Circe - Heading to Noosa

This is the first of two mats going to Australia for a matting couple in Noosa. "Circe", a 200/70 Ute built for Rachel Scarff. Rachel says she has named her mat "Circe" beacause:

I’ve always loved mythology, in particular Circe, and always find myself coming back to her. Thought it would suit as her legend is based around water. Her dad is the sun god and mother is a sea nymph. She also represents femininity in the stories about her in a way that’s scares men, so thought it would be funny to have a mat called that in a sport that’s fairly dominated by guys who don’t always give women respect or the time out in the ocean. It’s like if they were mean I’d just channel Circe (she’s a goddess of sorcery) and put a spell on them and turn them into a sea cucumber or something 😂😂
— Rachel Scraiff

Notice the mistake here?

That is perfect!!! I always love building mats for women. Unlike much of the mainstream surf media, mat surfing tends to break down the gender barriers and just welcomes mat surfers as mat surfers and we really do need more women to be surfing mats.

I asked Rachel about her matting experiences the journey into mat riding. She said:

“I’ve been living in Noosa for the last 7 years, originally from South Australia. Started out on a log, but downsized to an 8’2 V bottom made by local board shaper Ado (Maren surfboards), because I just want to trim and turn. I’m fairly new to the mat game. I started using my partners spare mat more seriously last year and have been enjoying it so much that I decided to get myself a custom mat for my size (I am very short haha!). My partner has been wanting to order a g-mat for a while now, so perfect timing!

I’ve found myself hardly surfing my board these days and only taking out the mat because I just love it so much - I can go out and even if I only get a few waves I have a blast, as opposed to taking the board out and not getting that same feeling.

Love riding the mat out at Tea Tree and always fun to mat with pals James T, Matt C and my partner Ben. Still a few other mat friends that I’m wanting to catch waves with….”
— Rachel Scraiff

That's such a familiar story. Mats get you like that!

So then, on to the tech bits. Circe is a 200/70 wheezer with free elastic rocker. Rachel has also gone with a Hestered valve. As with all customs this has been specifically scaled to meet Rachel's body size so will hopefully feel like a good fit.

Circe is on the way to Oz now along with her partner Ben's mat... but that's a story for another day.

Have fun Rachel! It's been a pleasure.

Cheers

G

Poodleface - Hi Vis Is The Biz!

Go Poodleface!!! That’s what this mat is called. Built for Santa Cruzer (sounds like a sleezy sleigh for Father Christmas) Ryan Holmes. This mat is a replacement for his previous mat named “Transmogrifier” who took an unfortunate trip across the rocks leading to a big ol’ slice up the belly and numerous other triangular punctures. I’m sure that’s nothing to worry about.

The other difference is in the design. Although matching dimensions, Poodleface has been built with an elastic rocker leading the mat to be more inclined to form a smooth curve through the rail when air is squeezed into it. Helpful for cutbacks in peaky waves. The second change is that we have moved from a super-free-breather to a free-breather. The slightly slower air transfer will help the mat to maintain shape in the chop that Ryan often encounters. We did consider the option of an Ubercat, but Ryan was keen to keep the glide and looseness in the tail that the RB-JMC offers.

Finally, why Poodleface? Ryan says:

When my best surfing buddy and I first met we were sitting by our selves at this lineup up the coast that you have to paddle about a half mile to get to, or trespas on some farmland. This was in the 90s when the methed out Santa Cruz locals were wreaking havoc. I figured all we needed was some gnar gnar nicknames to earn our spot amongst the Fleas,Ratboys, Skindogs, and Rodents of the scene. I thought Scott could be “Pudboy” and I can be “Poodleface” and it stuck!
— Ryan Holmes

You can read the article HERE
(Reproduced with the kind permission of TSJ.)

So, Poodleface is en route to Santa Cruz and will hopefully be there by the weekend. Looks like a crappy short period swell and on shore winds will be waiting for her but the only way is up!

Have fun Ryan

Cheers

G

UPDATE 28/07/2022

God of the Sea

I’m rolling with the new hybrid mailing list/waiting list system and it seems to be going pretty well. Here is the latest out of the workshop, an RB-JMC built for Phil Cahill up in Wales.

Phil is of Irish descent and when I asked him to name his mat he replied with the following:

Ah flippin hell, I’ve had a few names knocking about in me head but trying to decide has melted my head!

Okay, it’s going to be called Lir. Lir is s god of the sea from old Irish Mythology.

Lovely, decision made!
— Philip Cahill

Very nice… Phil wanted to nod to his heritage without being to blatant with it and asked for green pigmented grip and orange and white logo. You’ll notice I did add a bit of an Irish Tricolour to the dedication.

On to the mat, well Phil has taken to the less mainstream ways to ride a wave influenced by a friend who has become a full-time bodysurfer. He has tried various craft, including the mat and… well… you know. When the bug bites.

 Phil wanted to go with the RB-JMC but wondered about the full super-free-breather, especially when moving to his first 70/70. Given that we settled with a standard free-breather configuration which will add a bit more stability. She’s a quick mat though and Phil is looking forward to embracing the challenge of switching to a much lighter and more vented mat.

I’m looking forward to hearing how Phil gets on. I’m pretty keen to get up to South Wales this Autumn to hook up with some of the growing mat crew up there so hopefully will get to share a few waves with Phil at some point.

Have fun Phil!

Cheers

G

Iwa - Heading for Hawaii

Say hello to “Iwa”, a 70/70 RB-JMC built for Tony Lum over on Oahu.

Tony wanted a fast mat. He currently rides a Neumatic “K-Mat” which for those who don't know are a really hard ride but offer the potential for going really fast. If you can master it. I built one and struggled. Gave it to my friend Ian Wraith who did better. I spoke with Paul Gross a few years back and he said that they are a horrible ride but make you into a much better mat surfer. Uncle George recently said the same and he mentioned that I should build one for myself to really get speed on slop… I’ve chickened out so far!

Anyway, this post isn't about me and my crisis of confidence, it's about Tony and Tony rides a K-Mat as his go to… Safe to say, Tony can ride a mat!

With that in mind we went for a neg elastic rocker and super-free-breather. The tail is a little squarer to let Iwa break loose easily.

Quick mat.

When I sent Tony photo's of his mat he said:

Aloha G!

Iwa looks amazing! Your craftsmanship is outstanding! Thank you for putting so much care into my mat.

About 20 years ago I had the good fortune of being introduced to mat-surfing by Dale Solomonson. Dale’s generosity and wealth of knowledge gave me a deep respect for the art of mat making.

I surf mainly on the South and East shores of Oahu. With lineups in Hawaii becoming increasingly more crowded each year, I am drawn to surfcraft that will allow me to extract maximum enjoyment from lesser quality surf breaks. I basically look forward to the worst days with the smallest crowds.

I haven’t been able to find a better vehicle for shit surf than a highly sensitive mat moulding itself to the energy in a wave with minimal rider input.

The fact that surfmats flat out rip in good surf is a bonus! I can’t wait to run Iwa through her paces. Thank you for keeping the stoke of mat-surfing alive!

Mahalo!

Tony
— Tony Lum

On the name, Tony went for Iwa which is Hawaiian for Frigatebird. A bird renowned for effortless and graceful gliding using each microscopic change in their environment to their advantage.

I can't think of a better name.

Have fun Tony.

Cheers

G

Great Frigatebird: https://ebird.org/species/grefri

 

FEEDBACK: 15th JUNE, 2022

Aloha G,

I think we might have a problem with Iwa...

After two sessions, I’m beginning to suspect that you may have gone and designed the perfect surfmat! You might as well shut down the welder, roll up the nylon, and hang up the scissors. There’s nowhere left for you to go from here mate. You’ve achieved ultimate oneness with the spirit of the mat!

But in all seriousness, this is one bad ass surfmat! The speed that Iwa generates, even in marginal surf, had me laughing out loud. Despite being able to fly like a bat out of hell, she still has the ability to turn on a dime when needed.

I’m hard-pressed to think of anything I would change about the RB-JMC. When I opened the shipping package I was expecting to get blasted with VOC’s from the sealant. Thankfully I could breathe easy. Your non-skid application is meticulous. The strips are positioned exactly where I need them. The stippling itself feels pre-broken in, soft and grippy while still allowing for repositioning.

The negative rocker is an absolute swell magnet. The tail width and corner radius felt soothingly familiar to me. Dropping-in to the very first wave, Iwa banked into an arcing bottom turn, made a check turn under the lip, and then broke free down the line. I had the biggest smile on my face, feeling like I’ve been riding this mat for years!

The highlight for me is your super-free-breather I-beam design. Absolutely brilliant!! The airflow between pontoons is tuned perfectly. At low inflation I can get Iwa on the verge of skimming out of control, and still hold through carving turns with a squeeze of the rail.

All of these elements come together to create a surfcraft that is extremely sophisticated in its simplicity. I’m excited to see how Iwa shines in clean, pumping surf! I am deeply appreciative of all the thought and care that you put in to your work. You are an artist G!

More ride reports to come!

Mahalo!
Tony
— Tony Lum

Ursula

Say hello to “Ursula”, an RB-JMC built for the very talented Charlie May.

Charlie is one of those dolphin people. You know the ones… Those people that you stick on any surf craft and they just click into it instantly and look like they’ve been doing it for years. I’ve built mats for a number of those people over the years. It’s no wonder they get into mats really when you think about it.

Photo: Emma May

Charlie lives in Central California a beautiful bit of the World with a geology reminiscent of North Cornwall. Tall cliffs, rocky reefs and points with a sprinkling of huge white sharks thrown in just to spice things up! With all that in mind, I’m guessing Ursula and Charlie are going to be having some really special adventures!

So back to Ursula. Charlie asked for purple grip and branding. We’ve pretty much got there. A bit more burgundy (don’t be fooled by the photo’s the camera has made the colour much more red than it is). She is a super-free breather to maximise morphability and glide. The deck elasticity will help further encouraging a tendency towards negative rocker as well so all-in-all… VROOOOOOOOOOOM!!!

Ursula is currently sat in the workshop with the grip curing. Once she’s cooked the adventures can begin!

 Have fun Charlie!

Cheers

 G

Proto Too Take 2!

G-Mat 225 Surfmat Andrew Stephen Buck RB-JMC 70/40 negative rocker super-free-breather

You might remember I built a 70/40 prototype mat for Andrew Stephen Buck named “The Bruise”. Well… it popped. ☹ Add to that the fact that James Tanner’s 70/40 proto mat named “Chinook” had a slight delamination at the back corner and I was thinking this material is just not up to the job.

The thing is… It feels great! At low inflation it is very quick and super sensitive. The learning has been that it’s certainly not for everyone, it’s tricky to get a handle on and feels much lighter than 70/70 even. It’s also not for every type of wave as the material is quite elastic so chop can be a challenge. But it is really fast.

G-Mat 225 Surfmat Andrew Stephen Buck RB-JMC 70/40 negative rocker super-free-breather

 What’s more, James’s mat was repairable and since then, no other problems. Oh and my 70/40 mat, “Little Boy Blue” has been fine!

With all that in mind, I decided to revisit this. I thought about the material and wondered about technique. Thermal welding TPU coated nylon involves 3 elements: heat, dwell time and pressure. I’ve had a bit of a tinker and think dwell time might have been the issue with this stuff having a really narrow window between a weak weld and being over-cooked.

G-Mat 225 Surfmat Andrew Stephen Buck RB-JMC 70/40 negative rocker super-free-breather
G-Mat 225 Surfmat Andrew Stephen Buck RB-JMC 70/40 negative rocker super-free-breather

With that in mind, I have put together a rebuild for Mr Buck which he has named “Sporting Lady”. My first thoughts… cautiously optimistic. Let’s see though. It may still be that this material is too inconsistent to put out to customers but hopefully we’re there. This is why I build prototypes.

Cheers

 G

 

Waiting List

BREAKING NEWS

BREAKING NEWS

Hello all.

I’m going to be changing up the system for ordering from the next run. I get a lot of people expressing their frustration with the current quickest to the draw system which I fully understand. Unfortunately, I don’t have more time to give to mat building and the previous waiting list I had really got out of hand!

I have been asking around several former customers and consensus has come to a new system which is hopefully halfway between the current system and the full-on waiting list. I will be running a limited waiting list of 10 people (that’s 5 cycles through the workshop as I build 2 at a go). I’m hoping this will give people a bit more time to order.

I’ll be doing this by sending 2 emails out in 24 hours with 5 slots each so that people in different time zones get a go. I’ll then work through the first order received from each email together, then the second, then third, etc. Once finished I’ll take on another 10 mats.

This is likely to still see some people miss out unfortunately (that can’t be helped) but I’m hopeful that more people getting a mat and less frequent frustration for those who don’t will make things better for everyone.

Thanks

G

Cosmic Chancho

Meet G-Mat 226 (AKA “Cosmic Chancho”). Cosmic Chancho is a 70/70 RB-JMC built for Californian, Dylan Zapata. He has a neg rocker and is a super-free-breather and will be perfect for the waves Dylan surfs.

Dylan says:

So I live 30 mins north of rincon. In the land of right point breaks. I work at a surf board fin shop [you know which one] but I am secretly all about friction free glide! Me and a couple co workers are really into matting and get the chance to chat with George Geenough from time to time about mats! I surf frequently but have really been getting into matting and have found my self going to the beach always with a mat in hand 👍
— Dylan Zapata
Surfmat G-Mat 226 Cosmic Chancho Dylan Zapata RB-JMC

Sounds idyllic to me Dylan and I’m pleased and honoured to play a part in your journey into the finless realm.

Have fun mate.

Cheers

G

Surfmat G-Mat 226 Cosmic Chancho Dylan Zapata RB-JMC

Ginebra - Blazing the Tail

Say hello to "Ginebra", a 70/70 G-Mat RB-JMC with super-free venting and neg rocker built for Gonzalo Sanchez. Gonzalo is a mat surfing pioneer in Southern Spain. He says:

"I am a guy born in a small town on the coast known as the island. I have spent my life on the beach. And I work as a diver and fisherman.

It is in the south of Spain, I work along this coast that is just in front of Morocco. I always liked surfing, starting with bodyboard corks, then with one-keel boards, and for a few years I have been focused on surfing without fins and mats, the best.

In winter we have good waves, and if not, then the boat from my town to Morocco takes only 30 minutes. Portugal is 3 hours away by car.

I'm the only one on these shores who surfs with Mat, haha I am very grateful G, since I have the RFT, I get in and out of the water very happily, now with this new mat I am going to fly!"

What a place to live! I'm really stoked to have been able to build a mat for Gonzalo. Now he has a loaner too so perhaps we'll see a few more matsurfers down there!

Have fun!

Cheers

G


FEEDBACK - 6th APRIL, 2022

Son of Bruce

I would like to introduce you to Son of Bruce, a mat for Mike Janich.

Mike and his wife Kathy are friends with my wife Becky, our son Joe (Webbo) and me so I was super-stoked when the opportunity came up for my to build Mike a new mat. It’s taken a while to get this mat done with one thing and another but here we are, and Mike and I are both pretty pleased with her.

 G-Mat 223 (AKA “Son of Bruce”) is an RB-JMC. Mike likes a more stable mat so we have gone with a 200/70 configuration and free-breather venting. Mike also opted for free elastic rocker. 

As you can see, Son of Bruce is quite distinctive. Mike wanted to honour the Spitfire/Flying Tiger planes of WWII. We took time planning this with acid dye work on the bottom in a pale grey (it looks white in the pics but it isn’t) and then forest green/brown camouflage on the deck to match the spitfire. The tricky bit was the mouth. This was stenciled in black and white. The original also has a red tongue and lips but honestly, we decided to quit whilst we were ahead as the black and white really pops! Finally the grip consists of three white stripes as a nod towards the wings and then a clear strip up the middle to show off the camo pattern.

Son of Bruce will be heading off to Mike once the grip has cured. This has been a really interesting project to get stuck into and it’s been an honour to build a mat for Mike.

Have fun Mike!

 Cheers

 G


FEEDBACK - 28 FEBRUARY 2022

El Matador - A Surfmat for Torren Martyn

El Matador RB-JMC Surfmat Torren Martyn 70/70 Super-free-breather negative elastic rocker

Here's a mat that's been on the to do list for quite a while but we finally got around to it. I'm very excited to be able to build a mat for the super talented Torren Martyn.

El Matador RB-JMC Surfmat Torren Martyn 70/70 Super-free-breather negative elastic rocker

For those unaware, Torren is a notable surfer who has been the subject of a number of surf/travel films created with his friend and amazing film maker Ishka Folkwell. The latest of these being the fantastic Lost Track Atlantic series. Torren's smooth surfing, open mind and eye for subtlety suit him perfectly to mat surfing which he has been quietly getting on with, with his 4GF from PG.

El Matador RB-JMC Surfmat Torren Martyn 70/70 Super-free-breather negative elastic rocker

This mat then, named El Matador (can you believe that's not already taken?!) is a 70/70 RB-JMC with standard negative elastic rocker and set up as a super-free-breather. A very light mat with an eye on down the line speed and glide. Given Torren's penchant for the low key she is black on black which is always a winner.

El Matador RB-JMC Surfmat Torren Martyn 70/70 Super-free-breather negative elastic rocker
El Matador RB-JMC Surfmat Torren Martyn 70/70 Super-free-breather negative elastic rocker
El Matador RB-JMC Surfmat Torren Martyn 70/70 Super-free-breather negative elastic rocker

Right now, El Matador is sat in Stanstead Airport, near London, waiting for a spot on a plane. Torren is currently in the Rincon area so that's where they'll hook up. Not a bad wave for a mat try out eh?

More to come. 😎

Cheers

G

The 70/40 Experiment Goes On...

The experiment continues and I am very excited to send this mat off to her new owner.

G-Mat 221 Ubercat 70/40 Surfmat positive rocker elastic rocker Chinook James Tanner

As a mat builder I have always been a believer in testing things out before imposing them on the general public (or ‘going to market’ I guess if I want to sound fancy).  I believe I am a reasonably good mat rider but certainly not the best and aside from anything else, it is important to get things under the bellies of talented mat surfers who are able to give me detailed feedback. That’s no different for this 70/40 construction.

So far, Andrew Stephen Buck has an RB-JMC built with these materials. He’s had a few waves as Rincon has had the worst winter you can imagine but the feedback to date is “best yet”. The next test pilot is Kiwi James Tanner.

G-Mat 221 Ubercat 70/40 Surfmat positive rocker elastic rocker Chinook James Tanner

For those who don’t know him, James is one of those watermen who just hit the flow whatever they are riding and that’s no different with his mat riding. James has a really dynamic style getting a mat right onto it’s rail and really defining S-turn surfing, without losing an iota of speed. He has an RB-JMC in his quiver but we talked about an Ubercat given his style so we’re both excited to see how this mat named “Chinook” goes.

The 70 denier deck is dyed salmon pink with the bottom and I-beams being cut from orange 40d taffeta. Chinook has an elastic bottom hiving a natural inclination to create a smooth progressive curve into turns. Perfect!

G-Mat 221 Ubercat 70/40 Surfmat positive rocker elastic rocker Chinook James Tanner

So lets see how she goes. My 70/40 RB-JMC has been surfed 15 to 20 times. She has developed a super-slow leak. It doesn’t affect inflation when surfing but it is there. I think this is due to a scrape with a reef but I can’t be 100% sure. This is why we test... to see what happens over time with different mats, different riders and different conditions.

Exciting though!

Cheers

G

G-Mat 221 Ubercat 70/40 Surfmat positive rocker elastic rocker Chinook James Tanner

FEEDBACK 25th JANUARY 2022

Rat the Mat - A Fit for Chet

The last mat of 2021 here is a 70/70 RB-JMC built for Californian, Chet Taylor. Chet is a skilled mat surfer with a penchant for pointbreaks. He's currently riding a G-Mat RFT-M which is pretty small for him truth be told as Chet is 6'4"!

"Rat the Mat", as Chet has named his new ride, is scaled to be a much better fit for him. The grip is Chet's own design. The red is actually a deep pink (cameras ). I think it looks good and am looking forward to hearing how she goes. Rat the Mat is in good hands.

Back to Chet please do follow him @chet.taylor.chet.taylor

on Instagram. He is a super talented artist who's work I'm pretty sure you will all appreciate.

So there we go. That's 2021 all wrapped up. Wishing you all a great 2022. We are working on some exciting projects moving forward into next year so stay tuned!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Cheers

G


FEEDBACK - 15th JANUARY, 2022

Kamoenahoʻokalakupua

Hello all and a happy bit between Christmas and New Year to you all.

Here is the latest RB-JMC to go out of the workshop for Anthony Olayon over in Hawaii. This is the first of 2 for Anthony although we have agreed a few months between the 2 so that he can get the feel for this mat, a 70/70 super-free-breather with free rocker named Kamoenahoʻokalakupua which translates roughly ot Magic Towel.

Anthony and I were discussing his mat surfing exploits. He has one of my AirPlanes (stay tuned on them and the RFT's by the way... honest!) as well as a collection of other modern mats and was keen to get onto the RB-JMC. Here's a bit more about Anthony:

I come from a bodyboard background surfing the imperfectly perfect slabby waves of Hawai’i island. Bought my first mat around ten years ago. Was hesitant to ride for fear of losing the mat and it washing up the lava lined shoreline...and honestly never quite figured out the mat riding technique a hundred percent. Fast forward to 2018. Volcanic eruptions covered our home surfing spots. That was pretty depressing as the waves lost were what a lot of us built our lives around...uncrowded waves and a tight knit crew. I lost motivation to surf and bodyboard for a good year and a half or so. Eventually started dusting off the mat and really got hooked on it and figured out how to properly ride over the last couple years. The past two years I’ve ridden the mat far more often than the bodyboard and other surf craft. Just love the speed you get on the mat and the weird comments people give you when they first see you.
— Anthony Olayon

Sounds like the perfect time to get on this mat then!

Kamoenahoʻokalakupua sets sail tomorrow, despite being built before Christmas. We just didn't want to take the risk of shipping with over-stretched couriers.

Have fun Anthony!


FEEDBACK - 8th JANUARY, 2022

Jason Stanson - 2 of 2

2 of 2 for Jason Stanson is a mat named "Pink Panter". This slinky pinky is the quiver mate to Ghost Rider, Jason's RB-JMC and is built with a mind to surfing the OC beaches and hollow wedges.

Pink Panter is a G-Mat Ubercat. With her positive elastic rocker and narrow beam, as well as deep concave and rail hooks, Pink Panter will transition from rail to rail easily with hold and drive through tight radius turns. She is also a free-breather to keep things responsive.

I recently built a similar mat for a very notable mat surfer who fedback that "it comes off the bottom real well and when the wave has some power it really goes". Just the ticket then eh Jason?

Pink Panter and Ghost Rider are on route so I'm hoping to get word of their adventures in the not too distant future.

Have fun Jason.

Cheers

G


FEEDBACK - 7th JANUARY, 2022

Jason Stanson - 1 of 2

1 of 2 for Jason Standon is an RB-JMC named "Ghost Rider". Jason has been stoked on mats for some time, riding one of my stock mats, the G-Mat RFT. He has been on my mailer for ages having narrowly missed out on several occasions he got in really quickly this time!

Jason splits his time between Ventura and Newport so splits his time between points and beach breaks. Ghost Rider will love both, but especially the points.

This mat is a 70/70 super-free-breather with negative elastic rocker and a lightweight ClearFix grip job. Bar the logo, she's as white as a... Well, a ghost!

Stay tuned for the other mat in this couple.

Cheers

G


FEEDBACK FROM JASON - 6th JAN 2022

Proto Too...

The 70/40 experiment continues...

This is a G-Mat RB-JMC built for Andrew Stephen Buck.

"Buck" needs no introduction for most mat surfers being an inspirational mat rider. If you're not familiar with him, however, he's that guy what went viral a while back burning off longboarders at Rincon. .

So onto the mat and this one is built to the same spec as my own original proto. It's important to control for as many factors as possible when testing new materials and design characteristics so feedback from one of the world's very best is going to be most meaningful if we're taking about the same mat.

So... "The Bruise" as he has called this mat (black and blue), has a 70d deck and 40d I-beams and bottom skin. She is built with a negative rocker and is a super-free-breather.

I am extraordinarily excited about this mat going to Andrew. Considering the speeds I have been getting on mine, I'm almost scared that ASB will go back in time! Let's see.

Cheers

G

Mat LeBlanc

The latest build and this is a G-Mat RB-JMC built for Steve Halpin.

Stevo is a busy fella. He runs Karma Surf Shop in Newquay, Cornwall, UK. He is also the driving force behind the amazing Real Surfing Magazine along with his wife, Helen. More recently, Steve had been bitten by the bug of ditching the fibreglass and getting a little more horizontal. That has included riding mats.

Anyone who follows the @fringesurfing Instagram page will know that Stevo has got pretty obsessed with exploring new ways to ride waves, taking the time to learn the nuanced elements of mat riding. What's more, Steve is keen to share his exploits. He's been very supportive of my own endeavours too so I was stoked to be able to build him a custom mat.

So on to the mat then and it was clearly time for Steve to step things up. With this in mind we went for a 70/70 RB-JMC. This mat is built entirely from white material and with Helen's maiden name being LeBlanc, it was obvious what this mat was going to be named!

"Mat LeBlanc" is a free-breather with free rocker. You'll notice the interesting grip pattern. Stevo was keen for an easy slide up onto the mat so the inside section of the outer pontoons and the central pontonn are clear quite a way up. However there is grip under the chest and the strips out towards the tail keep Stevo in place.

Early days but initial rumblings from Steve are positive. I have high hopes for where he goes with Mat LeBlanc.

Have fun meht!

Cheers

G

Wedding Bells!

G-Mat 211 Ute 200/70 Rob Bailey Shirley

So here we have a mat named "Shirley" built for Rob Bailey @bailey_9_

Rob had been asking about a mat for a while and managed to get in on my mailer just in the nick of time. For what? For his wedding! I was stoked to hear from Rob that he was getting hitched and that this mat was a wedding present to himself.

Perfect!

We were finalising finishing touches late in the day before but I'm sure Rob's mind was on the task at hand. 😂

G-Mat 211 Ute 200/70 Rob Bailey Shirley

Shirley is named after Rob's gran and, like her, is pretty slick. As a first mat, Rob and I agreed that a 200/70 Ute was the sensible option. She is set up as a wheezer to help keep her shape and allow for experiments with inflation.

Rob is hoping to get Shirley in the water soon. Looking forward to hearing how they go.

Congratulations again Rob!

Cheers

G

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