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January 2006 Issue
Take a Left Turn
By David Pu’u
The news came in the form of a casual mention in an e-mail: “Clark Foam has closed.” I thought it to be a joke of some sort. In Southern California, we see business closures every day. It is nothing irregular. But for many, the news of this medium sized company’s demise was akin to the bulletin announcing the demolition of the World Trade Center at the hands of terrorist extremists.
Clark Foam, located in Orange County, Laguna Hills, manufactures polyurethane custom molded ‘blanks’ which are used by most surf companies in the continental US to create surfboard shapes by a variety of skilled craftsmen. The shaped blanks are then turned over to a custom fiberglass company which does a hand laminated surface coat of fiberglass weave fabric impregnated with polyester resin which seals and further refines the hand shaped foam. The resulting finished hand made product reflects years of experience and about eight hours labor by the board designers/builders. Higher end surfboard designs may actually be the result of a lifetime of craft refinement and design development by workers who generally do not earn a lot of money, especially when considering their skill level.
This entire shaping process was pioneered by Gordon “Grubby” Clark and Hobie Alter. Notable builders Dave Sweet and Reynolds Yater were also on the scene where the surfboard building industry as we know it today was born. As the story goes, the slow steady growth of demand for polyester surfboards created more orders than the group could handle. The original company split in two, with an almost arbitrary decision made for Grubby to take over the foam blowing process full time and Hobie to do the board building. What was born was a template for surfboard manufacturing that for the past ten years, until now, had remained largely unchanged.
The news broke via one of Grubby’s famed, long newsy dissertations in the form of a fax. Why did it generate such shock? I mean it was like 911 for surfers. No one died. But many feared, on first glance, that an industry had died and a sport which was more a lifestyle than casual athletic pursuit, had been dealt a mortal blow. The modern surfboard had been born with the advent of Clark Foam. Now all of a sudden, no more Clark. It meant no more surfboards for many builders. Why? It began in the late fifties, starting when Grubby began supplying foam blanks exclusively to Hobie and then eventually to other shapers after a sort of breach in the original agreement. Grubby had cultivated a near monopoly over the years by supplying a relatively low cost, highly refined product in an efficient timely manner. He built a contrived monopoly and managed to maintain it through peerless efficiency and responsibility to the industry which relied on him. So without Clark Foam, the supply of blanks to a large percentage of board builders was suddenly and without much official warning, shut off completely.
Over a period of twenty years I had been a member of the surfboard manufacturing community, shaping and glassing close to 40,000 surfboards in my career. As a craftsman with a company modeled after the template Hobie and Grubby had lain out, I was one of a cadre of experienced surfers/builders. In the nineties, this cadre seemed to diminish as margins shrunk with the advent of greater environmental regulatory control and the growth of many other issues peculiar to manufacturing in California. All of this began to choke profitability and raise blood pressure. It was in that time frame that I learned a lot about the direction of manufacturing’s future in California and not long after, I opted out. My close relationship with Clark Foam was summed up in a conversation with the plant manager one day as we worked on sorting through some new process development issues and some serious local regulatory problems which were threatening to close my little surfboard building company.
Paraphrased, the conversation detailed how Grubby really wanted out of the business which he had created. But the irony was that the very same reliance on his product which he had ardently cultivated now kept him tethered to his grandfathered location in Orange County. Gordon Clark, at that time, supplied roughly ninety five percent of all the surfboard foam the US used. If he quit, he would be liable by proxy for the lost livelihoods of an entire industry. Couple that with a fifties born sense of responsibility to workers whose loyalty spanned close to three generations of Clark employees, and one understands some of the pressures. All that and a reputation for being mule stubborn pretty much sums up Clark Foam’s credo.
In the weeks past, many stories and rumors have continued to fly, but concrete answers for the abrupt cessation of operations at the foam factory seem difficult to find. A new employee, Josh Collins, age 31, told me that his two year tenure at Clark Foam was a dream job for a Central Coast surfer. He was both shocked and hurt to find the doors closed when he reported to work, after his long drive up coast, with a truckload of blanks for surfboard builders who were in the middle of filling Christmas orders. He looked forward to his job and knew that at days end he would be rewarded with a surf somewhere along his route. That is another of the unique, special things about the foam company; it was built by surfers to supply other surfers. The cachet of the job was what apparently keeps many folks enmeshed in the surfboard industry in spite of the obvious downs of low pay and longish hours. Josh, whose uncle runs Shoreline Glassing, a large builder in South Bay, comes from an apparently long family line of board industry. He summed up his feelings with, “I had hoped that I would be afforded the same courtesy I would have given Clark. Some notice or warning would have been nice. I mean it is Christmas!”
Having read Gordon Clark’s swan song fax to the industry, I admit I empathize with what he has endured to keep his company based here in California. The pressures he faces would cripple many other less bull headed folks. He cites the EPA, down through State and County agencies, for providing untenable pressure plus many of the other attendant issues which are rapidly gutting US manufacturing competitiveness. I think that any other industry but a surfer run one would have folded ten years ago.
In the last ten or fifteen years, new technologies and methods of manufacturing have become accepted by the surfing community. They are viable. They are overseas based, the lone exception being a solitary polyurethane core foam company run by Harold Walker. It is So Cal based. However, Walker’s company does as many blanks in a year as Clark would do in a week. Rumor has it that a veteran industry shaper named Gary Linden has taken the helm from an ailing Walker and plans on ramping up production or possibly moving operations to China. The short of it is that today in 2005, Clark foam is no longer solely responsible for the survival of an industry and the maintenance of the status quo for equipment in surfing. For the first time since the business started over fifty years ago, it seems the door is open for him to leave. And as is apparently true in entrepreneurial fashion, he is making a strong statement regarding environmental regulatory controls in the process.
When Clark foam started, board builders were using wood. No, surfers are not back in that era again with the closure of the foam factory. There are alternative methods of manufacture that will keep boards under surfer’s feet with or without Clark blanks. What the closure will do however, is send polyurethane blank fabrication overseas to China. It will also radically increase import of existing overseas manufactured surf industry products, everything from finished molded surfboards to polyurethane blanks.
It is pretty much common knowledge that building almost anything utilizing regulated raw material is impossible in the South Coast Air Quality Management District, and it has been for quite some time. What we are seeing is a change of course for an industry that has a history of being resistant to globalization in surfboard manufacture for a long time. It is sad in that
regard. It marks the end of an era and resulting release of naiveté. The Golden State–the term now has become an oxymoron for those who would attempt to compete as manufacturers within its borders.
Posted January 2006 Blue Edge Magazine. All rights reserved.
Tri-County Shaper’s Spotlight
By Chuck Graham
There are a lot of surfboard designers and shapers to choose from in the Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties. Whatever satisfies your palate for wave-riding tools, there’s a shaper for every skill level and style. With Clark Foam shutting its doors, it’s an end of an era in the surfboard industry, certainly opening new avenues to what’s beneath our feet. So comb this list, a who’s who of shapers along central and southern California.
Rincon Designs
Shaper/owner Matt Moore, 805/684-2413.
Shaping experience: 38 years.
Early mentors: Rennie Yater, George Greenough, Mike Cundiff, Jeff White.
Inspiration: “Just being hooked on surfing,” says Moore. “When we were kids, we stripped down old longboards and made short boards. Back then there wasn’t many places to get boards.”
Favorite surfing era: “Late 60’s early 70’s, before leashes were out,” says Moore. “Back when the word waterman actually meant something. Leashes changed the sport dramatically.”
Favorite board to ride: “Last summer in small waves I surfed a fish with a twin keel,” he said. During the winter, Moore will switch off between a 7’-0” round pin and a 7’-10” for a bigger day at Rincon.
New for 2006: “Scratching for blanks,” Moore said. “It’s going to be a different animal. It might be a tough year.”
Proctor Surfboards
Shaper/owner Todd Proctor, 805/658-7659.
Shaping experience: 15 years.
Early mentors: Casey McCrystal. “I brought some boards to him to get glassed,” recalled Proctor. “I thought I’d get ridiculed but he offered me a job. I was stoked!”
Favorite board to ride: 6’-1”, 18 ¼”, 2 ¾”. “I call it the SR72,” he said. “I used to be into military stuff, and the SR71, a spy plane at one time was the fastest plane in the world.”
Favorite surfing era: “I like them all,” he said. “Cool memories of the Curren era. Just when I was a grom traveling, 12 to 18 years old before responsibilities took over.”
Comstock Surfboards
Shaper/owner Bob Comstock, 805/340-0125.
Shaping: experience: “17 long years.”
Early mentors: Jeff Bushman, Spencer Kellog, Timmy Reser and Allen Main.
Favorite board to ride: 6’-5” short board, squash, single to double concave thruster.
Favorite surfing era: “I liked the Lopez, Bertlemen years,” says Comstock. “Super Sessions is one of my favorite movies.”
New for 2006: “Materials. Start using more epoxy,” he said. “Everything has been the same for so long.”
Point Blanks
Shaper/owner Fletcher Chouinard, 805/641-9428.
Shaping experience: 13 years.
Early mentors: Steve Walden and Dave Parmenter.
Inspiration: “I want to create boards that make other people better surfers,” said Chouinard. “To take them places on waves they didn’t think they could get to.”
Favorite board to ride: 6’-0”, 19”, 2 ¼’, not quite a hybrid with a shallow swallow. A board that has a lot of down the line speed.
Favorite surfing era: “I like the lightening bolt era,” said Chouinard. “That was the most stylish surfing.”
New for 2006: “I’m pretty stoked on skaty boards lately,” he said. “We’ve had a run of lousy surf for a while.”
Roberts Surfboards
Shaper/owner Robert Weiner, 805/658-6855.
Shaping experience: 11 years.
Early mentors: George Reber, Casey McCrystal, Al Merrick and Ben Aipa.
Inspiration: “My love for surfing,” said Weiner. “Ever since I was a kid. Everyday it’s surf, surf, surf.”
Favorite board to ride: 6’-6”, 19 ¼”, 2 ½”, squash with moderate rocker, full concave, single with inverted double.
Favorite surfing era: “The future,” he said. “Where the kids are going is exciting. It blows my mind.”
New for 2006: “I’m modifying my main model, the SB4,” he said. “I’m working on a new model called a Fat Cat. It’s a fish with a squash. I call it that because it eats fish for lunch. It has more release off the top.”
Yater Surfboards
Shapers/owners Renny and Lauran Yater, 805/966-2006.
Shaping experience: Renny for 45 years, Lauran for 27 years.
Early mentors: “It starts with my dad,” said the younger Yater. Dale Velzy, Bob Duncan, “I learned a lot of my tricks from him,” said Lauran. Marc Andrieni, Bob Krause, Bruce Fowler, David Pu’u, Tim Bowler, and George Greenough. “He was huge in the fin department,” he said.
Inspiration: “It’s fun to see someone get a good ride on a board you made,” he said. “It’s fun to get one for you.”
Favorite board to ride: 8’-11” gun.
Favorite Surfing era: “As far back as you can go because there was less people,” he said. “It was crowded when I started, but there was still less people. 1977-78 was the most fun time to be a surfer. I had to take nine classes my last semester of high school just to graduate.”
New for 2006: “Going back to shorter stuff using concaves,” said Yater. We’re also doing a noserider that is a high performance longboard, and a California gun, an 8’-0’’.
Channel Islands Surfboards
Shaper/owner Al Merrick, 805/963-2678.
Shaping experience: 37 years
Early mentors: Merrick is pretty much self-taught.
Inspiration: “I’m constantly trying to look for that elusive thing that makes magic boards,” said Merrick. “Being able to replicate really good boards, and making boards that will accommodate surfers and the imaginations of some of these guys. Shaping boards for the pros is always a challenge.”
Favorite surfing era: “The 80’s when we had the local team workouts. It was energetic and lots of fun,” he said. “Traveling, surfing and making boards for Tommy and the same with Kelly in the 90’s. They all have their special memories.”
New for 2006: Coming up with new designs that stimulate Merrick. He’s also tooling with tow boards and stand-up paddleboards.
JHR Surfboards
Shaper/owner John Roddenberry, 805/684-4332.
Shaping experience: 15 years
Early mentors: “When I first started Hamish Graham was really cool to me,” said Roddenberry. “He was one of the few guys that gave me some pointers.”
Favorite board to ride: 6’-3”, 18 ½”, 2 ¼” squash.
Favorite surfing era: “Right now. It doesn’t get any better except for the crowds,” said Roddenberry. “I like what’s going on right now.”
New for 2006: “Constantly trying to refine my short board designs, and upgrading them with my team guys I’m working with,” he said. “Being more consistent.”
Walden Surfboards
Shaper/owner Steve Walden, 805/653-1717.
Shaping experience: 42 years.
Early mentors: Harris Kawata, Bob Bolin in the 60’s.
Inspiration: “In the early going it was to make good boards for myself,” said Walden. “Later on it was making good boards for friends and team riders.”
Favorite surfing era: “Living at Rocky Point in the 70’s,” he said. “Surfing three or four times a day with my shaping room and factory in the backyard.”
New for 2006: “Shaping and designing carbon fiber, hollow and epoxy boards,” he said. New designs with weighting and flexing applications. To keep it fun, new and unique.”
Allan Gibbons Custom Designs
Shaper/owner Allan Gibbons, www.allangibbons.com.
Shaping experience: 28 years.
Early mentors: Al Merrick. “Al’s really good at quantifying the intangibles about a surfboard,” said Gibbons.
Inspiration: “I like to work with my hands,” he said.
Favorite surfing era: “The early 80,” says Gibbons, “Because of the change to twin fins and thrusters.”
New for 2006: “No foam,” he said. “It’s hard to say. Surf techs are going to make a lot of sales. Styrofoam? Epoxy? It’s a radical shift, a huge question mark.”
Wayne Rich Surfboards
Shaper Wayne Rich, 805/252-0728.
Shaping experience: 27 years.
Early mentors: Dane Dendiksen, Donald Takayama, Bob Manville, Jeff Weidner, Dewey Weber and Mike Geib.
Favorite board to ride: 6’-8” big guy tri-fin, a 20” wide geriatric short board. His current favorite longboard shape is the Pro Mod extreme longboard, 9’-0”, 18”, 22”, 13 ¾”, 2 7/8”. It has major tunnel bottom, double barrel concave and 13 to 14 lbs. It has super radical rocker in the tail and low volume foam in the rails. “It has super good speed with the ability to move up the face,” said Rich.
Favorite surfing era: “Mid to late 70’s, I’m a single fin guy, barrel riding, the beginning of roundhouse cutbacks” he said. “I try to carry a lot of 70’s feel in my longboards.”
Rich Reid
shaper Channel Islands Surfboards, 805/963-2678.
Shaping experience: 37 years.
Early mentors: Lloyd Gist, Al Merrick. “Al has always been my biggest mentor,” said Reid.
Inspiration: “I love the ocean,” he said. “I’ve been on it since I was one.”
Favorite board to ride: 8’-2” fun shape thruster.
Favorite surfing era: Mid 70’s to early 80’s, “not quite as crowded back then,” he said.
New for 2006: “The foam thing with Clark is interesting,” he said. “There will be more epoxy boards because of the environment, but the industry is too big for foam to go away.”
Surf Country
Designer/owner Doug Yartz Jr., 805/683-4450.
Shaping experience: 16 years.
Early mentors: Dan Wazniak, Bob Krause.
Inspiration: “I figured I’d be doing this the rest of my life,” said Yartz. “I wanted to make things others weren’t making.”
Favorite board to ride: The Grouper for its versatility. 6’-0”, 20 ½”, 17 ¼”, 16 ¼”. “The tail is the most unique part of this board,” said Yartz.
Favorite surfing era: 1979-1984. “It was the experimental phase,” he said.
New for 2006: “More acceptedness,” he said. “Today there’s so many alternative boards to ride. You’re not ostracized for riding anything but a 6’-2” three fin.”
PJ Wahl Surfboards
Shaper/owner PJ Wahl, 805/489-4942.
Shaping experience: 37 years.
Early mentors: “Kent Smith early on,” said Wahl. “There wasn’t a lot of shapers on the central coast back then.”
Inspiration: “I love surfing,” he said. “In the 70’s it was travel. I surfed from the Canadian coast to Panama.”
Favorite board to ride: A 7’-0” all-around board.
Favorite surfing era: “In the 70’s it was the discovery, places no one had surfed before,” he said. “In the 90’s, everything became refined.”
New for 2006: “It depends on what happens to the industry,” he said.
Shane Stoneman Surfboards
Shaper/owner Shane Stoneman, 805/471-9367.
Shaping experience: 7 years.
Early mentors: Junior Beck, Al Dove, Craig Comen and Greg Mungall. “Al Merrick, any time I spent with him, that guy just exuded a Zen and focus that amazed everyone around his immediate zone,” said Stoneman.
Inspiration: “To appease and satiate my customers,” said Stoneman. “Because of them my quiver has spanned from fish to funboard, longboard to kneeboard. It’s helped me become a better shaper because I’m not afraid to dig a rail on a new design and run back to the drawing board.”
Favorite board to ride: “I really do ride everything,” he said. Everything from a twin fin to a 6’5” three fin to a 7’4” pin.
Favorite surfing era: “I am definitely a product of the old school 80’s,” he said. “Curren, Carroll, Occy, Cram…but I’d say my favorite era is now. Never before have all the chapters been so perfectly represented, balanced and executed. There is a maturation of technique and style in the everyman surfer.”
New for 2006: “Patience with myself and my fellow industrymen as we ride out this wave of change,” he said.
Progressive Surfboards
Shaper/owner Dave Johnson, 805/967-1340.
Shaping experience: 38 years.
Early mentors: “Mostly, I taught myself and from Phil Becker,” said Johnson. “He had the best work ethic of any shaper.”
Inspiration: “When there’s a swell pumping,” he said, “and people call and tell me how good my boards work. Seeing my Progressive label on a kid’s board screaming down the line.”
Favorite board: A 6’-10” high performance hybrid. “It has a little flotation and it’s super fast,” he said. “It’s a little bit narrower than the normal hybrids. I want to call it ‘Forever Young.’”
Favorite surfing era: “The modern era,” he said. “The equipment is so much better.”
New for 2006: “The sky’s the limit for what people want,” he said. “A fish to a single fin to longboards.”
Loyd Surfboards
Shaper/owner Gabriel Loyd, 805/441-5103.
Shaping experience: 18 months.
Early mentors: “My dad Aaron, PJ Wahl and Al Merrick…It takes a lot to be a good shaper and a good business man,” says Loyd.
Inspiration: “My love for surfing,” he said. “I’m stoked to be shaping for the kids.”
Favorite board to ride: For California, he prefers swallow tails, 6’-2”, 19 inches wide, and a hybrid fish with lower rocker, rounded nose and single to double concave through the bottom.
Favorite surfing era: “Right now,” says Loyd. “I’m stoked on the progression of the sport, the tow-in, the new tech. It’s cool to see how insane the kids get.”
New for 2006: A lot more grom boards, and to work with what’s best for around here.
Beatty Products
Designer/owner Clyde Beatty, 805/965-3180.
Shaping experience: 36 years.
Early mentors: Mike Perry, George Greenough, Bob McTavish.
Inspiration: “At the time I couldn’t get the boards I wanted made,” said Beatty. “I was into short boards, not 8’-4” guns.”
Favorite board to ride: Tiger fish, 6’-3”, 20 ¾”, medium thickness.
Favorite surfing era: “I’m enjoying what’s going on now,” he said. “I appreciate every era though, Nat Young, Tom Curren. I think Jeff Hackman’s surfing in Cosmic Children on a single fin was amazing.”
New for 2006: Referring to Clark Foam he said, “Everything has changed. The book has been thrown out. More than just shapes, it’s going to be materials.”
J7 Surfboards
Shaper/owner Jason Feist, 805/899-3864.
Shaping experience: 7 years.
Early mentors: Jeff Bushman, Mike Lasorda, Marcio Zovi.
Inspiration: “I admire progressive surfing,” said Feist. “I love working with my hands, the interaction between art and athlete.”
Favorite board to ride: 6’-3” round pin with real moderate rocker.
Favorite surfing era: Mid 80’s to mid 90’s. “A lot of change in the modern short board,” he said. “It was a big window for me, but now is incredible.”
New for 2006: “Moving forward from Clark Foam,” he said. “It broke up a huge monopoly. It will be positive for the environment and for design.”
Posted January 2006 Blue Edge Magazine. All rights reserved.
January 2006 Issue
Sex Wax Factory Tour
By Grey Lockwood
I remember the first time I stepped foot into a surf shop. I was 5 years old—still too young for my own board, but looking to go home with a souvenir from my amazing weekend at Malibu's legendary first point. It was the smell of coconut that led my nose to the wax bins in front of the register at Zuma Jay's on PCH. At only 25 cents a bar, I grabbed one in every color, completely oblivious to what the colors on the labels actually meant. After the salesman spent half an hour assuring my mom that the name on the label had nothing to do with its actual use, I was on my way home with four new shiny bars of SEXWAX, which eventually led to a love affair with the ocean that has guided my every action for the last 20 years.
After realizing that I’ve lived down the street from where the SEXWAX factory has been for almost two years now, I decided that I wanted to find out more about this little sticky substance and the man behind one of the most successful and original companies in the surf industry.
After a few e-mails and cold calls with no response, I realized this was gonna be a bit tougher than I thought. Finally, with a little help from a friend (thanks Dave), I was standing face to face with the man who has been keeping a large percentage of the surfing population stuck firmly to their surfboards for almost 40 years.
Frederick Charles Herzog III, or Zog as he is commonly known as, faced the same problem as most surfers after college graduation. The year was 1965 and Zog had just received a degree in Economics from UCSB. All he had to do now was figure out how he could pay the bills without having to succumb to the 8-5 lifestyle. After running his own surf shop out on Airport Rd. in Isla Vista for a couple years, Zog saw an opportunity in the surf wax business, a way to make some spare change. Mike Doyle's company, Wax Research, had just been bought by an investor with no plans to keep the business running. This meant that if Zog could get his own wax business up and running, he could possibly make a living out of it. After close to six months of research on all of the components that make up surf wax and construction of all custom machines to facilitate the amount of wax that was going to be made, SEXWAX was born in a rented garage in Goleta. The first year was modest, selling around 8,000 bars of wax at 10 cents a bar to surf shops up and down the coast of California. Every year after however, the sales doubled and eventually Zog moved the operation to the industrial park off of Bailard Ave. in Carpinteria.
As I pulled up to the address I had so anxiously scribbled on a piece of notebook paper, I was a little shocked. I faced an entry-way that bore very little resemblance to the buildings in the area commonly referred to these days as the “O.C.” that house some of surf industry’s greatest names. As I walked in, I was met by Zog's son, Eric, who has been running the family business right along side Dad for quite a few years now. Zog was in his office multitasking between phone calls and e-mails which take up a huge part of his, you guessed it, 8-5 workday. This gave me a chance to take a look at a couple of the hundred or so framed pictures taking up a majority of the wall space. Photographs of surfers such as Blake Howard, the Ellison brothers, and Cory Arrambide made me realize that Zog takes a great deal of pride in sponsoring kids at the grass roots level.
When I asked him what he thought about the amount of money that is spent for certain athletes to represent different brands of surf products these days, he shared a quick story with me. He had been giving wax to Andy Irons, pre-world champ AI that is, until Andy was offered a nice sum of money by Zog's only real competitor, Sticky Bumps. Not too long after that, Andy was interviewed by a magazine and was quoted saying that SEXWAX was "far superior to anything else and was his bar of choice." Case in point, Zog's business strategy has been the same from the start. Make the highest quality product available and business will come to you, not the other way around.
Finally, it was time. The moment I had been waiting for since I was five years old. I was finally going to see how this stuff was made, from raw materials to the final product. As I followed Zog through the doors, visions of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory–like assembly lines with hundreds of workers danced in my head. Once again, I was baffled as I walked in to see only three guys in the whole warehouse surrounded by stacks and stacks of wax. Maybe everyone was at lunch or taking a surf break? But to my surprise, Zog assured me that the entire wax-making process was run by a single man, a long-time employee by the name of JJ. JJ has worked for SEXWAX since he was in high school, and over a career that spans almost three decades he has poured millions of bars of wax. With two other guys packing and shipping all of the boxes, you could say that there is always plenty to do.
First, Zog showed me the mixer where the raw materials including parafin wax, the amazing array of flavors, and a few other components are heated up and mixed. I asked Zog what else his wax was made of and all I received in response was a quick laugh and these three words, "it's a secret." Just one batch from the mixer makes over 5,400 bars of wax which leaves no surprise as to how over 2.5 million bars of wax are packed and shipped internationally every year. Then, while the wax is still warm it is poured into a cookie-cutter like machine that pops out each bar in the trademark hockey puck form. Once they are cut, the bars of wax are placed on a cooling tray that helps them keep their shape as they dry. These trays are lined up by the hundreds along the back wall next to the wrapping machine. After each individual bar of wax is wrapped and labeled, it is placed into one of many bins where it awaits instructions as to what corner of the globe it will be traveling to.
After discussing the different types of wax and figuring out which flavor I liked most, JJ showed me what is known as the Guinness Book of World Record’s largest bar of wax that weighed in at over 50 pounds. I also got to see JJ's surf wax collection which included classics like original Wax Research bars still in their packaging and other not so classic labels such as Ganja wax, Hooter's Wax, Viagra wax, and Big Pecker's wax. Overall, it was a real treat to be one of the few who has had the chance to see something made that I feel is one of the only necessities in surfing next to the actual surfboard itself. So, the next time you're in a surf shop debating on which type of wax to buy, remember why SEXWAX is the obvious choice, "IT'S THE BEST FOR YOUR STICK.”
Posted January 2006 Blue Edge Magazine. All rights reserved.
On a Different Plane: Al Merrick
By Chuck Graham
Al Merrick’s greatest attribute might be his ability to understand each of his team rider’s needs. Most would argue that it’s his state of the art designs, the ability to develop a cache of new designs before they reach the surfing public, fine tuned under the feet of the Currens, Slaters, Machados and Martinezes of the wave riding world, that sets him apart.
However, when it comes time to produce another “magic board,” Al is always fishing for each of his surfer’s interpretation of what makes a board work or not work.
For the past 30 years, ever since a 12-year-old Tom Curren stepped inside the bowels of Al’s shaping room, he’s produced boards for the best in the world and quite a few hot unknowns along the way. But life has changed in some ways for Merrick: his successful bout with prostate cancer, grandchildren, and the recent release of Flow, a documentary film about nearly everything Merrick and the surfers surrounding him.
So between burritos and doting over his one-year-old granddaughter Daisy, Al reflected on years past and some of the incredible surfers who ride his boards.
Surfer Magazine: How long have you been shaping?
Al Merrick: Since 1968, so 37 years.
SM: How did you decide on Channel Islands as the name for your boards?
AM: Not quite sure. I just remember thinking about what can I use for a name, and I thought it was obvious that Channel Islands was a good name for a surfboard. I probably could’ve chosen a better name because it’s so long and hard to work with.
SM: When you first began did you ever envision Channel Islands becoming what it is today?
AM: No. It’s way more than I ever imagined. I always had the dream, I was telling Terry (Al’s wife) I’d like to be the best at what I do, but I never envisioned Channel Islands to be what it’s become. I can’t envision surfing being what it is now worldwide. It’s amazing.
SM: Is there anything in regards to shaping that you haven’t accomplished yet, but want to?
AM: No, not really. I’ve accomplished more than I ever dreamed of so I don’t really think that way. It’s more day to day. The big thing is to make magic boards more regularly, and then keep advancing boards. Being able to make boards that will accommodate surfers, their imaginations and where they want to go. Whether that’s reachable or not, I don’t know.
SM: What about the relationships you’ve developed over the years with certain surfers?
AM: That’s motivational trying to make boards for them to surf at their peak or close to it. It’s not motivating to work, but it is spiritually and that connection with people. It’s something that’s really special. That in itself is a much bigger reward I think than shaping.
SM: Do you have a favorite era as a shaper?
AM: I had a lot of fun back during the time we had the team going, the team workouts. The whole thing was so energetic. That was a lot of fun. But then again you’d have to say traveling with Tommy and shaping boards for him when he was winning his titles, and it was the same thing with Kelly. It’s hard picking a favorite period of time. They all have their special memories.
SM: What do you think is your greatest strength as a shaper?
AM: I think my designing over the years has been a big strength. Suddenly they just come. It’s surprising to me I suppose as it would to anybody some of the designs and the amount of designs I’m coming out with. I could be five or six designs ahead of what I’m actually selling to the public as far as what I’m doing for different surfers. Then I think communication. Being able to understand what a surfer is saying to me when their board isn’t working or a rail is catching. Everyone communicates that a little differently. You have to be able to actually weed through what the person is saying and really figure out what the problem is because a guy may say his rails are too thick. That may mean the tail rocker isn’t right, but it may be something to the surfer that he’s obviously feeling, but as a designer and shaper it could be totally different in reality to what’s making the board not functioning the way it should.
SM: Weaknesses?
AM: I’m probably not the best craftsmen in the world, not the best finisher. There are guys better than I am. I’m good enough to get where I want to go, but I don’t think I’m the best. But in reality it’s more important for me to spend time trying to make sure the design features of the board, major design features that make the board really work in my mind are right, and not to be spending my time trying to fine sand it so you can get the most perfect finish.
SM: Do you remember the first board you shaped?
AM: I do. A 7’2” round pin single fin with a purple arrow on the deck and a red bottom.
SM: What about the first board you shaped for Tom?
AM: I really don’t. I remember specific boards, but not the first one. I remember Tommy in the shaping room. He was probably 12 and his mom’s the one that did all the talking.
SM: First one for Kelly?
AM: No, certain boards yes like the Trestles board, things like that, but I don’t remember and I don’t know why (laughs).
SM: Well, there’s lots to remember.
AM: I used to remember every person’s dimensions that I shaped for. You could come in and I could tell you your dimensions.
SM: I remember you had them all on index cards. I don’t know if you still have them?
AM: I do, every board I shaped for my pros and even my amateur guys I keep records on. I got files and files on top of files. I have a file cabinet this big (gestures to about four feet high).
SM: Do you have a favorite type of surfing?
AM: Well, you probably remember from the old days, Santa Barbara was always black wetsuits, clear boards, 7’-6” pintails and everyone wanted to draw clean lines.
SM: We’ve always had the waves to do that though.
AM: I was always interested in Davey Smith and watching the kids go different directions on waves. I still think that is my favorite today. Although I love Taylor’s (Knox) surfing, the clean line surfing, not that Taylor doesn’t do modern things. He does, but it’s really fun to watch people push it. You watch Dane (Reynolds) surf and seeing him clear airs that are 10 feet it’s just amazing, then landing it and going into another maneuver.
SM: Regarding Dane, what is his potential? What do you see for him?
AM: I see the same thing I saw in Tom and Kelly. He has potential to be a world champion. But I’m not sure whether the dominance level is there say at Tommy’s time when he was so far ahead of people.
SM: Dane’s 19.
AM: But he has great potential to be a world champion if he wants to be. He has the physical ability, but right now he’s taken a different approach in that, because the money is there now. Kids can maybe do a little more traveling, do videos and make their decisions a little slower. But he’s very exciting. Obviously, I think Kelly is probably the best surfer in the world by a long shot right now in my mind. You take Dane, he’s probably the most exciting surfer I’ve seen and he’s right up there. He’s very close to the top guys, competitively not right now, but his surfing, straight out surfing, I’d say in the world.
SM: What surfer has changed the sport more than any other?
AM: I think I’m prejudice but I’d have to say Tommy and Kelly. I can’t think of any other that have changed surfing so radically, but I hate to leave anyone out. I know there are other guys, but I feel so fortunate to be able to have been involved with those two.
SM: You could say Simon Anderson as a top competitive surfer and shaper.
AM: Yes, no question about it. Simon brought a giant change with his configuration of the thruster. Of course, before that there was the Campbell brothers of Oxnard that were making 3-fin boards. Generally, you’d have to say Simon came up with the more modern 3-fin the way it’s configured now.
SM: When you see Tom surf today, do you enjoy his surfing more now or was he more fun to watch growing up on your boards?
AM: I spent a whole lot of time watching him surf and surfing with him years past. I was taking him surfing it seemed like everyday. Going to all the contests and all the travel. That was a different sense of enjoyment. Recently when I have gotten to watch him surf, he’s still just a beautiful surfer, an amazing surfer.
SM: Two winters ago there was a day at Rincon and it was almost completely flat, maybe ankle-high. No one was around except this one guy. He’s suiting up, his gloves, hood, booties and paddles out on a beat up, old longboard. At the top of the cove he catches this mere ripple and somehow connects all the way through to the freeway. There was no mistaking the style, it was Tom. It reminded me of surfing against him when we were kids, how he was always able to find a wave when he needed one, or get a tube ride when there was none to be had. My question is he always seems to have that special connection with the ocean. Does Kelly possess that same trait?
AM: I think he does, and I think all great surfers have that connection. It’s almost like they can paddle over to an area where there hasn’t been a peak all day and the peak comes through and they get a 9.5 on it. It’s hard to explain. It seems to me great athletes have that ability to connect and also the ability for time to stand still or slow down. I always relate it to a great hitter in baseball. Great hitters say they can see the stitching on the ball when it’s coming at them. It’s a different perspective. To me when those guys get on a wave, they’re seeing things before it happens in a different time frame than the average person on a wave.
SM: Do you see any other Currens or Slaters out on the horizon?
AM: Maybe an Australian or two, a Brazilian kid that’s very good. In my particular sphere of influence and knowledge, Dane is the most exciting surfer that I see that has the possibility of separating himself from the rest.
SM: It seems like it’s much harder today because there’s more good surfers out there and equipment is better.
AM: I think in a sense you’re right, but it’s harder every time. You know what I mean? So every jump in every progression in each period of time that it occurs it’s always a feat and it always appears harder. But you have to give the accolades to everyone along the way because the time they did it, it was harder than the time before. But that’s what makes progression. That’s what makes it fun and exciting. What came before is allowing what is going on now because people see what did happen and it opens up the possibility of what can happen. You need everything that went before.
SM: Bobby Martinez qualified for the WCT this past year. What is your opinion of his potential?
AM: I told Bobby, I think those guys are in trouble with him coming on the tour. If you put two of the things about surfing that people really love-raw power and rail surfing-getting on a rail and really carving and the ability to blow lips and tails out and come down sideways, Bobby is the perfect fit. He has style and power, and he’s totally into the new realm of surfing which is blowing out of the wave, and has the tremendous ability to put that all together. To me he stands out as the one that’s of the new age surfers that have really put that together. I think it will be devastating when he gets on the CT. I think when he goes man on man in good waves and holds his emotions together, he’s going to be devastating.
SM: So physically he’s there, what about mentally?
AM: I don’t know. Bobby’s Bobby. I think he’s a great kid. I think he’s mentally strong. I think he’s stronger since being laid off from Oakley. I think it’s given him a new desire to go out and prove himself. I think that kicked up everything a notch. So much of it comes down with Santa Barbara kids and traveling. I don’t know what it is, but I’ve watched them all through the years. Tommy was able to travel pretty well, although he did eventually burn out kind of at the end. Chris Brown, tremendous surfer, probably a great hope in this area, at one time was right up there, but couldn’t travel. Bobby has had some problems leaving home and being away, so we’ll see how well he adapts to the schedule. Travel I think is a great part of surfing. I hope he’ll be able to put it together and feel comfortable on the road.
SM: Talking about Bobby blowing the doors down, does Dane fit into that realm?
AM: Dane hasn’t reached a competitive level yet. It’s hard to talk about Dane that way because he hasn’t been at it as long or as serious with it. He’s had the opportunity to travel, do more videos and not have to concentrate so much on the competitive end. Bobby had that, but now he’s had to earn his keep, so to speak. So Dane in respect to how he’ll do, with his surfing he’ll be great, no problem there, but whether he’ll be able to contain himself to surf at a constant level, not making mistakes remains in question. Bobby’s a little older and has that experience. He has the experience of losing, which hurts a guy that likes to win. Sometimes it really matures you. Bobby has more of a maturing process in his life. You need to lose, because if you don’t lose you won’t learn how much you don’t like it. Some lose and it makes them want to win. Dane has a lot of synchronism between his creative ability and physical ability, and he’s able to paint a canvas. He’s able to take that rush and take himself to places that other people probably haven’t thought were possible to reach. The extent of his airs, the stuff he does is why competitively I don’t know how he’ll develop because right now he just wants to push things as far as he can go.
Fittingly, the last clip in Flow shows a high flying Reynolds, nothing but a liquid blur, streaking across a wave with only a frothy trough left in his wake.
Posted January 2006 Blue Edge Magazine. All rights reserved.
January Calendar
Tuesday, January 3
Ventura Surfrider
Get involved and learn what’s happening in your community at Ventura Surfrider’s meeting at the Foster Library (651 Main St.) in the Topper Meeting Room. Anyone who wants to learn or lend a helping hand is welcome. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. For more information, call 667–2222 or visit www.surfrider.org/ventura/.
Thursday, January 5
Yoga
Yoga/Surf Session for Women! Every Thursday from 9-11 a.m. Start with a pre–yoga session on the beach and then get coached to step up your surf skills. Call Monica at 681–9293 or Angelika at 451–8213.
Saturday, January 7
Ventura Surfrider
The Ventura Surfrider Foundation and Santa Barbara Channel Keeper’s “Stream Team” meets on the first Saturday of every month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Stream Team recruits and trains community members to take part in monthly water quality monitoring. It’s a great opportunity to help out the Ventura county area. Plan on getting your feet wet, free pizza and drinks provided. Call 648–4807 for more information.
Sunday, January 8
Oceanducks
The Oceanducks swim at Butterfly Beach every Sunday “From Palms to Red Hut.” The group meets at the stairs by the Coral Casino at 9 a.m. and then swims alongside the beach for about 50 minutes. Go to www.oceanducks.org for more information or contact Emilio Casanueva at 683–6676.
Goleta Stream Team
SB Channelkeeper’s Goleta Stream Team meets on the first Sunday of every month at 10 a.m. in the Kmart parking lot in front of the garden center. Be prepared to get your feet wet. Free pizza and drinks provided. Contact 563–3377 or visit www.stream-team.org for more info.
Tuesday, January 10
Ventura Surf Club
The Ventura Surf Club will be meeting today at Yolie’s Fresh Mexican Grill, 26 S.Garden Ave. As a club member, you’ll be able to surf in all intra–club contests and become eligible to surf in coalition and other contests. Meetings start at 6:30, visit www.venturasurfclub.org for more info.
Thursday, January 12
SB Surfrider
The SB Surfrider Chapter invites all current Surfrider members to their Chapter Executive Committee Meeting at 105 E. Anapamu St., 4th floor at 7 p.m. Check out http://www.rain.org/~srfrdrsb/ for more info.
Tuesday, January 17
SB Urban Creeks Council
The Santa Barbara Urban Creeks Council meeting is tonight at 7 p.m. at the Red Cross on State St. and Alamar. Help encourage the preservation, protection and restoration of natural and urban streams. The Council’s goal is to educate decision makers and the general public on the values of natural streams located in our community. Call 968–3000 for more information, or visit http://www.sb-urbancreeks.org/.
Saturday, January 14
Geology Walk
Join the Community Environmental Council for a walk on the beach with a local geologist. Learn about the folds, faults, and other geologic facts in the area. This event is free and welcome to everyone. Meet in front of the Watershed Resource Center at 2981 Cliff Dr. For more information call 963–0583, x116 or visit www.communityenvironmentalcouncil.org.
Saturday, January 21
Beach Clean–Up
Come help the Community Environmental Council clean up Arroyo Burro Beach at 10 a.m. Information, water, bags, and gloves will be set up at the entrance stairs at the beach. You can visit the Watershed Resource Center (2981 Cliff Dr, Santa Barbara) to learn more on why beach cleanups are so important. For more information call 963-0583 x116 or visit www.communityenvironmentalcouncil.org.
Join the Ventura Surf Club
Sign up for the Ventura Surf Club between noon and 4 p.m. at Rusty’s Pizza on Santa Clara St. For more information, visit www.venturasurfclub.org.
Sunday, January 28
Ventura Surf Club
The Ventura Surf Club will have their very first contest for the 2006 year at Middles. The contest will begin at 7 a.m., please arrive 30 minutes early for sign-ups.
Posted January 2006 Blue Edge Magazine. All rights reserved.
