Epic!

via Sideburn.

Captain Goodvibes

Never have I been happier to see a package from Torquay. I finally got around to springing for the Captain Goodvibes compendium from Flying Pineapple, and it is a work of some genius. Tony Edwards' creation graced the pages of Tracks through the Seventies, and became a somewhat legendary icon for a certain breed of antipodean surfer. I discovered him in the eighties, and loved what I saw- madly psychedelic and precise art (Edwards was an architectural draftsmen unsurprisingly) with a demented and morally bankrupt narrative thread when there was a narrative thread at all. And it all featured a indestructible surfing pig. Years on it's great to see again and realize just now much more was going on than I ever saw, and the good Captain, the 'thinking man's fuckwit'- he's better than ever.  If you have any interest in the decidedly non-mainstream threads of surf culture, this book becomes an essential item.

Mackie For Sale- 6'3" Stub

Over the last few years of helping Mick Mackie sell a few boards in the Northern Hemisphere, I have accumulated a little 'show quiver'- basically boards that Mick made so people can see one in the flesh as it were. Usually I tend to pick boards I like, and on occasion wind up 'testing' them which means it's now used and i may as well keep it. Currently I'm sitting on 3 boards that have at various times come extremely close to being 'tested' and I'd like to not do that. Better to move them on and maybe get a few new ones to show? Preferably boards I don't want. Anyway, here's the first deal:

6'3" x 21.5" x 2.75" Singlefin Roundtail Stub

Serious s-deck and bladed rails on this thing, and a flexfin that Mick hand foiled. Simple outline, but the foam distribution on this thing is amazing, and it's glassed with a volan deck patch. Beautifully crafted board and it's going to be a complete screamer down the line.

It's out the door for $775 which is a great deal given the current exchange rate.

Email info @ foamandfunction.com if you have questions or interest.

Dean Dampney Pt. 2- Mackie

Dean Dampney's photos of Mick Mackie at work.

Dean Dampney Pt. 1

Dean Dampney is a photographer based in Ulladulla, NSW Australia. I came across his work as he'd taken some great shots of Mick Mackie's boards, and it never fails to impress me. He's three I poached from his site, they sort of sum the pastime up quite neatly for me- the joy, the wonder and the expectation of the joy and wonder. Onya Dean, nice work yet again.

The FreeRide Voice

This is one of my new favourite things on the internet. A group of Australians have decided to try the waters and launch an independent, online 'publication'. Yes, there's plenty of content out there, every halfwit with access to a computer has a blog (myself for instance), but I never tire of it. It's like one giant, online dawn patrol parking lot. I drink my coffee, I groan at the state of the waves, I laugh at the outrageous statements and brilliant yarns, I scratch my stubble appreciatively over someone's new board and I haven't left the house. This however, is a step beyond. Cohesive and simple, it's about the writers really. Australians absolutely live surfing, the beach and the coast are so much a part of the life back in the Lucky Country on a daily, ingrained level and The FreeRide Voice is so far a fantastic expression of that. They care about every aspect of it all, they take Professional Surfing seriously and yet manage to give it the respect (or lack thereof) that it deserves, and they apply the same exacting critiques to the blokes down the local. And they do it with fantastic literary smartarseness. It's a good read, go back through the archives and dig- Derek Hynd's there, Steve Shearer is there, intelligent commentary on women's surfing, the economic woes of the mainstream culture and the zeitgeist of Parko is there. It's good. Support them.

The FreeRide Voice

Jeff Beck

 

 What you see here is not just a big room full of very interesting surfboards, it's the future home of nice big epoxy dedicated glassing bay. Things are afoot at Ninelights, including that extremely racey little compsand Twinzer and a quite big Mini Bob. Visiting Jeff is always an interesting day out.