Donald Campbell - A Mat for Derek Hynd

Well here is a mat I’ve been itching to build for years. A G-Mat RB-JMC built for wave riding royalty… Derek Hynd.

If anyone is unaware of him, Derek is one of the best surfers in the world. Having been a competitive monster back in the day, Derek has shifted his attention for many years now to stripping things back… Literally!

Derek is the master of friction free surfing as illustrated beautifully in this short from Andrew Kaineder.

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“It’s jazz compared to rock ‘n’ roll. And that is a constant breath of fresh air.”

— Derek Hynd

You can see why I’ve been so keen to build Derek a mat! We have spoken about mats in the past and Derek has been intrigued by them, speaking highly of Warren Pfeiffer (who featured in Derek’s film Musica Surfica), James Tanner and of course our mutual friend Andrew Stephen Buck. Derek showed a genuine fascination in the intricacies of mats and the morphing, structureless nature of them. If you’re into friction free wave riding then why wouldn’t you dig mats?

The conversation about the mat design was interesting. By his own admission, Derek had no idea what to ask for and gave me full licence to build him a mat. I turned to Andrew for guidance…

“Build him the most advanced mat you can. He will jump on that thing and master it straight away!”

— ASB

I told Derek what Andrew had said and we both agreed to trust his judgement!

So on to the mat. After talk about aesthetics we agreed on a yellow and brown colour scheme up top. I really do love that combo! But this is the least important aspect of any surfcraft of course unless you’re hanging them up and as such this was an extremely brief chat with Derek far more interested in the techno gubbins do let's move on to that.

Following Andrew’s orders and further discussion with Derek I have built him a 70/70 RB-JMC. This is a highly technical model which is very loose and very fast. Internally I have gone with a super-free-breather set up so the air flow is completely unrestricted. In addition, the mat has a negative elastic rocker so when set in this will work with the concave to maximise lift.

The last part of the process of course was for Derek to name his mat. He went for “Donald Campbell”, the only man to simultaneously hold the land and water speed records.

It remains to be seen how close Derek gets to those speeds. I’m sure he’ll have a good go!

It’s been a real pleasure to build this mat. I love talking to people about all things hydrodynamic and friction free and Derek’s huge knowledge and genuine interest are an inspiration. I have learnt a lot through this and am so excited to hear how he goes on a mat. It’s about time!

Have fun!

Cheers

G

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FEEDBACK

The Prone Ranger

Say hello the "The Prone Ranger", a G-Mat RB-JMC built for musician a prone surfing obsessive Kris Simeon. Kris lives in Oxnard, California and has got into mats over the last couple of year.

When I say into mats, I mean REALLY into mats.

What's more Kris is quickly picking up the art of riding at lower inflations and when he got onto the list for this round he was immediatly on to me with waht he was after... A 70/70 Super-Free-Wheezer RB-JMC.

Before we get onto The Prone Ranger though, I asked Kris about his surfing and journey into mats but bofore that, about his brand Los Boogiemen. Kris said:

“I got into bodyboarding late in my 20’s. I kinda stopped for years. I was never that good. Mostly just terrified. The pandemic was the best time to get back into things or learn new things. I was inspired by that documentary series 100 foot wave on hbo. I figured if they could surf 30-40 ft regularly, I can probably handle 2-3 feet at my local breaks haha. Dug out my old equipment. Was paddling with some buddies. Kinda came up with a joke name called Los Boogiemen. I made the art, and that art resonated with the bodyboarding community. I started making shirts and sending them worldwide.

Being the curious person I am, it’s become more than a brand to me. It’s more like a blog where I get to share my adventures in the water. I got a mat and was pretty frustrated for months. I swore it off for half a year. Only this past summer did I get back into it and commit to it fully. Loving the journey in the magic towel itself.”

— Kris Simeon

So then onto The Prone Ranger and Kris wanted an acid dye burnt orange and a few added stenciled decals. I'm pretty stoked on the finish. I think it would have been easy to overload the mat with all of these but they sit well.

The build itself was the real challenge. I remember Dale Solomonson telling me about sub-zero temps in the Pacific North West where the ambient temps led to surprise under-cooked welds. I thought we were immune to this in the UK South West but we had a stint of -7C mornings and The Prone Ranger became the first mat I have built to suffer this fate! I always test my welds and when I heard the dreaded PING! PING! PING! I new there were wobbles afoot.

NOOOOOOOO.....

Fear not though. 3 hours of surfmat surgery top up welds with the hand iron and The Prone Ranger is ready for action! Kris was good enough for me to add my own secondary name and this mat is now known as G-Mat 286 (AKA "The Prone Ranger" (AAKA "Survivor of the Ice Age")).

Go well Prone Ranger. God speed.

Have fun Kris!

Cheers

G

Towlie

Say hello to G-Mat 285, a Ute named "Towelie" built for fellow Cornishman, Graham Bracegirdle and my last build of 2023.

Bracey is a pretty well known figure in the UK surf scene having worked in the industry back in the day. He was always known as a charger with his son Joe picking up the mantle today.

More recently, Bracey has spread his sights further afield and a cursory glance at his yard overlooking his rock strewn home break in South East Cornwall will reveal a wide array of weird and wonderful contraptions in various states of repair.

If it's on, Bracey is on it!

Bracey has had a couple of my early cast-off mats over the years so I was stoked when he got in for a custom on this run.

He has ridden a 70/70 Ute previously but was keen to get something a bit more stable so we agreed on a 200/70 Wheezer. The Ute Bracey has was also scaled to me so was a little small so upping the size to fit his height was needed. As I mentioned, the inside at Bracie's home break can be very sketchy so he has asked for a bungee to give a leash option on the bigger days.

As for the rest, Bracey is a Liverpool fan, same as me, so adding a Liverbird was an absolute joy and I have to say, I love how this has come out!

Black on black is always a win for me.

Have fun meht!

Cheers

G

Tiddler

So this run is an interesting one with 3 people from fairly local to me getting a deposit in. Cue cries of "fix" but it really wasn't. I shift around the timings that I send out emails each time and I think this batch just landed right for them.

Anyway, this mat is the first of the ones staying local and is an RB-JMC built for South Devon surfer, James Borne who people might know as @fringe_devon 

I see James around our local spots and he has been talking about mats for a little while. Here's what he has to say:

“So I’m very fortunate to have a few pretty decent waves close to home; one of those waves being Bantham - with its strong longboarding community. Mat surfing has been in my peripheral vision for years, with a few friends dipping in and out of riding them. But it’s only been the last few years, I’ve really begun stepping off the foam more and trying to pursue different types of surf craft as a way to avoid the crowds and alternatives to get some speed and glide.

I can clearly remember a session a few years ago, at one of the local spots, G was out on his mat. I just remember how fast he seemed to be going on a fairly average day of waves and how much I was struggling on my chosen equipment that day. Decision made, it was time to explore mats. With that, Tiddler is here.”

— James Borne

And yes this mat is named Tiddler! Named after Jamie's kid's favourite bedtime book (that time of day really is magical as a parent).

We talked about design and James was keen to jump straight in with a 70/70 RB-JMC. Tiddler is. A free-breather with negative elastic rocker so James really is going all out from the off. Fair play! He's also gone for a bungee for the wave pool option. After the last couple of summers we've had that's not a bad idea.

James stopped by to pick up Tiddler and is looking at an outing in local onshore junk tomorrow. I'm excited to hear how he goes!

Have fun and let's get a few waves mate!

Cheers

G

Football!!!!!!!!!!!

Say hello to a G-Mat RB-JMC built for Poem Surf craft shaper, Jimmy O’Brien.

Jimmy hails from Far Rockaway in New York and is a skilled mat surfer so came with a clear sense of what he was after. I always enjoy building mats for people who build surf craft. I really enjoy building mats for everyone but it is fun to talk through the concepts behind mats and the hydrodynamics with someone who spends their days thinking about it.

Jimmy came up with the name "Football" for his mat. Here why:

“Okay G, I’ve been thinking about this all day. I’m really proud to say that my wife and I are expecting a child, and we just found out yesterday that it’s a girl. I am absolutely thrilled and can’t wait to be a girl-dad. Up to this point we didn’t know what we were having, and we hadn’t really told anyone besides close family, so we referred to her as “Football” as a sort of code word and because, quite frankly, we had no idea what the hell to expect! Well, that moniker isn’t really necessary now, but we’ve grown quite fond of it anyways, so in honor of our daughter-on-the-way, I’d like to name the mat Football. Mat surfing has brought me immense joy—pushing me to unlearn things, relax, and embrace subtlety and nuance over brute strength and flash. I have a feeling fatherhood is going to be much the same. I hope the name will remind me to relax, soften myself, and keep my eyes open to whatever lies ahead—whether it’s riding a wave or living the life I am so blessed to have.”

— Jimmy O'Brien

Beautiful stuff. Congratulations Team OB!

So back to Football the Surfmat, the mat is a 70/70 RB-JMC with negative elastic rocker. We settled on a free-breather in the end as Jimmy surfs some bumpy waves at times so the slight restriction compared to the super-free will help the mat keep its shape.

That said, this is still a free-breather and football will be a super-sensitive fast ride that will get down the line quick!

I can't wait to see Jimmy and Football in the water.

Cheers

G

He’enalu Ma Ka Lewa

Say hello to He’enalu Ma Ka Lewa, a G-Mat RB-JMC built for Steve Fox over in New South Wales, Straya.

Steve is a mat rider with many years experience so I was stoked to be able to build him a mat. He has been riding a mat with heavier deck material for some time so we agreed that a 200/70 would be a good fit, especially considering Steve in a pretty tall fella so has a bigger mat. When scaling mats up, every dimension increases but fabric weight doesn't. Therefore a 200/70 big mat will feel lighter and more maleable that a small mat with the same deck material.

Steve says:

“Another mat heading to Ulladulla on the South Coast of New South Wales. This is the epicentre of mat riding in Australia. On any good morning there can be up to 13 mats riders out together thanks to SCUMM and the likes of Pat and Pete et al.

I’ve come full circle in my surfing journey. Starting on the old red and blue surfmat as a kid in the 70’s and now for the past 11 years mat riding again. In between I have ridden surfboards from 6ft shortboards to 12ft Gliders, SUPS,and later in life paipos bellyboards and handplanes. When it comes to surfing the old saying “why stand when you can lie down” is so true. The fact that my hips, knees and back don’t work so well may have something to do with it also. So if your going to surf, do it lying down, and if you going to be lying down, do it on a surf mat, and the you will discover the true ‘Nirvana’ of surfing. He’enalu Ma Ka Lewa - surfing on air

I chose orange for the mat so that it is easier to find when lost. black ones are hard to find amongst rocks. The bungee is so it can be used in wave pools where a leash is required.”

— Steve Fox

Wise words from Steve. We also need to remember that the most evolved aquatic creatures are prone. Unless you want to be a seahorse of course ;) #thisisajoke

So back to He’enalu Ma Ka Lewa and we know where it got it's name now. Steve went for free rocker and free-breathing internal venting to make things responsive and flexible.

I'm really stoked to send a mat down to Oz. I was stoked to see that my courier have reduced shipping rates again too so makes it much more affordable.

Have fun Steve. Can't wait to see what you get up to on your journey of discovery.

Cheers

G

Ziran

So then first build of this run and this is a mat for Dom Davenport.

Dom has an RB-JMC already and was keen to think about how best to add to the quiver. After some discussion weighing up the benefits of an Ubercat or Nouveau Racer we settled on the latter (Dom has a 4GF @4thgearflyer Lotus Blue Streak so has that area covered).

With a trip to surf Moroccan points on the horizon the Nouveau Racer is the perfect addition. To be honest, the Nouveau Racer is the perfect partner to the RB-JMC anyway. There's a bit of overlap between the two and the Nouveau Racer extends the scope handling bigger and more critical waves better.

So onto this mat and Dom has named it Ziran which means "to push away outside influence and embrace one's authenticity, while living natural, spontaneous, and free".

Perfect.

Ziran is a 200/70 Wheezer built with free elastic rocker. Dom asked for a bungee for a leash. We are both in agreement that leashes are an absolute P in the A and should never substitute good form and keeping hold of the mat but some of those swims in Morocco can be pretty long and/or sketchy so nice to have the option.

Ziran is heading off to hook up with Dom now so I look forward to seeing how things go.

Cheers

G

Pinkoflage

Another between runs build, this time for my partner in deflation, Tom Jennings.

With the winter nearly upon us and some solid Autumnal swells lighting up the South West UK, Tom was keen to score a G-Mat Nouveau Racer. I had a dyed 70d skin (see pic 2) that Tom had his eye on and we decided to go with grip to match (as far as you can match fluro pink!). With all this flamingoesque blotchiness going on Tom came up with the name "Pinkoflage". Perfect! 🩷

Pinkoflage is a 200/70 Wheezer as is standard for a Nouveau Racer. Some of the North Cornish reefs have the kind of swims that would turn your hair white at size so we have included a bungee for leash attachment. We have also gone with elastic rocker which emphasizes the concave and and tightens driving turns on the rail. I'm looking forward to having a go on this mat!

I've made a start on the next run of custom orders now. Thanks to everyone who got in with their deposits.

Have fun Tom!

Cheers

G

Starchaser 2

Here's a quick post about something of a Phoenix from the Flames (or maybe an Albatross from the Atlantic). I've just finished a run and before starting the next one bashed out a couple of mats. The first being this one and the second a mat for winter for my business partner Tom.

Onto this mat then and it's a rebuild of Ryan Kleinert's RB-JMC named Starchaser. Those who follow Ryan may remember he surfed a solid 10ft day in Maine and lost Starchaser 😩

Starchaser 2 then is a copy. Super-free-breather, pink as you like with neg rocker and Hestered valve . Starchaser 2 will head to Maine tomorrow so keep your eyes peeled for Ryan charging more solid New England bombs in hi Vis real soon!

Have fun Ryan!

Cheers

G

Winner!

WINNER!!!

G-Mat 275 is a mat named "Helga" built for French surfer Rocci Semmer . You might remember that my partner in lilos Tom Jennings ran a giveaway recently and Rocci won a custom mat build and his time came up.

Helga is a 200/70 G-Mat Ute. She's built with free rocker and as a Wheezer so a very stable mat and a total all-rounder. Oh and sexy black on black!

Rocci gave me a few words:

“Surfing has always held a special allure for me, thanks to the pioneering spirits who have shaped the way of expressing themselves over the years. As I stand on the expansive coastline of the south-west of France, gazing out at the endless horizon, I feel a deep connection to the ocean and its rhythmic waves. It’s in this picturesque setting that my journey into the world of surf mats began.

The south-western coast of France, with its pristine beaches, reefs and powerful swells, serves as the perfect backdrop for my exploration of alternative wave-riding experiences. While traditional surfing is undoubtedly exhilarating, I’ve long been fascinated by the diversity of riding styles that the ocean offers. Surf mats, with their unique blend of simplicity and grace, have captured my imagination.

I find myself in a world of tranquility and freedom, imagine to find an almost meditative quality to riding a mat – a connection with the water that’s more intimate than any other form of surfing. The sensation of gliding effortlessly atop the waves, propelled by the natural energy of the ocean, is nothing short of enchanting.

With every ride, I discover new nuances of the ocean’s power and the art of balancing on it. It’s a journey of self-discovery, patience, and a deep respect for the sea.

In the south-west of France, where the surf culture runs deep and the waves are both formidable and inviting, I’ve found my playground. Exploring the world of alternative surf crafts here has not only enriched my connection to the ocean but also deepened my appreciation for the legacy of surf pioneers. As I continue to explore the way of riding waves, I can’t help but feel like a part of that timeless lineage, contributing to the ever-evolving story of surfing in my own unique way.

Thanks Graeme Webster for that beautifully handmade custom mat.”

— Rocci Semmer

Sounds like Rocci is pretty open minded & that's great to hear. I've seen the wave he has in mind for a debut surf and it's mouth watering!

Have fun Rocci!

Cheers

G

Adam Has Found His Mojo

So then, mat 2 of 2 for Adam Goldin named "Mojo".

Mojo is a G-Mat RB-JMC. As you can see Adam has gone for a bit of colour with a fade to a lighter coloured tail. In terms of all the gubbins, Mojo is a 70/70 super-free-breather. She has a negative elastic rocker (as opposed to her quiver mate Yaroomba's positive rocker) so is prime for those points around Adam's part of the world.

All in all I would say Adam has a really balanced quiver here. Solid hold , stability and responsive rail to rail mobility with Yaroomba and balls out frictionless down the line speed with Mojo. I'm really looking forward to hearing how he goes with Mojo. I've already had some feedback on Yaroomba which made me a very happy man!

It's been a fun project working on these. Have fun mate!

Cheers

G

Yaroomba

Say G'day to G-Mat 274 (AKA " Yaroomba"). Mat 1 of 2 built for Adam Goldin.

Adam got in with a double-barrelled deposit drop in the last run and came with a clear idea of what he wanted to have for a balanced quiver. More on the other half down the line but for now let's focus on Yaroomba.

Adam says:

“I was born in South Africa but have spent the majority of my life living in Australia. I am currently based in Coolum Beach, situated on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. I mostly only surf prone whether it be body surfing, belly boarding or mat surfing. Occasionally I’ll take my finless foamie out for a bit of knee sliding too.

I’m fortunate to have an abundance of great surf spots in my vicinity, including my local beach breaks in Coolum and Yaroomba, as well as the renowned points in Noosa just a short distance away.

I first got into mat surfing about 3 to 4 years ago after seeing some locals flying down walled point breaks. I already knew of mat surfing and was highly intrigued but after seeing the speed and glide with my own eyes I just knew I had to get involved. I immediately bought my first mat. Although I’ve been mat surfing on and off since then, I’d say it only “clicked” about a year ago when I finally committed myself to really low inflation.

I now mostly only take the mat out with me.”

— Adam Goldin

A true example of jumping off-board.

Yaroomba is a 200/70 Ubercat with elastic rocker. Adam has some heavy wedgy beach breaks nearby and this really is what the Ubercat loves. The narrow aspect ratio encourages lively rail to rail transition and the rocker really supports hard carving turns so getting off the bottom and cutting back high into the pocket are much easier and assured. Ubercats definitely have waves they don't go so well in, but Adam is buying 2 so something more specialised makes sense.

I'm still working on Yaroomba's quiver-mate so Adam will have to wait but that's all part of the fun, eh mate?! 😂

Back to the workshop I go for round 2...

Cheers

G

FEEDBACK: 5th October, 2023

Stealie

Here's a mat for Jim Freeman.

As you may have guessed, Jim is something of a Grateful Dead fan and he came with a pretty clear idea of what he wanted. An RB-JMC Super-free-breather with negative elastic rocker and a bungee. He also had some pretty intricate acid dye work in mind.

You might remember I recently posted a mat called Pinliner trying out a new method of creating boundaries with sealants? Well now you know why I tried that out.

Preparation is everything.

I asked Jim a bit about his matsurfing journey and he said:

“I started “lying down on the job” around 60 after breaking a hip. Have a wonderful mat guru in Steiny who showed me the ropes. Got hooked. Been lusting after RB-JMC after the viral Andrew Buck video. I love the Grateful Dead and put “Stealie’s” (Steal your Face) logos on my boards so when G was up to that challenge….”

— Jim Freeman

We're both pretty pleased with how Stealie has come out. I was a little anxious about using the Grateful Dead artwork but a quick Google showed that they are pretty casual on that. Nonetheless I felt uncomfortable taking money for their design so did the Stealie logo gratis.

Despite his Instagram handle @jimmy_cant_surf Jim is a decent matsurfer and I can't wait to hear how he goes with Stealie.

Have fun Jim!

Cheers

G

Pinliner - Trying New Things

TRAVELLING BACK IN TIME!!!

No... Not really but the eagle eyed among you might notice that the numbering on this mat is out of sync. The reason for this is that I number mats as I design them and this one was designed a while back and then other things took priority.

So what's the deal here? Well this mat is a bit of a prototype. It's a 70/70 RB-JMC super-free-breather with neg rocker, but with a much squarer tail. The RB-JMC design has a squarer tail then nose anyway, but this mat has that taken to an extreme. The squarer tail of the RB-JMC releases more readily giving less drag, thus more speed. This also encourages the tail to drop slightly allowing the mat to sit in its naturally faster position on the high line. This mat is taking that concept to its extreme to test its limits.

I have actually already built one for Andrew Stephen Buck and he has surfed it once. The feedback is that it might be too much with the hard corner possibly inviting cavitation but as Andrew said himself, one surf isn't enough. Also I really believe that as a builder it is important to test designs myself to get live feedback.I have left space between the end of the grip and the corners on both Buck's mat and mine to re-shape the tail if this really doesn't work.

The other part of this experiment is the aesthetic. I have had an idea about using sealant pinlines and stenciled designs to create a barrier for acid dye. Hard edges are pretty much impossible with acid dye on nylon. When I got an order for an intricate design (that one's on the way) it was obvious that it was time to try it out. Not really "pin" lines on this mat but I had the idea for a name in mind as tribute to the legend of Moonlight Glassing, Peter St Pierre who's internet handle was "Pinliner". My efforts are not a patch on anything Pete does so maybe more of an insult. Sorry mate!

Anyway, Pinliner is going to be my new mat. Whether this new iteration is what I stick with or I just reweld the tail back to what already ain't broke will have to be seen.

Cheers

G

Selin

Say hello to Selin, an RB-JMC for the mat obsessed Helen Derici.

Helen and her partner Gary Villa have been riding mats for some time to the point that they are now fully off-board. Helen has been riding a G-Mat 5 Star General but has been envious of Gary’s RB-JMC. With that in mind, Gary hit me up for a bit of extra-curricular mat building and over a rainy weekend of flat surf in early summer I cracked on.

That all makes it sound pretty simple. The reality was that this being a custom build, Gary had to get body measurements from Helen to send to me to scale the mat. He also had to find out what Helen would be calling her custom mat in the future in the event that she happened to get one as there was no way on earth that I was breaking the rule that no custom mat leaves my workshop unnamed! Not an easy thing to do without giving the game away! Well done Gary!

Anyway with that in mind Selin (a female Turkish name meaning Strong Flowing Water) was born. I haven’t posted anything before because she was built well in advance of Helen’s birthday which was yesterday (happy birthday Helen!!!) and we needed to keep things schtoom.

So a bit more info. Selin is an RB-JMC as mentioned. A 70/70 wheezer with free elastic rocker to give a good transition from the 200/70 5 Star General. Feedback from Helen after a birthday surf is that Selin feels completely different to the 5 Star General and flies!

I love it when a plan comes together!!!

Anyway, great to finally see Helen on the mat. Have fun, as always!

Cheers

G

San B

Here's a mat named San-B built for Nicolas Wolken. Many of you may know Nico already as a professional snowboarder, Patagonia Ambassador and co-founder of Korua Shapes snowboards. As well as being a hugely talented snowboarder, he is an excellent surfer and has developed a love for the mat.

Nico says:

“I grew up in the Swiss Alps with snowboarding as a big influence, but my interest in surfing was sparked when my Australian Grandma sent me and my brothers a surfing VHS. Although I pretty much only got to surf during summer vacations. I’ve always been in to activities that offer a different sensation from snowboarding so I liked climbing and when I saw the movie “Come hell or high water” by Chris Malloy, it really got me interested in body surfing.

I spent a couple of summers trying to figure it out which was a blast. Then a few years ago I met Rasta at a Patagonia Ambassador summit in California. I already admired his board surfing and saw him ride a surf mat. The waves were small but long and he was just flying down the line having the best time. I couldn’t believe my eyes, the speed he generated just blew my mind! He was getting the best and longest waves jumping over people! He actually let me and others have a go but I didn’t get it instantly. However after witnessing his surfing I knew I had to figure this out as it looked so fun!”

— Nicolas Wolken

Since then Nico has scored a couple of mats, most recently a G-Mat RFT which he has ridden a few times now and has become his favourite ride. He had already got on the list for a custom when he bought the RFT so was already clear on what he wanted... Something for the juice! A Nouveau Racer was the obvious choice and is a perfect quiver mate for the RFT.

Nico was keen on a mat that cuts-back into the pocket and turns off the bottom so we went for positive elastic rocker. The internal venting is restricted to make San-B more wheezy which along with the 200d deck will keep the mat relatively stable when things get hectic!

As for the colour... A nod to snow and the Yin to the RFTs Yang.

I'm looking forward to seeing what goes on with Nico and San-B. Have fun!

Cheers

G

Sandpiper

Say hello to G-Mat 270 (AKA "Sandpiper"), a 200/70 Ute built for Sam Arkinstall.

Sam is a UK based surfer who is fairly new to mats but he is friends with Ethan Greenwood who has been riding mats for a few years now so it was only a matter of time.

Sam came with a clear colour scheme in mind for his mat so I had to crack out the dye. Lighter colours like those towards the tail can often be a bit fickle but I think we've got away with it!

I asked Sam about his journey into mats. He said:

“My journey in to mats started with my friend Ethan who introduced me to it. I had never seen or heard about it before. I was definitely sceptical about it at first , then when I used a mat for the first time the feeling of riding a wave was very different to any form of surfing I have done before!

It’s nice for me because I can add another Watersport to my quiver as already windsurf, surf, paddleboard, sail and wakeboard. I like to think I am an all round waterman, so I have a water sport for near enough every weather condition.

My go to places are usually Crooklets or Widemouth but recently moved to North Devon so been exploring some spots round there.

There’s not much meaning behind the name really. basically went on a long google search around Monterey bay as that’s where the colour scheme derives from, and found there was a movie called Sandpiper filmed there and though it sounded cool.”

— Sam Arkinstall

I was stoked to build a mat named Sandpiper myself as it was my Dad's CB Radio handle when I was a kid!

So back to this Sandpiper, as I say we have gone with a 200/70 free-breather. This offers stability in the deck so the mat maintains it's shape more readily which will be useful for Sam as he develops as a mat rider whilst maintaining the ability to morph responsively to the wave and rider input. Sam has gone for a free elastic rocker for versatility.

Have fun Sam. I hope we get to share some waves one day.

Cheers

G

Tximista

How do pirates know that they're pirates? They think therefore they ARRRRGH! (There's a lot wrong with Descartes but that's a solid gag).

Anyway, say hello to Tximista, an RB-JMC built for French all round waterman Benoit Moreau. For those unaware, Benoit absolutely charges riding a range of craft including mats and I am stoked to see him on one of my creations. A few years ago, Benoit lost an arm in an accident which brings some challenges to mat riding that he overcomes seemingly effortlessly. I asked him about his journey into mat surfing. Here's what he said:

“I arrived in the world of the surfmat thanks to my good friend Régis who has been practicing it diligently for a very very long time. Before my accident I practiced the bodyboard, it was unfortunately very complicated since. And then one day I tested the surfmat and the sensations were incredible. This machine is literally dedicated to giving you pleasure. There are never bad surfmat sessions. And since then I always have a surfmat with me whether at home or abroad. And I’ve never been disappointed with that . From very hollow shorebreak going through a reef beeak like in Makaha or on very soft and bumpy mellow waves where we always have the banana.”

— Benoit Moreau

Well Tximista is certainly a machine built for pleasure. We narrowed the aspect ratio more than usual as Benoit reaches across the mat to grab the opposite rail but have kept the key characteristics of the RB-JMC to maintain that hovercraft feel. We have added a bungee to fit a leash and also used the same pool toy valve I fitted to a mat named Green & Blue which went down to Oz. The feedback on that valve is almost unnervingly positive so I had no qualms about fitting one into Tximista to make inflation/deflation easier with one hand. Tximista is a 70/70 super-free-breather with neg elastic rocker.

So why did Benoit pick the name Tximista? Because it's Basque for Lightning Bolt.

Nice.

Have fun Benoit! Hopefully we'll get to share some French waves one day.

Cheers

G

Nepenthe

This is a mat I've been really excited to build. Chris Cravey is a super talented surfer and mat rider hailing from Santa Cruz. You have almost certainly seen him in the Jack Coleman mat flick, Circum Vehicle. Check the opening few waves of Chris riding his VPT mat

Chris is also a very skilled surfboard shaper so knows what's what. I always love building mats for shapers/designers. They share my nerdy interest in all the hydrodynamics and technical aspects of design. They also ask the kind of questions that prompt reflection and new thinking as well as sniffing out bullshit so you have to be legit.

Anyway, on to the mat. Chris has gone for an RB-JMC 70/70 Super-free-Breather with neg rocker. Not really a surprise given his talents. Chris wants as much control in his hands as possible (including the decision to let go). We had a lengthy discussion around the scaling and tinkering which I'm fairly certain we have right. We shall see!

Chris has named his mat "Nepenthe" saying:

“As far as the name goes, it’s pretty hard to have a mat session and walk away without a smile. As I’ve ridden more of the lighter weight/free breather ones I’ve had these feelings on waves that no other surfcraft has offered and it’s totally consuming. Nepenthe is known as a mystical drug that wards off sorrow or pain and somehow thats stuck in my head lately so it seemed like a good fit. How can you think about anything when you’re blissed out of your mind flying across a wall of water on an air bag?”

— Chris Cravey

Perfectly put. What a name! I can't wait to see how Chris and Nepenthe get on. Chris has a trip on the horizon so let's see how they go.

And finally if you haven't, do watch Circum Vehicle on YouTube. And if you have, watch it again!

Cheers

G

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FEEDBACK - Sept 2023

Ho'onalu

Here is a mat for Kevin Warren which he has named Ho’onalu. Kevin says “It is one of the Hawaiian words for meditation. It means literally - 'to make like or be like a wave’”.

Kevin has a really interesting story about his journey into mats and his amazing career:

“I’m 63 and grew up San Diego North county and started surfing at age 10 learning at Swamis, Cardiff and Seaside reefs as well as Del Mar and Blacks beach. Started going to Baja in my teens driving down to the legendary point breaks of the seven sisters. I also flew Hang Gliders in my teens as well soaring the cliffs in La Jolla above Blacks and in the mountains of the San Diego backcountry. ( I built a hang glider out of bamboo and plastic in 1972 for a 6th grade science fair project )

In my 20’s with my love of aviation I received all my flight ratings as I wanted to become an airline pilot. Once I was a commercial pilot I started taking friends on exploratory flights into Baja looking for remote unridden point breaks. We found many and I got good at landing on beaches and islands where there were no roads. Nobody was doing anything like this so I started a company called Baja AIrventures that offered all-inclusive packages flying surfers into spots like Isla Natividad, Seven Sisters and Scorpion Bay as well as many spots I will not name. I’ll never forget taking Tom Carroll and Mike Stewart on a photo shoot for surfer magazine in the early 90’s. I had never really seen what a body boarder could do and Mike blew me away. ( as did Tom but Mike rode deeper in the barrel )

I’ve windsurfed, kite boarded, body surfed and hand planed as well as I started recently wing foiling. My surf buddy showed up with a 4th gear Flyer surf mat and let me try it about 6 years ago. I was hooked. Felt like a kid again. Pretty pure form of surfing. I’ve done some dual sport motorcycle trips into Baja with my surf mat and traveled and matted in Spain’s Basque coast. Perfect travel wave vehicle. Fits in my carry on. Not really possible with anything else. I still own Baja AIrventures which is now Baja Spirit. www.bajaspirit.com ) 34 years later.”

— Kevin Warren

With pointbreaks in mind Kevin came with a clear idea of what he wanted in the form of a 70/70 RB-JMC with negative elastic rocker. Having considered internal venting options, he has opted for a standard free-breather which allows an easy flow of air within the mat to maximise speed at lower inflations. Kevin was keen on the white mat/brown grip that Steve Halpin and Maddie Gordon have had previously. With the black logo and a black “Ho’onalu” motif added to the rail its a mat I really like the look of. If this wasn’t too small for me, Ho’onalu is a mat I’d like to hang on to!

Ho’onalu is heading over to hook up with Kevin in California. I look forward to hearing about their road trips!

Have fun Kevin.

Cheers

G