Dave Parmenter

Awesome. Dave Parmenter has a website up and running called Nowtro. It's a great looking site, and the content is what you'd expect from one of the more considered and literate surfer/shapers out there. There's his writing, there's his boards and there's a link to buy his collection of fiction which I did and I highly recommend. (Although for some reason it's printed in oddly large type. Nice for us older blokes I suppose, but I'm a little way from seeing that badly yet.) Parmenter has quietly laboured away on the frontlines of hand shaping surfboards and brought us the Stub vector and a lot of the widowmakers out there- here's a hero in my eyes. All photos swiped from the site except the one of my clear widow.

Hazan Motorworks

Generally I try to keep this blog surf related, but I'm going to digress a little here. There is a definite link to the surf stuff, which is just a stunning level of craftsmanship and vision. As much as a one of Mick Mackie's boards, or an Ekstrom asym, or a set of Geppy fins is piece of handmade genius, so is this bike. Pretty much entirely handcrafted around the engine from a Royal Enfield Bullet, it's spectacular. Mr. Hazan had some background in boat building too, hence the incredible but doubtlessly uncomfortable ducktail seat.

Mick Waters

Courtesy of Paul Whibley, our SW Australia correspondent and all around lucky bastard, a few snaps of a recent trip over that way. He was accompanied by Byron Bay's all around nice guy, Mick Waters. From the sounds of it (and these images) it was as good a surf trip as you could want. 

As I hope you are aware, Mick is a highly talented friend of the family and auteur of two very fine  independent surf movies, 'Believe' and 'Little Black Wheels'. We will  gladly sell you either or both, $25 each with shipping included. Email info@foamandfunction.com should you be interested.

Mark Rabbidge Finless

Crikey!

Skateistan

Hopefully you're aware of Skateistan- if not they are basically an Afghan based NGO who have now built 2 indoor park complexes, one in Kabul and now in Mazar-e-Sharif. Not the normal 'charity' concept, but an important one I believe, which is why I actively support these people. The parks provide a safe place for kids to go, they allow the kids of Afghanistan to be kids, to have some small degree of play in their lives. In return for time in the parks, the children take part in educational programs and the whole setup is quite simply improving lives in a very harsh environment. They've just put out a great looking book too, well worth investing in.