26 . 06 . 16
Our friend Tony had quite the complete workshop experience with us over the first six months of this year; he fitted in sessions and days at the workshop as and when he could and worked on his 9’1″ Wicket slowly-but-surely. He helped with every single stage of the process, from selecting the planks for his board, through machining and gluing up skins and rail strips to going with James in the van to deliver his surfboard to be glassed by Paul and Bro at Phoenix Laminations. Being a good friend of ours, living locally, and always being quick on the offer to put the kettle on meant that Tony received a more bespoke workshop experience than normal (he’s the only person who’s ever accompanied their new board an hour up the road to the laminators), but it was a real pleasure having him stop by the workshop on a regular basis for a cuppa, a chat, and perhaps a bit of leisurely gluing or sanding.
And then, last week, we picked up Tony’s finished board and got to join him for his first surf which was a wonderful moment for all of us – getting to watch a friend paddle into his first wave on a board that he’d made entirely himself, ride it from start to finish, and kick off on the inside with a massive smile stretching from ear to ear. It reaffirmed why we do what we do here, and was a great way to round out the story of Tony’s surfboard.
