Congrats to Josh and his pit team at Laguna Bay Longboards in Noosa
especially the sculptor of Josh’s craft… Mike StJohn… your a legend.
aussie rules, now if we can just find a way of beating those pesky seppos, Slater, Knox and Irons!!!
pig pen
who???
Ozzie! Ozzie! Ozzie!
JC rox!
WHO CARES! WHO CARES! WHO CARES!
Don’t get riled up…I just could care less about contests… and it has nothing to do with a “Surfboard Design Forum”.
Pete
exactly…
Who?
that would be… Kelly Slater…Taylor Knox and Andy Irons,
of course the other fellow, Josh Constable is 3 times (i think… maybe 4) Australian Longboard champ and finalist in the 2004 US open behind, Brendan White 1st, Colin Mac Phillips 2nd and Josh Baxter 3rd.
WHO CARES! WHO CARES! WHO CARES!
Don’t get riled up…I just could care less about contests… and it has nothing to do with a “Surfboard Design Forum”.
pete.
You are so right Pete, so to keep it relevant to design I thought you may be interested in a conversation I had with Brendan and Josh C a few weeks ago at Huntington during the Longboard Mag comp. I have shaped a lot of boards for both these guys and their boards could not be more different.
The craft Mike shaped Josh for the “World Title” win has about 6 1/2" of nose rocker and about 3 1/2" tail rocker, 17 nose 13 1/2" plan (im not giving away how Mike got from nose to tail regards rocker) Brendan’s board is typically 5 1/4 nose and 4 1/8 tail rocker 19" nose 13 1/4"tail. This is not that extraordinary but what I find fascinating is the geographic influence in the development of these two surfers’ designs.
Brendan is the sultan of San O, a soft breaking wave in southern California a click south from Trestles for those who aren’t familiar with the spot, he utilizes lower nose entry with accelerated tail rocker typical to modern longboard designed in the US (and copied everywhere else)
While Josh hails from Noosa Heads in Queensland famous for the long reeling points when they work, which is not that often. The secret beach breaks on that 20k stretch of beach south is where Mike StJohn has tuned Josh’s rockered up nose and lower exit. The waves are punchy and hollow. Josh is 6’4" solid with a typical aggressive aussie approach to his surfing. His a big strong guy and turns off the front foot loading the low tail curve and putting the extra mid curve on rail, while Brendan a smaller guy turns his board on a dime off his back foot is nimble and can get to the nose in a flash.
2 top surfers, 2 different styles, 2 different shapers and 2 geographic locations that have influenced they way they surf.
Who cares? I just could care less about contests…
Modern Longboard design is a long way behind developments in short board design. The competition scene is a poor cousin to short boarding. However there are passionate shapers who are constantly improving on design and use guys like Josh and Brendan to validate there shapes before putting them into production. Just like in the short board world the labels in the competitive arena use these guys to market their products,
So who’s the real beneficiary of this investment in completive design?
More and better designs to choose from, a healthy surfboard business, the buffed pro…and the average Joe… maybe you Peter.
Geez Nik, you shaped some boards for BW? I’m surprised. I’ve done a couple for him but I don’t think he knew it, well I’m sure he figered it. The last time I remember seeing the guy he didn’t even say hello.
Good comments BTW.
Matt, I understand but, like Homer Simpson says… it’s a lousy system but whataya gonna do? Hope you got by VSS to see the hull.
Geez Nik, you shaped some boards for BW? I’m surprised.
peel back the lable and see whos work is there!!..like Homer Simpson says… it’s a lousy system but whataya gonna do?
Sounds like you don’t have such a good surfer / shaper relationship going on there Dennis!
Did you shape that board Brendan rode in the Longboard mag comp a few weeks back, or Steve? He looked really smooth did an amazing roundhouse sooo slick.
Except for my son he is the fussiest guy to shape for… but he can tell if the bloody rocker is 1/8" out somewhere in the curve
Surprised? I first met Brendan in West Oz when I lived there, he and Yades became good friends and I shaped his dad Bob a board. Brendan was suss on a short board shaper doing longboards… crikey mate I didn’t have a clue what I was doing anyway. Funny thing was Bob hated the board and Brendan loved it. The classic magic model Bob was used too had like a 3 stage rocker ive ridden a few and my wife has one… they seem a bit slow round sections, lack drive, great off the top and in hollow waves…perfect learners board with that extra flip in da tip…ive been surfing Rebecca’s a lot lately and love it… the one I did for bob was designed off a gun bottom I shaped for Mitch Thorson… long entry curve and accelerated exit, fine rails with an edge under the tuck more typical Hawaiian style.
I dialed that board into the computer and he can get them cut anywhere…who would have thought Dennis 30 years ago when we started shaping, that we could sit in front of a tv with a funny thing called a mouse… and stuff a 9’0 longboard down a telephone line to the other side of the world in seconds!!!..no more dust… no more pig pen.
Steve got me to do a few for Josh when I was making them in OZ to export back to the US (good gig when the exchange rate worked for us both) I don’t shape them anymore GSI do them now as you know! but I got to meet Mike St John at Noosa and did some work for him before the body gave up.
That’s how the loop ties up…amazing this tribe we all belong to…transends race, religion and borders.
Anyway as Peter pointed out design is what this forum is about and in keeping with that it would be cool to here from some of the crew about designs that are specific to different locations or different surfer styles, I remember talking to you once when you were working for Brewer about some Hawaiian pros that had peculiar fin placements …what was that about?
BTW I haven’t surfed that single you shaped me yet… da body’s still a little sketchy… but soon…it’s really a sweet little board …Rebecca keeps wiping the drool off it.
no more Pig Pen,
CR2006
