Full size plans available from Grain now.

"You’ve asked for them. For all you home builders that would rather start from scratch then a box, you can now buy any of the shapes we offer as a kit as full-size paper plans. Paper plans include all frames and keel, templates and instructions to help you through the process. This is the least expensive way to buy a Grain shape, and if you don’t mind some extra work, it’s a great way to see the process from start to finish. Fall is here, clean out that basement and get started."
Click HERE to link up and find out more.
Grain have a great range of boards and this will be a great way to get started on your first board. You will also need to understand their building method so scan around their site for more details.

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

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!!!

Wooden surfboard day slideshow 2013

A little show put together by Craig Cater to share with you.

The Italian Green Burrito - Cuttlebone 4

Valerio sent me some shots of his latest project to share...

" Hi Dude, this is my last creation from mini simmons green-burrito Italy,YOU LIKE IT?
THIS MODEL NAME IS "CUTTLEBONE 4" and it's a restyle of a hybrid outline, mixed with a mini simmons tail and a performer board."

" I have bring it with a new system of reinforcement in the middle of balsa square empty space and so result more strong for big and faster maneuver."

 THIS IS A 5'1 21"1/2 2"5/8 QUAD PLY WOOD.

"I have just tested it and I'm very happy for the result, it's fast and good turn, easy take off, funny very funny and ... eco green.

Thanks for all , Valerio G."

Patagonia Burleigh and Dovetail Surfboards get together for a DIY handplane clinic

"A beautiful Saturday afternoon, clear skies and absolutely no waves within a 3 hour drive. Fortunately, The crew at Patagonia Burleigh Heads we were getting woody. Our group was stoked to be creating and reinventing the handplane with Geoff Moase at Dovetail Surfboards HQ.

 This was our follow up DIY to last year’s piapo day, again with Dovetail. Because of continued interest from customers and friends, we wanted to get a bigger class and spend some time in the workshop. That coupled with an organic sizzle and a few cold ones, our second wood event went wonderfully.

After general housekeeping info, (and showing off his quiver of wood boards) Geoff took us through the step by step’s. Everyone had a pretty good understanding of what they wanted to do. Channel bottoms, hydro foil bottoms, bat and moon tails, sharp swallows. WOW!! The imagination was intense and we could tell, this was about to get fun. A group of 18 was larger than expected, and the work stations were chock a block of sandpaper, pencils, clamps and jig’s. When the tools fired up you could hardly hear what your mate next to you was going on about, but you just couldn’t stop smiling.
When we got lunch going, most of the guys had finished their channels, jigged out outlines, and were getting into the sanders. Grant and I did a walk around to get people around the food table, lunch was ready. But they were so stoked and just wanted to keep at it. I peered over at Geoff and he was wiping sweat from his brow from running between tables and assisting where he could, Geoff was in his total element helping people out. Luckily their stomachs won out and we broke for a 20 minute feed and chat. It was great to see a group that were all very happy to participate and join in.
Nearing the end of the day, everyone had completed their rails , hand inserts and straps, and finish sanding. Some dyed their planes and Ruben, oh Ruben, he took the blow torch to his. It turned out sick! We slowly gathered around, had a quick debrief, special thanks to Geoff for his time and help, and shared stories of recent travels and fun. Another great day with great people. Thanks for your support of Patagonia Burleigh Heads and looking forward to doing this DIY thing again!"

The Wooden Budda's 9’1” Foam Core Mal

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Torsten Kofler (a.k.a. Wood Buddha) has been at it again. This year’s Wooden Board Day got him all fired up and he’s made a start on his latest woody.

The board is a foam core 9’1” mal loosely based on an old PU board he’s had for a few years now.

“It’s an old favourite. It’s had a hard life, and it’s time to retire it to the pool room and replace it with a woody” He explained.

The new board is constructed using plantation grown paulownia laminated over an EPS core. It will have solid laminated rails and finished with either lanolin or an epoxy hot coat.

Part 1 of the board build is available :   thewoodbuddha.blogspot.com.au

I am sure you will find it very entertaining and very informative . He has designed the board in AKU and had it cut from EPS and then takes you step by step through the whole process as only he can.

The Italian wooden Vangard

 I have just been sent these from Simone Sivieri in Italy. "5’3" x 18” 2 1/2" mono concave to double, eps core, 3 mm paulownia skin, no fiber, resin hotcoat, home made cork pad, 5 fin with Mckee  M5 Formula… so at the end a Tomo shape, your construction, and Mckee fin position, nothing from my mind J but as I told you I’m not a shaper. I built even other 3 mini simmons for 3 friends but I have no pictures.
By the way boards looks solid like my old HWS I built, but weight less, and seems very strong!"

Great looking board

Grain Surfboards Teams Up with Patagonia Cardiff

Since Grain Surfboards' successful Kickstarter project in spring of 2013, they have been dialing in a plan for a new west coast mobile classroom so that they can share the process of building wooden surfboards with even more people. With the new rig in the fabrication process they will be mobile soon.

The staff at Grain Surfboards is now focused on joining forces with other like-minded businesses and individuals to bring their board building experience to destinations up and down the west coast.

Grain is proud to announce a collaboration with Patagonia Surf in Cardiff California. Two instructors from Grains headquarters in Maine will be travelling west to teach a 4-day class right behind Patagonia’s Cardiff location. Not only that, but Patagonia ambassador and pro surfer Keith Malloy will be joining the class and will build his own board alongside the students.

The class begins Friday October 18th and runs through Monday October 21st and each student builds their own board and takes it home with them at the end of the class.

Grain has always admired Patagonia for its practices, values and overall approach to the world we live in and is so proud to have one of their first mobile classes held at the Cardiff location.

Registration is open now and is filling quickly, please visit Grain's class site for more information and to sign up.  The class is open to a total of 6 students.

August 24th Hand Plane workshop

Get in quick, spots going like hotcakes, I mean handplanes! Call the store on 07) 5576 1901, 

FB message, or email us on burleigh@patagonia.com.au, to reserve your spot. 

 BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL!!

Cost includes Paulownia handplane blank with contrast stripe, tuition and barbecue lunch at our workshop in Burleigh Heads.

So grab a friend or two and call the guys at Patagonia in James St Burleigh to book. 

0755 761901.

www.paulowniatimbersales.com.au

www.timbersurfboards.com

The "Bogong" at speed

Wooden board builder and film maker John Purnell built this great little chambered fish he calls " Bogong" Here it is getting the seal of approval from Heath Joske , interesting hands there Heath. Not sure what he has ahead of him but he looks pretty well ready for whatever comes his way.

5th Annual Wooden Surf Board Day 2013

Well today was one out of the bag. We sure got lucky once again 24c air , 21c water and 3ft of swell and off shore winds , with low tide mid day. Just the best weather in 3 months at least and a great turn out of people and boards. Probably upwards of 200 wooden boards in the park today. I must say that the quality of boards and the skills of the guys building them has gone up a notch. And that is what the day is about just sharing your experiences and what you have learned with others that have put in the time and effort to build a wooden board. I would like to thank all those that came with boards for their support and making the day such a success once again. Please enjoy the pics below and if you have some to add please send them , if you have some names and details to add please feel free to send them as well.

 Rubin and Grant look pretty pleases with the day

 A great day and plenty of people soaking it all in.

A couple of nice longboards

 84 year old Barry Regan getting interviewed for the NBN local news. He has been building wooden boards for 50 years. He has been to all 5 events. Nice one Barry

 Dave from Surfing Green had some nice boards on display

 Dick Van Straalen with a 10 foot Balsa over EPS board he has built for himself. He has a nice show of others he has been working on as well.

 The best foiled wooden fins out there by John Devereux on a DVS

 Small craft , lots of fun.

Peter Simon from Emerald Beach near Coffs Harbour drove up for the day to show off some great boards he had built.While there he bumped into another local Coffs board builder Garry Keen.

  Greg Wheeldon from Brisbane

 Raz from Firewire had a few of their new Timber Tech range on display

 Serious finnage

 A young girl getting a quiver together for summer

 Balsa frame kit.

 Geoff from Dove Tail surfboards with a great range of boards

 Tail detail by Tony Crimmins

 Tony's fin

 Balsa blanks from Bali Balsa Surfboards

 84 year old Ballina board builder Barry Regan

 Dave Franks and his great looking boards, high sheen Cedar

 A Mike Grobelny board from New Zealand all routed out

 DVS

 

 Tall timber , 20ft Bill Wallace toothpick and 18ft Tom Wegener looooong board

 We were in safe hands with all this timber and a hot day. The firemen turned up.

 Cameron and Tom all loaded up for the trip home

Bar none the largest fin on a surfboard anywhere in the world for sure on a 18ft board. Serious stuff on a serious board.

Click HERE to view the NBN coverage

Thanks to all those that made it a great day.