Ollie O’Fla has been cleaning up in the summer stoke stakes of late

Here he goes late on his 6’3 x 18 3/8″ x 2 3/8″ round pin dh

Action shots by Mark Wankel

I posted this ‘double bump‘ shot a while back:

Well, a few months down the road, here is one image of the obvious conclusion of that bumpfest:

Trouble? Not really, especially on a calm, sunny saturday barefoot stroll along Lahinch beach with Blounty and our two little women!

These two bro boards look kinda interesting, if a little on the large side…

6’4 x 21 1/4″ x 2 3/4″

6’5 x 21 1/4″ x 2 3/4″

Both boards are going to paddle like something roughly a foot longer without the limitations of all that extra length. Another hidden advantage that someone pointed out recently – they fit in your car pretty sweet too!

Peter Conroy gets the first special edition ‘Hellman’ board!

My brother-in-law, Tio Miguel, hooked me up with the artwork, so thanks Mig.

6’0 x 18 3/8″ x 2 5/16″ for slabs / pumping reefbreaks.

simple pleasures!

6’3 x 19″ x 2 1/2″

I think that there is often a hole in the market for boards designed for people to improve their ‘shortboard’ surfing on. Boards that I guess are designed to help with wave catching and timing but that fall short of being ‘good’ boards that allow for developing proper turns and style and often are trouble in the duck-diving department. While there is more than one way to skin a cat, I liked the approach that Talitha made here in selecting a light (2.8kg), tuned shortboard for a bigger person with a full foil and slightly moderated rocker. I suppose that ultimately you have to happy with what is under your arm as you run across the beach, too. I hope that she is… Will be interesting to find out. Anyway, I liked this one, with its fresh, royal blue decals and clean outline.

Sisters Scarlet and Copper have two bob’ish sled’ish quads to bring them wave love in France next week. Copper is coming straight out of her Leaving, so I’m guessing this trip will be especially sweet for her. Apologies on the late arrival of the coloured decals, girls…

5’10 x 19 3/4″ x 2 3/8″

6’0 x 19 3/4″ x 2 3/8″

I think both boards are going to be good paddlers and will move quick and positive in small stuff but feel directional and secure in good overhead waves too. The tail on the 6’0 kinda got me thinking about another design that has been floating around in my head for a few weeks. Watch this space.

Martin H sends me photos from time to time. Sometimes I think he enjoys rubbing it in that he is leading a quiet life in his boardies, living in sync with the tides and daylight hours on the edge of a far flung tropical jungle. But then again I know that really he’s just whetting my appetite for the next Philippine adventure that will come my way! Unlike me, with my dislocated stints on distant shores, Martin is in for the long haul, with a beautiful local wife and a small child of his own. He is also adept at painting a picture that appeals to surfers the world over, but having had a small taste of Island Life I know that few can handle that long haul. Daydreaming over pictures is food for your soul, though. This one looks like it could be a few decades old instead just a few weeks.