If you’re up in San Francisco next weekend check out The Bodysurf Classic. Put on by Danny Hess and friends, this gathering will allow you to test your human torpedo skills in the frigid waters off Ocean Beach. Stick around after the event for a screening of Keith Malloy’s “Come Hell or High Water” too..

OVERVIEW

The Bodysurf Classic to be held in San Francisco, Ocean Beach on November 5th, 2011 at 10:00am. The specific location to be determined on the day of the event. The location will be posted here on the official event website and in the window of Trouble Coffee, 4033 Judah St (between 45th Ave & 46th Ave) San Francisco CA 94122. There will be a $15.00 entrance fee for competitors (fee will include event T-shirt). The 6 person heats will be run on a first come, first serve basis. All heats are gender and age neutral. Small non buoyant devices such as handplanes may be used but device free rides will be scored with more enthusiasm.

BODYSURF CLASSIC  ≠  PROCEDURES

1.  All individuals who are in good standing with The Bodysurf Classic may proceed to Ocean Beach on November 5, 2011 for beach entry and payment of a $15.00 registration fee.
 

2.  It is local policy that unfriendly people may not enter The Bodysurf Classic. Unless they can prove upon entry that participation in The Bodysurf Classic will create a noticeable and measurable amount of joy in their lives.

3.  Slots in the The Bodysurf Classic event are offered at beach entry, on a first come first serve basis until all slots are filled or there is no longer a qualified member interested in competing or the deadline has occurred.

4.  The first round of heats will be run from 10:00am to 2:00pm. The top 12 highest scores from all previously run heats will proceed to the semi-finals. The 10:00am to 2:00pm time frame could be shortened due to attendance.

5.  Wild card or guaranteed slots will be offered to people of gratuitous ability or contestants who arrive with exceptional snacks, provided they are also in good standing with The Bodysurf Classic.

6.  The first 100 contestants will receive a free T-shirt with the payment of their $15.00 registration fee. Previously mentioned contestants or spectators with exceptional snacks or copious positive energy are also eligible for a free T-shirt.

7.  The governing body which runs The Bodysurf Classic has never operated a contest or official event of any sort. Please be patient as these rules are due to change based on a variety of factors The Bodysurf Classic is probably not even aware of.

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BODYSURF CLASSIC  ≠  JUDGING AND SCORING

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The subjective judging system will be used (0-10 points using .1 integrals) and there will be an active judging panel of one head judge and three scoring judges.  The Bodysurf Classic is entitled to provide personnel for the panel.  Active judging panels should attempt to represent all lifeforms, whenever possible, or a wide variety of people based on the limitations of beach culture.  However, it is up to the Contest Director to approve all Judges. Judges shall have the opportunity for a break every five heats.  Judges may judge as much as they like (subject to the contest directors approval) as long as they are consistent.  Judges may be judging themselves, members of their family or close personal friends.  See Bodysurf Classic judges handbook and judges rotation.*

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The judging criteria shall be:

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THE CONTESTANT WHO EXECUTES THE MOST RADICAL MANEUVERS GENERATING POWER AND SPEED THROUGH OUT IN A FUNCTIONAL MANNER IN THE MOST CRITICAL SECTIONS OF THE BIGGEST AND/OR BEST WAVE FOR THE LONGEST FUNCTIONAL DISTANCE WILL RECEIVE THE HIGHEST SCORE.

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* The individual judge’s scores should be consistent with one another.  If a judge is repeatedly inconsistent, he/she may be replaced. Please refer to Bodysurf Classic Judges Handbook for detailed policy, instructions and guidelines for judging.

for more info and updates check out- http://sfbodysurf.tumblr.com/

 video by Alex Kopps

Affordable, compact and easy to use this little tool has become ubiquitous on the noses of kooks’ surfboards around the world. While we’ve all seen or participated in youtube videos of jaw-clenching, scratching and surfing reminiscent of spastic action figures, the Go Pro has also enabled athletes to become filmmakers and photographers. A paradigm shift that I believe will have lasting repercussions. So when Go Pro announced it’s new version of the Hero HD was “2X More Powerful in Every Way” we were excited. After digging into the tech specs and hearing from reputable sources the touted features were largely what they were claimed to be, we decided to share our take on this new tool. After all, the original Hero HD was arguably, along with the DSLR, the most impactful piece of technology action-based filmmaking had seen since the rise of video.

Although we were hoping for 60fps 1080p and the 120fps is only Standard Def, there are a lot of game changers with this camera.

Review by Cyrus Sutton

THE GAME CHANGERS

1) The professional 11MP sensor capable of taking a burst of 10 stills per second with a class 10 card will likely flood editorial staffs around the world with high quality POV and close-to-action images. I believe this is bad news for many photographers especially professional water surf photogs who’ve already seen competition in their market skyrocket from previous technologies. Soon, any surfer or person comfortable in the impact zone can swim out and capture a flurry of professional images for the purposes of web and print applications.

2) The adjustable field of view (shoots as narrow as 90º) and 3.5mm microphone jack opens up this camera to documentary filmmakers. While filmmakers have been using Go Pros for creative shots in hard to reach places for a while now, with the LCD back attachment a person can compose shots that aren’t ultra-wide and also record interviews. This said, setbacks remain- It’s likely some barrel distortion caused by the fisheye lens will need to be combated in post, the microphone only works outside of the housing rendering the unit vulnerable to scratching and damage, and we don’t know at this point if the audio has Auto Control Gain, a feature that plagues many DSLRs causing the audio levels to behave erratically. Despite these potential problems this will still be a great tool for investigative journalism or any situation where keeping a low profile is paramount.

3) The WiFi controllable options reported by Go Pro will have a huge effect on remote control video and photo capture. The Go Pro has already been the camera of choice for the new era multi-bladed copters that have the ability to mimic stable helicopter aerial shots for pennies on the dollar (provided there’s no wind). But up until now a professional rig has required many hacks like a “nanny cam” to monitor camera POV during flight. Now a person will be able to rock up to wherever the action is, breakout his or her RC copter rig, affix a Go Pro and whip out their iPhone. The adjustable FOV will also address many RC enthusiast’s gripes regarding the ultra-wide nature of its image.

4) The 11MP stills in timelapse mode will result in higher quality timelapses and allow filmmakers to apply pans and zooms in post.

5) The 3D Capabilities of the previous Hero will be passed to version 2 because the inputs and camera size have remained the same. Some DIY filmer out there would be wise to create a rig that holds 2 cameras at the correct spacing to achieve 3d without the use of the housing thus allowing  the usage of the mic port. This would allow the capture of sound during 3d filming, something not possible now. This could however be a moot point if the audio is subject to “ACG,” in which case a separate audio recording device synched with PluralEyes or similar software would be the go.

Confirmed New Features

- Professional 11MP Sensor
- 2x Faster Image Processor
– 2X Sharper Glass Lens
– Adjustable Field of View- Full 170º, Medium 127º, Narrow 90º in 1080p and 720p Video
– 120 fps WVGA (Standard Def), 48 fps 960p (Still includes 60fps 720p)
– 10 11MP Photos Per Second Burst
– 1 11MP Photo Every 0.5 Sec Timelapse Mode
– 3.5mm External Stereo Microphone Input
– User Interface: A menu that makes sense! No need for the manual
– Remote recording and playback via app on phone or ipad

Questions and Room for Improvement

As mentioned earlier there is no 60fps at 1080p and the 120 fps is at Standard Def. Also the small censor size still requires plenty of light to perform its duty without considerable grain. There is a noticeably higher amount of saturation which looks nice but ultimately doesn’t matter if are in the habit of adjusting your colors in post. Perhaps the biggest question remaining about the new Hero is its Megabyte per Second Data Rate. An often overlook specification, this is perhaps the most important aspect of a camera’s potential performance. The reason the Go Pro has kicked the crap out of its POV competitors is because of its relatively high “mbps” data rate. At a lower “mbps” rate footage starts to break apart into mosaic patterns with rapid changes to the scene (as is common in outdoor and high action situations). The Go Pro’s relatively clean image at slow motion compared to other POV cameras, yet more much pixelated images when compared to a DSLR can be attributed to its middle of the road mbps processing.  It’s interesting that Go Pro didn’t include these figures in its tech specs like it has for all previous cameras. Could it be because they are not “2X More Powerful?” We’ll see..

The price comes in at $299 bumping the Original Surf Hero to $229. Should you buy it? If you’ve already pushed the Hero 1 to the limits of its video potential or want a compact, waterproof photo solution then yes. If you want to get it because you think the “2X Sharper Lens,” or the more saturated colors will give you better looking video, then save your money for a good wetsuit. The lens was always sufficient for its resolution of video and you can always teak the colors in your editing program..

Any questions or comments? Feel free to post below..

What do you get when surf industry companies partner with small, grassroots nonprofit organizations to ‘improve surfing’s global
footprint’? Reef athletes Paul Fisher, Sterling Spencer and Tonino Benson visit the emerging surf destination of Gigante, Nicaragua to support the work of Project WOO, who has been down there for the past 5 years doing some amazing stuff. Shot, Directed, and Edits by Russell Brownley.

For more information: www.projectwoo.org

Being the editor of a large publication is no easy task. But Vaughan Blakey has taken on the duty as editor-in-chief of Surfing World Magazine for the past few years, keeping one of the world’s best surf magazines. But Vaughan seemed to know he would end up in the industry at the ripe age of 14 when he sent in a poem he had written to Tracks Magazine. This became the catalyst for a strong career as a writer and eventually editor. Vaughan’s experience in the industry is more than credible in our opinion and we wanted to find out a bit more about the man himself.

From what I’ve heard, your writing career got started by sending a poem into Tracks Magazine as letter to the editor. How did that lead into a career in the writing/publishing industry? And what was the draw for you?

I was a boring kid cause I loved surfing so much that it fully consumed every bit of me. If I had a geography class and the teacher would ask “Who can tell me something about France?” I’d put my hand up and say, “Miss, France has the best beach breaks in the world. Miki Dora and Tom Curren both moved there for a time and if you go an hour or two down the coast and across the border into Spain there’s a left hand rivermouth called Mundaka that supposedly barrels as good as Kirra!” And the teacher would be like, “…okaaaaay, anyone else?” It’s all I talked about, all I thought about. All my books had waves and surf company logos drawn all over them. One day when it was raining my friend and I decided to write a letter to a surf mag. When mine got published I couldn’t believe it. Everyone in school was talking about it. One kid who used to pick on me came up and said “You think you’re hot shit now huh?” And he grabbed the mag out of my bag and chucked it in the bin. I cried about that but then I wrote letters every month, entered every contest and just tried to get my words in the mags all the time. I interviewed Lisa Anderson in ASL as part of a reader interview thing and one of my questions was “Can I give you a massage.” I think I was slightly mad. It’s all I ever wanted to do. I ended up meeting the editor of Tracks by chance one day and I just told him I was gonna work there. And that’s kinda how it panned out. It was never a question of if… only “when do I start?”

Boring Surf Lunatic Gets Job at Surf Mag

Surfing World Magazine is Australia’s longest running publication, but since you’ve taken the helm it has gotten infinitely more rad. What elements do attribute to your guys’ success?

There were actually a few elements that fell into place when I became editor that helped Surfing World return to prominence, the first being myself and Matty G the art director being employed full time. Before that SW was a quarterly publication kept alive thanks only to the passion of the guys who owned and edited the mag. If you look at those older issues the values and production quality are pretty similar. But having full time staff and an increased publication cycle, (we’re now monthly again) allows you to be much more creative and specific in terms of the content you want to explore. The other big factor was Surfing World becoming partners with Coastalwatch, which is the largest surf forecasting site in Australia. That partnership allowed us to let Australian surfers know that we were still around and we weren’t selling surfing short. We believed you could have a premium Australian surf mag that any surfer of any age could enjoy and not be embarrassed by. The basic values of SW and CW are pretty similar.

From a personal point of view I’m so proud of what the mag has become in the past three years. Our team has a really good time putting Surfing World together and our only objective is to make mags that people get stoked out of their heads reading.

Looking at surf culture as a whole, what has changed the most since you first entered the industry?

There have been so many changes both positive and negative. The web has obviously had a huge impact on the way surfing is delivered to the public. It’s had a huge effect on surf retail and even the humble old surf check is something you do from your lounge room now. The growth of surfing and the industry world wide has been huge too and there are a lot of ethical and environmental issues that the surf industry needs to examine more closely and take more responsibility for.

But if I had to pick one major change that stokes me out it’d be that people’s general attitudes within surfing are far more accepting and open minded than they’ve been in the recent past. I love the variety and freedom to ride what you want to ride, to express yourself in any way you choose and the level of appreciation out there for choosing such a path. In the late 80s early 90s there were all these questions about what surfing should be: Is it an art? Is it a sport? Is it a lifestyle? A religion? There was a lot of aggression because you kind of had to choose one way to surf and then defend that choice as the only way. Nowadays it’s all these things and more and people are pretty cool with that.

Vaughan Carpark Rights. Winter, 2011

What do you think Australians pull the most out of the US surf industry and vice versa?

Ha! Man, that’s a tough question. There are a lot of kids in Australia looking like Southern Californian hipsters at present so maybe we’re taking fashion tips from you guys. What is the American surf industry pulling from Oz? I wouldn’t have a clue. I tell you one thing you should adopt from here though, No Black Balls. That law is just off the charts wrong.

Riding a 4'9 I shaped out of an old NPJ Single Shot

Where do you see the future of surf media going with the increased digital avenues of distribution? Do you think there will always be a place for an actual printed magazine?

Surfing is beautiful and surf photography can’t be properly appreciated when flicking through websites. When a photo sits on your wall and you stare at it day after day putting so much time and imagination and stoke into it… I mean that kind of inspiration becomes so deeply entrenched in your being. When I was a kid I even had surf photos on the roof above my bed just so I could stare at them before I went to sleep. In so many ways the internet has surpassed the service that surf mags used to provide: news from the tour, photos from recent swells, the general flow of information, it’s all right there the moment it happens. But the internet is about speed. You get on and stuff your face as quickly as you can with as much as you can. It’ll never give you time to just sit back and relax and break down an image, to put yourself in that moment, to examine every aspect of what the wave is doing, where the board is placed, the light and the magic of the moment. That all comes with time. The printed image gives you time and that’s why I believe it will always have a place in surfing.

What about the future of surfing? What do you think we’ll be seeing down the line in the future of our culture?

I was just saying to a friend the other day that the best thing about surfing is that it can surprise you every single day. Like last month we had some of the best waves I’ve ever surfed around home, ever, in the history of living here. And I remember thinking, “Man, it’s gonna be a long time before I feel that kind of stoke again.” And then on the weekend my five year old Iggy and I paddled a longboard out at this point on the North Coast on the most perfect Spring day, we got surrounded by dolphins and then we rode his first wave standing up together for 200 meters. And it was one foot! I can’t speak for the industry or the culture but surfing will definitely continue to surprise and stoke all of us long into the future.

Vaughan with kids after first surf. Milo left and Iggy right..JPG

What has been the most memorable moment of your career or what are you most proud of that you have been a part of?

These past few years have definitely been my proudest years in surfing due mostly to the work we’re doing with Surfing World. It feels incredible to have an 11 year old girl say she loves the mag and then Craig Anderson say the same thing and then Bob McTavish say the same thing. All those guys represent a wide cross section people and they love surfing so much and for them to say we’re doing a good job is thrilling.

Watch as wave energy and gravity collide to twist and morph oceanic saline into mesmerizing shapes. This video is the most beautiful depiction of waves and surfing we’ve ever seen. A clip like this shows just how much we miss when watching waves at normal speed. Enjoy

Footage via Chris Bryan and The Phantom Camera

It’s rich sweet love between the moon and this deep turquoise sea of the Indian. You tell me that exists out there somewhere, perhaps far out beyond the land of the West where few seldom go?

Well it does be real, and it is not unknown, but only if you had ventured yourself you find long spinning left hand reef breaks and a spice unlike no other. Perhaps this surf adventure should be shared with a chosen other to ensure it to be real, if you do decide to follow such a path like this tale here, if you journey beyond where the ocean meets the sea, and do go further into the great Western than anyone you thought you knew has, you too will know it to be true … but only if you return.

Let this be a warning, enjoy this here coming treasure, and soak in the tales, yet know this mysterious surf adventure be this way for good reason.

Introducing Jay Killvan’s Reunion Island, via a short film and some words that explore a volcanic island surrounded by a surfing sea…

Some things are exactly the same no matter where you are. Yes, Bourbon Island is mysterious enough to make you feel as if you’re far, far from home, yet there are routines and elements like any place that determine the course of the day and the mood of the people, just like home.

The mornings are fresh, people grab coffees and the birds sing at the break of dawn. Queues form at the doors of local bakeries serving fresh comfort baguettes, fruit shop workers cart out colourful produce, the church is alive with light prayer and the early offshore flicks the switch to surf excitement. Surfers hammer their wips to favourite vistas to survey the day’s offerings. With froth spilling from their mouths they infiltrate line-ups the island over. Ceci est universelle.

As the sun jacks itself high over the sugar cane fields, shifting the spectrum of the sea from a haunting navy to an electric turq, the early crew retreat and the late morning crew move on in. Oily waves spill across reefs ridden in haste by surfers eager to get their score before the onshore. The midday heat tunes the early afternoon, late lunches, market stalls and boardwalk strolls. With the diversity in cultures comes afternoon tea in a variety of aromas and flavours, yet the ritual is common, the effort easy to fit right in.

The afternoon in St Pierre seeds a youthful vibe, and on every corner hip cats, peak caps and bandana fashionistas occupy dedicated corners by the beach. The girls taunt the boys by the ice-cream parlour and the elderly seek refuge from wild teens. By late afternoon the urban landscape is a theatre for a parkour pack, concrete railings serve as obstacles for freestyle BMX hoods, the skate park is alive and the onshore wind ruffles the canvas for relaxed surfers battling typical afternoon conditions. An orchestra of sub cultures exists as it does in any town with a pulse, it’s just you don’t know anyone by name.

A day worn out, flashes of Déjà vu mix in with an ale induced buzz, the evening is on it’s way. Pizza lights blink and hoodies are thrown on, puzzle pieces come together and it’s feeling good to be yourself, knowing you fit the groove, living as if you’re at home. Perhaps you are out here on the volcano in the Indian. Ceci est universelle.

For more, killvan.com

Who would YOU rather surf like? 47 year old Tom Curren? or 18 year old Conner Coffin? Combine them both for a little Curfin. Filmed and edited by our friend Michael Kew who says this is the best Rincon has been since March. No doubt not the last time she’ll show up this winter either…

peathead.blogspot.com

The Chilean duo of Nico and Tomas create innovative design solutions where the emphasis is on materials, reuse, maximizing applications, efficiency and the use of new technologies. These guys are a huge inspiration to us here at Korduroy, as they have taken what they learned in university and expanded their knowledge by getting after it. Trial and error is the best way to learn a process and these two have done just that. From tables and chairs, to furniture and surfboards, Nico and Tomas are amazing woodworkers as you see in their photos and words below…

Tell us about your website Losgogo. What is the mission behind what you guys do?

LOSGOGO website is to exhibit our work. We are a office – atelier that designs and builds . The idea is to show what is going on in our atelier. Photos and videos of the process, we want to show the process of how to design. The value is the process of making things.

What do you guys focus on designing? And are there any special characteristics of what you guys create/design, like sustainable wood, recycled, etc? And is there anything in particular that you prefer to make?

We focus on the process, the single idea is not enough. Most important is how the idea was materialized, that is the creative process. In the process of trial and error, decisions in design should be made, that is by far what concerns us the most. We love wood, we love the woodwork and we like sustainable material which does not pollute and is friendly.

How did you get into building and designing? Are you formally trained?

Since we were kids we have designed things. We made tree houses, cars, skimboards, and much more. Then we entered university to study Architecture (Nicolas) and Design (Tomas). We were not happy with what university gives you. Therefore, we are constantly learning and researching new things. Thanks to Internet, it is much more simple.

Any advice for someone looking into learning to build or design? What would you say is the most important aspect of what you do?

Very easy; do what you love. So things will come out naturally. The beginning is difficult but necessary and little by little, you learn what things are. Do not be afraid to learn and experiment. Be persistent.

ning is difficult but necessary and by little you learn what things are. Do not be afraid to learn and experiment. Be persistent.

Who is responsible for shooting and edit the videos on your website?

Both of us, Nicolas and Tomas. Photos and videos are a very important aspect for us because is the way we exhibit our stuff and let people see our work. We put effort and try to do better each time on filming and shooting.

Tell us about the surfboard you guys build. Are they all wood? What’s your process?

They are 99% wood. The boards we have made are made of plywood. We designed the surfboards in the computer using shape surf programs. Then, with the shape and size of the board already set. We develop the internal structure. After, in the atelier and we cut the pieces. We glue and put together the skeleton. Then put the tip and tail. Paste the edge and then the deck and the bottom. When everything is working and the edge has stuck, we give the final touches to the shape. The process is similar to Tom Blake’s surfboards. He is our main inspiration as well as many others who show their works on the web. As Tom Wegener, Grain Surfboards, Siebert Surfboards and many more.

The biggest difference with them is that our boards do not have fiberglass. Only wood.

How long have you guys been surfing? Tell us a little bit about the surf scene in your area of Chile. Have you seen any growth as far as surfing goes since you started due to the popularity of the sport?

We have surfed for around 4 years, but we have always been connected to the ocean. We would love to surf constantly, but we live in Santiago, which is 150 km from the coast. We surf in the central coast of Chile where there they are many beachbreask, though not as good as left point waves in southern Chile. The good part is you can always surf. Recently, surfing has become a very big thing here, but there is little diversity, because everyone wants to be pro surfers. This last aspect is difficult because the boards that they use are always the same. Very few are interested in other special surfboards, like the ones we build. The goal is to expand, and for those aspiring to be pro surfers to see that they have more opportunities and options.

What’s next for you guys? Any big projects on the horizon?

What we plan now is to develop a full quiver of LOSGOGO wooden surfboards for the summer. Simmons, from 4 feet to 10 foot longboards, alaias and handplanes. With that, fix up a VW Kombi for us to go on a surf trip. Besides that, we are trying to get more people to surf on our boards. We would also like to send some boards to U.S. or anywhere in the world. For us, the experience of a wooden board is incomparable.

For more, visit http://losgogo.com/

Preconceived Noceans is a project that started out by filming surfing on the Great Lakes during the winter, which usually spells disaster while running around with thousands of dollars worth of gear. In these conditions, Cole Slutzky and his crew need gear that’s as weatherproof as possible and cameras that can withstand near zero temperatures. And since they are filming surfing, they also needed something that has a telephoto reach while keeping superb quality.

Coming from a still background, Cole found that working in motion with the Canon 5d MKii and 7d came natural while offering great quality. He found that perhaps the best feature of the cameras is how incredibly resilient they are in the blizzard like conditions. He has really put the cameras up to the test and thus far they have been terrific. There is definitely some technical issues with the progressive scanning and single sensor in the dSLR’s, leading to a lot of shaky/rolling shutter footage. However, Cole and his crew use tarps and stands to create a wind blocker for the tripod’s and cameras, which really help out.

As we at Korduroy know, self-funding a feature-length documentary with a lot of traveling is expensive enough, and tacking on the price of professional gear can burn a hole in your pockets with the bat of an eye. So in an effort to gain Canon’s interest and get a lease or donation of the cameras they need for the next two or three years, Cole created this video showing how well these camera perform and the extreme conditions they can in fact endure…

For more information on the project, visit: www.preconceivednoceans.com

Thomas Bexon is a surfboard builder out of the Sunshine Coast in Australia. Focused on building things at a young age, shaping surfboards became a natural progression for Thomas. Now, Thomas shapes in a garden shed, where he creates an array of not only functional surf craft, but also aesthetically pleasing board with unique and colorful glass work. In this interview, we find out a little more about Thomas’s inspirations and influences behind his shaping efforts.

What was the first board you shaped? How’d it work?

I thought it went good at the time, and I’d like to think it still does. It was a 7-something, square tail, egg that had no rocker at all and soft as 50 /50 rails. Ah, how things get refined.

photo: nicole gozzer

How did you get started in board building? Did you have a mentor who guided you? Or did you learn on your own?

I couldn’t find what I wanted and I have always liked playing and building. I guess it’s nice to know how and why things work and to try and make things go better. Paul Carson showed me a lot. I also got some good insight by Mick Hooper and Hayden. Shaping away from home gives you a nice insight in how other people build boards. I am still learning everyday. That’s what keeps it interesting. I also got a lot of inspiration from Wegener and watching emerging logging movies.

photo: nicole gozzer

What is the most satisfying part of your job?

Surfing the one that is for me and does exactly as I hoped and expected. It’s pretty nice knowing at the end of the day my jobs’ main aim and if I do it right, it is making people happy doing something they love.

photo: jamie heal

Where do you look for inspiration for new shapes and designs?

Everywhere and anywhere. I can’t help looking at boards old, new, shit, good. There’s something nice in all of them, surfing…

photo: jamie heal

Was there a deciding factor that helped change board building from hobby to a job?

About three or four years ago real. I always had a back up plan that I thought I was going to end up doing but then one day I snapped and went fuck it, I’m doing this. There were many years of part time jobs and uni semesters spent surfing.

Has making boards for a living changed your perception on the craft? Or has it enhanced it?

Enhanced for sure, and changed. I learned so much about the craft itself and the industry around it. A good board done well takes a lot of time and it’s nice touching the board at every stage along the way.

Are there any types of boards that have been catching your eye or that you have been focusing on improving lately?

Spoons are rad, just from a craft point of view, old longboards that were peaking before the saw found the nose always get my attention. Pretty much anything done well, except white bread shortboards…just can’t get into it.

photo: jamie heal

You have some pretty unique glass work. Talk about your glassing process and why the colors and designs you create with the glass job? Just an extension of the art?

Ha, yeah it’s art. We have just be taking our time and bouncing ideas. I think it pays to have time to spend getting them right, look at old ideas that have been done before and put twist on them. If you’re going to have a surfboard, it might as well look good and be done as good as possible. I just can’t dig free lap colours.

Tell us about the factory that you build your boards in and the history behind it.

I was at the Hayden factory for a while. A lot of rad surfboard history happened there. They were testing at Noosa and going back and playing with shit there or the guys that were working there, McTavish, Greenough, Platt, and many more. That was really cool being there for a while. Now I’m Thomas Surfboards and own little shed. It’s literally a garden shed and a shipping container. But it does the job so well. Perfect size for two people to work on a low number of boards and get them done real good.

photo: jamie heal

Any suggestions for someone looking start shaping boards?

Trial and error. Anyone that is willing to give tips. And just watching people to pick up tricks etc.

For more of Thomas’ boards, check out http://thomassurfboards.com/

Matt Kleiner is at it again. Coasting is another action-packed piece put together by this talented filmmaker. Josh Kerr, who has been taking it to another level on tour this year, and Asher Pacey, pack a punch as they score their fair share of right-handers on a little exploration south of the border.

In case you missed Sacred Craft this past weekend, here’s some images from around the Korduroy Film Lounge as well as the rest of the event. It was another great year and just seems to get better each time. Thanks for all who came out to visit with us.

Photos by Jack Chellemi

After traveling on the grueling WQS and then suffering a life threatening injury to the head on his 21st birthday, Sam Page knows what it takes to endure some really difficult times. The long road to recovery after a coma and head trauma became a pathway to a new way of life for Sam as he found a major passion for shooting and editing video. Now, Sam and his boys, Nick Cheadle and Michael Spencer, head up the website, VelvetSea.tv, which documents their incredible talents on surfboards and behind the lens. In this Filmmaker Feature, Sam explains how he transitioned from contest surfer to filmmaker, how his injury changed his life, and what it takes to survive the blog-o-sphere in this day and age…

Tell us about your website Velvet Sea. Who is involved? What’s the goal, etc?

There are three of us who manage the site. Luke Cheadle, Michael Spencer and myself.

We have traveled together on the ‘QS for many years and worked with several film makers and photographers so we have a good idea of what goes on in the industry.

 We feel that there is a place for us in the surfing media and our viewers trust in our taste, opinions and our quality of original content.

I’m excited about trying to create a fresh look that has something different to what others are doing.

Seems as though there is a new surf blog popping up almost daily. Since you guys have been at it for a while, what do you think it takes to stand out these days? Is there anything you guys are trying to do differently then what others are up to? And where do you see the future of surf blogs/surf films?

It is amazing in this day and age that you have access to video clips all over the web. Majority of blogs pump out recycled content. We also try to spread the love embedding clips which impress us. There are so many creative people producing incredible footage. But the real point of the blog is to showcase the original stuff we’re doing. Its difficult to stand out but hopefully our original content has something that others aren’t doing.

Who knows what the future has on offer. Now there are also sites holding competitions with major sponsors getting involved, the possibilities are endless.

You had a pretty bad accident on your 21st birthday and ended up in a coma with some serious injuries. It was a while ago but have you fully recovered from that? How has that incident changed your view on life?

They were some dark times for me. I had some great support especially from my parents. For 4 months I couldn’t surf or drive. My speech was poor and I was depressed. But somewhere in all that it all clicked into place for me.

I had an epiphany. I felt a sense of insignificance. A speck in this complex phenomenon. I was grateful to still be alive. Everything was different now.

It took the whole year to find my feet in the surf. After that year my head was definitely in a different place.

You’ve gone from surfing on the ‘QS to now being behind the camera and computer, shooting and editing. How did you get started in filmmaking? Anyone take you under their wing or is it something you picked up on your own?

It’s strange to look back at it all. I was going really well on the QS just before the accident. I had my best results pretty much back to back. 5th in the Hossegor Super series and 3rd in the La Santa Canaries. Competing is harder than people think, but I felt like I was really getting it right.

If I didn’t get struck down by that bouncer I believe I would still be devoted to competition. But being put in that coma was possibly the best thing that happened to me. Being at rock bottom made me re-evaluate my life.

I wasn’t surfing or driving so to relieve my boredom I purchased an SLR camera.

I was hooked.

My first ‘QS back I made 3 heats and made enough prize money to buy a HD tourist video camera. Instantly my passion shifted from stills to video.

Editing was a great way to start using my brain again so I have taught myself everything. There’s been so much to learn.

What equipment are you using these days?

Canon XHA1s, 7D, Rode Mic, Canon 10-22 mm, Canon 28-135, Nikon 50mm and a Holga.

There are so many different creative techniques using the 7D. They are a lot of fun.

Your AM/PM series feature Craig Anderson and Kai Otton. What is the idea behind this series, and do you guys have plans for more?

People want to know what happens behind the scenes. I tried to tell a story with Kai’s AM/PM. Show what its like to be competing at that level. Everyone always captures the winners but I enjoyed creating a project about Kai’s loss and how he pulled it back together.

Who has been your favorite surfer to shoot in your experience?

Mitch Coleborn has such a relaxed style and his turns are so explosive. I have also had some great footage of Jamie O’Brien at Cloud Nine.

What’s next for Sam Page?

Keen to film some of my friends skating over the summer. I also have a view concepts in mind which i would like to go through with.

I have a knee injury that I need to sort out. It’s been holding me back for a year or so. In France till November filming some of my friends on their Qs leg. Hopefully i can have my knee mended by the time I finish filming so I can get some fun waves out Hossegor. Hopefully my best surfing is still to come.

For more visit, www.velvetsea.tv

Matt Beard graduated from Humboldt State in 1998 where he majored in art. Although he has never had a proper full time job, lucky guy, he considers both art and surfing wonderful problems to have and stopped trying to quit either of them years ago. His personal artwork reflects on the state of the entire California coast and tends to make surfers happy. And…yes, he does have a big ol’ gritty beard.

How did you first get stared in art and painting? Was it a love at first sight type of thing? Or something that you had to develop over time?

It’s always been there since I was a kid.  But when Rick Griffin passed away I was a sixteen year old anything-but-artist, and seeing his work in the tributes in the surf mags really turned me on to the idea that art could go anywhere you wanted to take it. I’d never really connected art with freedom before, but Griffin’s work really blew my mind like that.  I jumped in headfirst with some strange stuff.  Everything was very graphic, very detail oriented, and in my mind completely meaningless. Just shock-value stuff.  It was fun to see folks try to make sense of it, but the joke’s on me cause now I look back at that stuff and can see exactly what I was going through at the time.  Turns out they were very personal also. Kind of creating my own mythology in a psychedelic blender, no drugs involved just my own psychosis.  Then by the age of 25 or so, I began to be troubled with the idea of creating beauty and light.  I knew that darkness and tortured visions were easy.  Distorting truth is always easy cause there is no wrong way to do it, but telling the truth is another story.  But truth, beauty, light?  Foreign elements to my art process all of them.  Around the time I was wrestling with this, I saw an exhibit of early 1900′s California impressionists like William Wendt, and they did for me what Griffin had so long ago.  For the next few years, I only painted outdoors from life, occasionally finishing in the studio and rebuilding my entire approach to art in the process.

How would you describe the style of your art?

I always struggle to pinpoint my style with words.  All the terms exist to label art after it’s done, but in the making of art there is such freedom. I don’t think an artist decides to be a “this” artist or a “that” artist. It they are true to their art and who they are, they’ll usually end up with something a bit tough to nail down in words.  That said, I’m sure those who know all the fancy art terms would probably just call my art “decorative crap”.  But I tend to disagree.

What do you feel that sets you apart from other artists?

My beard.  Seriously though, I don’t know if there is anything, I’m just doing my thing.  If I knew, though, I’d do more of it!

And what mediums do you work most in?

I paint with acrylics for the fast dry time, it allows the process to be more intuitive for me where oils are too cerebral for me, like a chess-match.  Fun in their own way, but not what I’m after.  I do a lot of drawing also, just any old pen that throws black ink.  I stay pretty busy with graphic arts also so RGB pixels have become a pretty common medium these days as well.

What does your creative process entail in your landscape work? Are you painting live? Taking photos and painting later? What materials are you using?

Shoot first, ask questions later. That’s pretty much it. Sometimes it’s almost a drive by, just shooting out the window of my van, but usually I’ll get out and explore all the vantage points I can get to and fire off piles of poorly shot digital photographs. Sometimes I’ll get some shots from the water for a different perspective. I’ll keep an eye out for anything that evokes a story or seems to resonate with a theme beyond the surf, but most often those don’t really emerge until I sit down and study the shots. Usually it takes elements from several shots to compose a piece that really starts to capture a place. Sometimes there are things that really define the experience of being at a certain place that physically could not be shown in a single frame from any angle photographically but with a painting you have a lot of freedom to bend the image to that experience, whereas photographs alone tend to force us to bend the memory of our experiences to fit the images. The balance is finding how far I can bend spatial reality to fit experiential reality without the average viewer realizing just what kind of shenanigans I’ve been playing.

Why do photographers and painters always shoot/paint surf spots “going off”? Does anyone ever shoot/paint a flat day at Rincon?

That’s funny, cause it’s so rare for me to have decent surf in my reference photos. Seems like when the surf is flat I’ll roll up to a dozen different breaks in a day and come away with all sorts of material. It’s just easier that way. No dilemma about whether to go surf or not. No disgruntled local folk bothering me about photographing their spot when it’s good. Good surf brings all sorts of complications, I find it’s better to just go surf when it’s good.

In your process, it seems as though your pieces contain many layers. Why is creating depth through layers important to your process?

There’s a few reasons. One is just the fun of seeing the interplay of light within the painting itself.  Another is that I believe in creating not just an image, but a beautiful object as well, so the surface and layers and transparency all contribute to an awareness of surface so that the finished piece is a beautiful object regardless of what’s painted on it.  In a world of easy reproductions, I want my original paintings to have an unreproducible quality about them.  Also the process itself has taken on some sort of personal meaning that seems right to me.  The layers aren’t just painting the image, after working the image for awhile, I’ll splatter it with coffee, muddy water, spray paint on top of the pooling water, just throw the works at the piece so it never takes on too much polish. I want my finished piece to come through as something beautiful that’s been forged through trials, cause it keeps them honest.  I don’t want to gloss over imperfections.  I hope people can relate with my art, and just like when a person is too perfect in appearance, speech, or whatever, they seem fake, it’s the same with art I reckon.

Where do you look for inspiration for your next piece?

 I tend to work in terms of large scale projects, so my next piece will likely fit into some bigger picture, where the inspiration may be a bit more conceptual. A good example would be my landscape art.  While each one is inspired by the place being represented, that alone would not have motivated the painting.  The driving inspiration there is the idea of what the land represents to people.  What stories does it tell about us? Being a surfer, I tend to see it through that lens, but each piece is really just a chapter or paragraph in a much larger story, that we all share, live in, and write on a daily basis. I think that’s important for me.  I’m not trying to write the story in my landscape work, I’m just attempting to read our collective story out loud. I suppose as a surfer, I am guilty of glossing over some of it to get to the parts with good waves.

If you weren’t involved in surfing, do you think you’d still be on this artistic path?

Surfing has been a huge part of my life, why would it not influence and shape my art?  That said, I don’t make art because of surfing.  My wife and I just had our 3rd kid so these day I often make art instead of surfing.  Without surfing I guess I’d be making art about throwing rocks or something.  Landscapes full of rocks perfect for throwing, that somehow tell a bigger story… or something like that.

Tell us a little about The Board Art Benefit you are setting up at Sacred Craft this year in Del Mar, CA. What is it all about? Who is involved? And what can people expect to find?

The idea behind the Board Art Benefit was to get a bunch of great artists together at Sacred Craft, doing live art on surfboards, and donating the boards to SurfAid International. The boards will be auctioned by SurfAid at a later date. Many of the artists partnered with some amazing shapers and board builders for their boards, which really took the event to much higher level.  The event itself will feature each of these artists working live on their boards (about half at any given time). When they aren’t busy painting, they’ll be there to meet folks and heckle the other artists.  Many will also have original art, prints, and other items for sale as well.  The live artists and shapers include:

Phil Roberts & Gerry Lopez
Rick Rietveld & Jed Noll
Damian Fulton & Tyler Hatzikian
Erik Abel & Robert Weiner
Wade Koniakowsky & Mike Hynson
Spencer Reynolds & Jeff “Doc” Lausch
Matt Beard & Yohei Shiraishi
Robb Havassy & Rusty Preisendorfer
Drew Brophy & Ron House
Heather Ritts & Firewire
Tyler Warren & Firewire
Ron Croci & John Birchim
Norm Daniels & Firewire

How did this Board Art Benefit project come about, and what are you hoping for in doing so?

I’ve been involved with Sacred Craft as an artist since 2008, and Scott Bass has always been great about reaching out and involving artists in what is first, foremost, and almost solely a surfboard event.  I was asked to organize a few artists for the Art Grotto at Santa Cruz, so that was my first crack at helping put an event together. I also did some art for SurfAid’s Shapers 4 Humantiy event at Santa Cruz as well, and seeing some of the world’s leading shapers come out and shape boards live for SurfAid is what got me thinking, “why not involve the surfboard in the art event, this is Sacred Craft after all, right?”  The folks at SurfAid were into it and very supportive from the start, which really helped give it the backing it needed to get off the ground. I’m stoked to be working with them as they have a proven track record of doing some really great things for folks who really need it.  Stuff that as an artist trying to get by, I don’t have the skills or time or funds to go and help with myself.  Kids living instead of dying.  Think about that!  I want to be part of that sort of thing, and this was an opportunity for me to really help out. What am I hoping for?  I’m hoping this truly helps SurfAid continue to further the work they are already doing in the field. Beyond that, I’m looking forward to a beer or three after this thing is over.

www.beardart.com
www.boardartbenefit.com

Believe it or not, Barefoot Wines has been taking great strides to get involved in surfing and more importantly, cleaning up our beaches. With a 15 year relationship with the Surfrider Foundation, Barefoot’s mission is to preserve our beaches, making them “barefoot friendly.” In their recent efforts of the last 3 years, Barefoot wines has held more than 75 cleanups, helped remove more than two tons of trash and hosted more than 2,000 volunteers.

And their latest project, One Beach, a film by Jason Baffa (Singlefin Yellow) explores creativity, optimism and having fun cleaning our beaches around the world. The film includes surfboard shaper Kevin Cunningham (Spirare Surfboards), Jim Moriarty (Surfrider Foundation), artists Richard and Judith Lang, Barbara DeVries (recycled plastic jewelry maker) and Tim Silverwood (Take 3), each of whom is making thier own unique efforts to help clean our beaches. For more on the film and other related videos, visit The Barefoot Wines Facebook Page.