Yesterday's surf meet -

 Newquay delivered the goods again yesterday with another classic Surf Meet in sunny weather which gave the traditional sunburnt nose. The surf wasnt quite big enough to have the vintage board session we all wanted, but the vibe was as ever amazing, the turnout was great too with a couple of hundred boards and some beautiful classic vehicles all glistening in the sun. A big thank you to everyone who took part - I know doing the meet takes time and effort and in some cases considerable expense - but you all make it a very special day and keep surf history alive and accesible to the public !
Photos by Gavin (Finshack) , Gee, Jim, Jason , Matthew (Atlantic Supply co.) and Rob

 Nick Radford's poster proved popular. I have ten left , email me if you want one.

 Gee's Thrusters bedded down

 Gavin's Porsche 912 and Jim's Karmann Ghia

Henry ,Pete and Ryan

Some of Shaun's prized singlefins, Ted Deerhurst, Jolly Good and Phil Jay

Henry's rare Wilderness

Stuart's classic Ford pickup

Mr Bilbo's Bilbo collection

 Simon's Lancia Fulvia. Not the most obvious surf wagon but he still fitted a load of boards in it !

 Chris' 1951 truck, suitably signwritten for the day

 A mass of beautiful boards, with one of Rod Sumpter's personal longboards (not an early one)

Boards for sale

911 in 70's brown

Ryan's John Conway twin fin

Gee's Ferris Bueller moment

 Myles' boards including his Tris kneeboard

 Cheyne Horan by Chris Jones

Stuart transitional found behind a shed

 When Dave in London moved to a new house he didnt expect to find an old board behind the shed - but here it is. And not just any old board , its a transitional rare gem from St Ives made in the late 60s by Pete Moony McAllum. This was Pete's first label after arriving from New Zealand , and is very rare. The first Stuarts were full blown V bottoms in the Bob McTavish style, and then they moved to to rolled bottoms with  narrower tails much like this one, most had elongated Greenough inspired fins. There are only 5 or 6 Stuarts known about at the moment so Dave made a good discovery. Will be nice to see it once the warpaint and the foliage is cleaned off !
There will be a Stuart at the Endless Summer Truro museum show.

Surf Meet this sunday

 Its all systems go for the 4th Vintage Surf Meet this sunday. The weather looks fine, its offshore, some swell is coming in and surfers across the south west and beyond are dusting off their vintage boards and classic cars in readiness. Everyone is welcome to bring their old boards - the more the merrier. Email me for a parking pass. Most boards will be for show only, and virtually impossible to prize off their owners, but you're welcome to bring stuff you want to sell or swap.
The new poster has just been printed up, A3 size on thick paper, limited edition of 30 and every one will be numbered. The posters will be £5 each on the day, or £5 +p&p online. Profits go to Nick the designer.

As ever the Surf Meet owl is there hooting away !

Da boys headed to the surf meet ? photo Dan Merkel

Dream set up

I can think of worse places to live. Topanga 1970s

Phil Jay singlefin

A nice early 70s diamond tail singlefin by Phil 'Jay' Jenkins. This is longer and thinner than the other two Jay's I have had - they both had very wide diamond tails and pronounced rocker. This is quite different with a flatter nose, around 7'3 x 19 1/2 , still lots of volume but more gunny. The fin is beautiful and bulbous at the same time , with a middle layer of purple fibreglass sandwiched by dark ply , and it is as thick as my finger. The leash plug isnt original. On the underside is what looks like a nice cloth inlay; on a closer look amazingly enough its hand sprayed using a stencil, and looks pretty cool and unusual.

Phil Jay shaped boards both at a factory in north Devon, and in an old stable block near Barnes Bridge in London - which made him London's only surfboard shaper. He sold boards to well heeled swinging Londoners from his shop in Wandsworth. This was at the end of the 60s and into the early 70s .He also shaped earlier Kaiki boards in London.

 The man himself Phil Jay has a blast from the past at last Septembers Surf Meet

Ad from 1973

Endless Summer boards

Some of my prized Cornish boards which have been selected to show in the Endless Summer exhibition at Truro museum . Opening soon.
Alex is the major lender but many people have been involved and have offered up their collections so big thanks to them. Some legends of Cornish surfing have also been assisting and lending, including Roger Mansfield, Chris Jones, Nigel Semmens , Rod Sumpter and Gwyn Haslock.

My boards are -
Tris twin fin by Chops Lascalles, 6'5 x 20 1/4.
Jolly Good by Tigger Newling 6'9 x 19.
Graham Nile by John Hall, made for Steve Daniel 6'11 x 19 1/4.
Space Gypsy by Rumpelstiltskin, Danny Garland personal rider 6'8 x 18 1/2.
Martin Richard by Martin Geary, based on Keith Paull's Bing foil, 7'7 x 20.
Stuart (St Ives) by Pete McAllum 8'1 x 23.
Bilbo double stringer, shaper unknown 9'9 x 23.

I will also be lending a Piran by Alan MacBride and a Bill Bailey Aquatek both in the resto bay at the moment , and will be picking up Sean in Newquay's classic Outer Limits and Karma quad.
There will be a great selection of boards. If you like longboards there will be 3 Bickers, 3 Bilbos, a Williams from St Ives and some interesting earlier wooden boards.