Back at it...

     Up until about two weeks ago, I was without a computer of my own for a while because my laptop, which had been with me for about 8 years, finally died (maybe "was killed" would be more correct: it fell off the couch). As a result, I wasn't using the computer much, and as a result of that, I didn't really update this blog at all. But now I've got a new computer (which is like Heaven on Earth compared to my old one), so I figured I better post something on here, before I lose my vast following to another extremely popular blog.
     Also, now I've got something surfboard-making-related to blog about. Above, you'll see Strange Flora 010. It's for Frank, and it's about time he gets himself on a fish and finds out what surfing's all about.

     It's a quad, as seen above, with the dimensions being 5'5 25/32" x 20 3/8" x 2 3/8". I would have preferred it if he wanted something about an inch wider, and with big glass-on keels, but that might be pushing it for ol' Frank. Anyhow, it looks like it will be a really fun board, and it feels really good to be shaping again.

     Also, I'm back at work (after about 3 1/2 months on the DL), which is where this bird visited us. He smashed into a glass slider and was stunned for about 10 minutes, but he eventually got better and flew away.
     Back at work means back to surfing as well, and it's been really, really good to surf again for the last half of the summer. Now, for the real waves of Fall!

VOTE!

     Should have posted this a while ago! Vote HERE for School of Vintage as Ideacafe's "Entrepreneur of the Year." If they win, I'll give everyone who voted from my blog a free Strange Flora surfboard*. Vote every single day! Thanks!

      Also, buy some beets and make this beet soup. Throw in some carrots and things and you won't regret it!


     I was going to post something from Tom Waits' newish album Bad As Me, but I came across this promotional video, so I decided to post that instead. I'll post a song tomorrow, when it's more à propos.  

*Not really. 

Something Fishy This Way Comes....

 

    Dumb heading, but true nonetheless. 008 is finished being shaped, minus a few final touches. This is the first board I've shaped that I have just gotten down to business without thinking too much while doing it. And it went pretty quickly. Started Wednesday, got a bunch done on Thursday, and did a few small things yesterday. It had been a while since I shaped a board, especially one from a real blank, and it felt good to do it again.

 

     It's no secret that I love the first board I made, 001, the 5'5" Lis fish. I've surfed it in all kinds of waves and it has rarely (not never) let me down. But I've always felt it could be improved upon, so that's what I tried to do here. I basically used the template for that board and the one from 006 . I pulled the nose and tail in, and gave the tail those wings (which I love shaping, I love the feel of it) to pull it in that much more and give a water-release point. I put more rocker in the nose and tail, to add to maneuverability and help with steep wave entry, but not too much, because I didn't want to lose the speed or ability to just hop towards the nose and lock in to the wave and trim. I also gave this one a bit more foam, especially from the mid-point forward, for even better paddling and earlier entry on those steep days that present a challenge to my beloved fish. I'm sure the rails are different than my other one, but these feel good, and that's what I go by. Can't wait to get this one glassed and try it, but that probably won't happen super-soon because A) I still have to make fins for it and B) my block of EPS is supposedly coming this week. We'll see...

Tom Waits' "The Fawn," off of Alice. It came on shuffle yesterday while I was shaping, so here it is. Now it's time to go build some raised beds for my vegetables!

Grog!

     Not much to post about. Surfed today in Bradley Beach, it was really fun and had one of the best backside tubes of my life I think. Got 007 all glassed on Saturday, mostly sanded on Sunday. Looks like it'll be a fast board. I hate waiting to find out!

British Vice Admiral Edward "Old Grog" Vernon

      If you find yourself reading "A Christmas Carol," which you should, this year, and if, like me, you are particularly keen on seasonal culinary things, especially if they are things from a bygone time, such as the Victorian era, then you will find yourself really wanting to eat and drink all the things that are at all the feasts in the book. The plum pudding (not made with plums, but raisins) will intrigue you, because how could a pudding be hard, and why was it set on fire? The goose will probably make your mouth water, partly because of the excitement surrounding it and partly because, if your like me, you've never had a goose, as it was supplanted as the bird of choice for holiday meals in this country long before I was born. But one thing got me good: the Grog that gets passed around in front of a blazing fireplace. If the idea of hot alcoholic drinks in front of a fire doesn't make you feel incredibly happy, then please hibernate until after Christmas, you're not wanted (JUST KIDDING IT'S CHRISTMAS EVERYONE'S WELCOME). 

     But what is Grog? According to all-knowing wikipedia, it was introduced to the British Navy in 1740 by the gentleman above, Admiral Edward Vernon. For 230 years it was issued to seamen at noon and after work. That's quite a run. Originally Grog was a water and rum mixture (4:1) but since its incarnation it has undergone some changes. When I made it for the first time last night, I used the Joy of Cooking recipe, which is as follows:

In an 8 oz. mug, stir together:

     1 teaspoon Sugar Syrup or Maple Syrup (I used Maple)

     1 tablespoon strained lemon juice 

     1 jigger (1.5 oz) dark rum (I used The Kraken black spiced rum, which is my new favorite rum)

Fill mug with:

     Very hot tea or water (I used tea)

Garnish with a twist of:

     Lemon peel

Dust top with a little:

     Ground nutmeg or cinnamon

     So I did this, and it was delicious. Jeannine opted for no tea, and she didn't like it as much. If you look online, of course, there are many recipes, some of which include lime juice instead of lemon, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves, etc. I made it tonight with lime juice, a bit more rum, and chai tea. I have to say, I prefer the one from Joy of Cooking. Thanks Irma Rombauer!

   

Hope You Surfed This Weekend.

I know I did. Surfed Friday, lost a fin, bought new fins, surfed Saturday, got breakfast at Amy's, surfed again Saturday, pastries, relaxation time (interrupted), Ryan's birthday BBQ, surfed again Saturday, BBQ, skins are the flip cup champions, went to bed at one woke up at 4:30, surfed, got bagels, surfed, slept, got burgers, got pastries, drove home, slept, woke up, went to Doyle's, slept. Now my shoulders are sore and the surf this morning did nothing for me. Three unrelated things:



The infamous traffic scene from Jean-Luc Godard's 1967 mindblowing masterwork Weekend.



Tom Waits doing a version of the Charles Bukowski poem  "Nirvana."



Finished reading the book Vertigo, by Boileau-Narcejac, which was the basis for Hitchcock's film of the same name. The book was really good, and in it the phrase "pale blue eyes" was used numerous times, which instantly called to my mind, and lodged itself there, The Velvet Underground's "Pale Blue Eyes," the fourth track off of the group's 1969 self-titled album, which is one of my favorite albums of all time. Linger on.

It's All Over...

Strange Flora 003 is finally finished. I started it on Nov. 29, and just finished it yesterday. Yikes! That's a long time, but when I think about it, I waited over two weeks between shaping and glassing (something which I'd like to avoid in the future) and the holidays cut into time, plus there was a lot of learning and working things out to do with this board. But yeah, regardless of when the start date was, it's finished now.

I finished the board yesterday at around 8 or so. I spent a long time sanding it, going from 320 to 1000 grit, then I buffed it with a buffing compound, then I polished it with surfboard polish. The gloss came out really nice, and the dark color makes it look like a mirror. Of course, the glossy dark color also makes every bump and wave in the glassing job stick out sorely, but I think on this board it definitely came out nicer than the last. The bottom is very smooth, while the deck has some minor waves and ripples in it, which is really just due to poor sanding, or not enough time spent sanding. But it's not that bad. Es aceptable para mi ahora.

I really love the way the green Volan of the fin looks with the dark, almost eggplant color of the board. I can't wait to see it in the sunlight. Hopefully I'll be testing it out tomorrow, but it's looking like the forecast is a little better for Tuesday now. I'm really excited to try this thing out. If it works, I might bring it to Puerto Rico, along with 002, but I don't know. If the American Airlines luggage fee for surfboards is $100 per board instead of board bag, I might not bring any, and just buy a used one down there or something.

So, it's been quite a journey with this board. Learned a lot, some through trial and some through error, and put a lot of work into it, but in the end it's definitely worth it. One of the nice things about going through all the work to do a board is that when it's over, it's just beginning really, because that's when the real fun begins. Unless the board's a complete dog, but that's neither here nor there. Now to finish the next project....

...a Spitfire-type single-fin to try with the Dewey Weber. Seems like an interesting idea for a fin, and I had all this Baltic Birch plywood sitting around, so a couple weeks ago, at a lull in 003's  construction, I started it. It was pretty fun foiling it out and trying to get both sides even. Now it's just waiting for glass.

Tom Waits - "San Diego Serenade," the second track of his 1974 album The Heart of Saturday Night.