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This one is for Cooper. He is our oldest son. He's not as into surfing as Curren is, but still loves the water. Getting him to put his wettie on and go out is sometimes a bit of a struggle, but, once he gets out, the struggle is twice the intensity to get him to come in. He loves his boogie and also likes to play in the shorepound and try and bodysurf. He has tried to use my handplanes in the past, but the strap is just too big. So, I made this one for him for Christmas, with a custom, Kid size strap. He always like the checkerboard and the color red, so, it seemed like a good fit. We'll call this one the Cooper Pinliner model.

One For Curren

Curren has been bugging me for a while to make him a board. For months now he's been perusing over dimensions, designs, and contours. Mainly he has been concentrating on graphics. You know if your stick don't look good, then there is a problem. He finally came to use with indigo and green and said we could surprise him with the rest. He has been surfing now, on and off, for the last couple years. Mainly he spends time standing up on his boogie. Frequently when I get out of the water, he is their to greet me at the shore, waiting for me to push him into some waves. Just before christmas, we were out and I was pushing him into some waves, and he sternly told me that he wanted to do it all himself. I was thinking to myself this might be a bit comical. Wave came, he spun around, paddled, the white water picked him up, he stood up and rode all the way to the sand. Even got a reform and rode the open face. I guess the laugh was on me. Here is Currens first surfboard in his six years of life. He got it for Christmas. As soon this weather clears. We should be taking it out for its maiden voyage. Measurements: 4'8" x 20" x 2 1/4"

Beautiful Grain from Jake

Here is some beautiful work from Jake over at lincon logs.  http://www.lincolnlogssurf.blogspot.com/  At first I was a little confused when looking at the image. I didn't read the print, the picture and grain caught my eye. Then the shape. It seemed really unique. How did he get those different grains around the outlines? Did he glue some thin blanks together then route the edges? It was so confusing. After looking at it for a while, and I mean a while, I finally realized that it was three handplanes laying on top of each other. I guess my eyes were playing tricks on my this late at night.  Whew! I'm expecting great things from Jake in the future, but, man, he was blowing my mind their for a bit. Well here is to you Jake. Have a wonderful Christmas.

Early Christmas Present for Patrick

Patrick, from Hawaii, contacted me last week to order a Pinliner Handplane. As I am no longer doing custom orders, so that I can concentrate on servicing the shops that they are available in, I referred him to some shops that might be able to ship one to him. He sent me a nice e-mail over the weekend, saying he was able to hook up with the guys at Patagonia Cardiff, and they sent him out this handplane as an early christmas present:

Hey Gary,

Just wanted to say how stoked I am on having one of your creations in my hands! The Pinliner arrived today. Not only does it look beautiful, but I was really surprised how light it actually is. I hope to get it in the water on Sunday as there is a North swell due in. I really want to see how the Pinliner works over barreling reef breaks, as I suddenly have an urge to return to Indonesia to slide a couple of waves that are custom made for the Pinliner. I’ll forward some action pictures to you when I get them.
ALOHA!!
Patrick

Hey Gary,
Here's a link to a couple of pics of the Pinliner from a little blog that I
maintain. Had the first session with the Pinliner this morning in small
surf, and I had tons of fun. We have a very nice wedge bowl down at our
spot, that is custom made for the Pinliner. I'll will surely be returning
for more. Here's the link:
http://hawaiiislandbodysurfingassociation.blogspot.com/
ALOHA,
Patrick

Did I Say I like Checkers

I've been having a lot of fun with the checkers. It adds a whole other element to making handplanes when you are cutting out an laying up the blanks. Plus it is real neat to see such an ugly looking blank, turn into something pretty nice after it is shaped. We'll see if it lasts, but, I may not be doing colors anymore, and concentrating on these custom blanks. You can see them in person at Surfy Surfy Surfshop and also at Patagonia Cardiff.

Pinliner

Available at Patagonia Cardiff

This is not a Handplane

I had been getting an itching for shaping a surfboard again. Needed something to mix it up. In all honestly, after shaping a buttload of Handplanes over the last year and a half, I was afraid of the big tools. Felt I might had forgot how to use a planer, How to do rail bands, turn the rails, etc. What I found was that all those handplanes taught me a lot. How to look at rail lines, concaves, continuity. I found that the way I shape handplanes, is pretty much the same way that I was shaping surfboards, just on a smaller scale and using different tools. I made this one for Rebecca. Over the last few years, I have spent heaps of time in the hobbit hole making handplanes and surfboards. She has been super supportive of my hobbies. And, yet, to this day, I hadn't made her one board. So, to my wife, thank you. I hope you enjoy your new ride.


Dims- 5'8" x 21.5" x 2.5" Thanks to Moonlight Glassing for doing another perfect glass job.