So you want to make a surfboard? Post 2

The place you have to start is the core…. the blank. Usually a foam, either polyurethane or EPS, that has been molded or cut specifically for making surfboards. Surfboard blanks come in a range of sizes so getting a blank that will be close to the size of board you plan to make is important. If you are making a 6’6 then you’d get a blank an inch or two longer, as well, if you wanted to make a 9’6 you’d get a blank that was 9’8 in length.

Blanks are molded with what we call a natural rocker that can be adjusted and held in place with the wood stringer that is glued into the length of the blank. Without a stringer blanks can and do loose some rocker and without a stringer it’s very difficult to add or subtract rocker into your shape.

You need the proper tools to shape a surfboard once you’ve gotten a blank. Though an electric plane is what is used in the industry it is possible to use hand planes and sand paper to get the job done.

I generally start with the outline when shaping. A nice curve drawn on the blank from a template that has no flat spots or bumps and can be duplicated on both side of the blank making a symmetrical left and right side is how it’s done. After the outline is drawn on the blank you cut out your outline and true up your cut with a plane and sand paper making sure again that there are not flat spots or bumps in the outline.

After the outline is finished milling your blank to thickness and foil interests is the next step, and the process where the inexperienced and experienced shaper will differ in approach. The inexperienced will simply plane the blank to desired thickness and move on to the next step. However, surfboard blank molds are made from plugs that are oversized in length, width and thickness for a particular sized surfboard. But don’t quite have the exact foil or foam volume distribution for anything but a very generic shape. So the experienced shaper will redistribute the blanks foam volume to get the foil to his liking, both for performance and aesthetic interests.

Because it’s possible to copy a certain board outline and have a nice curve to work with in outlining a surfboard almost anyone if taking their time can put an acceptable plan shape… outline.. on a blank. Getting just the right foil cut into a blank takes much more effort which comes from repetition of the process, the touch and sight that is developed from loads of repetition.

D.R.

Photo by David Puu

I’m a lucky guy post 3.

Today was the first day of summer… and a nice day at that, sunny and pleasant. And, it was father’s day. What seems to be a tradition for fathers day now is my son comes and takes me to the beach to surf, a favorite thing for me is surfing with my son Robin. In 2006 Robin fell while working and broke his hip. He hasn’t surfed much since but is now beginning to get in the water a bit more.

So after breakfast Robin came by, I stuffed my gear and surfboard in his car and off we went looking for waves to ride. There wasn’t much but some small wind swell activity so we looked at the usual spots but didn’t see anything motivational. We even strolled up the beach at Rincon where there were about 20 guys, mostly on long boards, working the small waist high swell that would rap around the point to the inside line up.

Funny we ended up at inside point in Ventura and caught a few of the small waves that would stand up enough on the inside sand bar. There was really no crowd to speak of so we had all the waves we could find. He’d get one, I’d get one, like yoyos in and out having fun together in the water. That’s what I think is a nice father’s day. The only thing better would be to have both my kids at the beach.

Happy father’s day!

D.R.

My two kids Crystal and Robin.

My story post 38

My first surf trip, fall of ’66, a surfer friend of mine asked if I’d like to go to Baja with him.

This guys dad was pretty cool because he had a pickup truck with a camper on it, some what rare for that time period. And, since the guys dad was taking us and would be there for the two day trip it was cool with my folks. I’d never been to Mexico but to go on a surf trip to Baja was a big deal, I had no idea what to expect.

So early Saturday morning, like 4:30a, we head out for the drive to Tijuana, go through the border crossing and head on down the Mexican highway to K38. Just happened to be a couple surf spots at that mile marker that were just off the road.

Actually the spot was K381/2. Make your way off road a short distance through the dirt following a path that cut a line to the edge of the small cliff that over looked the ocean. There it was a small point type reef break that you had to climb down a cliff to get to.

I remember it being over cast and cold with a little bit of surf hitting the reef maybe head high and inconsistent. And I don’t remember anyone else being there…. We had the place to our selves.

Maybe the fact that the surf wasn’t that great was the reason no one else was around or maybe because it was 1966 and there just weren’t that many guys that would make their way past the border to surf. I don’t know but one thing for sure, there was nothing around the place but a little vegetation and dirt.

For camping? This was the real deal. No facilities at all… you had to have everything you needed with you or you went without. Like find a bush to do your business kind. No running water, no fire pits, nothing.

After the long trip and surfing we made a fire to get warmed up and make something hot to eat. I had some peanut butter and bread but for something hot? Pork and Beans! And of course when I stuffed my bag full of all the goodies I thought I would like for the trip I never thought I’d need something to cook my pork and beans in or eat out of for that matter.

Man, what’s a guy suppose to do? Well, I figured, with the help of my friend, I could cut the top off the can of beans and stick the can on the fire. Once the sauce in the can started to boil I figured it was hot enough to eat. Using my towel as a hot pad quickly snatch the can out of the fire without to much damage to my towel, hold the can with my towel and eat the beans right out of the can.

By now it was dark and after the long drive, surfing and food all I could think about was sleeping. The camper was for my friends dad. We got the dirt floor for our sleeping bags and the sky over our heads…. The great out doors.

D.R.

Much better amenities on a surf-camp trip this past week at Leo Carrillo.