I wanted to touch base with you today about The Boardroom Surfboard Show, which will be happening October 5 & 6 at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa.
The Boardroom, which was formerly known as Sacred Craft, is a celebration of surfboards and the shapers who make them. Dozens and dozens of shapers and hundreds of surfboards of every conceivable shape and dimension will be on hand, along with thousands of stoked surfers from across Southern California.
We have the burden of passion, which tricks us into thinking that everything we have planned is fascinating and noteworthy. We tend to get over-earnest. But we care about surfboards and we care about the under-sung individuals who toil away in shaping bays each day. We think they are worthy of not only support, but celebration.
Judging from the look and feel of Longboard Retro Days, we think you’ll understand and agree. We think you get it. In fact, it’s probably just as important to you as it is to us.
We’re hoping that you’ll join us at the event, to celebrate surfboards, surf culture and the fine folks really responsible for our stoke.
And if you think this is an event worthy of attending, perhaps you’ll help us spread the good news before the event on your site.
There will be a ton going on that might interest your readers:
· The Icons Of Foam Tribute To The Masters
· The Chunk Of Foam Challenge
· Best Of Show, Plus Surf Art & Culture
· Amidst Surf Industry Turmoil, A Refocus On What’s At The Heart Of Surfing
Here’s more detail on each of these events/themes/story ideas.
Show Founder Scott Bass (scott@boardroomshow.com; 760-445-9770) is eager to answer any questions you might have about these following events:
*** The Icons Of Foam Tribute To The Masters Honoring Terry Martin
Presented By US Blanks. ***
In a special memorial shaping tribute this October, The Boardroom will honor Martin during the Icons of Foam Tribute to the Masters Shape-off presented by US Blanks. Five shapers will receive the honor of replicating a classic Terry Martin surfboard.
“Last year was tough. We lost a truly humble, beautiful, classy and beloved father, shaper and surfer,” said Scott Bass, founder and show director of The Boardroom. “The grieving has mostly passed, and it is a fine time to honor Terry Martin’s shaping legacy and exalt his surfboard craftsmanship during the Icons of Foam Tribute to the Masters.”
An incredible video of Martin can be found here:
Shaping Life Terry Martin from Donald Brink on Vimeo.
The five shapers selected to honor the memory of Terry Martin during the Icons of Foam Shape Off are all worthy of the man himself:
Tyler Warren: An inspired and well traveled illustrator, designer, painter, shaper and surfer. Tyler has turned heads for both his incredible art work but also his shaping, including a dual-keeled "Bar Of Soap" design -- a "refined and tastefully decorated variant on the Bob Simmons planning hull, with a noticeable dash of Lis fish thrown in for good measure," says Richard Kenvin in The Surfer's Journal.
Matt Calvani: A California surfer/shaper who heads up the Bing brand of surfboards. "The Bing brand has always had a mystique about it—from its association with David Nuuhiwa and Dick Brewer to the Campbell Brothers bonzers—that has made it a part of surfing history. I started introducing and refining those amazing historical shapes. My goal was to capture the essence of those eras in surfboard history while adding the knowledge I had learned in my own journey," says Matt in a Liquid Salt interview.
Ricky Carroll: Three-time winner of the Icons Of Foam Tribute to the masters and winner of the inaugural Chunk Of Foam Challenge (see below), Ricky Carroll is the owner of R&D Surf, a surfboard manufacturing facility located in East Central Florida that’s been at the forefront of surfboard building for nearly 20 years.
Donald Brink: Renowned for his asymmetrical shapes, Donald is also a big believer that the creative process in building a board should be shared between shaper and surfer. “Its an honor to be included in the conversations of surfing and surfboards throughput the world. Hard work, dedication to a passionate path and a commitment to responsibilities seems to be the common must-haves to things that are built over time and have a good effect on others and add to the world."
Mickey Munoz: Grandmaster board shaper and legendary waterman, Mickey Muñoz has been surfing and designing boards since the late 1940s. A Waimea Bay pioneer, his iconic Quasimodo surf stance and decades of quality shaping have carved a permanent place for Munoz in the pantheon of surfing's greatest. Nobody casts a longer shadow.
About Terry Martin: Terry Martin, described by many as ‘The Machine’ because of his effortless and efficient shaping style, spent the majority of his 60-year shaping career working at the Hobie Surfboards factory. He averaged ten boards a day and surfed during lunch.
Martin helped to create signature models for legendary surfers including Corky Carroll, Gerry Lopez, and Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew. Mickey Munoz, a legendary shaper in his own right, described the big, bearded Martin as “giving, ethical, knowledgeable, passionate about shaping and surfing and the art of shaping; a friend, a real friend, a good friend; a brother. He was almost like a saint, if you will, just his consciousness and his demeanor."
“Terry Martin took great joy in walking the aisles of past Boardroom shows greeting his friends and fellow craftsmen and talking story. He was always particularly interested in the Icons of Foam Tributes and loved to study the techniques of his fellow shapers. I think Terry might have had a hard time being featured in this way had he been able to attend the event… but to honor Terry and his talents as a shaper in this way is a wonderful tribute to this great man and iconic shaper” said Royce Cansler on behalf of the Martin family.
"Each year at the Icons of Foam Tribute, US Blanks is in awe of the talent level and inspirational shaping that takes place," said Jeff Holtby of US Blanks. "This years' lineup of shapers honoring Terry is jaw-dropping. We are again stoked to be a part of this special event."
**** Chunk Of Foam Challenge Presented By Bubble Gum Surf Wax ****
Harken back to the days of ancient Polynesian board building. Boards were made out of chunks of wood. If you wanted a board, you found a tree. We are tweaking that concept just a touch by challenging a selection of top echelon shapers to create a surfboard out of an 8' x 2' x 2' chunk of foam. This is an intriguing, entertaining, and fun opportunity to lift up and exault the craft of shaping surfboards. That's it.
The Chunk of Foam Challenge will kick off with the ceremonial spinning of the wheel. There will be three surfboard designs on the wheel, whatever design the arrow lands on determines the surfboard the shapers will be asked to replicate. All three shapers will replicate the exact same surfboard design.
The Unveiling: Each shaper will be allowed to check out the surfboard, i.e. hold it, feel its rails, and dwell on its intricacies for 60 seconds. That is all. The surfboard is then put behind stanchions -- but only for viewing. No on is allowed within 10 feet of the board.
The Tools: Each shaper may bring in their own hand tools, but only one power tool of their choosing, into the shaping bay. Furthermore, they are not allowed any modern measuring devices: no tape, no T squares, no templates, no rocker bars.
Time: Each shaper is allowed three hours. The time is strictly enforced.
The Judging: A select panel of uniquely qualified distinguished, and subtly-gray haired judges will determine the winner at 3:30pm on Sunday.
Participating Shapers Include: Wayne Rich, Marc Andreini, Brian Hilbers, and Stu Kenson.
This is a great event. The inaugural version happened last week in Orlando Florida at it turned out to be as diabolical as it was fun to watch.
Participating Shapers Include: Wayne Rich, Marc Andreini, Brian Hilbers, and Stu Kenson.
This is a great event. The inaugural version happened last week in Orlando Florida at it turned out to be as diabolical as it was fun to watch.
Here are some details from that event:
Ricky Carroll solidified his rep as the king of the Shape Off during the debut of The Chunk Of Foam Challenge presented by BubbleGum Surf Wax. Three shapers were asked to shape a board out of a 8’ x2’ x2’ chunk of foam with only one power tool, no templates, and no measuring devices.
Complicating matters was the board they had to replicate: “It was an Inter-Island slipper nose inspired by Reno Abellira and Dick Brewer,” said The Boardroom Show Founder Scott Bass. “What made it difficult was the remarkable amount of nose rocker—nine inches—a domed ‘S’ deck and reverse rocker in the tail area.”
All three shapers competing in the Chunk Of Foam Challenge—Carroll, Stu Sharpe, and Juan Rodriquez—did a remarkable job given the challenge, but judges Greg Loehr, Rich Price and Pete Dooley were united in their decision. A three-time winner of the Icons Of Foam Shape Off, Carroll’s Chunk Of Foam win was made even more impressive by the fact that he was working with a thrown back and was barely able to walk.
As Pat Rawson later commented: “Yeah, Ricky could have shaped that damn thing with his eyes closed! And it was a REALLY HARD board to duplicate out of any blank!!! Congrat's Ricky! You're the best! Grand Champion! Four-time winner!
If that wasn’t enough, once he left the shaping bay he joined his band, Lady and the Tramps, for a hit-filled set on the main stage. Truly a renaissance man.
**** Best Of Show, Plus Art & Culture ****
The Boardroom on Oct 5-6 at the Orange County Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California will spotlight a selection of our exhibitor’s best boards during our popular "Best Of Show" competition.
This is a free competition. Each surfboard manufacturer can enter one board only. Categories include: Best Sustainable Surfboard, Best Longboard, Best Wooden Surfboard, Best Shortboard, Best Concept Surfboard
The term "best" means just that, a subjective view, an opinion. Build whatever you feel meets your own criteria of "best" within each category. A definition of "best" might include, but is not limited to: outline, bottom contour, hand-shaped, laminating techniques, intricate color work, pinline artistry, fin placement, fin choice, etc., etc.
Winners receives one complimentary 10' x10' booth at the next The Boardroom show in 2014.
The Boardroom is also a celebration of the entire surf culture and several significant artists will be on hand displaying their work including: Matt Beard (http://mattbeardart.com), Nathan Gibbs (http://nathangibbsart.com), Spencer Reynolds (http://artandsurf.com), Charlie Clingman (http://www.foreverstoked.com), and more.
Plus the Boardroom will feature live music, book signings, autograph signings, surf videos, good times, and great stoke.
**** But Don’t Forget, It’s All About Shapers And Surfboards ****
Excuse me as I stand on my soapbox again, misty eyed and pleading: We think The Boardroom recaptures something special, something that made surfing unique, something that we risk losing altogether. Surf shops used to be a place for one-on-one interaction. A place were surfers got to look their shaper in the eye and help create something magical.
Take a look around. Many parts of the surf industry are in turmoil. But we can never lose our way entirely if we remember what’s important. Because deep down surfers only care about two things: surfboards and the waves to ride them on.
We hope to see you October 5 & 6 at the OC Fair & Events Center for The Boardroom.
If this is something that excites you, something you think is deserving, help us spread the word.
Ricky Carroll solidified his rep as the king of the Shape Off during the debut of The Chunk Of Foam Challenge presented by BubbleGum Surf Wax. Three shapers were asked to shape a board out of a 8’ x2’ x2’ chunk of foam with only one power tool, no templates, and no measuring devices.
Complicating matters was the board they had to replicate: “It was an Inter-Island slipper nose inspired by Reno Abellira and Dick Brewer,” said The Boardroom Show Founder Scott Bass. “What made it difficult was the remarkable amount of nose rocker—nine inches—a domed ‘S’ deck and reverse rocker in the tail area.”
All three shapers competing in the Chunk Of Foam Challenge—Carroll, Stu Sharpe, and Juan Rodriquez—did a remarkable job given the challenge, but judges Greg Loehr, Rich Price and Pete Dooley were united in their decision. A three-time winner of the Icons Of Foam Shape Off, Carroll’s Chunk Of Foam win was made even more impressive by the fact that he was working with a thrown back and was barely able to walk.
As Pat Rawson later commented: “Yeah, Ricky could have shaped that damn thing with his eyes closed! And it was a REALLY HARD board to duplicate out of any blank!!! Congrat's Ricky! You're the best! Grand Champion! Four-time winner!
If that wasn’t enough, once he left the shaping bay he joined his band, Lady and the Tramps, for a hit-filled set on the main stage. Truly a renaissance man.
**** Best Of Show, Plus Art & Culture ****
The Boardroom on Oct 5-6 at the Orange County Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California will spotlight a selection of our exhibitor’s best boards during our popular "Best Of Show" competition.
This is a free competition. Each surfboard manufacturer can enter one board only. Categories include: Best Sustainable Surfboard, Best Longboard, Best Wooden Surfboard, Best Shortboard, Best Concept Surfboard
The term "best" means just that, a subjective view, an opinion. Build whatever you feel meets your own criteria of "best" within each category. A definition of "best" might include, but is not limited to: outline, bottom contour, hand-shaped, laminating techniques, intricate color work, pinline artistry, fin placement, fin choice, etc., etc.
Winners receives one complimentary 10' x10' booth at the next The Boardroom show in 2014.
The Boardroom is also a celebration of the entire surf culture and several significant artists will be on hand displaying their work including: Matt Beard (http://mattbeardart.com), Nathan Gibbs (http://nathangibbsart.com), Spencer Reynolds (http://artandsurf.com), Charlie Clingman (http://www.foreverstoked.com), and more.
Plus the Boardroom will feature live music, book signings, autograph signings, surf videos, good times, and great stoke.
**** But Don’t Forget, It’s All About Shapers And Surfboards ****
Excuse me as I stand on my soapbox again, misty eyed and pleading: We think The Boardroom recaptures something special, something that made surfing unique, something that we risk losing altogether. Surf shops used to be a place for one-on-one interaction. A place were surfers got to look their shaper in the eye and help create something magical.
Take a look around. Many parts of the surf industry are in turmoil. But we can never lose our way entirely if we remember what’s important. Because deep down surfers only care about two things: surfboards and the waves to ride them on.
We hope to see you October 5 & 6 at the OC Fair & Events Center for The Boardroom.
If this is something that excites you, something you think is deserving, help us spread the word.
Thanks for your time and let me know if you have any questions whatsoever.
Cheers
Sean
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