Matt Rohrer shares some of the highlights of his conversations with Bay Area surfer Jimmy Holt, focal point of one of the few surfing photos to ever appear in National Geographic Magazine. Selected photos: Jim Shaw

When legendary longboard designer Bob McTavish came to Devon recently as part of TIKI's international shaper tour, Chris Preston couldn't resist the opportunity to quiz him about the technicalities of board design... Photos: Jamie Bott

...in the age of the programmable hand. San Diego's Josh Hall explains why he has chosen to tread the well-worn path of hand-shaping, in conversation with Andy Smith. Photos: Garrett Highhouse, T. Colla, Ryan Tatar

Mark Sankey and Alexa Poppe discover Autumn's aquatic gifts in a late September road trip spanning France and Spain. Words: Mark Sankey. Photos and Design: Alexa Poppe

Ireland's fierce and unpredictable breaks have been valued by its home-grown big wave riders for some years now, but competition has been a long time coming. All that changed with the inaugral Mullaghmore Tow Session 2011. Conn Osborne got in harm's way to steal a photo essay.

Using locally sourced timber and having designed a manufacturing process that minimises waste, Mike LaVecchia of Grain Surfboards has cornered the market in beautiful, sustainable wooden boards. And the best bit? They ride like a dream. Photos: Nick LaVecchia


So many boards

August 20, 2010 | Words By:

Shapers don’t talk to each other much. It’s a curious thing, and it seems to be a hangover from the dark ages of surfing (the late 1980s and 90s). Everybody made and rode a very small range of surfboards and the issue was cost more than quality. All boards were made from the same stuff, and the only real difference between them was the label.
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Tuna evolution

January 17, 2010 | Words By:

opener1In this latest instalment, the riddle of the Tuna’s phenomenal speed is revealed and we return to foam…

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Tuna time! [take 2]

November 12, 2009 | Words By:

ireland-openerI’m currently in Ireland, with my family and a big crew from the UK on a promotional surfing trip, working on this, the last blog entry of our Euro-summer. (Photos by Finley Wegener.)

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Let’s make some boards!

July 18, 2009 | Words By:

tom-wegener-by-jamie-bottI have had a pretty good run for the last few years as a surfboard maker. Plenty of great customers have kept me busy and, because my overheads are very low, I have had the freedom to experiment.

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The best day ever

July 18, 2009 | Words By:

tom and matt28th March, 2009: today was the greatest day a surfboard maker could imagine. Well, the greatest I could imagine anyway…
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