handplanes

Get your handplanes here! You can get these through me or at http://www.korduroy.tv.com/ . We can custom make you one if you want to try something different. See Cyrus Sutten in his new film "Stoked and Broke" getting great bodysurfing rides. He worked on these handplane designs and like boards, the designs are being updated after being tested in the water.

Alaia Inspired Art

Philippe Lallut is surfer artist from Tahiti. He has been coming buy and picking up some boards from my workshop for several years now. If you go to Tahiti you may see some of my weird boards there. Philppe, like me and other blogger types, like to try different boards. Over the years he has picked up stand ups, fish, thrusters, agave boards I dabbled in, weggs, and lately alaias and bluegills. Riding finless has inspired him to do a series of pieces dedicated to alaia surfing. He had these on display at the Sacred Craft in San Diego. Also take a look at his blog http://philippelallut.blogspot.com/

Subject: MY HAIR IS ON FIRE!!!!!

Yesterday, I saw this in our inbox. Our customers often email us to tell us of their experiences with their new boards. But it seems like we are hearing most often from people who have recently gone finless! Maybe that's because their minds have just been blown! We thought this email was so cool we just had to share it with you! (Names have been changed to protect the innocent.)

Jon,

WOW…..I mean WOW! My friend and i surfed our bluegills yesterday in a 2-3 ft. dumpy fast beach break and then again today in a clean, waist high (somewhat soft) beautiful waves and I can’t tell you how incredibly stoked I am. I was surprised how easily it paddles into waves. I am just starting to work through the intricacies of the board, but I got some of the most fun waves I have had in some time. So fast, so fun….i was planning on bringing my log and quad to California but now I am not sure what to do! Thank you! I look very forward to meeting you.

If your board doesn't make you feel like your hair is on fire...then it may be time to try a bluegill!

thanks,
r&j wegener

Happy Birthday to ME!!!

I know, I know you've heard it before...Get to know your local shaper! There are soooo many reasons, and really if you are reading this I'm preaching to the choir...but there is another aspect of this relationship that you may have not thought about. Yes, you need to get to know your shaper, but you need your shaper to get to know you as well! This does not mean that you should come down and waste your shaper's time when he, or she is trying to shape your board! I mean that you should surf with your shaper. To really get the most out of the shaper/surfer relationship, your shaper needs to be familiar with how you surf. A lot of people think that the reason you get a custom board is to get the exact board you want...usually at a discount. But the real reason you should be getting your new board custom made is to get the board you NEED. If the person that is making your board is familiar with the way you surf (the way you really surf...not the way you surf in your head) and where you want to take your surfing...he, or she will be able to design a board that will get you there... or at least get you headed down the right path. Am I just fishing for dinner dates and invitations to the ranch? Maybe, but in the end you will progress faster and be a better surfer.

Let's take myself as an example, shall we? As the wife of a shaper I usually feel a little like the cobbler's daughter. (You know, without any shoes) My quiver tends to consist of hand-me-downs, and left-overs (albeit, some very nice hand-me-downs) . It's actually only recently that I can even claim to have a quiver. I have, for some time now been subtly, and not so subtly asking Jon to make me a board that I can use to transition from a long to a shortboard. Well I recently had a birthday, and guess what I got as a gift???? (gift giving has become so easy since I learned to surf!) I asked Jon what his thought process was on the design, and I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of the answer he gave me.

Taken from my conversation with my shaper (and husband) Jon Wegener...

I know you've been wanting a shorter board, and you are going to need a smaller board for steeper drops and hollower waves, and I've been thinking about a board that my brother Tom handed down to me. It was a Rick Surfboard shaped by Phil Becker...I kind of based it off that a little bit. That was a great board, me and about half my friends learned to surf on that board.

The nose of your board is semi-full...I wanted to keep it kind of full to help with your paddling. The width is carried farther back into the hips to keep it volumous. But then the board has a bump winger on the tail to use as a pivot point. You tend to surf from the middle of the board so that long straight rail will let you turn from the middle of the board like you do on your longboard, but the bump wing will act as a pivot point so that when you do learn to step back and turn with your back foot you will be able to do a tighter turn. It will loosen it up and make the board feel like a short board.

Why a single-fin? Your surfing lends itself to a single-fin...single-fins generate speed by moving up the board, and by trimming...not from doing roller coaster etc.

Tom told me I couldn't get a new board until I tube-rode that old Rick. (Do you think Jon was trying to give me a hint with that comment???-r)

__________

Now, most of you will never have a shaper that knows you as intimately as my shaper knows me;) but the idea is still valid. If the person that makes your boards knows you and how you surf, and you give them the creative freedom to make you what you need, not just the board you want...you will be a better surfer for it.

That sort of relationship is what the pros have with their shapers...but the beginner would benefit tremendously from that sort of relationship as well. Now Jon (or any other shaper, for that matter) does not have the time to watch video of you surfing and give you feedback...but he does like to surf. And while he doesn't talk much in the line-up, he is paying close attention to what is going on around him including how people surf, and how boards work for them. That is his job, and his passion after all.

And if you don't have a shaper that you are getting to know...I'm willing to share mine! uhhh...my shaper...not my husband!

r;0)

Notes From Down Under or is it Unda?

Tom sent us some links about the latest noosa happenings.

http://www.fotosinnoosa.com/component/content/article/34-daily-shoots/155-tw.html These are a few pictures of the new 8' tuna. And Tom's new facial hair.

http://www.driftsurfing.eu/index.php/archives/6242 I think that these are some of the same pics as above but with a little article that Tom wrote. (Thanks Glen for sending us the link.)


http://vimeo.com/14191290 This is a board that Tom made on his European tour last summer. Looks like a 10' tuna heavily influenced by the great Bill Wallace who has been making boards like this for the last 60 years. We love this style of board. It's a great way to go finless...yes it's challenging at first, but you will be as stoked as this guy!

Sacred Craft 2010-San Diego

Phew!!! We just finished up a great weekend down at the San Diego Sacred Craft. We had a booth, and as usual we hooked up with our good friends at Hydrodynamica and Karl Ekstrom which makes for a very happening booth, and a range of boards that can't be matched by any other booth in the show! Thanks to all of the friends of Wegener Surfboards and lovers of all things alaia for stopping by and saying hello! And I dare say we walked away with a few more converts to the cause!

Richard Kenvin, John Elwell, and Carl Ekstom talking design and story...Thanks to Richard for putting this together and reintroducing the world to Bob Simmons and his designs.

Our friends at Korduroy.tv hosted the movie lounge where they debuted some great short films. They also put together a display very reminiscent of my backyard!

It's always great to see old friends at these events, and getting to meet new friends... Jon was stuck in the booth all day so I'm afraid I had to represent in most of the photos. Margaret (Bing and Jacobs surfboards) Riley, Charger Linda Benson, Me, and Farrah (I mean Robyn).

Bing Copeland and Carl Ekstrom catching up... and talking about surfboard design...how'd ya guess?

One of my favorite SC moments was when a surfer from Barbados came to check out the boards...he said that he smelled the booth long before he saw it. He said it smelled like his grandmother's house! He learned to surf on pieces of wood and there are still guys that won't ride foam boards because they are too slow! He and other converts to foam have the kids take off in front of them on the planks so that they'll make a good lip for them to smack. He said they can never catch the kids so everyone catches waves and paddles away happy! He also mentioned the best boards were made from school desks...so school teachers watch out!

Tom Carroll stopped by to say hello and say that he loves his Tombstone/paipo that Tom made him! He apparently hurt his ankle recently so he couldn't surf but staying out of the water was out of the question! Jon and I just nodded a little star struck and of course spaced on taking a picture!

I found this guy a little lost looking for the booth where he was supposed to drop off some mags and a skateboard. I asked what booth he was looking for...and as it turns out he was looking for our booth. Jeff Ho (Jeff Ho Surfboards, Zephyr Productions) and me!

Congratulations to Ryan Burch; notorious yard possum...and now the winner of the YOUNG GUNS Of Shaping! His fingers bleed and he gets blisters every time he shapes...makes me cringe looking at his hands after, but I'm sure after another 1000 boards or so he'll get some callouses!

Stay tuned as we have a few more pictures of the show for you...Jon thought that there was one booth in particular that deserved it's own post!

Overall, the was show was a success and a lot of fun...there were a few gliches and hang-ups at the set-up and take-down, and I do have to say that I did miss the board demos in the morning. They are usually a great opportunity for the curious to try the boards...as well as getting a surf in before a long day indoors! I hope you join us at the next one! Santa Cruz here we come!!!

Thanks,

r

Gabezilla

Gabe picked up his new board last week. It is a 9'8'' Gabezilla Model. Concave 2/3 rds way down.

At the sacred craft

These are a few more of the items we will have at the Sacred Craft. Above is a 8'0'' orange foam bluegill with square tail. This one is looking like a classic Simmons, That guy really knew what he was doing. Below is a 6'1''. This board is pretty sick, shape and wood layout.

There will be various alaias. 5'10 Peanuts to 7'6'' Anchovies. Above, 6'7'' with really nice grain.

4'0'' Belly board. I will have a couple of blanks and some some hand planes, and the hollow redwood board from a post a couple of weeks ago. I kind of made these boards for myself and would like to keep them all, but it is hard to make a living that way.

hollow experimental alaia/bluegill

This is my first chambered board. I thought would try a alaia template with some bluegill dynamics. I screwed together some est. 2 by 4s, shaped it until I hit some screws, unscrewed it and chambered the pieces, glued it back together and cleaned it up. The pictures are in various stages. I finished in time to take it to the Sacred Craft show this weekend. Come check it out. It came out 6'0''. It has some weight, but this could be good. If I do another this way, I think more wood can be chambered away.

Guiness book's youngest alaia rider

Terra took her dad, Sean, out on her alaia and taught him how to ride it. At the time of these photos I believe she was two and already passing the stoke.

LA Times

I made these boards for the LA Times. The Times has a booth at the US Open, and is there to demonstrate new graphic abilities for the paper. The surfboard are new examples of these graphics. Michael Persichina designed the layout and AOSA Image printed it out in a laminatable form. Besides the boards the booth has a photographic history of the US open. If you are in the area check it out. Also, you may have a chance to win the boards in a sweepstakes drawing

Hey gang, for those of you who live in caves or under rocks (like us) surfermag.com is having a battle of the blogs. Of course we all know that WFF is the hot ticket, but since the world has not been alerted yet... we hope you will take a moment and vote for Korduroy.tv. Cyrus and the gang are big supporters of Wegener Surfboards and put up information about many cool subjects. Please follow the link and vote.

Thanks, r and j W

http://www.surfermag.com/battle-of-the-blogs/

Malibu; Bluegils, standups, tandems, longboards, foamies, Hollow woodies

This was a fun day at Malibu. Everyone was out, but their were a few waves to catch. All boards are fun at Malibu, but I was enjoying the speed of the Bluegills and the Wood longboard for the speed and momentum.