Earlier this month I met up with Mario and his MP Stradivarius. A surfboard I shaped some 56 - 57 years ago.

The Stradivarius had a very brief run from late 1968 to early 1969 between the end of the Tracker and beginning of the Camel production run that got started in Ernest in ’69 when Morey-Pope moved their work shop from Front St. in Ventura to a much larger facility in Saticoy, a small town about 9 miles east away from the Front St. shop. The Front St. shop turned into their sales shop only.

I’ve always remembered the Stradivarius model. And thought it was one of the better boards that MP made during that short period through the few months before moving to Saticoy.

Mario lives up north and mentioned he was coming down my way with his board and we could meet up while he was visiting. We met at Ventura Surf Shop which gave me the opportunity to put the board in the shaping bay and give it a good look over. 

What a nice surfboard! Built during what we now call the transition period when surfboard design was moving from the long board era to short boards. Mario’s board was most likely one of the early ones made being 8’8” in length. I envisioned seeing a shorter board maybe 8 foot or so. I didn’t remember making the Stradivarius in a longer length, as the Trackers were being made in the mid 7-foot range at the end of its run… but there it was.

In my head I still see the board as I walked up to it set on one of the short worktables in the covered outside area of VSS. And ran my hands over the board, gave it a look over, picked it up and carried it into the shaping bay. In the bay I checked the rocker and put one of my rail profiles over the rail. I didn’t know really what to expect the rocker would be but was happy to see it was nice and neutral. Similar nose rocker to its predecessor the V Bottom and a bit more tail rocker than the V Bottom.

The rail profile fit quite well over the rail with just a small, short discrepancy of maybe a 1/16 of a inch in part of the half curve off the rail apex. That same profile fit very well over on old Tracker I had in my workshop before it got flooded. And is the same profile I use for a majority of the boards I do now.  

What would I do different if I made the Stradivarius now? Not much…. I didn’t get a chance to map the board but from memory maybe just a slight change in the board profile below center and put an edge in the tail up about 18”.

I’ve seen a few of the old boards I’ve done over the years. There are a few one offs that stick in memory that I think if I say now, I’d be embarrassed if I saw them. But for sure The Stradivarius was one of the boards from my past that is really nice. I can’t take credit for the design that was a Tom Morey thing, and a good one.

I’m stoked to have had a hand in bringing it to fruition way back when. And a big Thank You to Mario for taking the time to meet up and give me a chance to look into the past.

D.R. 

Mario's Stradivarius also posted a couple of posts ago.

This one was pulled off the Web. A shorter version with nice lines and color.

There weren't many of these made so are a rare find. Not few images on the Web.

 

 In memory of John Peck.

A David Puu image in Baja.

The first I knew of John Peck was maybe 1964 in my mid teens seeing him on a Surfer Magazine cover and when I got a chance to see a surf film during that time with stand out footage of him surfing.

Little did I know then or even dream I would eventually not only meet him but get a job shaping his signature model surfboard three years later. At Morey-Pope surfboards in Ventura.

John was a champion surfer. But when he’d come around the Morey-Pope shop you wouldn’t know it. He seemed sure of himself but was kind and easy going. He had time to talk and didn’t seem to be bothered by a guy that was just 18 years old. He was comfortable to be around.

John thought of others, not himself… an example for me was when he wanted me to meet him at a Huntington Beach surf meet. He wanted to introduce me to his friends, the big names in surfing that would be there. It certainly wasn’t something I thought about, but, he thought it would be good for me. 

Then there is the story of a surfing event in Peru that John was a part of.  While there he met a young Peruvian kid that was a pretty good surfer. At the time of them meeting the kid didn’t have a surfboard, so before John left to return to the States he gave the kid his surfboard. The surfboard he gave him, John told me, was one of the best boards he ever had.

From late 1967 to early ’68 I didn’t see John. From stories I had heard and a few conversations with him, it seems he went through some wild times. We reconnected in the summer of 2002 when he was in Ventura for a surf meet.

A few years later while living on Kauai we met up. During that time I did a little carpentry work for him at his house in Kekaha. He wanted to pay me. I told him I didn’t do the work to get paid so “don’t worry about it.” So what did he do? After talking to my wife Suzi, who adored him, he bought us a gift for our house..

Suzi and John

We talked about making boards in the shed at his place in Kekaha. However I ended up returning to Ventura late 2005. To me, John seemed a bit disappointed when I told him we were going to return to the main land, which meant we wouldn’t be doing any surfboards. But, the following year I did a batch of 26 Penetrators for him through a shop I was working for at the time. John, happily, got one of those boards for himself.

When I was invited to be in a shape off event at the Board Room Show in Ventura John came up to the event to give me some support. And, the year before he came up to the show and hung with me during and after the show. I didn’t ask him to, he just came because he wanted to be there for me.

John with me in my show booth

John, his longtime friend Reno Abellira and myself. at the Show

After our property was devastated in the January storms of 2023 my friend and former partner Bill “Blinky” Hubina put together a surfboard raffle to raise some money for my wife and I to help with what we were going through after the storms. Blinky suggested I shape a Penetrator. So I asked John if it was ok that we used his Penetrator logo on the board. Not only did he say yes, but took the time and made the effort to put the labels in the mail so I received them within a day. The funds Suzi and I got from that raffle was a big help to us.  And John helped make it special.

The raffle board and the winner Ray

John Peck, a peaceful, kind and caring soul made a difference in my life. It’s hard to imagine my life with out him in it.

He will always be remembered. Rest in peace my friend.

D.R.

Today from the beach I saw one of the local guys that I see pretty much every morning at the Point pull off a really nice move.

 As he was paddling out he quickly turned around does a dicey late entry drop into a set wave that was a little over head high. He made the entry reached the bottom turned and set up a nice long ride almost to the beach where he pulled out.

I still have what I saw in my head. And, it probably won’t be forgotten for quite a while. I’m sure there are other sports where you see an amazing play that you remember for a long time. But, being a surfer and knowing how difficult a move like what I saw is….. it leaves a lasting impression.

When I finally paddled out and saw Bill, the guy that made that move, I didn’t think to say anything about it. But I plan to the next time I see him. That may very well be tomorrow morning.

Over the years there have been small groups of people that surf at close to the same time each day. Of course it depends on a persons schedule, but if your schedule is close to or the same as some others then you end up seeing them and become surfing friends.

A surfing friend is someone you see at the beach and in the water regularly over time. You very well may not know much about the people you see other than the car they drive, kind of surfboard they ride etc. But, you may spend a couple hours in the water right along side them on a constant basis. Doing what? Having fun.

Surfing by yourself is fine….. Like being the only person in the lineup. Or, being in a crowed line up and not know anyone around you. But surfing with people you know is fun. You see them get good rides and hopefully they see you get some good ones too. Sharing the experiences leaves you with good feelings and good memories.

Over time the local crew will go through changes. A couple faces may fade then new ones get worked in to the crew and it goes on. Today I saw a guy that was one of the local crew, at the beach every morning. But he moved to Florida a year or 2 ago. But he’s here for a visit, and, in the water surfing. Just like old times.

There is a gal that is one of the crew but earlier in the year she suffered a physical problem and hasn’t been surfing. It’s sad when you know someone that has a regular routine you’re familiar with that gets interrupted.

When I was young I don’t remember thinking the things I’ve said here. But I’ve been surfing a long time and have memories, Making memories with others is a good thing. Especially, if you surf…. surfing memories.

One of my memories below, a picture sent to me earlier this month. I shaped this board 57 years ago. Always liked that particular model from Morey-Pope.

It’s in good condition for it’s age.

D.R.

 

 I was at a get together with some friends a few weeks ago and while there one of the guys asked me if I copy boards... I said no….  Then asked what he had in mind.

He got his boards from one of the local shapers in the area who unfortunately has passed away. One of his favorite boards was getting pretty worn and he wanted a new one. So, I told him I’d help him if he would like.

It is possible to machine scan a board these days but for just a one off not something one would do. Maybe for a board you plan on making 100’s of yes, but just 1?  no.

So what to do?? I know the person that would like another board that the shaper did, and the shaper he got his boards from I also knew. That particular shaper and I once had shaping bays right next to each other some years back. Well, we decided it would be fine to go after replicating the board.  

I got the board to replicate and mapped it. Mapping is a process of measuring the rocker, outline and thickness of a surfboard from nose to tail. Once the numbers are documented then you can determine what blank will be needed and if it will need a different rocker glued into it than what is available stock, for starters.

With the boards pertinent info, you can hand shape a board to those numbers or build a cut file for a CNC machine to machine the blank and then do the finish shaping work. I went with a cut file, for a few reasons one being I lost my shaping bay…. And don’t have a place for another one yet. You tend to be more comfortable in your own shaping bay for the critical work of replicating a surfboard.

Even making a surfboard prototype, riding it when completed and determining it’s a board you’d like to work into a model, mapping the original so it can be replicated and or make adjustments to the overall shape is essential. It takes the guess work out of the process. 

Running 2” masking tape down the center of the board and writing the numbers on the tape is what I typically do to my own boards to document the dimensions. If you are so inclined, you can input the numbers into a surfboard design app. and generate a cut file for future use if not to have an electronic copy of the board for safe keeping. Hard copies can be lost. Like my data book being destroyed when my property was flooded a couple years ago.

All was not lost thanks to a folder in my computer of electronic files of pretty much all of my surfboards.

D.R.

What do you do when there is a prolonged flat spell?   Dream!

We’ve had several days of no surf. When talking with friends and they say they're at the beach I say, “you mean Lake Pacific?”

So, I got to looking at some surf pics from the DR Surfboards achieves

It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. So, the 7 pictures below would make this post 7000 words to read. That's a lot to read for one blog post..... It's easier to just look at the pictures.

What I think is amazing about this image is the full weight of the rider is on the nose and the nose is easily about 12" above the wave face.  

A little bit of spray off this turn back.

Some guys can get their surfboard completely out of the water and not fall.

A lot more spray off this turn back.

The board this rider is on is 6'3". the water trail off the rail of his bottom turn looks to be twice that. Say 12 Feet. Nice driving bottom turn!

Another turn back spray. 

And... another nose ride.

If you can’t see waves at the beach, you can look at pictures of waves. 

D.R. 

 

Today I went down to the point for an early surf session hoping there might be waves.

When I got to the beach I saw there was a light west wind. Typically, when there is an early light west wind you can pretty much be assured that west wind won’t stay on the light side and in short order the surface condition can get choppy and not enjoyable for surfing.

However, I knew that the wind was most likely going to remain on the light side. I figured this because there is a nice weather site that is pretty good at forecasting what the local weather and wind conditions are going to be. Part of the forecast shows the anticipated wind conditions for each day by the hour. Having looked at the local weather forecast I got to see that the wind conditions were going to be pretty light all day.

So, ok on wind what about surf? That was the question. There has been a small south swell in the water for a few days but it is on the decline. South swells can sometimes have surprises and show a little surf without notice. The forecasting isn’t always spot on. So… take the chance and see if there might be a little pulse.

The surf was small for sure… If the sun was out ok but, the early morning overcast sky makes almost any surf more unattractive. Combine that with how inconsistent what little surf there was uninspiring. It became a no go.

There hasn’t been much surf and you really want to surf…..

Driving to and from the beach at 6 in the morning seems like a waist when you end up not going out.. It’s usually a back-and-forth decision. Should you go? Probably not but, what if there is a little bit of surf?  It would suck if you find out later there was a bit of surf and you missed it. Nah, I’ll just go and check it out. Then you don’t go out and, on the way, back you say, ‘geez what did I do that for???’

It’s another one of those situations…. Only a surfer knows the feeling.

D.R.

This morning at about 7:30 and overcast 

Later today when sunny 

As well today when sunny.

For me with the sun though the small lines even with a bit more wind on it look more inviting for some log board fun than the earlier overcast skys.

 

 The memories of a lost surf spot live on. If you’ve had good times at a surf spot those memories can live on for a long time, if not a life time.

When I worked at the Morey-Pope shop on Front street in Ventura my shaping bay was on the back side of the building that had a sliding door to the outside that was typically left open. From my shaping bay looking out the open door was a perfect view of the peak on the south east side of the pier. 

All day long while working I could see if there was surf, what the conditions were like and see guys ride the waves that were there. If I still worked in that old shaping bay the view would be there but the surf wouldn’t, because the spot doesn’t break anymore. Maybe every once in awhile it will have a ride able wave though hardly ever.

Just above the pier on the other side was the original “C” street break. That break which was right at the end of California street is no more either. Sure You may go to Ventura to surf “C” street but where you actually surf isn’t where the “C” street break was. What is now typically called The Cove or The Point or inside Point isn’t where “C” street was.

If you’re going to Ventura to surf you’ll get off the freeway at California Street.  So surfing Ventura has evolved into surfing “C” street.

There a a couple other spots that have been lost up the coast from Ventura about 10 minuets. A place Called Tanks and the more famous spot Stanley’s.   

I recently spent a few weeks on Hawaii Island in Hilo. While there I visited Orchid Land Surf Shop a couple times. https://www.orchidlandsurfshop.com    Stan Lawrence, the proprietor, has been a resident and surfer on the island for over 50 years. He’s recently published a book. Kalapana, Reflections of Lost Waves, Where he tells the stories of the surf spots on the island that had been lost from lava flows from the island volcano in 1990, some 12 to 18 different spots. Some called world class at that.

We’ve lost some surf spots in the Ventura. Thinking about what it’s like to see a dozen tropical location surf spots disappear after surfing them as part of your daily life for 20 years?

The saying ‘Only a surfer knows the feeling’. Only a surfer could know the heart break of seeing your favorite surf spot disappear right before you eyes.

One of the stories in his book Stan tells of surfing one of his favorite spots called Drainpipe. Sitting in the lineup and seeing a thousand foot fountain of lava erupting above Kalapana “sending a red and black wall of destruction toward us…. By the time we came in from the water , the slippers we had left near a tree had been burned up”.

There are some serious memories there. Take a deep breath and think about what that’s like.

D.R.