An early 1970s Nat Young single fin...beauty.

Another board from the ceiling of the shop.  This is a 1971 Transition Era Single Fin, 6'0", shaped by Nat Young...cutting edge for its time.  Grog (from the famed Grog's Surf Palace in Seaside) had Nat Young shape about 20 of these beauties and had Rise Surfboards and Glassing glass em up...in Northern Monmouth County.  The original owner won this beauty at a "movie night" in Ortley Beach back in 1971...nice ride.

nice lines...

bottom lam.

deck lam.

Nat's signature.

A few more customs...from Clean Ocean Surfboards.

I got a few more customs from Tony at Clean Ocean Surfboards...see what can be done as we place orders for Spring.

twice baked potato, war pig & a tombstone fish 2



a couple of fun guns...performance funshapes- a quad & a thruster



Handmade in the USA!

The State of "S". Tom Curren and Rincon...enough said.

Something about the way Tom Curren surfs...the true Stylemaster.

Beach House video...a little bit about the shop.

Right before last summer, a friend approached me on doing a quick video about the shop...he needed to do something to add to his resume.  We put something together real quick.  Check it out...I think it came out well and gives you a small idea of what we're about.  Keep in mind that being in front of the camera isn't my gig...

Christian Surfers Manasquan sponsored Jesse Hines and Esther Faith concert...awesome time with awesome people.

This past Saturday Night...February 5th, Professional surfer Jesse Hines and Esther Faith played a concert at the Manasquan Recreation Center.  The Christian Surfers of Manasquan sponsored the event and food was brought in by Fins and Jersey Mikes...it was an awesome time!  I went over with my son Shane, & Derek... Nestor, Tommy Moran and the rest of the Christian Surfers did a great job putting things together.   Jesse and Esther Faith played some great music...Jesse showed his testimonial; what an awesome roll model for young kids & man does he rip!  The two of them are awesome people...they talked with everyone and shared surf stories and Faith stories and were super down to earth.  I look forward to the next event.



the Christian Surfers, Nestor, Tommy, myself, Jesse, Derek & my son Shane



Jesse's drummer...checkin Jesse in the barrell!

JESSE HINES: profile faith from Nic Mc on Vimeo.

Some new Clean Ocean surfboards hit the shop...Derek's got a new shred sled.

Just got a delivery of new sticks from Clean Ocean Surfboards...a bunch of custom orders and a couple for the rack. Derek's 5'10", custom paint jobbed, quad/thruster Hot Potato...look at that smile.

Flying Potato

Anchors Away




9'0" PLB2...round pin

 



Hipster ...9'2" Midway



J. Brother - New Movie...hopefully coming soon.

Thanks to Smokey, I came across this trailor for J.Brother's new movie Shorter.  I've heard lots about it, but haven't heard when it's coming out...

R.I.P. Leroy Grannis..."the Grandfather of Surf Photography"

Leroy Grannis, the Grandfather of Surf Photography has sadly passed away at 93. Surf photography gets no better. He really captured the whole lifestyle... made you feel like you were actually in the photo. His contributions will last forever and he will be surely missed. A few of my favorite photos...







The man himself...



Hap in his early days...

The Cat...Dora Lives.







Quiver

All for a few good waves...well worth it.



Dewey...drop knee.



Buzzy Trent...



Barrelled in the Outer Banks...Feel it.

The Outer Banks, NC get barrells!  Check this video out...from the inside out.  Not my style in music, but it works.

Challenger Eastern Revived? Visit from Tinker...

My Challenger Eastern tailblock & fin

Right before Christmas we had a cool visit from a surfboard building legend...Carl "Tinker" West.  Tinker owned and shaped surfboards for Challenger Eastern Surfboards in Neptune, NJ in the early to mid 1960's.  Born out of the San Diego label Challenger Surfboards, Tinker saw a large market in the Northeast and after a quick stop in Florida, set up shop in Neptune. 

My Challenger Eastern lam.

Tinker, Myself and Rick

My son and I were working the shop and a throwback lookin guy came in with his girlfriend...we asked them if they needed help and they politely said "no thanks" and got lost looking around at the boards hanging in the shop.  After a while, they walked towards the front counter and I overheard him tell her "it used to be in here, but they must have gotten rid of it".  Just as I asked him what it was he was looking for, he pointed up to the super clean Challenger Eastern slider above the counter and said "There it is, I shaped that board, that was my label".  With what I knew about the Challenger Eastern, I figured I was either talking to Michelle Junod, Jim Phillips or more than likely Tinker...I knew what Junod and Jim Phillips look like from photos, so I reached my hand out and said Tinker, it's a pleasure to meet you.  I made sure my son realized we were looking at a Surf Industry legend...especially here in the Northeast.

Tinker called up one of his buddies, Rick Barry, and asked him to come down to the shop...as it turns out, Rick was Tinker's salesman.  As Tinker put it, "I hired him because I was such a pain in the ass to deal with and Rick knew how to handle people.  If I had to deal with people we wouldn't have sold any damn surfboards".  We talked for quite a while and they talked story about the good ole days.  They told us about the days with Bruce Springsteen playing in the back of the factory (Steel Mill I believe), they talked about their California days, teaching Michelle Junod how to surf and shape, told us about his dealings with Jim Phillips in the early days, and when he first came to NJ and what they called the different town.  If I can remember right, Manasquan was Manasquat..."an Indian walked up to the Inlet and saw a white guy takin a dump and said Manasquat", Bay Head was "Head's by the Bay", Asbury Park was Raspberry Park, Sea Girt, Sea Grit, Point Un-Pleasant, and lots more.  We talked for a bit about the way his "Challenger Eastern" label was taken from under him by the guys at Rockaway Beach Surf Shop and being bastardized in China.

Tinker and Jim Phillips in the shaping room...

Bottom line, it looks like Tinker, Rick Barry and Jim Phillips will be making a handful of Classic replicas for sale in select shops...Pretty cool!  Sounds like they got the templates from Michelle Junod's shop and are going  to build some at Jim's place and have Channin glass them.  This was just what they were throwing around, so let's see what develops.  For my son and I it was a really awesome stroll through some cool New Jersey surfing history.

For more info. on the history, check this thread... http://www2.swaylocks.com/node/1028954

Jim Phillips and Tinker, CA