Sacred Craft Part III - Wood

I'm going to do my best not to use the words GOT and WOOD, in the same sentence while writing this post but no promises. Actually I just did, but a least we got that out of the way up front so it's not hanging over our heads.

The wood boards at the show were, for me, best represented by the Simmons hulls that are part of the Simmons Effect exposition.  I took a good long look at these boards no telling when I might get another chance to see them all together. 

There were balsa blanks available at the show. I believe for every blank purchased two trees are planted in what is a rapidly diminishing rain forest.

A lot of innovative minds still choose wood for primary surfboard materials.

If I had the skills, time and equipment to make one of these beauties I'd do it in an instant. 

The Mike Marshall trophy is some fine wood work in it own right

Stopped by the Wegener booth to check out his take on the craft.  Always a good sign when your first thoughts are, "Wow how neet! I'd love to ride that!!" 

The one on the right still has wax on it

Simmons had radical ideas about changing the way he surfed and we are still benefiting from the work he did back then. I think it's hard to appreciate how different his take on things were from our perspective looking back.

But if you were riding something like this, which is still a really nice board in a paddle board sort of way. A Simmons balsa chip with rounded rails, rocker, concave and two fins must have been like seeing something from the moon.

I play this game in my head about historical figures and how they would react to the things happening today.

I could see Simmons taking a quick look around La Jolla being blown away by all the development and then heading out to the garage to shape some yard possums with Burch.

I am pretty sure he would be stoked when he saw a surf mat too.

Great show and many thanks to all the people that put it together!