Sunday, 4 August 2013

The Wooden Board Day - Currumbin Alley 2013

Tom Wegener Toothpick

The Wooden Board Day at Currumbin Alley this year (2013) was a stand out. Over 100 wooden boards of all shapes and sizes were dusted off and put on display by their proud creators and owners. It was an absolute pearler of a day with 2' - 3' of swell, light offshore, sunny, temps in the mid 20's and about a million people out in the lineup at the Alley.

This was my second Wooden Board Day and I had my 7'6" Big Guy Nugget "Fat Rick" on show. I have to say there was big time board envy on my part. The quality of craftsmanship put into all the boards on show was sublime. Wooden Board Nirvana! 

It was great to see some of the legends of shaping and surfing present like Tom Wegener, Dick Van Straalen, Richard Harvey and 84 year old Barry Regan. A good commercial representation also from Firewire, Dovetail Surfboards, Surfing Green, DVS and a raft of other board builders. A big thanks to Grant Newby for organising the day. Awesome job!

Firewire Timber Tek
 A couple of Timber Tek models from Firewire. These boards were attracting a lot of attention. Who said wooden boards aren't performance boards?

Alley Slider Grant Newby
Grant Newby's 10' Alley Slider finished with lanolin. I took this baby out for a couple of waves. Very nice.

Tom Wegener Toothpick
Some Bill Wallace toothpicks from Cameron Byron. Tom Wegener chewing the fat with some wooden board enthusiasts. These boards are amazing to watch in the surf. They get onto waves even before the SUP's do. An interesting fact about the stainless steel handles on these boards. Not for dragging the board on the beach. They are for pushing (punching) the board nose out through big surf.

wooden board day
A very nice quiver from Craig of Nimbin. Some Nuggets, a fish and an egg. Sounds like breakfast. The wood inlays on these boards are stunning. BTW two of these boards are for sale.

dick van straalen
A DVS creation.

barry regan
84 year old Barry Regan from Ballina has been shaping for 50 years.

mike grobelny
A CNC creation from Mike Grobelny of NZ. Bamboo deck skin over a paulownia body.

dovetail surfboards
A nice selection of boards from Geoff and Jack Moase at Dovetail Surfboards.

mini simmons
Grant Newby going over the finer design details of his latest Mini Simmons creation.

firewire timber tek
Firewire Timber Tek creations. Lots of interest in these babies.

mike grobelny
More CNC magic from Mike Grobelny of NZ. This board definitely drew a lot of attention.

mini simmons
I swear Grant Newby has a Mini Simmons breading program going on.

wooden board day 2013
Longboards, longboards and more longboards!

toothpick surfboard
This is a 16' toothpick built by Tom Wegener of Noosa this year. A modern spin on an old design.

tom wegener
The board leaning on the tree branch is one of Tom Wegener's 18' longboard creations. The fin on this board is huge.

wooden board day 2013
A 9' pintail from the Purveyer of Salty Sleds.

wooden board day 2013
The "Godfather" Richard Harvey (in white hat) talking about his balsa wooden board kits. These boards are unbelievably light in weight. You can pick this board up with two fingers.

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