Wooden surfboards and other things

Posted on November 15, 2012 by geoffcrow

In 1935 Tom Blake made a hollow surboard and put a fin on and surfing moved quicky ahead with many changes since.

Well, the hollow board has started to come back with technology advances, Weber is making chambered epoxy /styrene composites and Pope is making hollow epoxy boards and now many craftsmen are making chambered wooden boards again.

A good surfboard is regarded as a work of art, in this case a work of art – is a good surfboard.

Redhead regular David Chung met up with some other like minded Aussies and attended a mind blowing week on the NSW South coast making their own wooden boards under the guidance and trained eye and skilled hands of US craftsman Paul Jensen.

Here is a link to Paul Jensen’s blog, giving details of the process of building a wooden board.

http://www.hollowsurfboards.com/2010SapphireCoastAustraliaTripReport

Check out Paul Jensen’s Website: http://www.hollowsurfboards.com/

David’s new board detail:

Manna Fish 5’10” x 21″ x 2.5″ Built by hand October 2010 at Manna Park Merimbula Decks – Blackwood, Western Red Cedar and Paulownia Rails – Cork and Ply, Fins – Marine Ply Inspired by Steve Lis Designed by Paul Jensen Board Construction and Fins by David Chung Rails shaped by Jed Done Glassing by Jye Byrnes 45+ hours to build and a lifetime to enjoy.

David Chung’s wooden Board – Deck

David Chung’s Wooden Manna Fish November 2010

David Chung’s wooden Board – Bottom.

David Chung’s Manna Fish

Here is a collage of the week making the board :

Making Manna Fish Collage

Mark Richards Leggy Point 1978 heading for a place on a wave not many can come back down from.

Mark Richards Leggy 1978

Mark Richards cutback 1977

Dudley/Redhead swamp 1980. The white paperbark trunks reflecting in the water made a striking scene.

Dudley Swamp reflections 1979

The little crab in the top left was keeping very busy making this sand sculpture 1978 Marks Point.

Crab at Work Marks Point

Peter Allen took us all on a trip to Rio when he did this song at the Newcastle Civic Theatre around 1989. What a great singer songwriter and entertainer he was.

Peter Allan Civic Theatre 1989

December 2010

Posted on November 15, 2012 by geoffcrow

Late November 2010 Redhead Little Beach is starting to get some sand out the back again with the constant North Easters we have been getting.

Bells Beach 1977 Women’s top 3 place getters, who all put on a powerful display in very cold and very solid 8 foot surf. These ladies ripped.

Graham Parker & the Rumour at Newcastle Civic Theatre 1978. England’s Graham Parker produced some great R&B music with biting lyrics and had a great band. Here he lifts the obligatory shades and sings “Hey Lord, don’t ask me questions, cause there aint no answer in me”

Redhead Shark Tower left June 2010 unknown surfer.

Redhead Shark Tower left May 2010

Sandy on a windy day at Redhead Beach 1984.

Sandy on a windy day at Redhead Beach 1984

Redhead Surf Club Members after the annual general meeting around 1977.

Redhead SLSC Members 1977

Who you gonna call? Turd Busters! Apply named business – Central Coast plummers truck at Bateau Bay around 1992.

Turd Busters Central Coast around 1992

Redhead Lambton B Colliery shut down and on the way out around 1980. This coal mine was the financial backbone for Redhead during it’s many years in operation.

Redhead Lambton B Colliery closed around 1980

Old photos of Redhead and elswhere

Posted on November 15, 2012 by geoffcrow

On Surfari around southern NSW near Bega 1977 getting close to susnset, we went through this water way and then went back and did it again for the camera.

On surfari near Bega 1977

Redhead Beach from the Bluff 1978

Redhead beach 1978

Ray Lunn stalls hard and then later gets a nice tube from behind the Redhead Shark Tower 1977.

Ray Lunn Redhead Beach 1977

Not a bad surf for no one out. Redhead Little Beach 1978.

Redhead Little Beach no one out 1977

Redhead Beach by moonlight 1977. Even looks good in black & white. A 30 second time exposure.

Redhead Beach by moonlight 1977

Bring back the chariot races and the pillow fights at Surf Carnivals! Newcastle region surf carnival Chariot Race at Blacksmiths around 1978, these teams look like they were having fun.

Newcastle area surf carnival Chariot Race 1978

We gave them the book, but it didnt seem to help much. My daughter Ellen and son Sam seem to be taking the business of toddler taming a bit too lightly.

Toddler Taming Sam & Ellen 1990

An uncrowded line up at Arrawarra around 1977.

Arrawarra 1977

A bee on a flowering thistle plant close up make a nice combination of colours.

Bee on flowering thistle 1978

Blower & his Dad and band playing some super cool music at Belmont Yatch Club around 1978.

Blower & Dad’s Band

Redhead surfers in the 1970’s

Posted on November 15, 2012 by geoffcrow

Surfing at Redhead in the 1970’s

I started surfing at Redhead in 1963. Redhead was always a great place to surf with good surfers. Somehow I found time to take some photos along the way.

Col Smith was Redhead’s best surfer and in the 70’s and 80’s became respected for his surfing world wide.

Col Smith Channel Boards he took to Hawaii

Col Smith the day before heading to Hawaii with his new channel boards made by Shane, shaped by Jim Pollard. Col went well in Hawaii in 1976 winning the Pro AM and places in all other events including 4th at Pipe.

Col Smith surfing next to the Shark Tower at Redhead about 1976.

Col Smith in his shaping Bay making Channel Boards

Col started making his own harder edged Channels in his Dad’s Shed that he and Martin Littlewood from Delta Designs worked out. This one was my 6 foot 5 inch single fin.

Martin Littlewood was another good Redhead surfer in the 70’s shown here at Redhead Beach. Martin has been making surfboards since then and is now over at Margaret River WA making all kinds of surf boards under the name Delta Designs.

Martin Littlewood Redhead Beach 1976

Peter Kuba was another good surfer from Redhead shown here in a nice tube same day as the photo above.

Peter Kuba surfing at Redhead 1976

Here is Col Smith again in an excellent position, making getting a good photo easy. These lefts next to the Redhead Shark Tower were solid this day in 1976.

Col Smith Redhead Beach 1976

Redhead Boardriders Club was very competetive and finished 2nd to Merewether in the Newcastle area teams comps, having a great surfer like Col Smith helped. This team photo after a club competition was held at Col’s place and all members were having a good time as usual.

Redhead Board Club 1976

June 2011 Storm

Posted on November 15, 2012 by geoffcrow

Another big June storm hit just north of Newcastle and we got the tail end of it’s fury.

Merewether Baths coping a flogging 14th June 2011.

Merewether in storm 14-6-11

Redhead beach on a dark on a stormy night.

Redhead in storm 14-6-11

2 Days before the storm was just building, Redhead Beach the surf is starting to get bumpy.

Redhead Beach 12-6-11

Newcastle Foreshore. A lot of country towns have a big thing like a big banana or a big pineapple, Newcastle just has a big thingy.

Newcastle Ferry Wharf 14-6-11

Redhead 2nd Creek walkway between rain squalls.

Redhead 2nd Creek Walkway 11-6-11

A walk along the Redhead 2nd Creek walkway between rain storms, and I found the fairies had been busy in their Dell.

Another look at this wave… I found 2 hell men deep inside trying to get out through the lip.

Redhead Heavy wave 4-6-11

Newcastle Beach mid week mid day.

Newcastle surfer 3-6-11

Redhead Bluff showing off it colour on sunset.

Redhead Bluff 9-6-11

This gnarled Banksia tree above the bright red soil has been doing it tough for a while.

Redhead Bluff 13-6-11

Going for a paddle around Swansea Channel, you see some nice sights.

Pelicans Swansea Channel 4-6-11

July 8th 2011 Big swell at Merewether and Newcastle

Posted on November 15, 2012 by geoffcrow

More winter swells on the way.

Newcastle at lunchtime 8/7/2011 no one out and some big ones hammering in.

Newcastle Beach Heavy Wave 8-7-11

This one looks a bit more rideable but there were a lot of closeouts.

Newcastle Beach good one 8-7-11

Merewether Point late arvo lining up 8/7/2011

Merewether Point 8-7-11

Merewether Point line up with evening glow 8/7/2011

Merewether Beach evening glow 8-7-11

Redhead Beach Saturday morning early closeout 9/7/11

Redhead closeout 9-7-11

Redhead Beach Saturday morning spray coming off a mean one.

Redhead wind sprayed wave 9-7-11

Black Neds Bay Swansea 30/6/11 – A nice place to go for a paddle, it’s only shallow so best go a high tide and you can see the fish moving around, watch out for the razor clams though.

lack Neds Bay Swansea 30-6-11

Blacksmiths 29/6/11 choppy and raining but still a nice sight.

Blacksmiths Beach rain cloud 29-6-11

Overlooking Newcastle City May 2011 some of it old and some new.

Overlooking Newcastle City May 2011

Wendy Saddington and friends visiting Redhead beach 1969. Wendy sings the blues properly and has one of Australia’s best voices and played at Newcastle Wests Bus Stop Disco the night before. Bus Stop Disco hosted Australia’s best bands like the La De Das and Levi Smiths Clefts and I didn’t hear much disco music there as it wasn’t invented yet – that was a 70’s thing.

Singer Wendy Saddington visits Redhead 1969

Milano’s Restaurant Pelican Marina Feb 2011 – nice food and service and a nice view.

Milano's Restaurant at Marks Pt Marina Feb 2011

Milano’s Restaurant at Pelican Marina Feb 2011

July 14th 2011 Newcastle Big Surf

Posted on November 15, 2012 by geoffcrow

The swell kept getting bigger and meaner this week.

A big one coming past Newcastle Baths lunchtime 12/7/11

Newcastle Baths in big surf 12-7-11

Another big wave Newcastle point 12/7/11

Newcastle Beach big wave 12-7-11

Late arvo Merewether Point 13/7/11

Merewether Point 13-7-11

Merewether Point late on 13/7/11

Merewether 13-7-11

As the light fades a big set comes through at Merewether point 13/7/11

Merewether Point late 13-7-11

To get a feel for how heavy it was at Newcastle I got in for an eye level view – 14/7/11

Rough surf Newcastle 14-7-11

Big wave at Newcastle 14/7/11

Newcastle Beach big wave 14-7-11

Another big one Newcastle 14/7/11 with bonus bird.

Newcastle big wave 14-7-11 10 with Bonus bird

Some old stuff –

Girls watching Grant Kenny compete – Surf Carnival Redhead beach 1978

Girls watching Surf Carnival Redhead 1978

Redhead SLSC 75th Reunion 1977 – some long standing members.

Redhead SLSC 75th Reunion 1977

July 18th 2011 Redhead at sunset

Posted on November 15, 2012 by geoffcrow

Saturday morning cool grey and foggy Redhead Bluff 16/7/2011

Redhead Bluff in fog 16-7-11

Newcastle Beach water shot lunchtime 18/7/11. Good for longboards, this surfer breaks into a big grin as he shaves past a body boarder paddling out.

Newcastle Surfer 1 18-7-11

Newcastle Beach water shot lunchtime 18/7/11. A nice inside section trim.

Newcastle Surfer 2 18-7-11

Awsome sunset Redhead Little beach 18/7/11. I just timed my trip home from work nicley as the sun faded with a beautiful light show.

Redhead Bluff. A young body boarder makes his way home as it gets cool.

Redhead Bluff Sunset 18-07-11

Redhead Little Beach Twilight 18/7/11

Redhead Little Beach Sunset 18-07-11

And the surf was good.

Redhead Beach surf on susnset 18-07-11

Redhead Shark Tower Sunset 18/7/11

Redhead Shark Tower at Sunset 18-07-11

Redhead Big Beach Sunset 18/7/11

Redhead Big Beach at sunset 18-07-11

3rd August 2011

Posted on November 15, 2012 by geoffcrow

Overlooking Redhead Beach 1/8/11

Redhead Beach 01-08-11

Redhead Surfer late arvo 29/7/11

Redhead surfer 29-07-11

Swansea Channel – Salts Bay Reserve is a little tropical retreat.

Salts Bay Swansea Channel 24-07-11

Newcastle South 29/7/11

Newcastle South 29-07-11

One of Sandy’s Chooks likes hanging out in the Fruit trees 1/8/11

Chook in tree 01-08-11

As flat as it gets but it looks peaceful and good for a swim Newcastle Beach 3/8/11

Newcastle Beach flat 03-08-11

Newcastle Surfer 28/7/11

Newcastle surfer 28-07-11

Looking down south Redhead Beach 30/7/11

Redhead Beach 30-07-11

Redhead Beach 5th August 2011

Posted on November 15, 2012 by geoffcrow

A day off Friday 5th August, suns out like its almost summer, not much swell. Went for a paddle with a camera around my neck then for a swim.

Redhead Beach from the water 5/8/11

Redhead Beach from the water 05-08-11

Redhead Bluff water shot

Redhead Bluff from the water 05-0811

The Dolpins were jumping everywhere but where I pointed the camera

Redhead Beach dolphin 05-08-11

Close up of the Redhead Bluff

Redhead Bluff up close 05-08-11

Redhead Shark Tower from the water

Shark Tower from the water 05-08-11

Kenny on a Redhead Shark Tower left

Kenny – Redhead 05-08-11

Lazy shot of the rocks in front of the Shark Tower and a bonus holagram

Redhead Shark Tower Rocks lazy shot 05-08-11

Side view of an odd one that came through.

Wave Redhead 05-08-11

Crow's Garage

Category Archives: Redhead

Wooden surfboards and other things

December 2010

Old photos of Redhead and elswhere

Redhead surfers in the 1970’s

June 2011 Storm

July 8th 2011 Big swell at Merewether and Newcastle

July 14th 2011 Newcastle Big Surf

July 18th 2011 Redhead at sunset

3rd August 2011

Redhead Beach 5th August 2011