Recently a request was made for a surfboard that was an ‘‘all arounder.’’ After an ‘‘interview’’ with the client, to get an understanding of his expectations and performance requirements, I reached back to a design that I dubbed ‘‘The WindanSea Special.’’ This was a personal board design, that I created for that iconic break. The design was refined, and honed, by my personal experiences, up to that time, and most importantly by the influence of several gentlemen, well known for their stature in the surfing world. The WindanSea Special, is a marriage of the information and knowledge shared with me, by Mr. Phil Edwards, and Mr. Del Cannon. Both, outstanding surfers, thinkers, craftsmen, and designers of surfcraft. True watermen. I was priviliaged to have had access to them. They were more than generous, to have shared their knowledge with me, when I was still in my teens. From that, I created a design that employs design elements of both small wave boards, and big wave boards. A form of alchemy, in which base metal was turned into gold. Said gold, being a design with a broad range of performance, in both small and larger waves.
Thanks for posting.
Did said interview end with the plan to build a board?
Also, you know of any examples of any “wns specials” out there?
Yes, the discussion resulted in a decission to create a 9 foot version of the WindanSea Special. I’ll be ordering the blank for it tomorrow. While I did not identify the template to you, as The WindanSea Special, you in fact have that template. I believe you’ve already made a few boards with it.
The decision you have made to shape another board leads me to believe your eye is doing well. Good to hear Bill.
Got it! -
Any chance you can share some ride impressions, of the boards you’ve made with the WindanSea Special template? Photo’s perhaps?
Quote:
Any chance you can share some ride impressions, of the boards you’ve made with the WindanSea Special template? Photo’s perhaps?
Find it ironic seeing Bill Thrailkill asking for someone to post pics of the board they’ve shaped. Lol
Haha I’m with ya Phebus!
EDIT — I was lost In Translation. Here is the correct board (s)
The Wind n Sea special - I have built two of these. Both with great success and both great performers.
The white board is a standard tripple stringer built to Bills specs - I ended up selling this board to build the black one and I’m going to build another one just like it because it was an amazing board and I really miss it.
I’ve surfed both boards in knee to a foot of two over head surf and the white board was more of a “performer” weight at about 18 lbs and a more parallel plan shape it worked great in bigger open faced surf.
The black board has a bit more roll i. The nose and hips pulled back 5% compared to the white board -
At 26lbs it’s a Cadillac for sure! Beyond smooth sailing but can still really be whipped around.
Black board is a 3.5inch stringer bundle that had been all chaimbered.
Ohh and I forgot that I also built another one with the crossed up inlays but I personally never surfed it - it is a copy of the other white one o lay about 22lbs.
When I first went to the North Shore, my one board quiver was a 10’ 5’’ full big wave gun. I rode that board in everything, including 20 foot Waimea. At the same time, a good friend, Tom Angus, was riding a 10 foot WindanSea Special, (his one board quiver) in everything too. I made Tom’s board with a slightly narrower tail, knowing it was headed to the North Shore. Tom’s board was a one off unique 3 stringer board. The stringers, at Tom’s request, were Black Walnut ! Same for the fin and tailblock too. I’m surprised that I did that. I’d not make that board today, now that I know how difficult it was ! That design can handle a wide range of waves.
Love the timeless outlines. Those fins are a real trip too. Appears to be superb craftsmanship… no surprise. Thanks for sharing 
I have friends who are in their 60’s who have ridden the same 10’ board in everything they surf, from small days to big enough to scare you North Shore days for decades. Some guys who are in their 70’s are still riding boards they bought brand new in the 60’s. A lot of older guys just ride one board. Sadly, I don’t see as many of these guys anymore.
I believe I am the guy Bill is talking about in his original report. He told his side of the story and now I am telling mine. I’ll start with the board portion and later on tell the whole story (sappy love story poorly written commences after the pictures. So you have been warned).
A few years ago I got neurotic about making balsa wood surfboards. Bought a ton of wood and starting hacking away at it. I made 4 wood boards and those were all I surfed. My main board was a 12’ chambered Balsa glider. That thing is amazing to ride as long as performance is not a priority. Being on that board for years convinced me it was time to go back to foam and I wanted someone else to make the board.
Once I saved up some money I asked Bill to make me one. I went into the process trusting his knowledge and skill while knowing any input I provided would ruin the board. Bill asked a bunch of questions about what board I rode in the past, places I like to surf and things I want to accomplish with the new board. Bill handled all the details and kept me in the loop with every step of the process. The blank was ordered, stringer modified, shaped and glassed in no time. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get the board right away and it sat at Bird’s Surf Shed for a while till I could pick it up.
Ride Report:
I have one session on it at Pleasure Point. I love how this board surfs. I’m no wordsmith and the best words that come to mind are smooth and slippery. It paddles great, bottom turns great and cut backs great. When I look at the details of the Windansea Special I see a board that is purpose built. Nothing funny in the board requiring an imagination to accept. The wide point is behind center, somewhat narrow nose, rails that are 60/40 going to hard out the tail.
Sappy Love story:
In truth…I live in the desert. Bend Oregon. My wife and I moved here 11 years ago from Santa Barbara to start a life together. Bend is a 3 hour drive to spotty surf. 4 hour drive to great surf. A full day drive from Bird’s Surf Shed. Simple math proves that shipping a board to Oregon is cheaper than driving to pick one up. But, I wanted to meet up with Bill and see friends along the way. The trip started out as a typical road trip, then my son wanted to go and the day before leaving my daughter caught wind of the trip. All loaded up with a balsa blank on the roof ready for delivery to another member here on the forum, we left town at 4:30am on Day 1. We blasted from Bend to Long Beach making pit stops along the way at a couple really crappy skate parks to stretch the legs. Met up with Trevor near LA to deliver the blank, dinner in Santa Monica, ice cream in West LA and slept at my buddies house in Long Beach.
Day 2: We woke and rallied down south stopping at the skate park in Oceanside before heading to Bird’s. Skating in California is different than in Oregon. We have great parks but all the younger kids ride scooters. What skate scene we have locally for kids looks more like soccer practice than skating. Kids in California skate…and are amazing at it. Girls who skate are amazing too. The girls skate hard, fast, boost airs and easily hold their own with the boys.
Anyways, we cut it short to get to Bird’s on time for a noon meet up. My time with Bill at the Shed was great. We were there for about an hour. It was quiet in the shop so we had some time to talk. I could have been there for hours but the kids were promised ocean time and I could see in their eyes they were not as impressed as I was with the whole scene.
On the way to Bird’s my daughter was running her mouth about how she wanted to surf and that she wanted to surf big waves. I kept thinking that it was going to end poorly since she has never liked being in the ocean on previous trips. And up until this trip I was under the impression that my son was hydrophobic. Baths are a battle. Then a surprise. A miracle? Hope for the future? Both kids loved the ocean, loved surfing and were actually was able to stand up on the board and ride the foam. Who would have thought? Dragging them out of the we left to Oceanside for more skating and dinner with my Brother In-law.
Day 3: We woke up in Long Beach and on the road to Santa Barbara to see my great friend and his wife. He met us at the skate park in SB and we hung out for a bit. I told the kids this is where I learned to skate hoping it would interest them. Nope…that didn’t work and they were bothering seals before no time. We mainly skate transitional and this isn’t the park for that. Earlier in the trip I had told the kids we would go on a secret adventure in Santa Barbara. My daughter’s middle name is Serena…being named after the surf spot in Santa Barbara. She has never been there and now was the time to go.
So, down the Eucalyptus covered road to the secret tunnel weaving our way through the dark by flashlight we popped out at the beach. It didn’t take long for Ayla to realize where we were and had a big smile. That made me smile. Our time here was short…I wanted them to surf at Leadbetter. We rented gear from the Beach House and had a quick session at the sandy beach part of Leadbetter. Both kids wanted to do everything on their own. By the end of our short session they had caught a few foam reforms and stood up without a push. After this we loaded back up into the truck and rallied to Santa Cruz stopping along the way to meet up with an old friend.
Day 4: Here we met up with another buddy who was renting a house on 38th St. walking distance from Pleasure Point. He has kids and everyone gets along until someone burps into someone else’s face. Whatever…It was finally time to test the new board out.
My buddy Brian and I surfed a falling high tide at Pleasure Point with waves overhead on the sets. I caught a few waves and was really stoked on the board. But little dinky waves weren’t going to cut it for me this day. I was determined to find out what the board could do. After sitting far outside waiting for the mother-ship to arrive I was able to catch a set wave. It was well overhead in size and I was able to get several top and bottom turns. But as usual…no good set wave goes unpunished. After I kicked out I turned saw that I was inside the rest of the set and took a beating. That wiped me out and I spent the rest of the session proving that my one set wave was a complete anomaly.
After this we hung out for a while, skated one of the rad skate parks in Santa Cruz and bailed. Back to Bend by 3am and back to work at 8am. Best roadtrip ever.
Legit!
What did you end up running as a fin?
A 9inch something that looks like a GG 4a. Fat foil. I didn’t have time to make the intended fin before the trip and after surfing it with the wrong fin I am making it a priority to get this board the correct fin.
What do you plan to use in it?
I’ve always ran mine with a that rev. D fin. - love it.
I was going to type in a smart allecky response like, ‘Is that Bill on the right’ after the first photo, but read the rest of the story. Cute kids, Dave. Nice work. Oh, I know the board is perfect. Mike
Aloha Rooster,
I thought you’d find it interesting that your 7’ 9’’ board design, has roots in lessons learned from development of the WindanSea Special. Your 7’ 9’’ board’s design was created in 1969/70, with attention paid to rocker, foil, fin, and rail refinements. Like the WindanSea Special, the design was personal to me, and the kind of waves and surfing I was interested in. Both of those board designs surprise people with the range of waves that can be ridden with both comfort and panache. Both of those designs will enable you to be the surfer you always wanted to be. It worked for me.
Nice work on both. Classic Beauties. Black is so hard to sand and polish. Those your fins or Dave Townes??