After cruising the list of topics with my morning coffee, I checked out the leash loop thread and got caught, again, checking out Paul’s webpage. Continually, I’m blown away and inspired by the level of craftsmanship and depth of experience this guy has. I’m pissed I didn’t get to see his boards, and meet him in person at the gathering in Big Sur. Jensen belongs on the long list of Craftsman/Women who frequent here. I believe that his artistic talent is unique to an industry where numbers dictate where the bread is coming from. Thanks for all of your hard work and for sharing it with such passion.
…Perfection.
ditto. Plus Paul’s board’s are a gas to ride.
has there been anyone since P.Curran who works the wood so good? Both share similar traits from differant generations. Simmons Downing Brown Velzy Yater Curran Diffinderfer Brewer Philips
Woody, you forgot Greg Noll and perhaps his son Jed. And all the ancient Hawaiian boardbuilders who worked with trees, coral and nut oil. Rob Olliges
Take a walk in Rich Harbour’s shape room right now. What he’s done(glue up and shape) with balsa and curly redwood is simply amazing!
completly blown away by your work. keep it up.
a few of my older woodworking buddy’s here in Santa Barbara still hold the mark to Pat Curran’s work. From Bruce Brown’s house to Chounard’s. Always top notch, done the right way. Paul Jensen falls right in line. Jim P. - any chance that you have been photographing your wood boards? I’d love to check more of them out!
While I greatly appreciate the artistry of Paul’s work, I think the most interesting aspect is his continuous evolution in construction techniques. It seems to me that Paul is thinking in the spirit of Blake and Simmons. Patrick
Pretty- but not historically progressive. Blake and Simmons were both pragmatic, futuristic conceptualists. Hollow wood boards were nothing more than transitional steps along the path toward improved materials and design. As was the case in their times, the true spirit of Blake and Simmons can still be found wherever surfing`s conservative mainstream is personally offended and challenged. Free thinkers wielding new paradigms seldom live long enough to see the deserved admiration and acceptance of their best efforts.
RSC: Historically, I agree that hollow boards were a transitional step. However, it was a step that was not fully played out. Perhaps it was not possible at the time. It may be the case that with some old and new materials and techniques the step can further developed. Patrick
I agree!! Guys like Blake and Simmons did the best they could with what they had to work with at that time. But if they were alive now Ill bet theyd be building with the very latest in high tech materials!! Most of surfing`s status quo would look down on as them as quirky eccentrics! They would be surrounded by a few fantically loyal believers. They would have high intelligence and tremendous raw skill as craftsmen-inventors. They might be loners, choosing to work in the privacy of their space and/or location. They might suffer from financial, emotional, physical or social disabilities. But because of that, they might be even more determined to give their inspirations life! No matter what the holy hell anyone else thinks!!! Sound familiar???
“Having climbed to the roof, the wise man leaves his ladder behind.” (Chinese proverb) “Historically, I agree that hollow boards were a transitional step. However, it was a step that was not fully played out. Perhaps it was not possible at the time. It may be the case that with some old and new materials and techniques the step can further developed. Patrick”
What should someone do when the fascination with foam fades…???.. Continue just because “that’s the way surfboards are built”…???.. Accept that close tolerance blanks are “state of the art”…???.. Or stretch the boundries, both personally and for sharing with everyone who cares about design and construction…???.. It’s all there on my website to accept or reject… What I’ve done with the hollows, hasn’t been done looking in a rearview mirror, but staying in the here and now… Is Carbon Fiber and Epoxy progessive…???.. Shaped cork / plywood rails…???.. Carbon fiber reinforced fin boxes…???.. 13# 7’ers…???.. It all depends on one’s perspective… Most of that doesn’t really matter… For me it’s about the ride… And the satisfaction of truly making my own equipment… Just drop me off at the lumberyard and I’m happy… And happier still, when I’m riding one of my boards… Paul http://www.hollowsurfboards.com 
If performance is your only concern, then the answer is probably (although not always) in the latest high tech materials. But for some of us, shaping is neither a search for the highest performance nor a way to make a living. As far as I’m concerned, I build my own surfboards because it takes me one step further in my surfing experience. The act of designing and building the board is important for me. Woodworking outdoor means pleasure to me. Working with foam is no fun and has to be done indoor (unless you don’t care about the environment). Wood is sensual, it has a soul, I enjoy caressing it … Foam doesn’t. Wood is natural, recyclable. I try to minimize waste and I never select endangered trees. My wood dust goes back straight to earth. Because I approach shaping as a life experience, a mean of expression, I also try to avoid using power tools. Once you’ve tried shaping wooden rails with a hand plane, you’ll never want to use a power planer again. Pierre 
PJ keeps a great lawn too.T
Speaking of wood, I’m thinking of building some sort of strip canoe or bateau this winter,when things slow down.Here in Eastern carolina we got a lot of juniper and cypress,I’m thinking of ripping a bunch into strips,bending it around some sort of frame and epoxying it. There’s some pretty cool websites with kits,but I want to just wing it and see what I end up with.Some guy brought one into my factory last fall that he made,along with a strip surfboard; he wanted a leash plug put into it.As a matter of fact,that guy is probably a swaylock fan: if you’re out there dude,tell us what you’re newest project is. Your hollow strip longboard was pretty cool.
Paul Jensen is a fine craftsman always willing to share his secrets. As he suggests, check his website… it’s all there. His absolutely unique and innovative designs using the latest materials are works of art. His abilities range far beyond surfboards. I have seen photos of his woodwork and it is the finest kind. It was a pleasure for me to have met him in Big Sur and see his stuff first hand. Some of you received some of the great items he donated for the raffle. Unknown to most, his generosity knows no bounds… He basically gave one of his fine hollows for a Surfrider foundation fundraiser at cost and I know of one very stoked individual who recently received another of his hollows as a gift. To knock Paul or insinuate that he is stuck in some transitional stage is pure BS from someone who plain and simple doesn’t know much of the story.
Wood is wonderful. Paul’s creations are a true celebration of this.