It all started with the fish when the innovative shapers and board builders out there decided to revisit the past for some inspiration. In doing so they brought back some lost skills such as resin tints and hand foiled fins.The Fish Fry has been a place for these fine craftsmen to showcase their skills. We have seen some amazing boards as shapers have pushed the boundaries over the last few years. As this new look at the fish has evolved to its many forms, it has influenced other shapes and designs along the way.This has spawned a renewed interest in other board forms by this same group and a wider following.Notably the Mini Simmons, Hulls, old school Logs and Pigs. It is pleasing to note that there are an increasing number of people building their own boards as well.All of this is to be applauded and celebrated as a positive for surfing.So it is only natural that these shapers and board builders continue to share their skills with us and include these other shapes at the Fish Fry.It has truly become a melting pot of ideas for like minded people.

Barrel Bay

Main Beach -12/13 June 2012 from alasdair shurman on Vimeo.


On Wednesday the 13th it was knee high on the Gold Coast and by nightfall it was 8 feet and howling offshore winds. I looked on the camera for Byron Bay and the white water was busting over Julian Rocks out off Byron Bay. For those of you that don't know that is the island in the background in this clip. This swell then went on to Fiji and Tavarua at 25ft. Enjoy...

Rasta on the DVS simmons at Byron Bay

 Rasta racing in for another session in the last swell we had. There have been a few lately.

 Dick Van Straalen narrow simmons outline and not very thick, built lean for speed.










 All alone and loving it.

Apple Isle sliding

New Fish Fry for Sydney

Great to see a date has been set for the first Fish Fry in Sydney, more details when they come to hand.
Or check out Ben's site ...

Fish Fry Bali - washup

They were blessed with some classic Bali waves for the first Bali Fish Fry put on by Dues.

Bob McTavish and Rich Pavel had a great time

The couches of knowledge with Thomas Bexton , Bob and Rich was a bit hit as board design and surfing were discussed at length.

Everyone had a great time it appears check it out at : Deus Bali


Hog heavan

If you live in Calaifornia and ride a pig you should be heading for hog heaven today at the Surf A Pig Luau. The day is organised by Mike Black from www.surfapig.blogspot.com so check it out.

"The long story short is... this gathering isn't an "industry event"... it's more of a "hod dad hang out".

The shortest day of the year today.

  A nice day for a wave in Byron Bay

 Or watch the sun rise before catching a few waves at Many Beach 
( Thanks to Murray at Sprout daily )

Art Park Byron Bay meets Thalia Street Laguna Beach

 The world is a small place these days and people are collaborating on projects everywhere. It is great to see this spirit has crossed the ocean for these guys , Paul McNeil ( left ) and Ben McTavish ( right ) from Byron Bay and the Thalia Street Surf shop in Laguna Beach. I don't think their Scottish heritage has anything to do with it.

About the board:
Being based in Byron Bay, Art Park is of course surrounded in surf and surf culture. “We try to surf everyday and making arty surfboards was definitely on our ‘things to do list’.” Paul McNeil (Art Park co-creator) had previously been one of the creatives behind the influential surfboard company SEA Surfboards and had also done an art series of boards with Bob McTavish. This of course led to Ben Mctavish a local ripper and surfboard royalty. The two have been collaborating on various projects for 4 years and when the idea of a Thalia Surf board came along they decided on this hot little single fin. Its the first official Art Park/Ben McTavish surf board and everyone is stoked with how it looks and keen to ride it, but that honor will go to some other lucky surf rat. Your welcome.


About the Shapers/Artists:
Paul McNeil/Artist: Legend of the board, high Lord of Byron aka The Mayor, distinguished artist and ART PARK co-creator. Paul is a highly influential and widely published Australian artist with exhibitions in NYC, London, Melbourne and Sydney, several books under the belt, and a long list of collaborations with the who’s who of the Australian and international rock, surf and garment worlds. Based in Byron Bay and one of the creatives behind the influential SEA surfboards Paul’s distinctive board art is widely sought after. These days ART PARK keeps Paul more than busy, but he is more than happy to dip his hands in resin and produce the odd surf beauty.


Ben McTavish/Shaper: Born Lennox Head 1974. There was a shaping bay in every house we lived in, I used to clean them. I watched dad shape my 1st board, an old twin fin Bluebird knee board. Shaped 1st board at 16, a 5.10 ratty thruster. Since then I have hand shaped over 4000 boards and production shaped around 10,000 for the McTavish brand. I’d been lucky enough to do some stuff with Paul/Art Park of recent times and was always a massive fan of his work with Dain and the guys at SEA, its just a surf board but its unbelievable how much love and effort goes in to getting this all to work and not be too excessive, my department seemed simple a 5.10 “Diamond Sea” flex fin, the rest was in Paul’s hands and the skills of the McTavish factory. One of those boards you really wish you could keep… perfect combo of art and function…proud.

To enter the competition click HERE
or visit Thalia Street
or visit Art Park

A bit of simmons action down in Byron Bay today



Morning of the Earth tribute

HoyShow's tribute to that all-time classic surf film 'Morning of the Earth' features Craig Anderson, Ry Craike, Dave Rastovich and others reflecting, surfing and grooving on the Alby Falzon vibe. Living in spiritual harmony with nature, making your own boards and travelling across Australia’s north-east coast was the theme of Falzon's original film.

European Fish Fry

A date has been set for this years European Fish Fry,

September 22 at 10:00am until September 23 at 2:00am in UTC+01
 
The 6th annual European Fish Fry/AB3 is back!!! a gathering for alternative board riders & craftsmen
a place for board builders - both pros and hobbyists - to display and share ideas. this is for custom hand made boards only. There will be a strict no pop out and mass produced enforcement in effect.

AB3, stands for... anything but 3 i.e fins!   single fins, fish  ,quads, bonzers a go go!! etc!!!

no thrusters!!!

MR NATTY will be back with his barber shop & there will be live music/art show.
the DIRTY MERMAID BAR will be raised from the deep to distribute the moonshine :)
 
I will keep you posted as more details come to hand and a contact.

 

The Bali Fish Fry

Great to see that Bali is to have it's first Fish Fry. Here are the details from the Deus blog...

 "Saturday 16th June we want ya to flip out of bed and flop down to Tugu beach for the  Inaugural Bali Fish Fry.  from ten in the am. It’s gonna be a ‘show and tell’ surf style. There’ll be all sorts of alternative craft; Fish, Log’s, Hull’s, Single Fins, Trackers & Bonzors. We’ll even have a selection to try. Demo’s from the ‘Fishermen’ will be throughout the day.

It’s grassroots and about having fun. We’re cooking up a good vibe down there. A veritable potpourri of people who want to show appreciation for the shapes and perhaps shine a little light on the guys who make em.

We’ll wind things up surfside early arvo. Give you time for a rest, take stock, because come 6pm you’ll need your wits about you. We have a who’s who of shaping coming over to the Deus Temple for a chat. Legends Bob McTavish & Rich Pavell take on bright new hopes Thomas Bexon, Ryan Birch and Alex Knost  in a knock down drawn out bout to get the nitty gritty on board design. Monty ‘The Duke of Deus’ will referee the match that’s a no holds barred event. Prong two of the weekend long trident that is Deus 9′ & Single Log Fest. Good fun, good people, good times."

The whole story from wow to go of shaping a board for Hawaii


A great mini-doc by Simon Lister, following Joel Fitzgerald’s Hawaii quiver from blowing the blanks to getting barreled on the North Shore.


A sweet little porker by John Cherry

Just received these shots from master shaper John Cherry to share with you. He has just shaped this board for Mike Lim who lives in Singapore. This is John's story ...

 " I walked into the shaping bay this morning and got a fresh look at “Marine”.
When you first asked for a traditional, early-60’s pig template……with a concave nose, a step deck and a little extra tail rocker…I honestly first thought, “Mike in Singapore is asking me to mix apples and oranges here.”
Using the original Gordie template for the main template plan and blending the wider Velzey tail into the last 18”(+-) produced a superb modern pig shape.
I LOVE THE WAY THIS BOARD CAME OUT!!!!


Nice tail block to finish it off.
 " When I picked up the board to move it outside for a couple photos, I instinctively grabbed it in the center.  It was then that it became apparent to me how effectively we moved the balance point aft of center 5 or so inches (wide point is actually 3” aft of center), how light the nose feels with the big wood and the tailblock in the back......and how this minor weight shift is going to counter-balance your slight weight when you are on the nose.  Combined with the subtle concave, the 50/50 rails and the extra tail rocker (just enough, not too much) you are going to have to pack a lunch to bring with you just for one nose ride! "
The templates that help do the blending
Very traditional and classy
" When you are enjoying your 30 second nose rides at your secret spot in Bali, gliding on glassy waves, watching the reef pass underneath, dragging your hand in the crystal lip beside you……think of me. It will give me much joy and I know I will feel it, even way over here in Southern California."

" Thank you for thinking of me to make your vision for this cool board design become a reality.  It brightened my spirit."
 Much Aloha Bro,       JC

So guys if you are after a classy , classic board that looks like a wall hanger but is made to glide like a Cadillac then you have found the guy to help you realise the dream.

www.johncherrywoodcraft.com

New kids on the block


There is a new surf shop just opened on the Gold Coast worth checking out. Alfred's Apartment on the beach side of the Gold Coast highway heading south through Mermaid Beach. They are the exclusive stockist of DMS surfboards and even have a shaping bay in the back. So you may catch Dan shaping there on Saturday mornings.

2389 Gold Coast Hwy / Mermaid Beach Gold Coast     alfredsapartment.com