Well, thats that...

Goodbye 2012. bring on 2013!

We will have a new house. Be back in the hood and there might even be some shaping going on!
My wonderful girl, two awesome boys and a our dog will be moving onto bigger and better things in 2013.

Its been a great ride so far...

Then again...

Well, we bought a house.
Stitched ourselves for umm, well..forever.
But there is a shed on a block of concrete in the backyard behind the pool...
I'm thinking a nice new clad workshop with a roller door. Ooh yeah..

We may get this cab off the rank again yet...

Dark times ahead...

Well...It looks increasingly like our next home will not have provision for a shaping bay.

Sad face.

I don't know when, if ever, I will be able to maul surfboard blanks in the comfort of my own home again.
That is a sad prospect.
So, if there is anyone out there reading this who may have, or know of someone who does have some shaping space available (in Sydney) to use every so often, that would be more than awesome.

My team...

What can I say?
My boys...

Actually I could say, cut that boys hair. That applies to both of us!!

Team Jelly...

Our latest team addition was born on Friday the 30th November at 1:58 am, weighing 3.3 kgs and 51 cm long.
Ari John Jacobs will partner current team rider (and brother) Zeke in the soon to be established* Team Jelly.

* Give us a few years. I'm hoping surfing but I have a feeling its gonna be something to do with two wheels!.

sparce...

Haven't been surfing much...

Well, in all honesty, there hasn't been many waves to surf!
Even spoke about dragging out the longboard this morning!
haven't done that in a while...

I would touch on other subjects if I felt people might read and respond but alas, this seems like just a hobbyists blog that may fade away with the hobby.

With all this miniscule surf, I am feeling like dragging out the old fish...

Well, that's it...

Last board is done and now the bay will be (sob) pulled down...
Don't know how long until its up and running again if ever.
Might have to write about other stuff!!!

Take two...

Been having some fun with this as well...
Feels good as a twin / trailer...Goes better in some pushier waves...
Lent it to a mate. he liked it as well.
When I get back to shaping I will explore the asymmetrical thing some more...

Finished!...

Zeke's co production / JellyBean plus / mini mini mallish board.
5'7" x 20 1/2 x 2.55...5 Fin setup...
Tried it as a quad. Feels nice. But Thruster might be the go.
Watch this space...

This one works!...

Goes great.
5'10" x 19 1/2(+)" x 2 1/2"... Not foiled as much as a regular shorty and is feeling better for it. Deepish single with double in. No vee and flattish deck.
Nice and loose and carvy...
Pleased with this one.

This one doesn't...

Sadly, this one doesn't work.
Feels sticky / tracky and just surfed flat.
5'10" x 19 1/2" x 2.45.
Down rails. VERY small radius bottom edge and HARD edge...
Deep concave.
Nup.

Oh well...

Ummm...oops...

I have been in the water a sum total of 4 times since the start of July. Yup.
Been chasing the opportunity to hit the snow whenever possible and have got in 12 days so far.
Absolutely hooked. Hardcore.
The aussie season is about to end and so is the shaping for a while too.
We are moving and I am rushing out the last five boards before we go.
Will post about each shortly but will put up some pics of what's been keeping me occupied...

Quick update...

Hmmmm...
May have gone a little low on the volume on the DT inspired blunty.
Paddles very good for a 5'6'' but...
Feels a little, I don't know, sluggish perhaps off the mark?
It was a high tide session so maybe give it another go when the waves have some shape...
Not liking the PC fins at all. Can't feel them. Will try the successful combo off the diamond tail old faithful.
Anyways...

Finally!!!

Don't get anywhere near the time I would like or need to finish the boards I am working on...
With the snow season upon us (and not a bad one at that!) Its also harder to throw several hours at the shed.
Anyway, the DT inspired board is done and ready to try but I have a crippling lurgy and just don't have the energy...

Very happy with the sand job. And a full five fin FCS install.
Note: FCS are pretty fiddly and I am not surprised that they occassionally fail. Hopefully I won't be talking about any of that!

Check out the nubster!!

Going to do a non blunt nose version with a double diamond tail of this same board too.

I have to make some boards for mates as well...
God knows when I will find time for that!

Spooky...

Love this time of year for waves and wind. Found this a little intimidating though.

Believe it or not, it was a solid 5 foot out there and there were a gaggle of blokes on em too.
You would be going by ' feel' that's for sure!

Oh and...

There's also that swallow tail version of the shorty I have shaped and was just waiting to finish shaping the blunt one before glassing them all...
I have been riding the orange blobbed shorty a lot with the Griffin G10 fins and having a blast.

Still mucking around with the colour on that stubby quad as well...
Not enough time in the day / month / year when you have a son!

So looking forward to testing out some new sleds!

Versatility...

First off, let me say this shape has been wholely and solely inspired by Daniel Thomson's MPH range of boards.

He surfs them outstandingly so ipso facto...so should I !!!!!

I have been paying close attention to his design theories and I just love the look of hios boards.
Very left of centre.
So I shaped a slightly more user friendly version. The rocker looks flattish but in reality there is more, especially at the (equivalent) 12" and 24" points from the nose. Tail is pretty standard lowish rocker out the back. Anyways, somewhere to start.
A little wider and a little longer than he would recommend for someone my height and ability (or lack thereof...)
Hows that BIG arse tail?!...

The board is 5'6" x 19 1/2 x 2.35 so should be manageable.
Fingers crossed but they are real fun and challenging to shape so don't mind trying a few things.

Want to get it glassed pronto and try it out. Pretty amped on this one!

Family affair...

Seeing as Zeke inspires me to shape more, I thought he should put his name to the boards. Take some credit.
He's a little short and ham fisted so i gave him a hand.
And a couple of feet.
Deck is done as well. He chose orange, yellow and green...

Now for some colour...

The new jellbean/sled/chicken wing whatever...
A stubby quad. Actually it will be a five fin setup...
At 5'7'', the nose shouldn't get in the way of anything.
You can see there is not a whole lot of vee out the back compared to the first jellybean. Aiming to make it more user friendly all round...

Shaped it out of one of my blue Christmas blanks. Nice to shape with some harder foam. much less stressful.

See how we go.

Buk buk buk...

I chickened out.
I blunted the nose of the new board.
Made it a round nose....sigh.
I was worried the rail line was getting too long!
blah blah blah...chicken
Zeke has picked colours but I'm stuck on that as well.

No photos yet. I am waiting for a new camera battery charger...

ZedSled 2...

Little guy inspired me to play around with the ZedSled some more.
Was gonna make another Jellybean as I mentioned before but...
Thought I'd mix the two!
See how it goes.

...sniff...

My boy's first day at childcare today.

I knew there would be tears and anguish.

Scariest thing I've felt.

2012 kick off...

I have just cut foam in 2012 for the first time.
Feels good. Doing the copy of the Jellybean.
Pics coming.....
Zeke's looking at colours. He's happy.