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.
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.
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.
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 ResearchEpoxy . 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 aStamps 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:
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!!!
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.
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.
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.
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".
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.
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!
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?
Check out this killer video blog 1 Hour in HBput 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.
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...
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.
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.
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!
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
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
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!!!
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.
Here's a cool email we recieved from one of our happy customers. Sit back and relax!
Hey guys.Just wanted to thank you for all the info and supplies that you've made available. I'm mostly landlocked here in DC except for the few times a month that I make the two hour junket to the coast. Its a stark contrast with Bali, Indo where I'd been living 2008-2009. I went there with extremely limited funds and made my peregrinations at extremely low cost. Even still, by the time it was time to come home, I didn't even have the hundred some dollars necessary to ship my boards. As such, I sold two (both badly abused in epic surf), and left one with a friend. Not having a board when I arrived back in the states, I bummed around, borrowing boards here and there while I tried to scrape some money together to buy my own. A friend gave me an old 6'8 Clark Foam blank he had had sitting around for the past half a decade, in the hopes that it would help push me along to self-sufficiency. I felt apprehensive, as I had no experiencing shaping or glassing. In the mean time, I took a trip down to Avon, NC when a swell of superb caliber rolled through and promptly broke my buddies board in half. So now not only did I not have one for myself, I owed one to my buddy. I resolved to fix the one myself (with his permission), and shape the blank I had. I called around while in NC looking for some resin, but it seemed as if most distributors were bone dry, and most shops didn't sell by the gallon. In one last ditch effort I stopped at the store front of famed East Coast shaper, Tim Nolte, who put me off to a good start supplying me with a gallon of resin, 9 yards of glass, fins and fin boxes, catalyst, and styrene monomer, all at distributor prices. The man nearly singlehandedly restored my faith in the goodwill and common decency of American businessmen (but not quite corporations as a whole). Returning home, I managed to piece the one board back together within about two weeks, but found my talent at glassing to by wanting. Nevertheless, I commenced to shape and glass the blank. Aside from nearly fatal errors, a waste of at least half a gallon of resin and about 4 yards of glass, a few ruined sets of cloths (and brain cells), I managed to shape something rideable. Ironically, the day that I applied the hot coat, my buddy from Bali called me up to inform me that my board had arrived in NYC, and that I should come up promptly. And so packed up my grip, hopped on the bus, and went for a surf out at Rockaway on my board that just made a 12,000 mile journey on an overseas shipping crate amongst a load of cheap plastic jewelry imports. I don't live a boring life, that's for sure.I couldn't have done it without all the beta and necessary supplementals you supply. You even supplied the Rasta keel fins I've got in that fishy while I was in Indo (its cheaper to have something shipped there from here than to deal with imported stuff there). Thanks so much. Jake
Photos: (In order from first to last) 1)Ed in Indo: epic, pumping, deserted waves right in front of malaria ridden camp sight. Only took 3 days on mopeds to get to. 2) Jake shaping Clark blank. 3) Ed pre-glassing. Should have followed the directions and put fins in after laminate coat. 4) Jake: Hot Coat. 5) Twin Fin Fish on left shipped from Indo, arrived same day board on right was finished. Board on right: 6'5" quad 20" wide. Who knows how thick.... Road map of Java in between.
Here I am with this month’s Pro Shaper Profile and I’m proud to say we have a video interview with Jason Hoffman. We are highlighting the artisan board builder which Jason and business partner Casey McCrystal truly define. Like many other shapers over the past five years, Jason has been building his boards from start to finish in house. He used to shape out of a room he rented at Foam E-Z and just crank them out and then drop them off at a glass shop. Since times are tough he made the move and bought the glass shop next door to the old Foam E-Z location and has been building his business even during this crazy time. As I mentioned before he has teamed up with Casey McCrystal to form a company called Ricochet. They are hands on and build each board from start to finish, that’s right, they take your order, shape it, glass it, and even hand it off to you when it’s done.
It’s been great knowing and working with Jason over the years so take a second to check out the conversation I had with him on this video. Check out their websites for more information.
Yesterday Sunday February 28th 2010 was one of those days in Seal Beach history when everyone you know is out and about. The waves were the biggest of this winter, the weather was perfect and everyone was in a good mood! As usual when the waves get big and the tides are high all the local news vans show up and prepare for flooding etc... Sometimes it is a bit of a false alarm but yesterday didn't disappoint. The water flowed from NorthSide over to SouthSide and filled up the area between the berm and the houses, in some places it was up to four feet deep. Mitchy Dejarnet even got the opportunity to paddle from NorthSide down to his house at Twelfth street (check the pic in our slide show). On Saturday there was a Tsunami warning from the terrible earthquake in Chile. It obviously never arrived but the tidal surge along with the big surf, and high tide made for this flooding. These are days that remind me of my youth since they only happen about every five to ten years with the most exciting one being back in 1983. That was the year when the Pier came down along with Esther the oil Island. They say it's an El Nino Winter maybe it's true!?
The images for the slide show were given to us by Jim "J.B." Boswell. He takes some pretty amazing shots of the local surf, check out his siteJB Photography.
BOARDROOM: LEGENDS OF SURFBOARD SHAPING Features the greatest legends of modern board shaping. We hear first hand on how they got started, who gave them a break and how they changed surfing history forever. We hear about the transition from balsa to foam , from long board to short board, from California to Hawaii. Get ready for a trip back in time to the beginning of modern day shaping.
Looks like it's gonna be a cool flick. Can't wait for it to come out!
We lost a a great member of the Harbour Surfboards extended family this past Saturday Feb 6th. I was lucky enough to meet Mike Marshall back in the early Eighties while I was starting my stint as an employee at the Harbour Shop. Mike would often stop in and heckle us guys in the back. He was one of Rich's original production shapers back in the sixties. One of my fondest memories of Mike was from the Harbour Surfboards 25th Anniversary party back in 1987. He was just the life of the party amongst the many surf characters from the Sixties and Seventies eras. It was always a pleasure to run into Mike and Sharon at various events and talk shop, I think he especially enjoyed talking education with my wife (she's a high school teacher) since he was a long time teacher himself.
It sounds like Mike's last days were as pleasant as can be expected. Here's what Rich Harbour emailed me:
As many already know Mike Marshall, my dear friend of more than four and half decades, had a stroke early Monday morning. After arriving at emergency, they found he had a very aggressive form of leukemia. Brain surgery was performed to relieve pressure and he remained in an unconscious state thereafter. Later in the week the family was informed that he was not going to survive, so they decided to remove him from all life support and take him home to live his final days where he was most comfortable. He was transported by ambulance Thursday, and on the way to his home they convinced the ambulance driver to take a lap around the parking lot at Blackies. With that done, they delivered him to his house where he rested in the "Museum Room" on a hospital bed, now in a Blackie's T-shirt in place of a hospital gown - much more appropriate. I visited Friday and Saturday. There were family and friends near him, all in a very positive mood, prepared for the final moments of his life that ended shortly after I left yesterday. I wish his wife Sharon and family well. These are going to be tough times and my heart and thoughts are with them. May he rest in peace.
I'm gonna miss bumping into Marshall at the various surf events.
Best wishes to Sharon and his family from the Harbour Surfboards extended family.
