Innholdsfortegnelse for Annual 2015 i Tracks

"I FEEL IT WOULD REALLY PERFORM IN SIX-TO-EIGHT FOOT WAVES – IT WOULD REALLY TURN ON – IT WOULD MATCH THE POWER. YOU COULD PUSH IT AS HARD AS YOU WANTED AND IT WOULD MATCH THE WAVE AND PUSH BACK."Heath Joske SHAPER, PAUL GRAVELLE'S COMMENTS This is a cross between two of my favourite boards adjusted to suit Heath's experience and ability and a mix between contemporary and traditional designs. It’s a single flyer swallow, with the flyer designed to break the edge and give it a bit more release while keeping the planing speed and drive of the swallow. It should be a versatile board suited to most conditions but will respond well in better quality waves. The flat deck to low rails gives it superior paddle power without…

"I’M STOKED TO GET ON A SHAPER’S BOARD I’VE NEVER RIDDEN AND HAVE IT GO STRAIGHT AWAY, WHICH I GUESS IS A SIGN OF A GOOD SHAPER AND OBVIOUSLY A GOOD BOARD."Garrett Parkes SHAPER, MATT PENN'S COMMENTS This is my latest short board model, which I have been tuning for the last eight months to take my performance models in a slightly different direction from our ever popular RPM-X model. It retains some elements in terms of the outline from the RPM-X. The main alterations are in the rocker and concave setup. This has made the board hold a rail for longer in your turn and also to maintain speed and drive. It projects you faster in and out of a bottom turn to top turn combo where the RPM-X…

“IN THE TUBE IT FELT GREAT, RIGHT FROM THE TAKE OFF, AND PROVIDED A LOT OF SQUIRT OFF THE BOTTOM.”Jackson Coffey SHAPER, GREG WEBBER'S COMMENTS Banana rocker from 1992. Designed to turn tighter and provide more grip than standard rockers. FIRST THOUGHTS Looks like a super fun board for when it’s bigger and when it’s tubing. It’s got a quad set-up with a swallow tail which should make it feel pretty fast through turns but also maintain a bit of bite. It’s got a hip which should provide release point and a weird little channel through the bottom of it. It’s a bit bigger than what I usually ride, it’s 5’10” so that’s why I’m thinking it might suit me better on slightly bigger days. And it’s got so much…

RASTA’S YELLOW CLOUD Start with a base of George Greenough, add a pinch of David Rastovich, stir in generous lashings of Ellis Ericson and you end up with a delicious Yellow Cloud. The collaborative twin fin is based on a vintage George Greenough edge bottom template, sourced by good friend Rastovich and shaped by classic board enthusiast Eric-son. Rasta took it to Nias during the swell of the Indo season and proceeded to get mind-bendingly shacked. As he told Tracks afterwards: “…because the edge runs from nose to tail three inches in from the rail, when you set it on track in the pit it just doesn’t let go…. Forty years on George’s ideas are still being rediscovered and proven successful.” THE TRACKS TWINNIE Tracks road tripped around Australia during…

At times it seemed like a fashion show in which Kelly would strut down to every session with a different outfit. “Oh my God, look at what Kelly’s riding now!” the WSL commentators would screech like compares on the red carpet at Oscars night, when Kelly paddled out on something new. Kelly has been prepared to risk much in the pursuit of the perfect board for each setting. Trading on the fact that shapers salivate at the thought of having the ‘Greatest’ ride just one of their craft, he’s been extensively exploring his possibilities. While winning is always foremost in his mind, Kelly may have had mixed motives for his experimental dalliances in design. The pursuit of a competitive edge is definitely his primary motive. Kelly’s greatest fear is that…

Eight summer boards, a north coast playground and Asher Pacey’s observations from three days in a surfing wonderland. Welcome to the 2015 Tracks Fun Board Test. Discover the screamingly enjoyable crafts that’ll not only get you through summer, but leave you begging for more. BOURTON "I don’t really ride thrusters often these days so I was excited to ride this as a quad as they generally have a lot of speed off the mark. It felt light under the arm and not having a stringer gave it a real springy feel." "The Bourton paddled really well and sur fing it felt a bit longer than a 5’2. It’s quite a dynamic board and having the quad set up gave it a nice mix between liveliness and hold, I really liked…

"SUPER RESPONSIVE, SUPER DRIVEY OFF THE BOTTOM, JUST A REAL DECENT BOARD. IT DID WHAT I WANTED, WHEN I WANTED."Jackson Coffey SHAPER, STEVE DEL ROSSO'S COMMENTS It’s a good fast performance board go’s like a v8 for groms and it should help you pick up chicks like all good v8’s haha. it has a nice single to double concave and nice curves like all good playboy models have. FIRST THOUGHTS This is pretty much identical to my stock-standard shortboard so it should be good for airs, turns - everything I reckon - in most conditions under five foot. The foil is really even, it’s my normal dimensions – 5’9 x 18 x 2 3/16. I told all the shapers what I liked in my normal shortboards. I got some funky…

"IT’S GOT SUPER FLAT ROCKER, SO YOU ONLY HAVE TO TAKE HALF THE STROKES YOU NORMALLY WOULD AND YOU’RE STRAIGHT INTO THE WAVE. IT HANDLES DEAD SECTIONS, WHERE A NORMAL SHORT-BOARD MIGHT SLOW DOWN."Heath Joske SHAPER'S COMMENTS The Cornice combines Firewire’s board building expertise with design collaborator Dan Mann and Eduardo Cenzano from Trinity Technologies interpretation of an effective side-cut design for surfing. The side cut shifts volume from the middle of the board towards the tail, leading to the most effective area in contact with the water. The board literally displaces less water, leading to minimal friction and noticeably increased speed. Dan Mann explains further, “With such a narrow design, it takes less force and time to tip the board on its rail. That fast twitch sensitivity, especially on…

"I COULD SET THE RAIL, AND IT WOULD KEEP ITS SPEED AND IT WOULD FEEL AMAZING. I WAS LOVING IT."Heath Joske SHAPER, MITCH RAE'S COMMENTS The MoonRaker design was formulated after afternoon tea with the Guru of Flex, George Greenough, talking story and discussing Flex ... Using the longer lines of a 7'4" pintail gun... 4'' cut from the nose to shorten it up while holding the long projection lines. Very low overall rocker, low entry with a parabolic, progressive speed curve throughout, mirrored and accentuated through the concave. Quick release moon /rocket tail, deep single concave with defined narrow rail twin vee to loosen it up. This board has narrow rail concaves, a triple, delivering increased traction and drive. Rides like liquid lightning. The low rocker gives easy wave…

"REALLY SMOOTH STRAIGHT FROM THE TAKE OFF. I DIDN’T FEEL LIKE IT WAS BOGGING OR CATCHING AT ALL. SUPER QUICK, AND LOOSE. REALLY FUN TO RIDE."Connor O'Leary SHAPER, ADAM 'SPARROW' FLETHCHER'S COMMENTS Clay Marzo is probably the maddest cat we know. His new signature model—dubbed the MadCat—features all the elements that allow him to go HAM on just about everything from waist high slop to double overhead perfection, from deep pits to mind bending rotations. With extra width in the nose for paddling power and nose pick recoveries, full, boxy rails to match his power, and a pulled in, rounded square tail to keep things quick and tight, the Mad Cat is Clay’s ideal sled and will most likely be yours. All the features that make this board perfect for…

When Andrew Mooney was 12 he fell under the spell of a colossal right that broke way out beyond the headland of his local beach on the central coast of NSW. “I thought it was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen,” he recalls. “I’d get my mum to take us down and check the surf because it was massive. I’d be so rattled and blowing up at my mum because she had to go and do stuff and I couldn’t just sit there and watch.” Enraptured by the power of the waves and the league of local wild men who dared to ride them, Mooney was soon devising ways of surfing the thunderous right. By the age of 14 he convinced his local heroes Clayton James, John Wheels and…

In many ways the NSW north coast and the Californian mid-coast have existed as parallel lands. In the 60s and 70s they were still quiet, country regions that attracted vagabond surfers and hippies searching for isolation and a return to nature. Both areas offered heavenly set-ups for surfers, and although the waves are still there, some of the magic is gone. In the proceeding years they both saw an intense period of development and urban growth, and some might say the glory days exist now only in the stories. It is rare that one person experienced both of these worlds to their full potential. But Byron Bay surfboard shaper Michael Cundith was one of those lucky buggers who enjoyed the golden era twice over. Michael answers the door to his…

"AS FAR AS A PERFORMANCE THRUSTERS GOES IT’S AS GOOD AS I’VE RIDDEN. PERFECT FOR A HEAVIER, FRONT-FOOTED SURFER."Heath Joske SHAPER, DAN MCDONALD'S COMMENTS The Actor is our most up to date performance shortboard. A few inches shorter than what filled the racks of surf stores a few years ago, The Actor loves all conditions big and small. The board provided utilises a standard PU construction as we would like to get back to basics and have a good all-rounder in the quiver. FIRST THOUGHTS This just looks like a really high performance super fun shape. Straight away I look at it and feel like it’s going to go well. The rocker, the rails, the bottom shape – everything’s screaming out that this is a good board. It’s right up…

"FELT REALLY NICE WHEN I SURFED IT TIGHT IN THE POCKET. I FELT LIKE IT HAD NICE RELEASE OFF-THE-TOP, ESPECIALLY WHEN I WAS FOCUSING ON SURFING IT TIGHT."Connor O'Leary SHAPER, MATT HURWORTH'S COMMENTS This model is a high performance allrounder that can still drive and generate speed in sloppy waves but can hang in there when there's a bit of punch. Its flat tail rocker creates more drive with a slight hip in the outline to loosen it up. It has a single concave starting forward to create speed and lift and a pulled in nose with a late nose lift to keep it feeling zippy and loose of the top. The even foil and medium boxy rails keep it forgiving. This is Chippas favourite allrounder that he rides in…

"IT FELT SUPER WHIPPY AND SLICED THROUGH TURNS WITHOUT CATCHING. I REALLY LIKED IT – IT’S EVERYTHING I LOOK FOR IN A BOARD."Jackson Coffey SHAPER, SIMON THOMSON'S COMMENTS A board we like to ride mostly when the waves turn on. Feature a good amount of rocker (but not too much) along with a slightly deeper single-double concave which will have you nice and critical or out and about. For the outline we’ve kept the nose and tail slightly wider, which will help generate speed while adding a forgiving aspect to your turns. We’ve also used a medium rail which is not too bitey/not too boaty. Comes standard with Round-Square/Squash tail, or Round-Pin tail for a bit more hold. FIRST THOUGHTS I’ve been surfing Simmo’s boards for a few years now…

“You are only confined by the walls of yourself.” I heard this quote recently and wondered if this is what Byron Bay’s Torren Martyn thought when he was considering his quiver for a three-month stint in Indonesia. When planning a trip to the Indian Ocean playground most of us would pack a couple of standard shortboards, a step up (or two) and maybe a rhino chaser if you consider yourself a brave Big Wave Dave. Not Torren. The friendly points and beach breaks of his North Coast wonderland recently drew him in the direction of master craftsman, Simon Jones, the custodian of the Morning of the Earth surfboard label. Simon’s twinnys in particular have clicked for Torren. He’s transitioned from riding high performance shortboards to exploring a wide range of…

Gungarrimaa Aboriginal Corporation is passionate about early childhood development, family and culture. They organize gatherings run by the group Jarjums On Country, who create workshops and activities on the Northern Rivers designed to reconnect Aboriginal kids (jarjums) with their traditional culture, land and waters, paying due respect to elders and ancestors, past and present. In association with Andy Ceglinski of Wooden Anchor and the Slabb brothers from Fingal, a Paulownia Paipo (bellyboard) building workshop was held at Fingal over a weekend in early June. The idea was for the kids to build their boards, with the help of a parent and under Andy's supervision, on Saturday, then surf them on Sunday. Along the way, the Slabb boys would share some of their intimate local knowledge of the indigenous Bundjalung culture…