To all HWS builders

I like to think there’s a great potential in HWS, it’s just a matter of time: people needs to know them, test them, and fall in love with them.

HWS have some great advantages: more ding/dent resistant, cheap, kind of “green” board (80% recyclable), worldwide availability of materials…

Two friends of mine have ridden my board, and they are amazed of how well it floats, catches waves, etc.

What kind of comments do you receive from people who see you at the beach riding your woodie?

Does some people seem skeptical about its performance?

If a surfer ask you for a ride, or to swap boards, what they say after riding them for the first time?

Any advice will be welcome.

Jack

Hey Jack

Most comment on the glide as they paddle and the fact that you can feel the water through the board due to the resonance, more of a boat feel than the muffled dead sound you get from glass and foam.

They also comment on how heavy it is, especially on dry land…

Yesterday was one of the rare times I went to the beach on a weekend…I NEEDED a surf…

At first light, I’m standing in the parking lot talking with a friend and a guy pulls up in a truck next to me…He gets out, shakes my hand tells me we met once before, and now he’s making a couple of HWS…We talk for at least a half hour about “The Process”…Kinda fun bouncing the ideas around…

I’m itching to get wet, so I excuse myself,and hit the water…

Once in the water I get the stares, but that’s normal…

After a while another guy paddles up to me and tells me he too is making a couple of HWS…Between waves we talk the “How To”…I mention that just about all I know is on the web-site…He tells me “Yeah, I know the ‘Paul Jensen Bible’ chapter and verse”…Whoa, that made me look at the clouds for signs of lightning…Easy fella, they’re only surfboards…

Later, the same guy says something about the Velzy memorial paddle-out, and says that when I’m gone it’ll happen for me too…I almost choked while laughing…

Just trying to keep it real,

Paul

I get a lot of compliments for my board and people are surprised when I tell them I made it myself. I find it hard to explain how it is made, most surfers don’t seem to be interested in building boards. I have to be carefull surfing a 22lb board in a crowded line up, I usually go in when it gets too busy.

Pardon my ignorance, but what is HWS?

I’m gonna take a guess and say it’s “Hollow Wood Surfboard”?

Is that it??

Hollow Wooden Surfboard…I didn’t invent it, but it’s nice and short, I’m too lazy to write it complete.

Jack

BTW: remember I asked you for the stingray plans to build a wooden version?

Jack

Sorry. I forgot. I actually got a lot of requests over PM but went through some difficult personal things recently and just kinda shut everything down…PM me your e-mail and I’ll try to send you the one I gave to Zosurf.

Hey AF,

That’s why I started it, HWS is much easier that writing Hollow Wooden Surfboard (there I go again) time and time again.

Someone actually thought it was Hot Water System…hmmmmm

Hope things are working out for you mate.

Hey Jack

someone once asked me “where are you taking that old door?” and reminded me that it is illegal to dump trash on the beach. Not really, I made that up! My latest one is turning out better looking though.

Cheers

Jase (MMM)

nice to look at …really heavy / cumbersome to surf …

these were my first impressions , riding hicksy’s 8’er wood board , and Gray Murdoch’s ?6’? fish …

as mentioned previously , it felt dangerous in crowded surf . I was worried it might kill or severely maim someone , so I couldn’t relax . I , too, paddled in .

They would probably be fun to ride at a good empty pointbreak . (But then , so would MOST boards …)

ben

As has been profuely mentioned… Heavy. Both myself, and others have said that lots… Other han that, they range from “You should try a foam board, dude. They’re way lighter.” (been there, done that. loved it too.) to “Is that a cork board”(The rails I’m guessing) to “Sweet board” and such. Pretty much just a good conversation starter/ icebreaker. Some old guy took my number cuz he restores old cars and wants a pic with one on the beach with a wood board. I tried to explain to him that it really wasn’t a full classic shape, fin, construction style, etc. but He figured it would look good on his car. With all the time put into it, i’ll be watching that he doesn’t drive off with it on top… Cheers there Paul for you inspiration, and all the rest of you who filled in the blanks…