NEW GALLERY AND WORKSHOP

A new era for Harvey Surf is beginning. It's all signed, sealed and soon to be delivered after a six week fit-out. Harvey Surf will be open for business on the 12th December The new address is 12 PACIFIC AVE MIAMI, 50 meters from the highway lights at Miami High School.  Same friendly advice.

Until then its still the old address at Burleigh. After 2 1/2 years at Lower West Burleigh Rd, and rapidly running out of space, I am moving into a bigger factory, 3 times bigger in fact. This will give me the walls I need to hang my art, space to display a wider range of boards and have a creative studio where I can paint larger works. More space for books, sculptured pieces, and all the necessary surfing accessories. Room for exhibitions of not only my work but of other artists and events as well. An extended range of both paulownia blanks and shaped Alaia boards will be available. Shapers Workshops for both foam and Alaia surfboards in a bigger and more comfortable environment available by appointment.

A glass walled shaping bay will face onto the gallery, offering an insight into surfboards handcrafted the traditional way. There will be enough room to stand back and absorb the mood of the art and space to lay down a classic 9 foot balsa surfboard without having to worry about banging into other boards.

So for the next 6 weeks I will still be an artist and surfboard shaper but also a carpenter, painter, interior decorator and removalist, sound like hard work but the reward will be a great new gallery/workshop for all to enjoy. All part of  "LIVING THE DREAM"

Hope to see you at the gallery / workshop sometime soon.

MORE MINI SIMMONS

Lots of interest in the new Mini Simmons. so here's some more food for thought.

Perfect board for those flat summer waves, ride em all the way to the beach.

Photos of the finished board loaded soon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKgK_Gd-81w

HARVEYSURF IS MOVING

With the increase in board sales and the need for more factory space as well as more wall space for bigger art exhibitions, Harveysurf is moving to a  larger site. We will still be in the Burleigh area, but as the final details have not yet been finalized I will let you all know where and when the big opening will be. The move will be early January ready for the beginning of the surf season on the Goldy. Until then I will still be in the shed creating enough boards to keep everyone happy .

There will be a bigger range of longboards, Alaia surfboards, Alaia blanks, new t-shirt designs and all the necessary accessories as well as more exhibitions. 

A new website is also being launched to coincide with the opening and the release of 16 new super models (not that type of super model, surfboards of course).

Next newsletter will have all the details and the opening night invite, so if you don't get the newsletter you can subscribe by sending an email to info@harveysurf.com with the subject heading SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER.

Mini Simmons

Bob Simmons from California was the greatest influence on modern surfboard design with several interesting concepts.

One in particular originally showing up around 1948 was a foam core timber laminated deck and rails. Round nose and wide square tail with twin double sided foiled keel fins. The bottom design, some with a small concave, was a planing hull similar to what Greenough used much later and the White Kite model from Ted Spencer.

So now this new smaller version, between 5 foot and 7 foot is a pure planing hull with an 

s-deck for buoyancy and a straight bottom line through the tail, which makes it super fast. 

 This one will be a charcoal metal flake. Will have it finished in the shop within a week or so.

Nick's old board duplicated

Nick was devastated to find his favorite old board had been broken.
But even though it was twenty years old I still had the templates and reproduced it.
Another happy camper.

Surfboard Shapers Workshop

OVERVIEW OF THE SHAPERS WORKSHOP

Ever wanted to learn the art of shaping?

Learn the what, how, and why from a shaper with 40 years experience handcrafting all styles of boards.

Understand the tools and techniques and completely shape your own surfboard, ready for glassing, whichever style you choose.

The SHAPERS WORKSHOP offers a series of short courses comprising 5 Modules of 2 hours each designed to teach you how to shape your design directly from a blank.

MODULE OUTLINE

1: THE SHAPING BAY

The shaping bay layout with lighting, stands, racks and benches.

Tools, what they do, how to use them and how to select yours.

Understanding the custom order form

Selecting the correct blank shape, length, weight and stringers for your design

2: DESIGN

Design elements

Creating templates

Translating measurements

Cutting your plan shape

3: ROUGH SHAPING

Using the planer

Rough shaping the bottom

Rough shaping the deck

Rough shaping the rails

4: FINE TUNING YOUR DESIGN

Fine Shaping

Rail shapes

How to shape Channels and Concaves

Tucked under edges

5: FINISH SHAPING

Checking for bumps

Gauze rails

Stringer heights

Marking fin positions

Final dimensions check and ID

Shape ready for glassing

Designing logos

CERTIFICATE OF COMPETENCY ON COMPLETION

INCLUDES DESIGN FOLDER WITH STUDY NOTES AND TOOL SUGGESTIONS

TOOL PACKAGES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST.

Price varies depending on your blank choice but includes your finished shaped blank ready for glassing, All necessary protective shaping gear.

All designs long and short catered for.

contact Richard Harvey - 0414 557624 for price and available times

SOUTHCOAST FOAM used exclusively

As you can see from the Shapers Workshop Modules there is great scope for teaching a new generation of surfers the intricacy of the surfing lifestyle.

These modules can be taught as part of the Shapers Workshop Modules or can be customised to suit a variety of situations. The duration of each module is approximately 2 hours.

This unique series of Shapers Workshop Modules is being offered for the first time and will be a great addition to the education of surfers about their surfing and equipment.

The Shapers Workshop Modules range from introductory level to advanced one on one training. The modules are flexible so if you have specific needs in regards to the Workshop I can work with you to achieve the best outcome.

Course cost are an important part of the Workshop. One on one training is ideal and below are the details for this option.

For the introductory level each module is $150.00 for individuals.

If signing up for the complete 5 Shapers Workshop Modules then a discount of $50 applies and the price is $700.00 including GST. The cost of a blank, depending on the style of board, whether long or short, to be shaped must be added to the course cost. Protective equipment of goggles, ear plugs and dust mask for each participant is included in the price as is a folder with study notes and tool suggestions.

A deposit of $270 is required to book the 5 modules. This covers the cost of the first module and secures the dates for the next 4 modules. The balance which is payable as each module is completed is $130 for 3 modules and $80 for the fourth module.

A glassing service is availble where the student can come in while the board is glassed and will be given an understanding of the manufacturing techniques as the board is finished. The approximate manufacturing cost for a 6’ board is $350.00 finished to a wet and dry stage that is ready to ad art or take surfing.

These Shaper Workshop Modules are the ideal training ground to give skills that are rewarding, productive and which will lead to a great career that can be practiced worldwide.

If you would like further information on any of the Shapers Workshop Modules please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Testimonial:

dear richard,

i just wanted to say a massive thank you for having me in to do the shapers workshop, it was without a doubt the best money i have ever spent, and was the most rewarding thing i've done in a long long time.
The board that you helped me to shape has become one of, if not my favourite board in my quiver, i ride it all the time and i love telling people that i shaped it from scratch!
Everyone in the surfboard industry is so cagey and so so reluctant to give away their "secrets" so its really refreshing to have someone of your level of knowledge and experience sharing all that they know. I learnt more in 10 mins with you than i have in the last few years working in surfboard manufacturing. Not just about shaping but also about my surfing, after 15 years of surfing and learning, i feel that i finally understand my surfboards better now, how they turn around the planshape, how the rocker and bottom rails are working together the way design affects performance and thats just the tip of the iceberg!
Doing the course has helped me to take all the pieces of knowledge that i already had and put them all together with what i learnt to make it coherent and it all just "makes sense" now. My surfing has definitely improved and i feel more connected to my boards, that in itself was worth the price of the course.
As far as shaping goes since doing the course i've shaped 2 alaias, 1 bellyboard, one 5'7" quad and one 5'8" mini simmons and the quality of my shaping has improved out of sight, i will probably never buy another surfboard again, i'm even contemplating shaping my first solid wooden board from scratch, something that i found daunting for a long time!
Thank you for teaching me the tools and techniques to shape with and to create my own boards. I really feel like the sky is the limit. I can't recommend this course highly enough, for anyone regardless of skill level.

Thanks again Harvs i'll be in soon to show you my latest board. Jesse.

Link: http://blackapachesurfboards.blogspot.com

Alaia Shapers Workshop

ALAIA SHAPERS WORKSHOP

Nearly 30 enthusiastic students and a few teachers from Marymount College at Burleigh joined the wooden surfboard experience by shaping timber Alaia's as a part of their wood working class.

Girls and guys all had a go at shaping the design, with some great results.

With the plan shapes cut out, cleaned up and the rails starting to take shape, the end of the next class will see quite a few finished Alaia's hitting the water soon after.

Interest is coming from more schools, so I will keep you posted on the developments.

For those wanting paulownia timber of different dimensions and qualities for that special board including cedar stringers, it is available on request.

On a separate area with paulownia, lots of new blanks are arriving in the next few days. The stock turns over pretty quickly but I can set aside a blank.

And as a bonus for those wanted to get an Alaia surfboard, I have limited times when I will help those interested to shape their own under my guidance, all for the same price as buying one off the rack. This is a gem of a christmas pressie.

Time from start to finish including oiling and logos a little over 4 hours. Appointments are essential so please email or call for more details. Mob 0414 557624

WALK THE PLANK

Art Exhibition at The Plank Shop, Yamba

Didn't have much time to settle after Bali and West Aus and set off down in cruise mode from the Goldy to Yamba loaded to the gunnels with paintings of all sorts. Dean and Karen at The Plank Shop had cleared the walls of their funky establishment (check it out when you are down that way) and made space for my art amongst their eclectic collection of surf goodies.

Arriving back several hours after unloading I discovered the shop had been transformed into a great little gallery with my art hung very professionally, great job guys. The girls all chipped in preparing the nibblies and the bar.

Friday night started with great music from Billy February, and the wine and beer flowed, everyone enjoying the art and atmosphere. The crowd spilled out onto the street for some breathing space and the music rocked on til late. Saturday morning and more crowds flocked through, until the warm offshore wind decided for us that it was time to pack up and enjoy the beach. Thanks everyone who helped in putting on the exhibition and I am looking forward to the next time I'm down with some new work.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

After Bali I headed to Western Australia, also many years since I had been there.

My sensational host Richard who is opening a Surfing Museum in Yallingup gave me the incredible guided tour of the coast from north of Perth to Augusta.

The pristine beauty and isolation of the south coast of WA, even in the shivering cold (especially after Bali) and howling wind is awe inspiring and I have sketched some scenes for a series of paintings from the area.

As part of R & D, and as the wind was too strong to get the boards off the car, we headed to the wineries and boutique breweries of Margaret River. Life is tough but someone has to do it.

Back in Perth we headed over to Garden Island for a lunch on his cruiser. Didn't go ashore as the island is full of tiger snakes. The wind that howled while I was in the west finally caught up again in giant dust storms in Sydney. Delayed and cancelled flights made for a long trip back, but as they say "There is no place like home."

BALI TRIP SEPT 2009

After 35 years, I have just returned from a nostalgia trip to Bali and Western Australia. Scored the swell of the season at Padang, double overhead on one day, The locals rip it to pieces and control the water. Weather was sensational and apart from the obscene crowds in Kuta, Bali still had that same magical spirit. Also ran into a few of the old boys while staying at Padang. The down side was unfortunately in Australia and hassles with Jetstar over length of boards. They had a room full of oversized boards that they wouldn't load. Even though I was told they would take the longer boards my boards stayed in Australia.

New Life for an old Classic

It must have been at least six months ago when a board came into my possession that was a total wreck.

At first glance the board looked like it was only worth throwing on the junk heap.

After closer examination it was discovered to be a 7'4" vee bottom stubbie shaped by Hohensee around 1967 and was numbered 18.

The vee bottom stubbie was the transitional board between the long old heavy malibu and the modern board of today.

An interested collector asked if I could restore it. Realizing it would take me several months to do, whenever I had a gap in my board building and art, I started.

Sanding the layers of paint of the bottom took hours, but revealed a clean and relatively undamage surface. The major de-lamination on the deck which was badly water stained was painstakingly filled and the lines of the deck restored.

The broken fin was removed and a new panel made to the the original colour. The base of the existing broken fin was matched to a template in a photo which of Nat Young carrying a vee bottom stubbie in Hawaii in 1967. The match was perfect.

The board was sanded filler coated and the rails coloured as the original had been.

When deciding how to cover the filled section of the nose, several methods were tried, when none of these complemented the board, the new owner, a lover of classic objects and art asked if I could paint a mural on the deck loosely based on a surf movie poster from the 60's.

So now the board has been finished and will have pride of place in a home in the next few days.

Herold's new Alaia

One of the visitors to the Wooden Surfboard day was Herold who decided he wanted me to shape him an 8' Alaia.

Joining me in the shaping bay we finished the board in around 4 hours which included the addition of small twin keels which can be sanded off when he gets the knack of riding it.

The natural oiled finish gives the paulownia a lovely golden glow and accentuated the grain lines

He is taking it back to Japan, at the end of the week, as well as another timber board he built at the Eco Village with Paul Jensen.

Wooden Surfboard Day at Currumbin

The Wooden Surfboard Day at Currumbin was an amazing experience.

Board shapers from both the wood working end and the surfboard shapers end joined to make a day that was a learning experience for every one.

Several of the boards that impressed me and there were many to choose from were the Brewer 11' gun and the boards from Paul and Sage Joske at Valla.

Pics above are a few of my boards, balsa, Alaia, handboards, lying on the lawn. My balsa 7' single fin with the big daddy of them all a Dick Brewer gun and a collection of Alaia from Paul & Sage. The centre board is a hot curl, with a soft roll vee made from solid paulownia.

Jason's new red single fin

The Glide, one of summer's new models, this single fin has triple stringers with classic sparkling red tint. "This board has made my day" was Jason's only comment, as he collected his birthday present, he was lost for words.

Alaia and Handboard

The Alaia phenomenon has exploded with a wide variety of shapes now being ridden. Today I shaped a 5' Alaia based on a fish snowboard. Beautiful lines and interesting design that is going to be ridden by James who normally rides a surf mat. Also shaped him a 13 1/2" hand plane with cutout grip. My logo is burned into the wood. These two have yet to be oiled with a mixture of Linseed oil and turpentine which makes the grain go golden.

Old Burleigh Heads

An old picture postcard of Burleigh taken from up on the hill and over looking the developing township.

This photo has been scanned and will be reproduced in a 20' x 14" limited edition (50) reproduction on archival photographic paper. Available framed or unframed at the gallery.

POOL SKATERS 1975 CALIFORNIA

While going through my photographic archives I came across about a hundred black & white negatives of a pool skate session in California.

Lonnie Toft and Richard Vanderwick were just two guys in a very talented bunch that hit the empty pools around Ventura.

Sequence shots and the crew. Check out the four truck board in the foreground of the group shot. I remember seeing Lonnie get right up on one wheel on the coping with that monster.

Lots of scanning to be done but more coming shortly. Once this is done the book will start.

Longboard Cutback - Floral Series

Billy Hamilton's beautiful cutback on a classic 10' triple stringer inspired the latest piece of artwork in my floral series.

It will be sent off to the framers in the next couple of days, and then be on show at the gallery.

Paul has a new quiver

Paul Van nimwegen has a just collected a couple of handcrafted boards.

A rounded square tail small wave board and a larger rounded pintail gun for those bigger days.

Paul is off to Indo shortly, lucky bugger.

Gold Coast Surfing Museum Opening

Headed down to Currumbin last Sat June 27th for the opening of the Southern Gold Coast surfing museum.

Ran into some identities, Carl Tanner, who has one of the largest surfboard collections in the world, and is a major contributor to the project

Joe Larkin, who started shaping in 1948 and has been a part of the surfboard industry for the last 60 years.

Richard Hadley, who is over from Western Australia to gather ideas and inspiration for establishing his own museum down Yallingup way.

They stand infront of part of the extensive exhibition of surfing poster memorabilia which forms only a section of the museums collection.

Latest creation "The Handsurfer"

Winter is a great time for me to get through some of the projects that roll around in my head for months.

The "Handsurfer" has a single concave bottom with bevelled edges and small flyers.

Lots of buoyancy and an easy adjustable padded hand strap for comfort and control.

I think this would be a great one to get moulded for production in high density wood grain foam.

I'll keep you posted on the further developments.

Marc's cruising

Marc Avery surfing with five on the nose.

His daughter snapped this great shot from a waterproof Olympus camera in the shorebreak on a small day at the beach front.

Alaia Surfboard

The dark stained Alaia surfboard is 7' x 18" x 3/4" swallow tail, and the light one is a 7'4"and is oiled.

Shaped from locally grown Paulownia with a concave bottom.

A Couple of Fish

A picture says a thousand words so here it is, the picture I mean.

5'9" x 20" quad (brown/ green rails)

5'10" x 20 1/2" quad (blue malt rails)

Both are stringerless with hollow glass parabolic hardbond rails, and check the new grey blended logos.

Pretty happy with both these two puppies and they are available only at the gallery.

Double click on the image to larger version.

Mark Avery's new Traditional Longboard

I have been doing other things than fiddling with timber projects.

This is a traditional soft roll bottom, similar to what I had shaped for Ray Gleave (name dropping) many years ago.

9'6" x 23" x 3" and a flow through nose concave, plus a candy apple red tint glass job with metallic gold.

A laminated multi coloured timber tail block which comes standard on all longboards.

Click on any of the pics to get a larger version.

A couple of new parabolic hollow glass hardbond rail stringerless quad fish (that's a mouth full) will be finished by the end of the week, plus more.

See I have been busy.