Yu-ki Hiratama's new fish

Yu-ki built this board in Japan last year at Paul Jensen's class.He likes the way it rides as well.

New board by Paul Jensen

This is the new board that Paul has been working on in his warm and cosy garage . If you check his blog you will see the whole building process . Nice job , but way too cold for me.
www.hollowsurfboards.blogspot.com

It is the time for giving and thinking of others.

Paul Jensen with his Father in law from Puget Sound on Christmas Day. " Years ago he had planted a Sequoia tree that grew fast and was lifting, then breaking the concrete slab, so Farrell had the tree taken out…Fortunately the tree sections were between 8 and 12’…Someone who cared, cut and dried the 4x4’s slowly and unforced…I was given a few sticks and knew what I needed to do…Build a board for Farrell who has been so supportive over the years of my surfy thing…"

7ft 2" Sequioa Swallowtail

Ready for glassing and making that colour jump..

The raw sequoia has this fleshy salmon color…

The frame and top skin ready to go together.

Paul Jensen class in Japan

Paul Jensen with Nobby who helped organise the course prior to Paul's arrival.Nobby has been to the two events here in Australia and met Paul at the first Wooden surfboard Day 2009.

Paul course comes with notes and a CD of information to take home.

Nobby sent me these shots with a few notes... "Paul held work shop in Japan from Sept 20 to 24 and he set out for Australia to hold next workshop yesterday.13 participants made own wooden surfboards and they will make more in own local area from local wood."















" Paul spread culture of modern wooden surfboards throughout Japan!!! I was very impressed Paul with the quality of his skill, knowledge and wisdom."


"In Japan, he was bedeviled by language barriers all the time but he was doggedly persistent and always polite for participants and me (sorry for that Paul…).
I look up to Paul as a teacher of wooden surfboards and a better way of life… "

A big thank you to Nobby and his friend for getting this all together and helping spread the skills needed to build wooden surfboards with Paul's course.I know from my own experience it is no small task pulling this all together and having all the gear and space required to make it happen. So my hat goes off to you Nobby. And thanks to Paul as well.

Paul Jensen going big.

Paul , just sent me this pic of his new craft. 10'5" Long x 27.5" Wide x 4.5" Thick , he built it from beach harvested Cedar from Vancouver Island and blue foam and cork rails . It weighs in at 21lbs. I am not sure if it is a stand up paddle board or not although it may have a hand hold in the middle of the deck ?

Hollow wooden fish , timber strips over plywood frame.

Final sanding ready for glassing
6mm cork and 6mm bending ply to get round the curves
The glassing sure brings out the colour


Steve Friedman, has just finished a 5ft 10" fish that was started in Paul Jensen's class in Melbourne. All ready to glass and polish.

Tony Crimmins new project progress report

Tony is building a Paulownia skinned longboard using Paul Jensen's building method. He has angled the nose to allow for a nose block detail. And as you can see from his and other home builders , they become very resourceful  with things like shaping stands and work spaces. You don't need a lot of gear and special tools. Just be challenged by the whole project and quietly chip away at it.

Paul Jensen's class in Western Australia

Paul , has just finished his class in WA and is setting up to start another in Melbourne next week. Here are the crew in WA learning the skills from Paul. They have come away with some great boards and knowledge that will let them now design and build the boards they have dreamt of in all sorts of woods.

After you select your deck timbers they are taped together , turned over and glassed on the underside for strength.
The frames of a couple of fishes come together and show their form
Frames and decks come together with lots of clamps
Glue gun the whole lot together before adding he bottom
A bit of fine tuning outdoors

Tape off and cover the deck to start gluing the rails on
Keep building those rails up
A nice 5ft 10" fish 
And the 7ft 3" looks mighty fine
Paul and a very proud builder with the fruits of his labour