I've Given Ryan Rolla alot

of public hazing over the last week for forgetting about his handplane that he put on top of his car, then having numerous cars run over it after it fell off.  Other than the fact that I have to make him a new one, it has actually made for alot of fun.  Ryan is a good guy and has been a good sport about the whole ordeal.  Not good enough to move him up to the top of the list, but good nonetheless.  Prior to his recent problems, he sent me some pics of a great friend of mine, Barney Sullivan, taking a few at the local pier.  Ryan, Barney, and Quintin (a whole story in his own right), have been leading the charge in Pacific Beach on the Handplane front.  All great surfers in their own right, who have caught onto the Handplane Goodness.  I miss hanging out with them and treasure the memories I have with them back in the day.  They are a great group to have represent.  Here are those pics of Barney sliding into a few.

Before its Demise

DIY Handplane Bag

IAN RAMMELKAMP did something that was pretty selfless early in my handplane making career.  You see, I was stuck on making Poplar Handplanes. The first fifty were all out of Poplar.  I thought it was the best material at the time.  Cheap, consistant, strong, and I could get it at Home Depot.  Little did I know the true great properties of Paulownia.  Super light, very buoyant, and shapes like butter.  It is definately harder to work with due to it's inconsistant nature, but, luckily, after shaping those first 50, I was pretty used to my tools and was able to adjust.  Only bad thing about Paulownia is that it is 4x as expensive, and I have to order it from South Carolina.  Having that problem worked out, I wouldn't use anything else.  Occasionally I have to shape a Poplar Handplane, and it is so much more painful.  So, getting back to IAN.  He was the first one to GIVE me a Paulownia Blank.  No reason.  He wasn't getting anything out of it.  He just wanted me to try the stuff.  So, thanks Ian for turning me onto, by far, the best wood to make handplanes out of. 

IAN started contacting me again recently.  He wanted a bag to carry his handplane and fins to the beach with.  Something he could carry while riding his bike.  We are presently looking into making some handplane bags, but, aren't quite ready to release yet.  IAN came up with a very nifty Do-it-yourself  idea.  He took a large pair of shorts, sewed the bottoms together.  Added a rope to the belt buckles.  So, now he puts his handplane in one leg of the shorts and his fins in the other.  Folds it over, and pulls the waist rope closed.  VOILA.  Thanks for another great idea IAN.

Friends Don't Let Friends

Handplane Drunk.  Supershredder and future world handplane champion, Ryan Rolla, tied one on the other day.  It's a hard life for him.  Living in Pacific Beach, the epicenter of Party.  With all the company's throwing product at him constantly, the mass crowds that flock him whereever he goes, the paparazzi, and the groupies, well, you know about the groupies.  It's difficult not to get his drink on every now and again.  The first picture is of the beautiful handplane I made for him a while back.  The second is of his handplane after handplaning drunk.  Luckily nobody was seriously injured in his moment of lapse DON'T DO IT!  The risks far outweigh the benefits and next time somebody may get hurt.

TEN

This has nothing to do with Kelly Slater. It does have to do with surfing and the ocean though. About 13 years ago they brought the most important thing in my life to me. My wife, Rebecca. We met in the parking lot at the beach. No I wasn't perving on her, watching her change from her wettie to her clothes. We were introduced by mutual friends and started hanging out in the same group. Those were some of the funnest times of my life, and if you are one of those people in that group, well, thanks. TEN years ago today we were married. We've had some great times since then and although we haven't been able to surf together as much as we used to, things are even better then they were during those great times. We've got three great kids who are now almost to the point where they are self reliant, and though we don't have the freedom to surf whenever we want, it is still a major part of our life and our relationship. Soon the groms will be paddling out on their own, and we will all be surfing together. My wife is, well, she is awesome. She is more beautiful, in all ways, then she was when I met her, and has become a great mother, and life partner. So, here is to you Rebecca, I think we should be good for at least another 40 or 50.

Somewhere in Mexico

Last weekend my beautiful wife let me go on a great adventure down to Mexico.  It was a four day stint with one of my best friends, and another great person that I've gotten to know over the last few years at the beach.  I used to go down about every 3rd weekend for most of my 20's and some of my 30's.  Even had a little trailer set up at a certain break.  I hadn't been down in quite some time.  Actually it was 9/11 when I was last down.  I remember surfing a nice headhigh morning at 3rd Point with only a few out, getting out and walking by the cantina to go rinse off.  I thought it odd that 10 people were huddled around the TV at 9am.  So I stopped on the way back, only to watch the second plane hit the towers.  Well, that didn't really stop me from going back down, life did.  We got back from that trip and found out that Rebecca was pregnant with our first son.  So, Mexico got put on hold for a while.  Just when the two boys seemed to be about ready, all the recent cartel stuff started coming up.  Then Rella came along, and you know, just life.  So, I finally was able to break away and get back down.  Things were lining up well, nice swell on the maps, good weather good friends.   The trip went off without a hitch.   And the surf, well lets just say that the pictures here are of our very first surf, prior to the swell arriving, at a break the we just walked by.  Kinda of a rinse off if you will.  Sorry for the low quality pictures, Joey couldn't quite figure out me camera too good.

Todd "THUNDER" Thorton threading the needle on his Ryan Burch Single fin

TSJ Handplane Photo

I met Kevin Voegtlin a few months ago. He was helping Jason Kenworthy out with a project we were working on. That project will be seen sometime in the future. Kevin seems to be a great photographer in his own right, and just landed this shot of Kasey Curtis using his Brownfish Model,  in the Surfers Journal on-line rag. You can check out Kevin's work at: http://www.kevinvphotos.com/  and you can check out the TSJ Caption at: http://www.surfersjournal.com/photo/2011-01-01-4

THANKS FOR EVERYTHING KEVIN!

Infinity Surf Shop

just got a grip of new handplanes. They have been a great pleasure to work with. The shop is clean and is pretty much everything a good surf shop should be. They are currently my furthest shop north, but, with weekend after next coming, I'm hoping to open a shop in Ventura and Santa Barbara. We'll see how that pans out. Go check them out at: 24382 Del Prado, Dana Point, California 92629 - 949.661.6699

I Love a Good

Bodysurf snake. Especially because surfers literally have no clue when it comes to bodysurfers/handplaners. Was surfing my typical break the other day, guy, knowing I was their, takes off directly on top of me. Less than five guys out. Plus, we were all sitting within feet of each other. NO CLUE. Then, has the nerve to say, "I didn't know what you were gonna do." I mean come on people. If a guy is out treading water right next to you, for 20 minutes, do you think he swam out thier just to talk to you? Well, this picture is from Eric Warner, with his new green board with black and white stripes. I'm pretty sure the guy behind him is Tyler Ried. So even better, friends that snake friends, will always be friends.

Some Work From

JASON KENWORTHY.  It is really nice to start seeing some professional surf photographers envisioning and documenting other ways to ride a wave besides on a piece of fiberglass and foam.  Even though his livelihood comes from supplying Surfer Magazine and other big name company's with perfect images, he is also spending a great deal of time promoting and having FUN.  Thanks Jason for all that you have done.  You can check out his write up and other images at:   Jason Kenworthy Blog and also at JASON KENWORTHY DOT COM

Jason Kenworthy Blog

Cobblestones and Debris

I really like cobblestone and whatever runoff gets washed up on the beach after a good rain. The other day there was even a couple of seemingly new handplanes, that washed up with the rest of the crap that seems to be lodged deep in the river. Who woulda thunk?

Thoughts for a Sunday

Over the last year, other than Joey, I'm pretty sure that I've shared more fun waves with this guy than anyone else.

You Know What a Buddy

Told me the other day. Now, let's be real here, I'm no genious when it comes to working with wood. Matter of fact, I was the only kid in my 7th grade Woodshop class to cut his finger with the jigsaw. I think it had been at least 5 years prior, that another kid did it. Prior to starting this handplane fascination, I would say I was the least likely to ever make any impression with wood. I was actually a little scared of power tools. So, getting back to my story. A friend, who happens to be a fine wood worker, told me, that I could just buy checker board patterned wood and glue em up into my blanks. Well, now, I think that would be kinda cheating. Here is my latest round in it's initial glue up stage. Damn, I hope those strips are all equal.

If I woulda only

brought my HANDPLANE.

One of My Favorites

You will be seeing this board a lot more in the future. Most likely in action shots. Eric Warner and Tyler Reid have been trading off for quite a while now. I gave Tyler a handplane last fall and the pair have been shooting some of the best action shots I have gotten to date. Well, it's time Eric got his handplane. I gave it some nice stripes up by the nose so that maybe it would POP a little more in pictures. Below is one of the neatest sequences so far. Eric shooting Tyler. You might even see the last shot on my new cards if you are savvy. Thanks guys.

 

Cool Handplane Art

I found this picture while perusing the internets. A guy named Thomas Bexton did em. I googled his name and didn't come up with much. Nonetheless, these are pretty rad. My wife says I should put Daddy'O after rad, but, thats just not gonna happen.

I Went into Surfy

Surfy today.  Apparently the people have been beating up the main owner of the Super Megacorporation that is Surfy Surfy.  It seams that it is all my fault.  I haven't been able to keep up with the stock.  He had a black eye and his lip was all sewn up from the brutile beating he endured over the weekend.  Well, don't fret people, I dropped off four handplanes for the nice young man today.  Please control yourselves.  He is a good man, trying to support a couple youngins and a very nice wife.  He needs to be healthy.  So, in the future, if his stock is low, then just kick him in the shins a couple times, then at least he'll still look presentable for his customers.  Here is a sample of the drop-off today.

Foamballin

One for the Weekend

Here is a quick message I got after coming home from a busy day. These are the messages that make me happy.

I am super psyched on this shot that my buddy took of me this morning at our local spot with the Pinliner. Love the positioning! The Pin is working really well in Hawaiian waves.
ALOHA
Patrick

RANDOM GOODNESS