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.

Wanda Fish Fry 2013 a great sucess

The 2013 Wanda Fish Fry is done for another year. What a day!
"On first light it looked to be a beautiful day. Then the southerly blew. We were on location a little early to set up. Pitched the tent and got some boards. Then council asked us move as the clubbies had booked the grass for an event, on que it bucketed down. Still being the faith filled guy that I am , we moved to the grassy knoll across the road took shelter in the tent with Stephen from Mako boards, Adam from tree house shapes and Robbie Marshall (self labeled) it looked dismal. 40minutes later a few more shapers arrived and so did the sun!!! It was perfect timing! We were on!

This year ended up being the biggest so far, with 12 shapers and collectors bringing a total of 86 boards. Fishes, logs, finless, mini Simmons and 70s singles which seemed to be the popular choice of board this year Even had a little hand crafted goods area with hand planes by Lupo Di Mare and board bags by Gonzo Lizard. The whole day went really well, positive feed back throughout the day.

I want to thank everyone that came and was involved in making the day fun and interesting. You know who you are. But a special thanks goes to my wife for supporting my crazy dreams, George G. for filming and Richard from 3rd Shade surfboards for coming straight from a 24hour flight with kids from the U.K and pushing through the jet lag."






Byron Bay Surf Festival a great weekend to be part of again




BYRON BAY SURF FESTIVAL

 2013 October 25 -27th


The festival is blossoming to its byronesque best, flowering a newly renovated program that's stacked, packed and budding with cool. The three-day event is a unique intersection between surf, art, music, film and the local Byron Bay community lifestyle. The festival kicks off with a free Friday night film premiere under the stars, followed by the Saturday all-day gypsy surf art market/ pop up tipi precinct, colorful Sunday surfing events and demos at Wategos beach and film, music, party and panel events scheduled each evening. Creative film is a strong feature this year with two major film premieres; Bella Vita featuring Chris Del Moro and Unchartered waters featuring Wayne Lynch, and the surf shorts film comps comprising of local and international entries. Patagonia surfer Keith Malloy will be introducing The Plight of the Torpedo People bodysurfing presentation at the community center, alongside the loggin’ panel with Belinda Baggs and a controversial live dissertation on ‘the state of the art of surfing’ by Derek Hynd. Up on Main beach, bear witness to Surf Yoga sessions, Helidrone demos and handplane/skateboard/bellyboard workshops amongst an art and photography show saturated with unconventional art pieces, live music, surfboard shaper exhibits, vintage motor delights, gourmet food and surf literature stalls with book launches where you can gaze, mingle, read, obtain, listen, dance, eat or just chill. Corona hands out $1000 cash prize money on Sunday at Wategos beach Party Wave Invitational (open to all) alongside Malloy’s body surf jazz, style based contests, tandem exhibition and what was last years most applauded event, the Surf Swap Meet. On top of all this comes a stellar lineup of music, headlined by Wolf & Cub’s new album release at the Beach Hotel, after parties with The Delta Riggs and tons of magical acoustic market musicians. Keep an eye on new announcements and go feast on the program now @ www.byronbaysurffestival.com/program/


Prono Paradiso - come slide a few at the Alley

 
The ancient Polynesians recognised differing forms of riding waves...from lying on small boards, to standing on 16 foot Olo boards, to surfing with nothing more than ones own body! One common thread linked all these diverse forms of surfing...the Ancients were all STOKED!
Today, there are small pockets of folks who embrace these modes of surfing, not because they can't rip on a modern board, but because it's great fun! Diversity is a fantastic laugh!
Prono Paradiso aims to bring together all types of people who like wave riding on their bellies, and folk who think they might like to have a go. Even if you've never tried surfing, you're bound to enjoy the diversity of wave riding found at Prono Paradiso!
Grab your surfcraft and fins -- or just bring your wettie or budgie-smugglers -- and enjoy the party-wave at Prono Paradiso!!!


AB's paddle out

Terry Martin to be honoured at "The Boardroom"

Shapers Announced For Terry Martin Icons Of Foam Shape Off

The Boardroom At The OC Fair & Events Center, Oct 5-6, 2013

(San Clemente, California) Last year, sadly, the surfboard world lost iconic craftsman Terry Martin. In a special memorial shaping tribute this October, The Boardroom will honor Martin during the Icons of Foam Tribute to the Masters Shape-off presented by US Blanks. Five shapers will receive the honor of replicating a classic Terry Martin surfboard.

“Last year was tough. We lost a truly humble, beautiful, classy and beloved father, shaper and surfer,” said Scott Bass, founder and show director of The Boardroom. “The grieving has mostly passed, and it is a fine time to honor Terry Martin’s shaping legacy and exalt his surfboard craftsmanship during the Icons of Foam Tribute to the Masters.”

 The five shapers selected to honor the memory of Terry Martin during the Icons of Foam Shape Off are all worthy of the man himself:

Tyler Warren: An inspired and well traveled illustrator, designer, painter, shaper and surfer. Tyler has turned heads for both his incredible art work but also his shaping, including a dual-keeled "Bar Of Soap" design -- a "refined and tastefully decorated variant on the Bob Simmons planning hull, with a noticeable dash of Lis fish thrown in for good measure," says Richard Kenvin in The Surfer's Journal.
Matt Calvani: A California surfer/shaper who heads up the Bing brand of surfboards. "The Bing brand has always had a mystique about it—from its association with David Nuuhiwa and Dick Brewer to the Campbell Brothers bonzers—that has made it a part of surfing history. I started introducing and refining those amazing historical shapes. My goal was to capture the essence of those eras in surfboard history while adding the knowledge I had learned in my own journey," says Matt in a Liquid Salt interview.
Ricky Carroll: Two-time winner of the Icons Of Foam Tribute to the masters, Ricky Carroll is the owner of R&D Surf, a surfboard manufacturing facility located in East Central Florida that’s been at the forefront of surfboard building for nearly 20 years.
Donald Brink: Renowned for his asymmetrical shapes, Donald is also a big believer that the creative process in building a board should be shared between shaper and surfer. “Its an honor to be included in the conversations of surfing and surfboards throughput the world. Hard work, dedication to a passionate path and a commitment to responsibilities seems to be the common must-haves to things that are built over time and have a good effect on others and add to the world."
Mickey Munoz: Grandmaster board shaper and legendary waterman, Mickey Muñoz has been surfing and designing boards since the late 1940s. A Waimea Bay pioneer, his iconic Quasimodo surf stance and decades of quality shaping have carved a permanent place for Munoz in the pantheon of surfing's greatest. Nobody casts a longer shadow.

About Terry Martin
Terry Martin, described by many as ‘The Machine’ because of his effortless and efficient shaping style, spent the majority of his 60-year shaping career working at the Hobie Surfboards factory. He averaged ten boards a day and surfed during lunch.

Martin helped to create signature models for legendary surfers including Corky Carroll, Gerry Lopez, and Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew. Mickey Munoz, a legendary shaper in his own right, described the big, bearded Martin as “giving, ethical, knowledgeable, passionate about shaping and surfing and the art of shaping; a friend, a real friend, a good friend; a brother. He was almost like a saint, if you will, just his consciousness and his demeanor."

“Terry Martin took great joy in walking the aisles of past Boardroom shows greeting his friends and fellow craftsmen and talking story. He was always particularly interested in the Icons of Foam Tributes and loved to study the techniques of his fellow shapers. I think Terry might have had a hard time being featured in this way had he been able to attend the event… but to honor Terry and his talents as a shaper in this way is a wonderful tribute to this great man and iconic shaper” said Royce Cansler on behalf of the Martin family.

"Each year at the Icons of Foam Tribute, US Blanks is in awe of the talent level and inspirational shaping that takes place," said Jeff Holtby of US Blanks. "This years' lineup of shapers honoring Terry is jaw-dropping. We are again stoked to be a part of this special event."
For more info : www.boardroomshow.com