There are lots of storys of generosity out there. This is just one more fine example of the Aloha Spirit:
I wanted to get the board done before I told the story so here goes – I had left off a set of fins over at Joey Thomas’s shaping room for him to try and two weeks had passed so I dropped by to see how they worked. The shaping room was empty except for a newly shaped swallow tail with one of the tails broken off. I went back to Vince Broglio’s glassing room just down the way and he and Joey were mixing up a batch of resin to glue the broken piece back on. Back at the shaping room I cut the tape for Joey and he pushed the piece back on the blank and we chatted about boards and fins as the resin went off. He started to fuss with one of the rails on it looked up at me and said, Get it out-a-here. I can’t look at it any more." We discussed the fact that it wouldn’t be fair to the customer to give him a board built from a broken blank on a custom order. So I asked him if I could do the finish sanding there. He said sure and was off to get some more blanks to shape.
Well It’s done now. I’m hoping I can get him to sign the bottom of the board which looks like vanilla ice cream.
I glased it with R.R. epoxy, double four ounce bottom and a four ounce deck with a 3/4 four ounce patch and another four ounce stomp patch.
The board wieghs 10 lbs is 6’11"x22.0"x3.0". I learned lots glassing it and used white pigment in all the lam work to cover up the dents and marks in the board from where it had gotten beat around. It looks to me like it surf great.
I’m hoping to get it out as soon as this damn pinched nerve in my neck calms down. It seems happiest when I have my nose to the grindstone working fins and boards so I’m trying to catch up with what I have on the platter.
I’d just like to say that anyone looking for a first class twinzer ought to look Joey up on on the Coast Road shaping room just north of Santa Cruz. He’s tops in my book.
The board is far from perfect cosmetically but I feel I did a pretty good job of honoring the master shaper’s hands, which you have to see at work to believe.
I have more photos if anyone is interested.
Needless to say I’m anxious to see what Joey will have to say when I see him next.
Nice work Rich!, for some reason my pin lines never come as i think they should, so i see pin lining like something really, really hard to do. Yours are NICE.
The shape of the board looks so racey and playful as a twinzer, can you post any numbers?
There were a couple of dark marks on the deck that I couldn’t sand out so use those to highlight the Joey’s Gift inscription.
I drew out a rough sketch of the board on a piece of paper and traced some pin lines on it that looked as though they would suit where the inscription was. I took the sketch to the board for reference made reference points on the board where the lines would start and end to keep them in symmetry with the board itself. On the rail line I used a piece of high density foam with a stick and pencil spaced the distance I wanted the line to be from the edge of the board and ran it down the rail as a tape guide line. I drew a batten into a bow for the other pinlines and ajusted the radius to suit so the line would fall nicely. I scribed each arc lightly with a pencil so I could follow it with the tape. The surface I worked was sanded to 400 grit. I layed the pinlines down with red Posca Pen then put a gloss coat over the deck with R.R. Epoxy and Additive “F”.
The red color ran down the rails a little so I ran an yellow resin pin line below it and put an india ink line on the upper side of it along the tape before I put down the resin.
I shot a clear coat over the three color rail pin line faired it slightly and polished.
Three more shots are attached, one of the deck from the rear,
one of the bottom back lit so you can see a little of the bottom contour and on of the fin set-up which consists of 3.125 inch “Past Vertical” canards & 5.75 inch “Cik” trailers.
Coque, I’ll take the specs off the board and give you all the numbers a little later.
I talked to Joey and we’re gonna meet next weekend at his shaping room cause we both have lots of work to do this week. I printed your post out, Ben. I’ll give it to him when I see him. I’m bringing him a new set of fins so I’ll try and get a photo of what he’s surfing these days with them in it.
Great stuff Rich and Ben. I always wonder what and how Joey was doing. He built me and a friend two boards each in 82 or 83. A fish and a thruster. He was a very nice guy and one of the few approachable( for this Carpetbagger) Westside guys. But, one day he came into the gym with his knuckles skinned and bloody. Somebody on his trip down south was inpolite, I guess. The karate training came in handy. Wish I still had the fish. Mike
Nice board Rich- It looks like the ones Joey makes for Dr. Mike. I hear rumor of an 11’ he shaped for the good Doctor, I can’t wait to see it. My son has a 5’7’’ Joey singlefin that he loves (a little small for me). Greats boards, great guy.
Joey’s pretty hard to catch up with but if you want to check in with him let me know and I’ll try and help you out. When you shape a few boards it put a whole new perspective on things doesn’t it mate?
Pinhead – I don’t think Joey and Webber have any connections but I’ll ask Joey when I next see him.
Easternpacific – Thanks for the boost mate. Kind words are always appreciated. I’ll print out the photo and give it to him. I know he’ll be stoked.
Hey Stieny,
As I recall Joey said the board was for Mike so you’re probably right. Joey’s an amazing fellow and a gifted shaper to be sure. Seaya around the water sometime no doubt, I’m in a yellow Benz wagon.
