The Chef's Special Order

Finally, after patiently waiting for the line staff to do their thing, Chef's order of High Speed Fish has made it to his table. He whipped up a side order of stoke as he took possession of it and began mind surfing right on the spot. 

It's a template and design that I first built in the late seventies while stationed in J- Bay.

5'10" with plywood double foiled fins.

Trusting that the Chef will get his just desserts.

Hydro Quadrofinia

Scott is the quadster. He just added two more to his quiver to make it 4 or 5 quads.

Today he is christening the new 6'6. As I write this he is hopefully grinning and schredding. 

He will come back later to take home the 7'10 and give me his 6'6 report.

Spray fades by Laura Powers.

Cooking one up for the Chef

The Chef wanted fish on his menu so he ordered up a 5'10. He even picked up a couple of blanks from US Blanks.
Multicolored ones at that. First time for me. Wow, it was like I was wearing  weird sunglasses after I skinned his blank. After decades of pure white, my room was covered in some sort of rainbow confetti. I'm now motivated to hook up the vacuum system I bought long ago.
All in all it went well and looks cool. Going with double foiled plywood keels which I need to cut out soon.
Hopefully it won't be too much longer before I can ring the bell to let Chef know that his order is up.

Be happy to cook you up one if you like the taste of high speed fish. contact me at Juicesticks@gmail.com

My Favorite Place

Where do you go for peace and quite? The place that you feel most comfortable in?

For me (besides being in the company of my wife) it is my shaping room. It has no windows, was built as soundproof as I could get it at the time, the AC can get it down into the 60's if need be. It has gone from having a radio, to a radio/tape player to a walkman to a portable CD player to a multi changer CD player and finally I can't imagine anything better than it being wired to play my IPOD.

Cool air, cool tunes and cut off from the outside world. My kind of place!

Add to that an activity that has brought me untold pleasures for over 30 years, the shaping of a wave riding implement for current and future friends.

Easily I have found my favorite place!

Tim's Tangerine Dream

Tim drove over to pick up his third Juice Stick.
Its always a pleasure to see him, especially when he gets a new board.
He gets really excited and can't stop saying thanks. He's the kind of surfer who brings me the most shaping pleasure. He's a living, breathing, oozing container of stoke. I haven't had the pleasure of surfing with him, but there is no doubt it would be a fun time regardless of his skill level or the quality of the surf.
There would be endless hoots.
He requested a "tangerine bottom" and Johnny O nailed it.
Looking forward to his post surf hoot meter. (ten is tops, down to 1)

Remember George?

Well, He has his board.
Just waiting to hear if he has fun on it.
Stay tuned.

George called me ........again

I enjoy talking to customers about their future boards. Their excited anticipation is what stoke is all about. Sometimes its stoke mixed with a serious concern. Like an expecting father fearing his offspring may show up with a serious flaw. Will it paddle me well, turn good, look nice, etc.

No one has ever called me as many times about a single board than George. I haven't asked him, but I think that it is safe to say that the eight footer headed his way is his first ever custom order.

I'm pretty sure that he paces around in his waiting room for awhile before he can no longer resist (speed) dialing my number. I smile when I see that its him because George has always entertained me in one way or another. (his friends are obviously finding entertainment in whispering things in his ear). Each time I listen to his concern then explain to him the hydrodynamic concept or production process that will temper his uneasiness.

From the info that I was able to collect about his surfing level, I'm pretty sure that I shaped him something that will make his go outs more enjoyable. And that's the bottom line.

Speaking of bottom lines, my number one concern about any board that I make, is that the customer does in fact enjoy their surfing more. If they don't, I want the board back! That's the least I can do when someone invests a few hundred dollars in a board. So relax - no lose money brah.

The joy for me is when I get that first post surf call. The one filled with amped up excitement and gratitude. The one out of the dozen that will be music to my ears.

Check back here in about a week.
I'm hoping George calls me............ again.