimage to Ventura, CA where surfboard builders big and small congregated for the annual Sacred Craft Surfboard Expo. Along with Entropy Resins and Marko Foam we presented a vision of the future in sustainable & recycled surfboard design; Surf Sap bio-epoxy, Marko's Recycled Envirofoam, and Future's Recycled Fins. Expect to see more of these eco-shredders coming from a shaper near you!

Here's what Rey Banatao of Entropy Resins had to say:
"The show was a huge success, as evidenced by the heavy foot traffic our booths received throughout the weekend and the standing room only during Stretch Riedel's live glassing demo with our resin! We want to thank FOAM E-Z for putting this successful collaboration together. And a BIG MAHALO goes to Stretch and Dave, from Stretch Surfboards, for doing live Surf Sap glassing demos throughout the weekend and causing a major raucous in the showroom aisles. Finally, thank you to everyone that stopped by the booths."

Stay tuned for more cool, sustainable products in the near future.

Happy Earth Day 2010!

Sacred Craft Ventura Recap; Two Surfboards Giveaways!!!

2010-04-14T17:37:00.000-07:00

We had a blast this past weekend at the Sacred Craft convention at the Ventura Fairgrounds. If you haven’t had the chance to go or you’ve put it off in the past then you’re missing out on some legendary shapers and some up and comers. This show they honored Rennie Yater and had a shape off that included shapers (WINNER) Wayne Rich, Todd Proctor, Michel Junod, Nick Palandrani, Matt Moore, and Dennis Ryder. They had to replicate one of his classic “Spoon” models. They brought their A game for the crowd and it still blows my mind how every shaper went about it differently but still came out with a great looking replica.

Like usual we didn’t just sit around at the show, we had our own bio-based epoxy glassing demo going both days. We had some help this time, and we were able to not only laminate a couple of boards but also give them away; thanks to Marko Foam, Entropy Bio-Based Epoxy Resin, Surf Prescriptions by Doc, Stretch Surfboards, Surfrider Foundation and of course, us…Foam E-Z. Since we love keeping people stoked there was no entry fee for the surfboard raffle so of course people were losing their minds trying to enter before we drew the winner. Just to give you an idea, it was kind of like when the Beatles came to America, complete pandemonium…..okay, not really but we were throwing out free hats!!!!
Bill “Stretch” Rydell from Stretch Surfboards did the laminating on both days of the demo which was really cool because we also got to talk to him about his boards and the different models. He also shared a bunch of little glassing tricks and was very generous to give up his time and to provide the shaped blank. When it came time to draw the names there could only be two winners, so along with the other sponsors of the demo we want to congratulate Stephen Leeruangsri of Arcadia and Mary Barbour of Venice. Stephen was the winner of the Stretch surfboard and Mary scooped up the Surf Prescriptions board.

We hope that if you were there that you had as much fun as we did and be sure to look out for future demos and giveaways from us.

Until next time, happy building.

WE'LL BE CLOSED THIS SATURDAY since we'll be at Sacred Craft this Weekend!

2010-04-08T07:58:00.000-07:00

You know that feeling you get right before finals in high school, all the late nights studying, thinking about failing, the anxiety….well that’s what were feeling, but it’s just in preparation for Sacred Craft up in Ventura on April 10th and 11th. I know your probably weeping in your Wheaties because we don’t have our unbelievably, finely crafted newsletter, but don’t fret, we’ve got some cool stuff planned for that up coming weekend. We’ll be bringing it to the people both days ‘cause that’s what we like to do.

This time we have partnered up with Entropy Bio-Resins and Marko Foam to create an all inclusive surf center within the show. We’re going to have a glassing demo both Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. where we’ll be glassing up a couple of boards with the SUPER Sap and SURF Sap Bio-Resins. This demo will take place in the Entropy booth (F-10) which will be sandwiched between the Foam E-Z and Marko booths. Not only is that going to be happening, but since we’re such generous guys we’ll also be raffling off the SURF PRESCRIPTIONS demo board as well as a lot of other goodies. Yeah, for real, the winner will be able to pick up their completed surfboard two weeks after the show at Foam E-Z!!! Entry in the raffle is free, the demo is free, and like always we’ll have plenty of knowledgeable staff there to answer any questions about the products. As usual there will also be some special show pricing, if you know what I mean…. wink, wink. Believe me, if you like surfing in general then you’ll love Sacred Craft, and I’m guessing that you do if you’re reading this. Make sure to come by our booth and check out the demo, get in the raffle, talk shop, and play with some cool new products.

Next month we’ll have a full recap of Sacred Craft with interviews and video from the show. I’m sure we’ll also have some blog and Facebook updates so make sure you’re our friend on Facebook and check the blog regularly. It’s going to be a blast so come and be a part of it.
MONTHLY DRAWING/RAFFLE
We're happy to announce that the winners of MARCH’S RAFFLE of the THREE (3) E-Z Squares are: local customer Ben Slayback; Stephen Skinner of Hingham, Ma; and Patrick Collins of Wilmington, NC!

This month we're raffling off some great Shaping tools: Flexpad Shaping Block and an E-Z Finish Shaping Pad to ONE lucky customer. All you have to be entered is spend at least $30.00 in the shop or online. The winner will be announced at the beginning of May in our newsletter and on our blog. Happy raffling!

"HARBOUR CHRONICLES, A Life in Surfboard Culture" Book Signing & Auction

2010-04-05T07:07:00.000-07:00

Honolua Surf Co. Presents "Harbour Chronicles: A Life in Surfboard Culture" Book Signing & Auction, Thursday April 8th from 5-8pm.

Inspired by the life and work of master surfboard shaper, Rich Harbour, this 144 page, full color hard cover book includes essays by Mike Marshall (RIP), C.R. Stecyk III, Steve Pezman and Mitchell De Jarnett. Rich Harbour and many of the other contributors to the book will be here signing copies so don't miss this opportunity! A limited quantity of books will be available at this event for the retail price of $29.95. The publication includes many heretofore unpublished, historic photographs by Rich Harbour, Peter Brouillet, Leo Hetzel, Leroy Grannis, and Sean Collins. There will be a number of special guests present to sign books!

At this event, a silent auction will be held for the special quiver of 'Museum Edition' Surfboards designed by Rich Harbour especially for this show. In addition, a Limited Edition (#3 of an edition of a only five! ) 50th Anniversary Harbour Surfboard made of Curly Redwood / Balsa will be included in this charity auction. The Surfrider Foundation and OCC Frank M. Doyle Arts Pavilion will benefit from the proceeds of this auction so please come bid on a piece of surfing history, support responsible stewardship of our coastal resources, and the arts at OCC as well. Rich Harbour has been shaping since 1959 and has crafted more than 29,000 surfboards. Vintage Harbours are sought by collectors around the world who are eager to own a board handcrafted by one of surfing's greatest living board builders. Rich still works every day, sculpting these exquisitely crafted surfboards in the oldest continuously operating shape room at 329 Main St. in Seal Beach, CA. After 50 years of shaping, he remains a vital influence on the art and design of the modern surfboard.

I have briefly seen the book and it looks awesome. There are incredible pictures and stories throughout this hardbound book. I've heard quite a few of the classic stories over the years and were involved in a number of them when I was grom. Hope to see you there I know it will be a great event. Brad

Jodie Nelson Stand Up Paddles from Catalina to Dana Point!

2010-03-31T05:18:00.000-07:00

On Sunday March 28, Jodie Nelson of Surfside became the first woman to Stand Up Paddle from Catalina to Dana Point! Jodie is an accomplished pro surfer and currently commentates for ESPN, Fuel TV, and covers most of the streaming ASP events. Jodie also runs theSUPSpot.com a business that promotes stand up paddling through boot camps, lessons, and more.

In an attempt to raise awareness and money for breast cancer education, Nelson, of San Clemente, paddled nearly 40 miles from Catalina to Dana Point on Saturday, a feat that only three or so men – one being famous waterman Laird Hamilton — have completed.

"I wanted to go out there and do something that was big and overwhelming ... and something I had a good chance of failing at. It's nothing compared to what they go through," she said. "They don't give up."

After watching helplessly as close friend Angela Robinson become ill from breast cancer and chemotherapy treatments, Nelson wanted to somehow show support.

At first, Robinson didn't like the dangerous idea. But she soon realized there was no talking Nelson out of it.

Nelson trained hard, spending long days paddling along the coast. About two weeks ago, her trainer and good friend Steve Adler died from an aneurysm – making the paddle that much more emotional.

She started the paddle at about 6:15 a.m., hours earlier than others doing a relay as part of the Ohana Ocean Catalina Challenge. She was the only person doing a solo paddle.

A few hours in, a 30-foot minke whale came up beside her board – at first startling Nelson and the boat crew.

The whale – dubbed Larry – was close enough that she could have pet it with her paddle. He started making bubbles beneath her, fluking, and showing his tummy to her. The whale stayed with her for about an hour and a half.

"It was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life," she said.

Not once during the paddle did she ask the time, or how far she had gone.

But after 8 hours and 51 minutes of paddling, loved ones cheered as they saw her coming to the finish line at Baby Beach. Her son Taylor, 15, held a sign that read: "I'm Jodie's biggest fan."

When she got close to shore, she lifted her paddle in victory, then threw it up in the air.

"I'm pretty sure, besides the birth of my son, this was the most monumental day of my life," she said.

For Robinson, watching Nelson from the support boat as she struggled for hours from exhaustion gave her a different perspective of what Nelson experiences as she supports her during her battle with cancer.

"The struggle she went through today to encourage me was just enormous," Robinson said.
Donations go toward Keep a Breast Foundation and Boarding for Breast Cancer. Nelson’s goal is to raise $100,000, and as of Sunday afternoon had raised about $8,000. To donate, go to paddlewithpurpose.com

Glossing a Surfboard - It's a lost art!

2010-03-22T07:13:00.000-07:00

We get questions all the time about Glossing surfboards. So we thought we 'd try to explain in some detail and show this video to help explain some of the difficulties and procedures.

First and foremost you need a sterile environment. Any dust particles will create "fish-eye's" resulting in a lumpy gloss. Be sure to use high quality heat resistant tape like our 3m 233 1-1/2" masking tape. The next step is to clean the board with the backside (sticky side) of some masking tape to help get the dust particles off, also clean your brush thoroughly so that there are no loose bristles. Be sure to use Gloss Resin which has a pink hue rather than the usual blueish hue seen with Laminating and Sanding resin. This Gloss Resin already has the Surfacing Wax premixed and contains special polymers to insure your gloss will polish up extremely shiny. Once the sanded surfboard is clean and taped off catalyze the resin and mix well. Pour the Gloss Resin on the board and move it around with your brush evenly so the resin spills off the sides of the tape. Once the resin covers the board completely squeeze the excess resin out of your brush (with your hands) and cross brush the wet gloss one time. Squeeze the excess resin again out of your brush and lightly brush the board parallel with the stringer to help the resin flow out. Don't spend too much time brushing the gloss as less is more in this case. As soon as the resin "kicks" pull your tape. Let it harden completely, flip the board over, and repeat this procedure on the other side. Once you've Glossed both sides you're ready to wet-sand and polish your board.

We'll explain the Polishing procedure in a future blog so stay tuned!!!

Good luck!

Steve Adler Passes Away! RIP Friend

2010-03-15T16:25:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow Tuesday March 15th we will be opening late (1pm) since we will be attending Steve Adler's Service at the St. Cyprian Church 4714 Clark Ave Long Beach, CA 90808.

Board Builder, Craftsman, Surfer, and all around incredible guy Steve Adler passed away last Thursday March 11, 2010. Steve was a lifelong friend and he had the idea to start Foam E-Z. He presented the concept to me on the way home from an evening mountain bike ride at El Morro. Within a couple of weeks of that bike ride we began Foam E-Z in May of1993. Foam E-Z and I would not be what we are today without Steve's involvement. Adler was an accomplished board builder having built his own brand under The Surfboard Board Factory name. Recently he was working with Tim Stamps helping to develop Stamps SUP line. Steve was incredibly involved in the SUP World and a business partner with Jodie Nelson in the SUP Spot.

Check out Steve's Facebook Page for more information on this incredible person. A college fund for his only son Clark has been set up at Farmers & Merchants Bank. Checks should be made out to CLARK ADLER, please still write Clark Adler in the memo. All payments can be mailed in or dropped off at any Farmers & Merchants Bank

He will be dearly missed by everyone who had the chance to meet or spend any time with him. It is hard to believe that he is gone.

RIP

Brad, the Nadell Family, and the entire Foam E-Z Crew.