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.

Asymmetric

Asymmetric twinzer with tidy Mondrian-esque art from Rob Royal, mad little asym bonzer from Tim Stafford I believe.

Squire

Young John in the UK has built himself a very tidy looking carbon tech spoon. That's the third kneelo craft I've seen of late which is a very good board trend to my mind. John's working on a wooden version and Chris in HI has a brace of the things in his quiver along with some south swell at present so I'm hoping for a ride report soon.......

MP's Mum

There's a really nice little interview by Michelle Lockwood with Michael Petersen's Mum over at Big Sky Wire, conducted on the 1st Anniversary of MP's passing.

Sultan of Speed Jnr.

In case you've not seen it over at the Deus Bali blog, Joel Fitzgerald has been spending a bit of time in the vicinity of Canggu, and shaped himself this very stylish looking single fin. Then he went out and surfed it like it was a quad. Genetics are staying true with that family.

Deal!

Mark Thomson of Krypt Surfmats has swung a setup where if you order a mat from him, he'll ship it anywhere in the world free. Courier style, just a few days rather than the usual weeks of waiting for the postie to show up. Everybody should have a surfmat, so if you're in a place where such things aren't so easy to come by, get on this. The mat will improve your wave riding experience without fail, and that's testimony from a fully converted belly slider.

Lis-> Frye -> Kidman-> Whibley

Kidman finished Paul's fish, built with a template taken from his own Frye fish, and I think everyone involved, from the guy who's lost longboard provided the material for the the first fish on up to good old Wibz, can be very proud of this one. Simon Jones on the glassing again- he does some lovely work.

Axxxe Wetsuits

Yes, this is absolutely a rave about someone's product- I have bought Axxxe suits and absolutely love them. Yeah, they're a bit more expensive but not in the long run. My first suit lasted easily twice as long as any other I've owned, and when you factor in the comfort level of a suit that is custom fitted- they're absolutely worth every penny. Total quality every step of the way here- materials, construction, service- I'll never go back to the off the rack deal. Cool to see the folks who actually made my suit and there's some decent surfing as a bonus. Mick Waters put it together- you should buy his really wonderful movie 'Little Black Wheels' if you haven't already done so. Email info @ foamandfunction.com and we'll sort one out for you. Clip was found thanks to the always great Cabinessence blog. 

Erle Pedersen

Chip's brother Simon's jet bottom. The pictures say it all really....

Hickory Nines

It's definitely been one of those weeks (or two). The need to earn a living, the howling onshores and to top it off my first arse kicker of a cold in years. Not a huge amount of fun anywhere in that lot. Yet, I hate to admit it, the internet has come to my rescue with the discovery of Hickory Nines. It's an English site that basically documents stuff that's, well.... good. The people putting it together have good taste, it hits all the bases I like- photography, film, music, food, coffee and of course surfing. From a very deep well of quality stuff I've pulled a few photos by Shayne House of the Slyder Cup paipo selection. There's much more there, go check it out.

Ozzie Wright

No disrespect to the pro tour guys, but the really crazy cutting edge stuff is happening far away from judging stands and sponsor's booths. I understand if you think Ozzie's manic antics seem a bit spider monkey on PCP at times, but check out the Indo footage at around 10mins. That is some quality wave riding there my friends.

Andrew, Paul & Gerry

 

What you have there is the new fish Kidman is building for South Australia's own Paul Whibley. The template is Andrew's take on his beloved Frye, which was basically a take on the Lis. Serious pedigree happening there, and board shows it. Paul is a classic, he's got a very tidy quiver of high quality and somewhat left field boards, so he had top notch ceramicist Gerry Wedd immortalize them on a teapot. How much cooler than an instagram page is that?

Wayne Lynch

Yes, it's a movie from a clothing company but it's about Lynch who is unreservedly an inspiration and has been since before I could shave. Ignore the undoubtedly portentous and overwrought moments of narration and watch the surfing which was game changing stuff.

Attention Australians!

This 6' x 21" x 3" Mackie flextail is for sale here on Gumtree for $350 which insanely cheap- someone please buy it, or buy it and hold on to it for me as those dims are about perfect! Deal of the month without a doubt.