It's hard to believe it was 5 years ago when I did this blog post about Blinky coming into the shop and asking if I'd ever thought I'd be making surfboards when I was 60.

My birthday and Blinky's birthday are 6 days apart and Blinky is 5 years older than me.  Blinky's 70th birthday bash was last night, 60 is gone now, for the both of us so try this....William Dennis is now 135, our combined ages.  When William Dennis was founded in 1967 our combined age that November was 43.

Ok, now my head is spinning.  We were either really young, crazy or both back then starting a surfboard business. And now? We certainly aren't young and we both still make surfboards and we both still surf.

When you really like doing something, in my case surfboards, and it becomes a job as time passes that job can become hectic. Sure you're doing what you like but with the responsibility of doing your job it's easy to lose that feeling of enjoyment for doing something that you like. After all these years it's really nice to be able to say I still enjoy making surfboards. I know Blinky does too.

Life is different now. I can make a surfboard in short order but now I can take my time and enjoy the process. When you're young and learning everything is new. The excitement of trying and doing new stuff is very enjoyable and fulfilling. When you're older knowing what you're doing is enjoyable. Knowing when you're finished with a project that you can hold in your hands, see and take in the thing you made is very fulfilling.

Something Blinky said last night... "hearing positive things about a board you made is the best thing".

Here's a note I got this week that made my day....

Here's a quick report on the new stick. Have ridden it twice, both times in 2-3 ft waves. Once at C St. when I picked it up and this morning at Pismo. So far I really like it. It performs as I hoped it would. Reasonably loose on the tail, and can get more so with a different fin I'm sure.  And then a quick cross step or shuffle  towards the nose and a nice squirt of speed, and it is fast and maneuverable from 1/3 back from the tip, as I had hoped. Also, catches waves really well, better than any of my other boards and floats me just right. Stoked and looking for bigger waves!

Thank you Jack!

D.R.

 

Still having a good time after all these years.