A NEW DECADE AT FOAM E-Z

SACRED CRAFT RECAP

For some people the one event they look forward to every year is the Super Bowl, for me it's Sacred Craft. This is my World Series, Stanley Cup, or NBA playoffs and aren't you impressed that I know all of those. It is one of the most fun events to attend because there are some of the shaping elites there such as Rusty and Merrick but there are also innovators and craftsmen such as Carl Ekstrom, Mark Richards, Robert August, and many more. These shapers play a large role in most surfers lives weather they are having their own shaper replicate a board made or ridden by one of these guys or if they are in fact riding one of those shapers boards.

Click here to see all of the Sacred Craft Photos

This year, October 10/11 2009, was a tribute to Dick Brewer which was great because he is a living legend who is still shaping and active in the industry. Pretty much anyone who surfs has at one point heard of Dick Brewer and to have him at the show signing autographs all day for two days straight was quite a testament to his character. I had the opportunity to meet him and take a picture on Sunday, the second day. It was about an hour before the show was going to end and Dick still had a long line of people waiting. I was just expecting to lean over the table as he sat, and that would be that. He actually said "hold on," and walked around the table to the front and stood in between us as we proceeded to take several shots. He shook our hands and said thank you to us. That kind of humbleness and gratitude in a man who has made such a large impact in the industry just blew me away. He truly deserves to be honored and the shapers who were there to honor him by replicating a Brewer gun had nothing but good things to say about him and the show.

Reno Abellira, Pat Rawson, Ricky Carroll, Dennis Murphy, and Gary Linden where the shapers on hand chosen to participate in the shape off. Although Pat Rawson won the $500 everyone who attended really enjoyed the process of watching each shaper have at it in the plexi-glass shaping booths which were outfitted with bleachers. I was able to catch up with Gary Linden who has shaped for Brewer for the past 32 years to get his take on the show. I got a chance to hook up with Gary and ask him what was the most rewarding aspect of the Sacred Craft Show. Here's what he had to say: "seeing all of [his] friends and meeting new acquaintances, and getting a chance to talk to people who appreciate your boards. That's always really rewarding but then you also hope that you sell something....and this year there was a lot of people, and they actually brought money and were buying boards."

It was fun to see shapers having fun talking about boards and not just seeing them hack away at a bunch of stock boards. All of the boards that were at the show were there because they were what each shaper thought was their best design, most appealing, progressive, or what have you, it was all their choices this time and that was echoed in Linden's comment that, "it was nice to see the industry, and everyone trying really hard to be creative and get their best work out there, I thought that was pretty special."

PRO-SHAPER INTERVIEW: Mike Minchinton by G-Ramey

Recently I had the privilege to sit down with long time Huntington Beach shaper Mike Minchinton. Mike is a pretty legendary dude who has worked with some notable guys like the late Chris Hawk, Carl Hayward, and Robert August just to name a few. I remember being eleven years old and going into the old Roberts August shop on the corner of 5th st. in Huntington Beach and seeing the Minchinton Model board. At that time I had a beat up old mini long board that paled in comparison to a gloss polished, air brushed beauty. I had a little ritual that lasted about a year that went like this, surf, go to Robert August Surf Shop, stare at boards, eat, surf, and then go back to R.A. to look at the Minchinton Model. That's my little bit of history in regards to Mike. I'm sure it's a familiar story, just insert  your name  and the  shaper's name  and you have your own experience.

Check out the audio of my little chat with Mike.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT and REVIEW: FCS Fusion Install Kit

Fins, everybody needs them, and they aren't always cheap. Some installation kits retail for $180 which adds a decent amount to the overall cost of the board. Fortunately after years of complaining about the cost the crew at FCS came up with an alternative plug system they call the FCS Fusion plug. Not only is the install kit only $62.95 but it has to be by far the absolute easiest system to use. It really is a no brainer and unlike the FCS X2 plugs that are installed after glassing the Fusion system is installed in the foam and is laminated over in a similar fashion to the Future Fins boxes. I spoke to Jack Sykes of Line-Up Surfboards who said that "it's an easy installation, easy grind, and an easy route. It's also stronger because of the wishbone design of the plug which adds strength. The fin box is small and has high density foam which adds strength, not weight." So there you go, if you have any questions call us up and we'll be more than happy to carve out some time to get you some answers.

MONTHLY RAFFLE/DRAWING

We're happy to announce that January's winner of the FCS Fusion Install Kit is Leroy Haight of Weirsdale, Florida! This month we're raffling THREE sets of Future Fins K1 Bamboo Keel Fins. All you have to be entered is spend $30.00 or more in the shop or online. The winner will be announced at the beginning of March in our newsletter and on our blog. Happy raffling!

Click here to see all of Whitney's images

1. Your Name: Whitney Lang

2. Your Brand name: Whitney

3. How did you hear about us? My friend and mentor, Ken and the Internet

4. How was your initial experience at Foam E-Z? I felt welcomed and slightly overwhelmed with all that they have to offer!

5. Why did you want to build your own board? I actually shaped my 4th and 5th boards at Foam E-Z because I was venturing out on my own from my mentor to apply what I've been learning. I love shaping and starting to love glassing.

6. Shape of finished board? One of the boards was a 6'0" performance shortboard and the second was a 9'0" fatty longboard which I love so much...

7. Size of finished board: The longboard... Length: 9'0" Nose: 18.5" Width: 23" Tail Thickness: 3"

8. What blank did you use? For the long board I used the US Blanks First Yater 9'3"

9. How was your board building experience? Great! I love working at Foam E-Z! I even got to rock out to Grant's Britney Spears collection while I mowed foam!

10. Did you use videos, books, web, other? I have trolled Swaylocks Surfboard Design mostly to get information. Also its nice to have friends and mentors who are just a phone call away!

11. What videos, books, web, other did you use? Essential Surfing by George Orbelian is helpful. Also used Grant haha.

12. Do you recommend these resources? Yes! Definitely beneficial to talk to someone knowledgeable to get real world experience, opinions on shapes, and fin setups.

13. What do you wish you knew going into this project? How to shape long board rails accurately. They are tough!

14. What would you recommend to someone else for their first time? Be very careful and accurate when cutting out the template because the outline is very important. Don't over shape the rails and use caution with the planer.

15. What tools did you find most useful? Electric planer, surform, and sanding block.

16. Where did you run into trouble? When cutting the outline and truing it up.

17. What kind of fin system did you use? It's a single fin, because they are awesome.

18. Did you glass the board and what was that experience like? No this is the first board I didn't glass.

19. Where did you shape and glass your board? I shaped at Foam E-Z's rad shaping bay!

20. What type of board do you want to make next? Looking to make a 7'6" mini mal thing... I love the wide nose and single fin feel. This next board will need more rocker so I can enter steeper waves.

21. Feel free to add any other input or interesting information you'd like... Brad and Grant are awesome. Support your local shaper! Oh yeah, I'm a girl!