Tom Eadon. He was Rise Surfboards in the 70’s and is now Cosmic Bull.
He has a shop in Long Branch.
I think Vito in Ortley Beach still shapes also.
The number of garage builders (like me) is growing steadily thanks in large part to Greenlight. But even the “big” guys (Heritage, Wynn, etc.) are probably doing less than 1,000 boards a year. The boardbuilding community is still pretty tiny here compared to CA and even FL.
For the record. Tom Eadon shapes the Cosmic Bull boards as well as the Island Style boards for Derf at Island Style. Bill LaFleur owns Cosmic Bull. Tom is one of the most talented shapers I have had the chance to work with wether its long or short boards. We have even worked on a few surf skis. He also is one of the nicest guys you`ll ever meet. Alot of us owe alot to Tom for more than just our boards.
For the record. Tom Eadon shapes the Cosmic Bull boards as well as the Island Style boards for Derf at Island Style. Bill LaFleur owns Cosmic Bull. Tom is one of the most talented shapers I have had the chance to work with wether its long or short boards. We have even worked on a few surf skis. He also is one of the nicest guys you`ll ever meet. Alot of us owe alot to Tom for more than just our boards.
I also shape in NJ, but I’ve only been doing it for a year and only for myself and friends. I’m on board number six and loving every minute of it. Since I started I’ve run into so many guys around here who are shaping out of their garages,sheds,workshops, etc., and it’s really exciting to meet these people and exchange thoughts and ideas with them, and to share solidarity in something other than just surfing. In a state like NJ where a lot of NJ-residents and most out-of-staters are surprised to find there are real waves, it also helps to breed a sense of community when you start meeting other garage shapers.
And speaking of NJ, how about that forecast for the coming week? Now that’s something to be excited about.
Chris
Hey Chris,
I've been shaping in Jersey for about a year also. I'm currently on no. 5. I'm in Southampton so I head to LBI to surf. Usually Shipbottom.
I'm starting a new job in Manasquan so I got in touch with Tom Mahady this past weekend and visited Mahady surfboards which is close by. It was great to talk surfing with Tom and check out his shop. He has two really nice shaping bays. He was working on some really sweet mini simmonsish quad dealies that looked like a ton of fun to ride. It is nice to meet other swaysguys who are dedicated to enjoying this craft and making great boards.
Todd
Thanks Drew,
Yes it's a 9 foot Jersey Gun, I had it out once so far and it hauls ass. As for Loch Arbor I mainly surf Avon L Jetty it's been my favorite for years and if that's not working I go to Spring Lake. I've been checking out Asbury lately to but the parking sucks. I grew up surfing Manasquan in the 70's and no I never inhaled "Ha". I'm suprised I remember the 70's.
Tom
I hate you all right about now. I am stuck in Wrightsville Beach NC with a crew team to run and classes and on monday when we are getting swell, I have practice from 6-7 and class from 8-4. Not that it will matter the winds aren’t going to cooperate. I can’t wait for next year when I get to spend my first fall surfing NJ in 4 years. (thoughts of draining barrels off my favorite jetty are filling my head, oh god the glory!!!)
Howzit drew, Now I have to turn my memory on and try to remember who it could be but right off I can't seem to know who it was. The thing about Hanalei is surfers have their own times of the day when they surf. Ours was always from 1PM to around 4PM even though that is the time of day when the UV is highestit is also the least crowded time of the day usually. Another factor is there are so many more guys surfing the Bay these days that it's hard to keep track on them.Aloha,Kokua
Solid well overhead surf last night. A little smaller and offshore this morning. Now off to work.
Garage shaping is catching on slowly here. It’s nice to see, but relative to the number of shapers in other “surfing states,” it’s a tiny minority. Not exactly a hotbed of surfboard production. Still, there are a few very talented shapers in the state, building excellent boards for local surf.
As for the surf, New Jersey continues to be slightly under the radar, primarily due to consistency. Short period windswells usually don’t last more than a day or two… sometimes only a tide or two… and never get very big. Flat spells are frequent and can last weeks in the summer. But sometimes we get into a more favorable pattern, and swell events occur regularly. This is when everybody gets a chance to shake the rust off, and the place turns on, and the good guys start ripping.
Yes… we get big surf from winter storms (Nor’easters) and hurricanes. Yes… we get days of absolute perfection. But they’re usually hit-and-run situations that you have to be on it or you miss it. And THAT’s what makes New Jersey hard core. You have to keep a constant watch on the shifting sandbars… the wind patterns… the tides… the swell direction and period… everything has to come together, and it does, but you have to be able to figure out exactly where to go and when, to get the goods… and you have to have the dedication to make it happen for yourself. The cold in winter, the crowds in summer, the lack of true “point breaks” to create long, workable waves… all conspire against us here. But still we thrive… like cockroaches… feeding on whatever scraps and crumbs we can find, and exploiting every possible resource (sometimes in a not-so-nice way) in order to survive as a species.
And don’t get the wrong impression… we’re not all “Jersey Shore” and “Real Housewives.” Most if not all of the coasline is calm and quite 10 months out of the year. Farmland and pine forests dominate much of the southern half of the state, and the urban jungle of the northeastern part of the state seems like must be on another planet from there. Born and raised here, but lived and traveled to may places around the country and around the world, I still wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. You can be anywhere from Nova Scotia to Puerto Rico within a few hours, and anywhere in between by car if you want to keep it simple, pack it up, and hit the road.
NJ
You hit the nail on the head describing us and the Jersey surf culture. You ready for next week ?
Tom
In typical NJ fashion it went from well overhead last evening to shoulder to head high at dawn to barely waist high today at lunch time.
More good swell on the way though.
From Accuweather.com
Tropical Systems Multiplying in the Atlantic
Aug 25, 2010; 9:30 AM ET
More favorable conditions may have three to five tropical systems in action at the same time in the Atlantic Basin over the next 10 days.
Agree with Tom… NJsurfer’s vivid description is spot on! In fact never heard it put so eloquently.
I think it’s funny when people assume that Jersey is nothing more than the strip of “scenic” landscape surrounding Newark airport or even worse, our culture is dominated by shows like Jersey Shore and Housewives. I just laugh and think to myself, good, stay the fuck out becaue Jersey is actually a damn fine place to live."
Seaside Heights, where they shot that wretched piece of garbage show, is actually a surfing epicenter with a thriving scene and one of the states best and most consistent breaks. Not to mention probably the coolest surf contest known to man, the “Jersey Grudge Match”. I think competitive surfing is rpetty much a joke, but this event sums up waht Jersey is all about… Copied this bit of test from Surfline becasue I could not ahve said it any better…
This contest doesn't offer loads of money or rating points, and in the history of the event there have been a total of four single women on the beach. It's about something much more important in New Jersey. Pride is too abstract a word. It's about being able to talk shit. To win the Grudge, you just have to beat all of your friends. No one gets seeded. You blow it -- you go home (or start pounding Millers and get belligerent.)
am I sensing a Jersey Sway's gathering?
Actually The coolest Surf Contest in the World was the Stone Steps Just ask anyone who has ever surfer in a Stone steps contest.
I'm glad to see so many Jersey surfers and board Builders speaking up. I have great memories of Surfing on Long Beach Island, Ocean City , Atlantic City and other south Jersey spots. I am hoping to get up to jersey this fall. it would be fun to surf some of those places again. i sometimes get very nostalgic for those days that I lived in Beach Haven. I miss my old surfing buddies. Ken Scoot, Russ and Ken Holmes, Rich Garson, Bill Heal, Ken Gallant, I think I miss spelled galant sorry Ken. Sander Toth. There are other Like Chuck Barefoot, Ray Defrian and his Brother, Jessie Frack. May Jack Myers find great waves on the other side of the curtin same with Mark Hopkins,
If anyone knows any of these guys tell them Doug from Freedom Surf Shop says Aloha
[quote="$1"]
Actually The coolest Surf Contest in the World was the Stone Steps Just ask anyone who has ever surfer in a Stone steps contest.
[/quote]
OK, some explaining is in order. The original contest, The 33rd Annual Stone Steps Contest, was a spoof of the growing ''contest'' mania. Hansen employees, and Surfboards Hawaii employees making up the core of the ''contestants.'' Were you there for any of the first few of them? The best part was the creative trophies.
Can I get honorary NJ shaper status even though I live 2.5 miles into Pennsylvania? I grew up in NJ, maybe that counts for something?
See everyone at dawn on Sunday morning before the tide gets too high :) I'll probably go to Sea Girt around NY Ave where the old drainpipe used to create a nice peaky wave. Might be on a kneeboard or the board below...
Greenlight is in PA [Philly]. How many other PA garage shapers out there?
You can take the garage out of Jersey, but you can't take the Jersey out of the board.
lets see some jersey made boards!!! i know makos got a few nice ones!
6'6"
[IMG]http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c396/cheyenL/665fin003.jpg[/IMG]
old RICk vee bottom retore
[IMG]http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c396/cheyenL/0403001507.jpg[/IMG]
6'2"
[IMG]http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c396/cheyenL/005.jpg[/IMG]
ill post more when i find the photos...