This board turned out awesome Jeff! Over 500 views since you posted these last set of pics yesterday morn. I was a bit speechless and didn’t want to post at first. Almost as if this thread could end perfectly with those pics. But my first thoughts were also…Wow. The fins go well with the wood, Those long grainy sheets are good…Paulownia is killer for that, and bottom contours look like they’ll work, rails, tail and nose blocks all look killer. Great work! And thanks for sharing.
Man, that is sahweet!!! Great job!
man, that is just gorgeous! an excellently crafted handmade surfboard. it’s so beautifully finished, i’m speechless. may it give you lots of joy. thanks for sharing.
Damn, Jeff, that is a keeper, brother–respect to you and everyone who helped you sculpt that and let us see it
Surfers should look at your board and see it as a sign
The revolution is in your own backyard, surfer
I read today where internet retail sales are slowing–people are tiring of being online and buying things through the box
And maybe China will have to find some new transistor to manufacture instead of surfboards manufactured by non-surfers
Beautiful surfboard, Jeff–hope it lasts forever
greg
PS: Happy Fathers’ Day, to you, and me, and all the other Swaypops
Fantastic job !!!
It took you so many steps, each one equal to a shortboard’s shape…
I could never start and finish such a job.
Congratulations.
Wow, that came out amazing! Great stuff bro!
Thanks everyone.
Someone asked if I would go back and put all the photos “in line” . I’ll try to do that.
Just a quick first ride report. I took it out on Sunday in some shoulder high, kind of sloppy but occasionally grindy beach break. It kind of confirmed everything I read about bonzers.
It kind of hangs up a little on take off. I’d get stuck up in the lip. I think it will be easy to compensate for, just remember to take a couple extra hard stokes. The nice thing is even when I got pitched I almost always made the take off and would make it to the shoulder. I think it’s that big center fin grabbing.
Another thing about the big center, it hugs in the pocket. On a few waves where the tube crumbled and normally I think I’d have got washed out, it just held a line in the foam ball and put me out on the shoulder when I wouldn’t have expected to make it.
Finally I was expecting it to be a little stiff (me coming from thrusters). but it wasn’t at all. When I got the few waves that gave me some room to run it carved like butter. That was the best feeling of all, the one I was really hoping for.
On the negative side, when the wave fizzled a little the board fizzled with it, but I attribute that to it being chippy as much as to the fin system. When sitting I sink the board to a point between my nipples and belly button. I was hoping more for a belly button floater.
Also, a couple of times, when somehow my weight was too far off center, the board would hydroplane, really lose all contact with the water, but I think that was operator error.
All in all I’m really stoked. Really. I’m a bonzer believer now. And thanks again for all the compliments.
Goosebumps. Thanks!
Jeff
That is one truly beautiful board, well done- don’t wait a whole year before the next one!!!
in the word of Borat:
“WOWA WEE WAH!! I very impres!!”
rif.
Just a stunningly beautiful board Jeff. As you can see on these recent boards ( though the one on left hadn’t been glassed yet)way more visible grain than the Paulownia I’ve used - just beautiful. I probably missed it but what thickness wood did you use and how did the weight come out?
Funny but I snapped the last bonzer I owned around 1974 at Ave. A in Redondo. Been thinking of trying to make one and now I might have to go at it though you’ve set the bar pretty high.
It works! I finished this board at the beginning of summer and I finally got it out in some decent waves. I got the bonzer feel- exactly what I was looking for- that smooth, fast carving feel. Waves were head to slightly overhead, some lined up, some had a big shoulder. In my neck of the woods we live for west wind swells. Love it.
A couple of problems though, one which actually wasn’t a problem until the crowd filled in. I dawn patrolled as usual, first one out, and had no problems. Later I started missing a lot of waves. That’s because the board doesn’t float me very well. I sink it to just under my nipples. Once the crowd filled in I was trying to sit out with the others but couldn’t catch waves. If I sat inside where I ws sitting earlier I’d have to settle for scraps, or hope some unlucky chap missed a wave.
Simple fix I guess- next board a little thicker.
I also noticed it being a litttle sketchy coming off the top. Like I was going to dig a rail. I think it’s the knifey rails. So thicker and a little boxier rails, maybe more 50/50 up near the nose.
So my question for the experts is - can I go thicker, AND maybe a tad shorter (but no wider) and improve wave catching ability?
The board’s 2-1/4" thick. Can I go to 2-1/2" on the next one? Will that add enough volume? I’m thinking of reducing length from 6’-5" to 6’-3".
I was out of the country when you posted. What a treat to go back and read the whole thing. Absolutely beautiful. Do it again.
all the best to ya
Quote:
I sanded the fins. Man my hands are itchy!
I don’t know if the guys at Moonlight Glassing have special tools or techniques, but like I said before, the bonzer is labor intensive compared to a standard thruster. Then again compsand construction is way, way more labor intensive than regular surf board building. I don’t think you’ll see compsand bonzers lining the walls of your local surf shop anytime soon.
No tricks! The sander at moonbase will be cussin up a storm if he walks into his sanding room and he has a dozen glasson bonzers. Wait till he cuts himself the first time of the day on a fin!
Beautiful board. Really good work. Makes me want to build one.
Really nice job!
Malcom shaped some 5 fins in the UK this year. When the sander finished the first one - Mine - he resigned
http://www.flickr.com/photos/80772685@N00/544635441/in/photostream/
I don’t know how thin of a paulownia skin (veneer) one can get but of all the trees out there this one tops my list for having the nicest character. I’d love to have some real thin veneer to lay some fins up with. They’d be a real show stopper, which is what your bonzer is. The grain matching work is a dream. Cosmetically the board is an 11.
Maybe one pound Marko foam and real thin skin could produce a fairly light board. I’m no sure.
No Worries, Rich