...75% complete but too much fins and not enough rail (and a gurgle in the face)...
...you know, like surfing skills, blogging skills, computer hacking skills and surfboard buffing skills. Chicks dig guys who can buff-out a board, which is why JP St. Pierre of Moonlight Glassing is not on the market. Those bonzers are on the market though. Inquire about one today.
...the first dead give away is the respirator sitting on the surfboard...
...and the second is the fact that the workers have chosen to go take a break and go surfing because the waves are good. Oh, and there aren't FCS plugs in any of the boards either.
...his name would be Alex Knost. Nobody glamorizes fruitiness like Clay and Alex, and I only hope for a musical collaboration one day with Clay and Alex's band The Japanese Motors...
Just one of many "surfboards for the stars" you'll see at the Moonlight Glassing headquarters, aka the Moonbase.
...this week I'll be posting some photos from my field trip to Moonlight Glassing. They've been making boards since 1979, and they do some incredible work. Check out more at Surfy Surfy where the motto is "You can't kill art."
...except for the Bro Boys video, all of these will make you want to search, surf, overcome addiction and then lay down a mean cutty. Swell is on the way, get some new tricks in your head.
...my loyal coffee drinking companion Lefty turned 9 today.
...here's his Christmas bender, and who can forget his love of acorns. Stay cool big fella, I'll have you out of this place in no time. It's a good thing you like long car rides.
...for the 2nd time ever, I got punched by (and dragged across) Folly Reef. For my sacrificial skin left on the reef, I received two of the best backside barrels I've gotten in a long time. For your own safety, stay away from the jetties...and my left armpit, because it won't be getting deodorant for awhile and this week is gonna be a scorcher.
...surfer's healing was a great success. The looks on these kid's faces says it all.
...must be bacon, because he's sizzi-lean. After winning Tony Silvagni IBX Pro last weekend, he came back to reclaim his crown as South Carolina State Champ at the Governor's Cup this past weekend. Scoring the only 9 point ride of the event, Anthony Osment won the Men's Open, beating out Cam Richards and Chris Costa in a close final, and Master's Shortboard divisions. I was one of AO's victims in the Master's division, but was able to beat last years state champ in the knee-to-thigh high conditions. More results coming. More bacon
...stunning GT Fish by Will Allison. Asian-themed, but built by hand in the USA. Shape by Will Allison, hand-cut and layed abalone sun inlay and rays by Will Allison and airbrushing and glassing by Dave Endress in Wilmington, NC.
...this coming Tueday, August 12th Surfer's Healing will be in Folly Beach to give autistic children an experience of a lifetime. The response has been overwhelming with camps filling up way in advance. While they travel with trained instructors and surfer's, volunteers are still need to assist with surf equipment on the beach. They also currently need donations in the form of canopies, coolers, bottled water and other goods. 
...the good old Cardiff Kook statue got another fancy outfit from the locals. Cardiff Reef has become the mecca for SUP's and it has created a clusterf*ck in the lineup. Stay in the lagoon with the rest of the turds...
...preparing for the big contest this weekend has caused me to endure numerous injuries: severe jellyfish stings, boardshort chaffed schwanz (sorry, no picture Jimmy Slade) and some skin off my elbows and knees. We've had perfect contest waves all week (knee to thigh high with side-shore winds) so there's no excuse for a poor showing, as long as you put the time in.
...if you need a break from the South Carolina State Surfing Championship this weekend, stop by and check out 2008 Human Rights Olympics being put on by the Charleston chapter of Amnesty International.
Check out China Labor Watch. Times are financially tough for many of us, but if you think shopping at the dollar stores (where everything is made in China) will help your dollar go farther, think about the long-term results.
How to buy American
...craigslist is crawling with plastic fantastics...
Sick stick
Sicker Stick
Tough & Light, right between the trampoline and the camper trailer...
Standupkayaks
...perfect for the ADHD in you. Sharky is quite the bugger. 40 videos should take up the rest of your work day.
...another reason why pop-outs are inferior. A several months after the release of the ...Lost Rocket, it has gone under some design changes to improve the performance of the board: effective immediately. A little extra length added to the tail end of the stringer (to act as a drive point) will help this back foot driven board go even faster.
...he surfs better switch stance than most (all) of us surf regular stance. The Rip Curl Search contest has started with round 1 being run yesterday. We are 12 hours behind them in Indo, so round 2 should start between 8pm-10pm our time tonight with 6-8 foot Padang perfection over here.
Meanwhile, back on Folly Beach...
...everything that is wrong with this place has reared its ugly head on Swellinfo.com
...Reese continuing to show proper torquing, grabbing the invisible rope and using his core to pull his cutback back into the pocket, and throw buckets at unsuspecting spinner sharks at the inlet.
*Photo courtesy of Tupat Licor, straight up grueler and dueler of the New Byrna Konnection
...Reese Lewis from New Smyrna Beach still putting out the fires with his snap-back. Do you see how he's not laying on his back at the end of the wave and pulling his board by the leash? Yes kids, all that and more without a stringer in his board.
*Sequence shots courtesy of Tupat Licor, the ultimate grueler...and bodysurfer.
...in a desperate attempt to sell recycled paper pulp, the latest Surfer advertisement has a 3-D feature hidden between the Oakley cop sunglasses and Super Surfboard ads. Its worth checking out if you're spending any time on Airforce 2 this weekend...
...Drew's magical painting titled "Folly Beach Sunrise" came to life during his 3 hour demo last Sunday. Notice how the board is just levitating? One of the guys in this picture talked about surfing Teauphoo on a twin fin, and another talked about surfing the Washout on a twin fin. Just goes to show that twin fins work in the heaviest breaks in the world...
...maybe 25 years ago. Now your "Oceanside" surfboard is not made in Oceanside, California, but instead in Oceanside, China. And its not a custom surfboard if you can't custom order one. Support your shaper who does it for love, not money.
...why stand up when you can sit down? Plus you can use a double-ended paddle, just like that other double-ended toy of yours...
...Bro Drewphy, I mean Drew Brophy will be at the shop tomorrow, Sunday July 20th for a paint pen demonstration from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. Bring your 18 foot board and maybe he'll paint it for you.
...oh the "dragonslayer" is at it again. Check out the full article at USA Today , where I go for the truth in reporting...
Such quotable piece:
...Drew Brophy and Todd Sutz put together some boards for the shop featuring Drew's artwork and Todd's shapes. Drew will be in the shop this Sunday, July 20th for a little paint pen demonstration from 1PM-4PM. For more info, check it.
...Jimmy Slade is that you? Solid dismount as always, he pretends like he's riding his seat-less bicycle off the wave.
...Perng demonstrates proper paddling and take-off technique at the beginning of the video...
...and dude shows how not to paddle for a wave at the end. Any questions?
...if you got up real early to check it, and turned around and went home, well... you blew it. Solid swell in the water didn't show much before 6AM but its head-high on the sets now. Get it.
...week. Grumpy Local stopped to get a pre-surf amp video and wish everyone a happy swell this weekend. He'll be waiting at the pier for you...
...everywhere there's fines. F*in up the scenery, breakin' my mind. Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?
...these baggies, that came in plastic baggies, come with plastic baggies to pick up other plastic baggies with. And its called the "pollution solution"? All I need are the baggies, or boardshorts mind you. I didn't need the stupid plastic wax scraper either. Just baggies, that's the pollution solution.
...yesterday they had this sucker coming right across toward Puerto Rico, and now its taking a hard right toward Bermuda. Not so promising for swell as of now but stay tuned for further details.
On behalf of the Massey family I'd like to say thank you to everyone who came out for the paddle out last night in honor of Craig. I was half surprised to see so many people in attendance, and I say half because he was just that likable of a kid. With a keg in the sand and all friends and family in attendance, the huge paddle out turned into a giant expression session. It pretty much went down just the way Craig would have wanted it to. Peace on Craig. You will be missed.
...I didn't have anything else to do today so I put these wetsuits in wetsuit jail. They'll be lucky if they get out by late November. Well, time for a donut.
