Making surfboards is inspiring. Surfing is inspiring too. Though for both there can be some not so inspiring times.

Like right now where I live the weather has been poor.  Quite cool or cold and wet along with. Most days haven’t gotten much warmer than 60 so making surfboards in a room with no heat is limited. Shaping, sanding or polishing is ok because you generate your own heat via the physical activity. But resin work is not very physical and working with resin in cold temperatures is not the best practice. I’ve gotten little to no work done on surfboards in the last couple weeks. Having the last 10 days cold with a number of wet days with the cold… not inspiring at all.

So go surf right… not much surf either, as well cold water. And not a good idea to surf after rains because of local street drainage contaminating the surf zone. Again, not inspiring.

Hopefully the new year will bring in more inspiring days. Weather forecast says next week may be dry though not much warm up.

Thinking back on this year… had some happy surf days and new boards to get acquainted with. Happy surf and new surfboards are definitely inspiring. Though today I started thinking about some of those in surfing that we’ll not carry over into the new year which is sad.

During my time growing up with surfing there have been iconic names that were inspiring. We’ve lost some of them this year. Seems more this year than in past years. 

I’ve written about a few… Greg Noll, Rich Harbour and Tom Morey.  And just this month Hap Jacobs passed. A half century ago these names were a big inspiration to surfing. But still others have left us too. Ben Aipa passed in January. Phil Becker, Mike Eaton and Joe Quigg have all passed on this year too.

I will remember them all and how they inspired surfing and surfers like myself. For me inspiring for the surfboards they made as well. I’ve only known one of these guys personally but have memories of seeing them and their work from when I was just reaching my teenage years. Looked at some of the boards they made and thought through the design elements for ideas and inspiration.

I like to think that all those memories get put into the surfboards I make. Part of the process of crafting my boards. That may be a lofty notion but as the new year gets started, I’m inspired to continue to make the best boards I can for as long as I can.

Happy New Year!

D.R.