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.

Fish Fish and more fish.

Local back yard shaper Sam Yoon  loves his fishes short or long and surfs everything with his own style.
Wayne Davenport all the way from Wales with some nice boards he shaped. He said he could get used to this warmer water.
Very fishy Chris Garrett flex tail .
Local wood craftsman , David Franks had some great looking boards. These are Western Red and Queensland Cedar over styrene. Very nice.
Someone admiring Dam Mac Donalds chambered Balsa fish. There were some great wooden boards on show.

 These pics are taken by Chris and Ilona O'Hearn. chrisoh56@optusnet.com.au

Click here for more Fish Fry pics

Yes just click on the link above to view a great selection of shots from Micro

Fishy fellows

A fair line up of talented buggers  -  Left to right - Tom Wegener , Billy Tolhurst, PT  Peter Townend , Simon Anderson ( behind )  , Jim Banks , Dick Van Straalen , Darryl Von Weirdo and David Franks

Paul Joske and I admiring one of his great shapes.

80 year old timber board builder and surfer Barry Regan from Balina with Kiwi Roger Hall .

Tom Wegener showing the Sea Cell boys from Byron the finer points of whittling.

Matt Waite and Mike Cunningham from New Zealand kicking back.

Fish Bits

PT's Dick Van Straalen Pink Quad
Now this is a Bat Tail - A  DHD one at that.
Bill a local in the line up at The Alley 80 this year and still on a 5ft 6" fish. There is hope for all of us. Great to see surfing keeps you young at heart.
Me , Tadashi from Blue mag and Daniel Thomson from Lennox Heads, just enjoying the day.
Sergio Gomez from France had some pretty special boards. This one had quotes and stories about fishes that he printed on silk , even the fins. Very nice job. Great to see guys coming from all over with boards made especially for the Fry .

Fish Allsorts and sizes

Paolo Bianchinotti came up from Sydney for the day with a very different board.It has all sorts of things going on.
Sean Wilde up from Sydney as well with some nice Simmons and fish.

Chris Garrett with the glove box fish / handbag fish , great for those windy off shore days when you have a long walk back up the beach into a stiff breeze. Tuck it in you back pocket.
Jamie with one of Daves bigger Simmons.

A Sea of colourful quads

Dain and the boys from Sea Cell in Byron sure know how to splash that colour around.



Ronnie Goddard Bat Tail quad.

Ronnie Goddard shapes and others

Ronnie Goddard from Coffs Harbour has this sweet little stringerless quad. Clean simple design and as light as a feather.




Not sure where this one came from or fitted in ?

More fish and things

PT and Simon Anderson checking PT's Dick Van quad
Daniel Thomson from Lennox and Tadashi from Japanese surf magazine Blue .
Diverse , Simmons inspired boards and others
Murray Bourton from Base with modern quad fishes
The DHD Bat Tail Quad ?

More wood

Jason Oliver from Brisbane with some beautiful hollow wooden boards built from recycled timbers. Just unbelievable work and craftsmanship in some high performance board shapes.
David Franks from the Gold Coast and Jason Oliver catching up. David is a master wood worker as well and had some great boards with cedar vacuum bagged over styrene.
Roger Hall from NZ with his multi stringered sea creature and a beautiful chambered wooden speed dialer. Rich Pavel thought he did a pretty good job considering Roger had never seen one in the flesh before. Agave , Cedar , Paulownia , Balsa and Canadian Red Wood .The detail and finish was flawless.
Chris Garrett recycled wood fish.
Jason Oliver book matched recycled wood with Camphor Laurel feature. Nice work.

Wooden fishes everywhere

Local fish rider , Marlie liked the look of Chris Garrett's fishy Alaia
Riley balsa over styrene fish.
Steve and Karen the Grain agents in Australia were there to show how from this kit you can build your own hollow wooden board.

The Happy Hemp man was there with hemp foam and hemp clothed boards. Shakablanks
Daniel Thomson with his his slick looking speed machines
Frenchman Paul Lefevre with the art he did on one of Dan Mac Donald's boards.The boys burnt the midnight oil on this one to have it ready for the day. Thanks guys well worth it.
Shane Waterfall came all the way up from Victoria to be part of the day and showcase some nice work. 
Sam from Riley Balsa boards in Sydney with some beautifully crafted balsa over styrene boards.