A quarterly New Zealand Bodyboarding publication
ISOmag photographer Ryan Isherwood off duty and demonstrating where he’d like his subjects to position themselves at Dinner Plates in the future.
Ryan Isherwood Sam Brooks
Small Talk with
ADAM WOOD
DINNER IS SERVED
Battle Of The Boxes
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ISOMAG – NEW ZEALAND’S BODYBOARDING MAGAZINE
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS ISOmag – New Zealand’s bodyboarding magazine ISOmag aims to bring you the best quality images and in-depth articles with a specific focus on New Zealand bodyboarders, waves and the unique New Zealand bodyboarding lifestyle. Our goal is to produce a high-quality quarterly publication that will help promote and gain international recognition for New Zealand bodyboarders, photographers, writers and designers. Editors Chris Garden and Hayden Parsons Design / Art Direction Paul Mossong Web Design Glen Mossong
Contributors Adam Wood, Aidan Dickson, Alex Turoy, Andre Apel, Angeline Humphreys, Aurelien Vivancos, Brendan Dorman, Chad Barlow, Cherry Bomb, Chris Bago, Chris Garden, Cory Scott, Dan Gray, Digga Davie, Edward Saltau, Ewan Donnachie, Frenchy, Greg Hodgson, Hayden Parsons, Heath Melville, Irautza Partarrieu, Isabella Harrex, Jake Cutler, Jarad Ferris, Jeff King, Jeremy Town, John Diamond, John Rutter, Johnny Chambers, Jolan Kilkelly, Jorin Sievers, Kane McMillan, Kendra Benson, Liam Shapcott, Lindsay Butler, Matt Burgess, Mark Thompson, Max Clifford, Mitch Frew, Paul Mossong, Phil Gallagher, Rob Gurney, Ryan Isherwood, Sam Brooks, Sam Peters, Sam Powyer, Sam Wells, Shane Kelly, Tauru Hugo, Thomas Jaud, Tim Hutton, Tim Johnston, Tim Jones Questions, comments and contributions isomag@hotmail.com
ISOMAG – NEW ZEALAND’S BODYBOARDING MAGAZINE ISOMAG ISOMAG,/ CONTENTS. EDITORIAL. 005
22 PHOTOGRAPHS 2 SURF CONTESTS SMALL TALK 19 EMPTY WAVES DINNER IS SERVED NOSTALGIA CUTTING SHAPES & REGIONAL NEWS + SNEAK PEAK
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06 A quarterly New Zealand Bodyboarding publication
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ISOMAG – NEW ZEALAND’S BODYBOARDING MAGAZINE
SNAP RIDER GALLERY
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Fingers crossed this photo is an insight into the future of New Zealand bodyboarding. One of our best young riders dominating one of our best waves.
Ahipene Newby Cory Scott
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We don’t know how lucky we are in New Zealand. In most big cities around the world your after work routine usually involves spending too much time catching ‘the tube’ home, only to do it all again the next day. Here’s Wellsy riding the tube home New Zealand-style after a hard day at the office. Sam Wells Ryan Isherwood
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Flying around Europe is the fastest and most stylish way to travel. Quinn applying that same principal to the European beaches.
Quinn Roper Tom Kitson
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Cody releasing his rail in an attempt to negotiate his way out of a BIg H funnel.
Cody Smith Chris Garden
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Not contempt with a perfect 20 heat score in the recent BBSNZ Northland event, Dunc indulges in more perfection a little closer to home.
Duncan Smith Kane McMillan
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Liam Shapcott up to his usual tricks at Straddie.
Liam Shapcott Adam Wood
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Beauty and the beast.
Sam Wells Ryan Isherwood
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“You know those crazy waves that you always see but never actually seem to catch? Well, I finally nabbed one!” - is how PMK described what he is calling one of the best waves he’s ever caught. Paul McLennan-Kissel Ryan Isherwood
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Cody likes them round and brown.
Cody Smith Chris Garden
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With its cooler water and thumping beach breaks you could be forgiven for thinking Quinn Roper was slotting into one of New Zealand’s many beachbreaks instead of the renowned peaks of Supertubos in Portugal. Quinn Roper Tom Kitson
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With all the hype surrounding Cyclone Wilma, it’s hard to comprehend how you could get skunked with so many epic setups to choose from in the far north. John Diamond and photog Lindsay Butler drove around for hours during the swell of the year, only to end up surfing this below-par beachie. Luckily this link up gave them something to smile about. John Diamond Lindsay Butler
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This pic should get a few of the older crew excited. Nineties bodyboard sensation Tim Bromley back on the sponge and riding like he’d never stopped.
Tim Bromley Sam Brooks
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Gants has spent the last few years living in waveless Nelson. Since moving to Dunedin a couple of months ago, he’s been making up for lost time, slotting into many tasty barrels like this. Jeremy Gantley Chris Garden
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It’s official… the time has finally come for Floyd Smith to lose the nickname “Super Grom” that he picked up from his years of being a young contest machine. Pulling into funnels like this complete with a thick chin warmer has surely edged him into the ranks of manhood. Floyd Smith Digga Davie
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Underground charger Ben Wealleans tackling a secret slab on an island 2000 km off New Zealand’s west coast. Ben Wealleans Chad Barlow
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You know those moments in movies when a light shines down from the heavens (complete with church choir melody) to symbolize something special? The big man upstairs must have been really impressed with Cody’s effort by shedding some light on this cutting edge cuttie. Cody Smith Ryan Isherwood
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Two views of Jerry Gantley locking in on a busy day at Dinner Plates.
Jeremy Gantley Sam Brooks (boat), Chris Garden (water)
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Rastas was recently the victim of some below-par skills of a trainee hairdresser. His once beautiful locks were hacked to pieces forcing him to hide out for a while until they grow back. This shallow cave at an isolated reef break proved to be the perfect hiding place. Chris Stephenson Chris Garden
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As you are probably now aware, the BBSNZ tour struck epic waves during the inaugural Northland event. While Ahi didn’t walk away with the winners cheque, everyone agreed that he sat deep, took off late and did New Zealand bodyboarding proud. Ahipene Newby Jeff King
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It’s no secret that Dunc is the most technically sound rider in New Zealand. It seems he has every move down pat: left or right; big or small. Here’s his latest trick. Duncan Smith Kane McMillan
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Sure this wave doesn’t have the muscle of some of the other pics in this gallery, but even though it lacks in size, you just can’t beat the fun factor of a clean wedge a few metres off the beach. Mitch Frew Chris Garden
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Battle Of T April 2011 will long be remembered for two revolutionary events. At one end of the spectrum was The Box Pro in Western Australia, the most anticipated and desired competition in international bodyboarding history. The possibility of showcasing bodyboarding to the world at one of the best bodyboarding waves in the world had people everywhere foaming at the mouth. The new competition format was a success, the waves delivered, the riders put their bodies on the line and the massive worldwide audience was satisfied. Spectators and competitors agreed the Box Pro was exactly what bodyboarding needed.
Luke Shadbolt
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At the other end of the spectrum, a more grassroots level but still equally revolutionary, was the Northland Pro, which took place just days after the IBA event. A decision by BBSNZ to move the annual and ever reliable Gisborne event 600 km northwest to the Northland region was seen to be a big gamble. The competition was held at a wave also called The Box, similar in name and nature to its Australian cousin, used the same new format adopted by the IBA, and put on waves and a level of bodyboarding previously unseen in
The Boxes New Zealand competition. The event added some much needed spice and excitement to the dwindling New Zealand tour. In an uncanny dual fairytale finish, two local riders with so much to prove and so much to lose pulled off the greatest wins of their careers. Many expected Ryan Hardy to win the Box Pro, but many also believed the pressure would cause him to choke. In the end he overcame his inner demons and the best bodyboarders in the world with bullshit on edge bodyboarding to claim what was rightfully his.
Blair Dowman, similar to Hardy in many ways: a quiet and humble family man, born and raised in a small town surrounded by epic waves, ripped the shit out of his local break and sent some of New Zealand’s best bodyboarders packing, claiming his first ever BBSNZ tour victory in the process. The results were almost too perfect to be true so we thought it would make for one hell of a comparative interview. We fired them both the same questions to gauge what winning the respective Box Pro events meant to them.
Matt Levy
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Luke Shadbolt
Ryan Hardy – Margret River, Australia Tell us about the waves for the event.
There were three days: Day 1 was 3-5ft at cross-shore Gas Bay with good sets, hollow outside rights walling into a hollow closeout section on the sand. Day 2 was a really good 4-6ft plus swell at Box but was ruined by cross-shore southerly winds. There were some clean pits and ramps nonetheless. Day 3 was 6-10ft with rogue 12ft closeouts, way too big for the reef so it was really boily and rippy with heaps of water moving around. It did have a nice offshore on it though and it was high tide, so there were still some good waves between sets.
Who did you see as your biggest threat for the title?
I thought Rawlins, Pierre, Hubb and Kingy were probably the biggest threats at Box based on thei experience out there and their ability in hollow rights.
Do you feel there was an expectation to perform since it was your local break?
Big time! There weren't any other local riders in the main event to share the tag of hometown favourite, so I had a heavy weight on my shoulders but also a strong push behind me to go my hardest!
Does winning at your home break make victory that much sweeter?
For sure! Winning in your home surroundings, in the place you love most in the world, where you grew up playing on the sand as a kid and developing your riding as a grom - and to win with my family and loved ones looking on and cheering - it's a fairytale victory, so stoked!
What do you think about the new competition format?
I love the new format - everyone surfs a few times and has the chance to perform in different conditions and then it goes man on man which is my favourite way to compete.
New Zealander Kevin McAlister was a judge at both events. I see a suspicious trend occurring here, where Kev may have dished out extra points in return for home cooked meals from the locals. Any truth to this rumour?
I know little of the home cooked meals for Mr McAlister or any such allegations linked with Box winners, but could he please follow the tour around the world? Haha!
Anything you'd like to say to Blair Dowman, the winner of the NZ Box Pro?
Congrats! Another fairytale victory, I'm sure he's stoked. And the waves looked so sick - so to get some sick waves in a big comp and come out on top is an unbelievable feeling, one that will light your stoke forever! Job well done!
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Dic McKenna
Blair Dowman – Kaitaia, New Zealand Tell us about the waves for the event.
I’d been checking the reports every day for about a week out from the comp and couldn't really believe how good it was looking, I honestly thought the charts would change a couple of days before the comp as its pretty rare to get 3 -4 days of pumping waves in a row up here, but it somehow actually got better! Friday before the comp was probably the best of it and there was only a couple of guys around for the free surf, just 5-6ft barrels pretty much as good as this reef gets, and for the rest of the comp it was pretty much the same!
Who did you see as your biggest threat for the title?
There were so many. The waves were so good that if anyone got the right wave at the right time it could potentially be a 10. Mainly I was worried about Dunacn Smith, Dic McKenna and Ahi Newby though. Some of the guys who surfed it on the Friday and were getting some absolute bombs!
Do you feel there was an expectation to perform since it was your local?
Yeah, definitely. Most of my heats people were looking to me to see where to sit, what waves to take etc. They may have been expectations I put on myself too though!
Does winning at your home break make victory that much sweeter?
Definitely. Ever since I started surfing that wave I’ve dreamed of how good it would be to have a comp there, but never thought it would happen! Also not having to drive for up to 10 hours before the comp helped heaps as there was no fatigue. Having all the boys there to celebrate with is always good too!
What do you think about the new competition format?
I think it’s really good. It adds a bit more excitement to the comp as everyone’s constantly checking their own and everyone else's scores to see if they made the cut! Also, if you have a shocker heat there’s time to redeem yourself!
New Zealander Kevin McAlister was a judge at both events. I see a suspicious trend occurring here, where Kev may have dished out extra points in return for home cooked meals from the locals. Any truth to this rumour? I cannot confirm or deny these allegations!
Anything you'd like to say to Ryan Hardy, the winner of the IBA Box Pro?
Just congrats on the win and the new addition to the Hardy clan! Good luck with the world title race, I hope you pull through this year! Also if you are ever thinking of heading over give me a bell and I’d be happy to show ya round!
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with 056 ISOMAG / SMALL TALK WITH ADAM WOOD.
Small Talk
Adam Wood
Name: Adam Wood. Nickname: Woody. Age: 28. Hometown/current town: Christ-thewavesareshit-church. Been living on the Gold Coast now for the last five years. For some people it’s hell - point breaks and pro surfers as far as the eye can see! But scoring that uncrowded session or road trip down the coast is what I love. Job: Plastering. Reasonably flexible work hours are a plus like any trade I guess. How did you get into bodyboarding: I remember getting an Ultra Pacific boogie board for Christmas when I was twelve. My friend and I went to the beach and took turns riding white wash. It was the most exciting thing I had ever done and I could hardly sleep that night. At one point there were about twenty of us all really good mates hanging out at North Beach/New Brighton all weekend bodyboarding, skating, causing mayhem. Some of the best times of my life in some of if not the worst surf in New Zealand, but it wasn’t about pumping waves we never got any nor did we have cars to find any. What it was about was having fun and making the most of what we had. I’ve lost contact over the years with most of that crew and the only other person I know of still booging and ripping is Sam Wells. Travel: I haven’t seen that much of the world only a few trips to the South Pacific and a little of Australia but the bug is there and I can’t wait for the next adventure.
Favourite waves: Straddie, where is Iluka?, an island that is 32 km in circumference. Favourite international riders: Ben Player, Jase Finlay, Winny, Eric Gamez, Hardy, Mitch. Favourite New Zealand riders: Levi Turner, Sam Wells, Liam Shapcott, John Blackwood, Mitch Frew, Tim Bromley - Style Masters. Best surf trip: My second trip to that Island. Pumping waves every day and drunken island nightlife. Best thing you’ve seen in the water: Jon Blackwood doing a barrel roll. It was the first one I had ever seen. Blew me away! Best thing you’ve pulled: Anything that feels smooth and controlled.
Music: Something to get me amped or something to chill out to. Hero/inspiration: My wife Bianca and daughter Estee. Best night out: I don’t mind a good BBQ and beers then bed before twelve to get up for the dawn check. Chicks: A young bird, especially one newly hatched. A newly hatched domestic fowl. Informal chiefly derogatory term for a young woman : she’s a great-looking chick, abbreviation of ‘chicken’. ORIGIN Middle English. Words that you live by: Do what makes you happy. Aside from bodyboarding, what else are you into: I love photography, architecture and skateboards. Favourite thing about the New Zealand Bodyboard scene: I love the fact that New Zealand bodyboarders are doing it purely because it’s what they want to do and if you ever meet another one, it’s like you’re mates already.
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Small Talk
with
Adam Wood
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Phil Cruze
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ISOMAG – NEW ZEALAND’S BODYBOARDING MAGAZINE
EMPTY WAVE GALLERY
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I had been planning a shot like this for years it seems, but getting the combination right had proven elusive. One evening back in March the conditions combined, with my camera’s shutter speed set to 1/40th of a second. To get a nice round speed-blur to the barrel, I had to hold the housing dead still and throw myself over the falls, resulting in some good impacts with the bottom. Flicking through the shots after dark, I was certain I had pushed the shutter speed too low as most of the photos were complete rubbish. This one however worked exactly as I had hoped. Chris Garden
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This shot was taken from ‘No Access’ at Wainui looking northeast towards ‘Schools’. What you can’t see is just to the right of frame, a crowd of about 20 folks sessioning a pretty well defined A-frame bank. This nugget sneaked through unmolested in one of those weird inbetweeny spots - which makes it all the more desirable. Brennan Thomas
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A rare Seal Point bowl reels off unnoticed to all except the photographer creeping around in the bushes. Chris Garden
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It’s easy to see why perfect tens and open wounds were a common occurrence at the BBSNZ Northland event. Jeff King
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Any Christchurch bodyboarder will tell you that New Brighton is the worst bodyboarding wave in New Zealand, but from time to time the place does actually cough up some fun tubes. Unfortunately it could be a while before Christchurch wave riders see a view like this again due to the Feburary 22nd earthquake causing tons of raw sewage to spill out onto the city beaches. Ryan Isherwood
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It’s a well-known fact that many of New Zealand’s beachies need a stiff offshore wind for them to be any good due to the rawness of the swells that pour in from the roaring forties. It’s highly likely that this same peak in a light zephyr would have been a crumbling, lumpy mess. Chris Garden
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In waves this heavy, you really do need to take it one step at a time.
Chris Garden
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Back in the late 1990’s this was one of the most sought-after waves along the South Island’s east coast. A couple of years of bad banks and a few encounters with some rather large sharks put surfing here on ice for a good decade. Now the ice has thawed, the banks are back and it’s back on the radar - sharks included. Chris Garden
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Somewhere in this wave, beyond the foam ball lies an anonymous bodyboarder about to go through the rinse cycle - demoting this wave from potential cover shot to just another epic empty. What could have been... Chris Garden
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Sticks and stones‌ you know the rest.
Sam Brooks
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With so many heavy bodyboard-friendly reefs being discovered in recent times, Dinner Plates’ reputation has taken a bit of hit. Here’s an absolute brute to silence the critics. Chris Garden
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One lucky bugger about to feast on some freighting tubes in a setting that can only be described as otherworldly. Kane McMillan
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Technically this wave should feature in the Snap gallery, as this space is reserved for naked waves only. However, we couldn’t go lowering our standards by running a blatant shoulder hop. Ryan Isherwood
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A little pre-Easter treat in the Deep South.
Jeremy Town
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This slab has been on the minds of New Zealand bodyboarders for the last decade, but it’s only recently with access to a boat that bodyboarders have been able to test the water. While marginally paddleable, the sad truth is the best ones such as this one seem almost impossible to scoop into before they bottom out. Anyone got a jetski? Chris Garden
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Blue skies, warm offshores, clear water and fun hollow peaks. You can kiss scenes like this goodbye as winter rolls in. Chris Garden
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Emerald river tubes.
Ryan Isherwood
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While the surfers scrap for the generally average lefts in the corner, many bodyboarders opt to paddle down the beach, and away from the crowds, to sample some of these delights at Blackhead Beach. Chris Garden
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Dinners serving up some wrapping end bowls for a couple of lucky punters.
Chris Garden
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DINNER IS SERVED The Dinner Plates Article We don’t know who came up with the name Dinner Plates. When you think about it, it’s probably one of the worst names you could ever give to such a commanding wave. “It’s called that cause it’ll serve you up for dinner” is a popular one. “The pits are as round as a dinner plate” is another. Or how about “the reef is shaped like a dinner plate.” Maybe the pioneer who named it was so lost for words after seeing water doing things he had never seen water do before that “Dinner Plates” was the best he could conjure up. Whatever the reasoning, this slab - located between two other waves, Entrees and Pudding Bowls (I’m not kidding) is the main course when it comes to bodyboarding waves in New Zealand.
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The history of Dinner Plates in terms of surfing is relatively unknown. No one can really lay claim to being the first to discover it – it’s not exactly off the beaten track. Even when bodyboarding started to become popular during the early nineties, there were rumours of a crazy slab named Dinner Plates, but back then no one was interested in giving it a go. The early days of New Zealand bodyboarding wasn’t about searching for and riding heavy slabs, it was all Eppo airs, Manta Blades and comps at Mount Maunganui. The odd photo would pop up in surf mags, even tales of guys riding it at two foot and thus gaining a hell-man reputation for surfing somewhere without a sandy shoreline.
Chris Garden
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Slowly different crews started to venture deeper south and test the waters at Dinner Plates, but its true potential wasn’t realised until an article that appeared on isolated.co.nz called Cold Fusion – one of the biggest and most perfect sessions to ever go down at the joint. At the time, young guns Mitch Frew, Sam Wells and Jeremy Gantley were out of their league but pushed deep and broke the ice for New Zealand bodyboarding to finally move into the realm of heavy waves. It was that session that inspired the birth of the Isolated Challenge in 2004. The Isolated Challenge and Dinner Plates go handin-hand. The two were made for each other. No one cared much for the Isolated Challenge until Dinner Plates broke and web hits proved that, as hit numbers went through the roof on the Dinner Plates photos. Blood and guts splattered across the reef were what people wanted to see. Luckily it produced slabs every year the event was held with the
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biggest and best being 2006 where Sam Wells put on a scooping spectacle previously unseen in this country. The reality is Sam is the only man that has proven that you can paddle out at Dinner Plates and get good wave after good wave and he openly confesses that that piece of submerged rock is his favorite part of this country. He rides the place like no other. In 2007 Dinner Plates played host to some of the biggest names in bodyboarding… Tom Smith, Liam O’Toole and Ryan Hardy. One day in particular - solid 10ft, brown water, dark grey skies and an approaching snow front that could strike at any moment made for a quick-fire 45 minute session that encompassed possibly the biggest pits paddled into in New Zealand. All three Aussies rated it as a world-class reef at that size - different to a lot of their reefs but super-heavy nonetheless.
The Plate has attracted its fair share of criticism over the years too. It doesn’t boast the perfect almond barrel or break in the same spot in a mechanical fashion like many Australian reefs we are used to seeing. It doesn’t really have a wrapping end bowl and many waves will pinch before you can make it out. It’s a bitch of a place to surf. Then factor in the cold, isolation, sharks, freak sets and how quickly it can turn from epic-looking to horse-shit before the lip hits the flats, and that paints a pretty good picture of your average Dinner Plates session. Did I mention the rumour of the underwater caves inspired by the number of boards lost over the years that have never resurfaced? I’ll give it this though, Dinner Plates is a heavy wave capable of producing a life-threatening hold down, and one that requires the heaviest scoops you have ever had to muster. If all of the aforementioned factors remain at bay then you might just luck into the wave of your life.
Dinner Plates is the mascot for New Zealand bodyboarding: a giant, hairy, savage-like mascot - not your smiling fur-ball variety that amps up kids at the footy. It has been the launch pad for New Zealand bodyboarding to forge a reputation that we are a nation of bodyboarders who can surf heavy waves, and has allowed us to be grouped alongside the Aussies instead of the European and South American style of bodyboarding. If you have ever travelled and have spoken to other bodyboarders from around the world, most will know of Dinner Plates. No other wave has done favours to our sport like Dinner Plates has done. It’s that reason that ISOmag has decided to produce our most in-depth article ever, covering the big sessions and those who choose to challenge her.
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The Family Album Just like Britney Spears, Dinner Plates has had to endure the paparazzi for most of her career. Such is the price of fame. She doesn’t complain though, often putting on her best outfits and moods when the cameras come out. Her unabashed beauty has seen her become our most photographed wave. Here are a few classic Dinner Plates shots that have influenced New Zealand bodyboarding in some way over the years.
Critter claims a cracker, 1998 “Me and my mate Critter (the guy in the pic) were so amped on bodyboarding in the late 1990’s. We would pile our gear and tins of baked beans into the back of his epic 4WD Land Cruiser and just go wherever we wanted for as long as we wanted. This day we ended up on a random headland watching the biggest slabs I had ever seen unload onto the dry Dinners shelf. I clearly remember the rumbling under our feet from the 6ft thick lips pounding the ledge. None of us had really surfed a proper reef back then so needless to say we weren’t going to start at 8ft low tide Dinners! The photo was published in Riptide and Kiwi Surf and became pretty famous, as slabs like this weren’t commonplace in magazines back then like they are today.” - Hayden Parsons
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DINNER IS SERVED
Goose
Cold Fusion trip, 2003 “We had surfed Dinner Plates quite a few times prior to this amazing session but never really scored it that good. As usual, Wellsy drove down from Christchurch for the weekend and along with Mitch Frew and Jeremy Gantley we missioned down south without checking the forecast. We didn’t worry about buoy readings and stuff like that back then, and we’d usually come back with some sort of waves under our belts. I remember waking up in the back of Wellsy’s van at Skid Marks wedge to rainy skies and onshore winds, so we bolted to the Dinners check point to find it big and spitting, incomparable to anything we’d ever seen before. No one was really keen - clearly it was beyond our limits, but Mitch suggested we paddle out for a closer look. We were all shitting ourselves. To this day it was some of the heaviest and bestshaped Dinner Plates I have ever witnessed, with the brown water and rain setting an ominous tone. Slowly, but surely, they started pushing each other into crazier waves. Wellsy nabbed the biggest of the lot, with one of them spitting so hard that he was blind when he resurfaced and couldn’t see the next 8ft slab about to break on his head. He just made it. I think the boys look back on that session and think they kinda blew it, as these days waves like those aren’t really that nuts. That said, charging waves that heavy back then was unheard of in New Zealand bodyboarding and in my eyes they set a precedent for the sport in this country “ – Hayden Parsons
Goose
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Blue perfection, 2004 “I stumbled onto Dinner Plates in the mid-nineties whilst flicking through an old stand-up mag, and promptly took it into the local surf shop to get the low-down. The owner told me exactly where it was, and that it wasn’t really rideable on a surf board. Although at 14 I was more interested in finding and riding the longest waves possible, something sparked inside me, the formings of my long-standing relationship with the wave. A number of years later, camera in hand, I paddled out on a perfect Dinners morning and snapped this shot, one of my favourite photos of Dinners to date. Back then I was shooting with a three megapixel point-and-shoot camera in a plastic-bag-like
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housing, and was shooting blind as I wasn’t wearing contact lenses in the water back then. It’s some kind of miracle I got any half-decent shots! Around the same time, I came across the Isolated website, and to my surprise, saw the “Cold Fusion” article mentioned above. I was shocked to see that other people had been surfing Dinner Plates as I had been going there for years without seeing a soul. I sent this photo into the site, and the rest is history. It is still the most influential photo I have taken, and it spurred my obsession with surf photography and documenting the New Zealand bodyboarding scene, possibly to the detriment of a real career and a stable relationship! I wouldn’t have it any other way. – Chris Garden
Chris Garden
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Tim Johnson
The one that got away, 2009 This particular session caught all of us a bit unawares… one of those rare days where the swell ends up being considerably bigger than the charts had predicted. I had arrived back from overseas the day before and headed south early with Cody Smith and Tim Hutton. I remember feeling a bit disappointed when we paddled out there. Although it was immaculately
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clean and consistently six foot, many weren’t hitting the reef right, with the majority of waves feathering and closing out down the line. We had been out for a couple of hours and Cody had headed in, when I saw a decent lump on the horizon. I’d been dodging wide sets, whilst taking photos in the channel all day, so yelled out “Set!” to Tim and we both started paddling towards Antarctica. Although he was in the perfect spot, it would have been a huge call for Tim to turn and go that wave. It was considerably bigger than anything all day,
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an easy 10ft, and I don’t think any New Zealand bodyboarder would have stroked into it, given the circumstances. The wave unloaded perfectly on the reef, spitting down the line before closing out way on the inside. It’s still perhaps the biggest and mostperfect wave I’ve seen out there. To be honest, that wave had us both a bit rattled, if we hadn’t paddled our hearts out, we would have worn it on the head. Paddling in was a nervous time as we half-expected another one to come through and give us a lesson in breath-holding.
Strangely, and perhaps as a reminder of what could have been, three photographers snapped off shots of this wave – Chris Moore on the rocks, Tim Johnson on the hill (this photo) and me in the channel. If he had gone this wave, maybe it would have been the benchmark for New Zealand bodyboarding; or maybe we would still be looking for his body today! – Chris Garden
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The Regulars Sam Wells “It’s by far the most ominous wave in the country, even at 2-3ft it has an eeriness about it. I feel it is a test of any man’s ability on the boog once it gets above 4ft, as you have to be fast-thinking and have
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to have the fundamentals dialed in. I love to watch my peers surf the place and analyse their every move. It really showcases one’s personality and boogie prowess, also leaving one open to endless rips and years of guilt if you don’t nut up and go. I often wonder if Tim Hutton lies awake at night thinking, “I should have gone”.
Sam Brooks
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Cody Smith “Dinners is amazingly fun, but incredibly frustrating; crazy heavy, but surprisingly mellow; short, steppy and pinchy, but long and grinding; isolated and uncrowded, but overexposed; beautiful and surreal, but raw, temperamental, moody and hard to get; spooky and terrifying, but always good times.�
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Chris Garden
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Mitch Frew “My first encounter with the plate was circa early winter 2002. For what now appears to be some ridiculous reason, a bunch of us decided one stormy southwest morning that we should go and try to surf this somewhat mythical wave that we had only really heard whispers of through a vague old-boy surfer rumour mill. We made the long drive south, turned up to extremely wind affected 5ft waves, decided to paddle out, shoulder hopped a couple, and then paddled in not much the richer in our knowledge of the joint except for the fact that we definitely wouldn’t be heading there in a howling southwesterly again!
Chris Garden 114 ISOMAG / DINNER IS SERVED.
After the Cold Fusion trip where the legitimacy of Dinner Plates as an actual wave was affirmed in my mind, I have never managed to develop a true affection for the place. I guess it is an entirely subjective thing as others seem to be quite keen on the joint, but I just don’t like the way the wave breaks, have been pinched on far too many times (just stay open!) and find it exceptionally hard to read. To me it just doesn’t feel predictable like most other reefs, not that it should, as that is what makes it what it is, but I so often feel myself taking off thinking “well this is a gamble”. I guess at the end of the day we just don’t click and that is fine, it is like all relationships: some work, some don’t. I have a huge respect for the place and acknowledge that it can produce some incredible barrels (I have even had some when she ain’t being a bitch), but I just don’t know that we will ever be good mates. Wellsy can have her haha!”
Chris Garden
Paul McLennan-Kissel “I used to have really long hair but it was way too annoying in the water. One day I did a solo mission over to Dinners from my ex’s parents place. It was two foot and pretty perfect, which was about right for my first go out there, especially being by myself. Earlier that morning I had pinched a knife from the kitchen, which I then used to give myself a stylin’ new look on the rocks after my surf. Two chops and it was all gone. Probably the best haircut I’ve had (except perhaps the uber-mullet I had as a 10 year old). I chucked my old locks into the sea then buggered off to surprise everyone with my mini-mane. Since then Dinners has had one up on me and I end up pretty spooked most surfs. I mean it is super heavy, and shallow, but my unease out there is disproportional to the danger. It’s probably my most feared wave that I surf.”
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Wipeouts After a decade of bodyboarding at Dinner Plates, there have been a number of pretty bad beatings. Luckily there have been no serious injuries, the worst being Brad Dennison’s broken foot and Doug Young’s compressed spine. There has been a lot of blood spilt and equipment lost there over the years and with heavy waves breaking on a shallow shelf, the worst is yet to come. Here’s a collection of some of the nastiest beatings Dinners has dished out to those who dared to test her.
Jon Blackwood, March 2005 “The surf wasn’t crazy - probably 4ft. I was only out about five minutes when a nice peak came through. I air-dropped into it, rode through for a bit, then it pinched on me. It was a guillotine lip, which just drove me straight to the bottom and my leg smashed pretty hard into a rock. I was surprised because I got really whipped and came up short of breath, no board, and my leg feeling like it got hit with a hammer. I couldn’t see my board so I just swam in. Never saw it again either. I’ve still got a nice scar on my leg from that wave, which I used to be able to put my whole thumb in!”
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Hayden Parsons, May 2006 “How could I ever forget this wave?! Back then I was doing a lot of filming for my DVD’s and with a big crew onboard I was pumped to get some footage. It was quite inconsistent so a few of the guys I wanted to film decided to wait until it got better. I decided I’d make the most of having no one to film and get a few waves before everyone else got out there. Once out there, it started to pulse but we were still having fun despite the waves getting increasingly bigger and heavier with each set. I was next in line and I remember seeing a big lump coming in as a nice shouldery peak. Confident I would get a hell keg on it, I turned around and paddled hard. Once I knew I had enough speed I looked to see a wall jacking up 50 metres down the line. That’s Dinners for you - you think you have a sweet wave then it just turns into a monster in a split second. I knew I was done. I remember a standup surfer screaming like he was watching someone commit suicide! I remember free-falling for so long. To this day I’ve never had a longer free fall. Once I hit the flats the lip absolutely flattened me and that’s where the fun began. I was pushed right to the bottom. I didn’t hit it hard, just pushed onto it and it and it held me there for ages. Then I started swimming to the surface. Usually one of two swoops of the arms will get you to the surface but after two swoops I realized I was a long way from getting to the surface. I get really bad asthma and my lung capacity is quarter of anyone else’s, so I panicked a little. Having both fins ripped off and acting as anchors didn’t speed up the process either! I got to the surface just as the next wave was about to break and got pounded by that wave too. Once the sets stopped pouring in I realised I had a leash but no board and when I found it noticed it had been snapped clean in two! I decided to call it a day and get some footage. I was a bit gutted to be leaving and despite getting the worst beating of my life, I was surprisingly calm and wanted more. Once back on land I noticed my $200 watch had also been ripped off - never to be seen again. While it can be the sickest wave, the unpredictability of Dinners makes it pretty dangerous. These days I don’t get to surf it much but I’m pumped to surf it more if all the elements of work, family and conditions align. I now know to be wary of those peaky looking ones!”
Chris Garden
Ryan Isherwood
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Haydn Middleton, March 2007 “It was a beautiful day and spirits were high that Dinners Plates was on for a day of the Isolated Challenge. I hadn’t got too many good ones at the start of my round and I was up for the next set. I vividly remember Ben MacKinnon attempting to snake me because he thought I was gonna drop nuts. Because of this brief distraction, I misjudged my direction to paddle into it as it started to jack, then it doubled up underneath me much more than I’d expected and I couldn’t get under. I started to freefall pretty hard and mid air I attempted to aim my landing so I could try to ride it out. The impact was too much however, and the lip came down on top of me! The wave itself didn’t rag-doll me too badly, but the set after it dragged me right across the reef to the inside of the shelf and tore my flipper off! I found out later that this wave had won me worst wipeout and a board - stoked!”
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Chris Garden
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The Left You’ve all probably heard about the left at Dinner Plates, maybe even seen a pic or two of it looking crazy-perfect and makeable. Some guys swear that it is a legitimate wave on the right swells, whereas others contest the fact. The left wasn’t even part of the dinner-table conversation until Aussie nutman Brendan Newton got bored during an average session out there in 2004, and decided to spice things up a bit by going left and getting washed onto the dry ledge. It took a couple of years, a higher tide, and a more perfect swell before anyone else even thought about following his lead. The truth is, yeah it looks amazing - every so often one holds up just
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enough to let out a massive spit before it shuts down onto dry reef. Most of the time, however, it just slams straight onto the ledge with lips twice as thick as they are on the right. Whether you make the wave or not, you are stuck right in the zone for the rest of the set waves to unload on your head while you stand in knee-deep water! While guys in the Canary Islands are probably surfing waves like that all the time, there just isn’t a push for it here. The risks far outweigh the benefits, but all it takes is for someone to give it a go and you never know – it might just become the next cool thing in New Zealand bodyboarding.
Chris Moore
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Cheating I’m sure this is an issue at lot of heavy spots around the world, especially somewhere with bodyboarders keen to give solid waves a nudge. There are some waves out there that are strictly tow-only. Either they break too fast or too heavy to make the drop paddling in, and thus are better being slung into via jetski assistance. Dinner Plates is not one of those waves. Watching guys like Ryan Hardy, Ewan Donnachie and Sam Wells take off behind the peak, no matter what the size, and make pit after pit proves that theory. Most of the time they are taking off deeper than where the tow surfer lets go of the rope anyway! Towing in while there are guys prepared to put their balls on the line is just plain weak, not to mention dangerous; yet a few idiots persist on doing it at while guys are paddling in. How pathetic is this tow effort? 2-3ft Dinner Plates and getting towed in wider than the paddling riders. Ridiculous.
Goose
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Chris Moore
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7. It can range a variety of sessions there in 200 had I f. ree k sic a is tes Pla s er “Dunn p, to a heaving 10ft slab with pit ram and k pea 6ft vy hea a to wl, from a fun 3ft bo Hardy with that sort of variety.” - Ryan fs ree e lov I h. hig are y the as as wide Click here to see a dark and moody rough edit of some old (and some new unseen) footage of Dinner Plates.
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Chris Garden
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Getting sponsorship for the Isolated Challenge each year was always such a mission - endless hours of emails, cold-calling and door-knocking to potential sponsors. After the huge success of the 2005 Isolated Challenge and all the coverage it received on TV, I had a feeling we were now in a better position to leverage some more sponsorship off the mainstream companies. I worked for weeks to put together a comprehensive sponsorship package and had my mate Kent “the white Kainoa” Stewart design the proposal to make it look pretty.
I think Kmac from BBSNZ might have known someone within the company behind Lion Red, I can’t remember, but I emailed it to them and got a response almost instantly saying it was one of the best proposals they had ever seen and were dead keen to get behind the event. Shit I was stoked, but they then informed me that I had just missed the cut-off date for when they allocate sponsorship money. I was gutted cause money is exactly what I needed to run the event. He got back to me and said they really want to help out and offered me 100 dozen cans of Lion Red instead. For those of you that aren’t good at maths, that’s 1200 cans of beer between 12 people over 10 days – or about 10 cans each a day! While it wasn’t money it certainly was liquid gold and an offer I couldn’t refuse! Anyway, there was no way we could transport that much beer down south so we split it up. I cant remember the exact amounts but I think we took 50 dozen down south, saved 20 dozen for the prizegiving, the winner would receive 20 dozen and the runner up would get 10 dozen. Something along those lines.
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That year everyone was pretty focused and wanted to win. The beer wasn’t going down that fast but after a massive session at Dinner Plates, where we got the job done, everyone drank as much as they could stomach that night. There were so many cans lying around and all sorts of antics going on. I think Wellsy had more than his fair share and ended up getting an axe and smashing in the walls of the hall we were staying in. I remember we set up this massive pyramid of empty cans in the most awkward place in the hall. The rule was if you walked past and accidentally knocked some off you would have to skull however many you knocked down. Ben MacKinnon, who hadn't touched beer in about four years, knocked six cans off the pyramid at once and was ordered to down all six on the spot. He polished them off in fine fashion but he surfed like an absolute kook later that day, costing him a few places in the points table. We took a few dozen to Queenstown and had a massive party at the backpackers we were staying at too. Good times.
At prizegiving we still had 20 dozen to go. Everyone was getting a bit sick of Lion Red by then but we could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Somehow it all disappeared in no time at all. I was pretty boozy too and started accusing the bar manager of either keeping it for himself or hiding it so he could sell it some other time. It didn’t matter in the end, we were stoked get off the Lion Red buzz and I guess the manager was a legend for letting us bring our own beer into the bar. So Wellsy ended up winning some cash, a travel voucher, an entry into the Shark Island Challenge and 20 dozen Lion Red to top it off. As far as I know he had a massive party when it arrived on his doorstep a few weeks later. Jarad Ferris got runner up by the slimmest of margins and had 10 dozen delivered to his door and I’m pretty sure he traded it all for a six pack of Gissy Gold – his favourite drop. I’m not sure why but Lion Red didn’t sponsor the event the following year. It’s a shame as New Zealand bodyboarding and beer will always go so well together! - Hayden Parsons
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CUTTING SHAPES The Tim Johnston interview
It’s fair to say bodyboarders generally don’t put too much thought into the boards they ride. If the length, width and flex are right then you have found your perfect match. That approach would probably serve you well for the rest of your bodyboarding life but the wise among us know that every millimeter counts. In the stand up surfing world boards are everything. If you’ve ever asked a surfer about their board you’ll end up with a headache trying to understand the lingo and complexities of a surfboard. Bodyboarders don’t seem to have that same knowledge and emotional connection towards their boards. To your average bodybaorder stock boards look and feel cheap, almost to the point of being throw away consumables, and that’s exactly how they are treated sometimes. Those with a bit more experience know the true value of a good board and what works for them in different conditions. If you have ever ridden a custom board, shaped according to your specified dimensions, you’ll know how good it feels to get pitted on a board you conceived. Times that feeling by a thousand and that’s how good it feels to get pitted on a board that you conceived and created. Meet Tim Johnston one man who knows that feeling better than anyone and is hell bent on understanding the intricacies of the materials, dimensions and shaping that make up the 40 something inches of foam that we just can’t live without.
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How did you get into bodyboarding? I was bought up living on Waiheke, a small island on the east coast of the upper North Island of New Zealand. As a kid I spent a lot of time at the beach with family and friends enjoying the Islands shore breaks on used and abused polystyrene surfboards. I was about 13 when I watched my first bodyboarding video, ‘Mutant Slabs and Monster Barrels’. Watching Mike and his mates engulfed and spat out by these heavy waves made me keen as to get a board and learn how to ride. My first board, a BZ T10 was purchased from a second hand sports shop in Auckland. It’s hard case to think what I must have looked like as the board was an absolute behemoth, built for someone at least five times my weight. This proved a problem when it came to learning how to duck dive. Anyhow this is what was up for grabs at the time and not knowing much about boards apart from the fact Ben Severson rode a BZ had me stoked on the purchase. The Island’s surf was inconsistent but when there were waves I’d be sure to be out there. Bodyboarding never got much acceptance from the island’s surfing community and frequent abuse and dropins were commonplace. Our small contingency of bodyboarders held their own and learnt from each other. As the years went by the crew began to mission around the outer gulf during holidays in search of more challenging waves to enjoy. I’m stoked to have found bodyboarding at a young age as it’s provided me with many memorable experiences and opportunities to make great friends.
How did you get into shaping your own boards? I started shaping boards when I decided to modify an old relic Manta Mirage board while studying down in Invercargill. The Mirage was in need of reshaping as it had super fat rails, so fat that maintaining a grip proved troublesome. One of my flatmates had a box of power tools in the garage that included a gnarly looking Makita power planer. I powered it up and initiated myself into the art of board shaping by taking to the problem areas of the topside rail. The board was made from some sort of beaded foam which the plainer made short work of. The result was rough as guts so I covered up the carnage by heavily waxing the exposed foam. The following day I took the board for a wave and what a difference my master shaping skills had made to the old girl. The board had gained more flex and was much easier to grip. At this time I was mid way through my final year of study and involved in design application and 3D. Making these alterations on the Mirage got me thinking about body board shaping. It seemed to me that materials and construction techniques hadn’t progressed much in comparison to the innovations coming out of the surfing industry. I considered modeling a 3D board and began researching alternative materials. Although I had a desire to expand and explore my concepts I had no way of integrating it into my studies not to mention any practical skills or means of creating any boards. Machinery and tooling costs were beyond my financial means as a student so I had no choice but to put the project on hold.
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CUTTING SHAPES The Tim Johnston interview
Can you give us an idea of the steps it took you to get from hacking up an old board with a power tool to producing a high quality board? It was in the following year, when I moved back to Auckland that an opportunity arose to revive my plans. It happened when I was introduced to this guy named Alec who my brother had done some work through. Alec had a small CNC (computer numerical control) machining business and was looking for a part time worker. I knew about CNC machines but had never actually seen one in action. I was amazed at the speed and accuracy that X, Y, Z co-ordinates derived from a 3D model could be machined into something tangible. I asked Alec if he would consider assisting me in creating some bodyboards if I were to help him out in the workshop. Fortunately Alec was all for it and suggested that he run my 3D drawings during the night when the machine was not in operation. Stoked at the opportunity I set out to model my first 3D board. I chose to play it safe and model up a conventional board shape. This allowed me time to research potential materials and construction techniques. In my initial designs I put a lot of emphasis on structural integrity in order to avoid core creasing or failure from the repetitious compressive stresses caused by body contact. Lacking any structural engineering knowledge I relied mainly on my brothers boat building expertise to help guesstimate the correct core density and thickness to use. Unfortunately the emphasis on structural integrity resulted in limited flex. However the boards did hold a solid rail in the wave and were quick down the line, good for sections and fast barrelling waves. The decking skin material was also a success, proving to be really comfortable and great for absorbing impact from freefall drops. It was back to the drawing board to create a more responsive board. I decided to try a completely different construction technique and a core material that would promote greater flexibility. The new process was to be more automated. This meant a more technical set up process and additional machinery. I was confident that this means of construction was more innovative and time efficient than the first. What I didn’t plan for was a string of tragedies that occurred midway through the project. Arriving at the workshop in the morning to collect my first finished board I found two pieces of board lying mangled on the floor. During the night the machines Z-axis belt had snapped causing the cutter to plough through the board. A week or so later with a second board well underway I received a phone call from Alec to say that the spindle motor on the machine had seized up. A piece of scrap foam had somehow bound up in the cutter while unattended. “Ah the stress!” Not only had another board been utterly destroyed but also Alec’s machine had been rendered inoperable. Although understandably pissed at the situation Alec encouraged me to give it another shot once the spindle was replaced. After a lot of patience and perseverance the shaping phase was completed. A further disappointment arose at the next stage when air pockets became trapped beneath the slick material during application. Although a machine existed that would alleviate this problem it would require costly modifications. Applying the slick in the way I intended hadn’t been done before and was therefore always going to be the most likely part of the project to falter. The backup slick material and its application method were far from ideal as it lacked graphics and was likely to compromise the board’s flex. It was however a slick ISOMAG / CUTTING SHAPES. 133
and would enable the board’s completion, which at this stage was all that mattered. Testing these boards was more daunting than the first range as a lot more time sweat and stress had been spent on them. I arrived down south to a sizable southern swell and put the boards to the test. To my relief they worked well, snagging a decent down the line barrel on my first wave. As I made my way through the quiver I noticed flexibility ranged from slightly too flexible through to just the right amount. The boards were made using varying amounts of core thickness and density. Boards with slightly thicker or denser cores acquired a more desirable flex. Satisfied with these positive results it’s now an issue of how best to apply the intended slick material. I would like to give special thanks to both Alec and my brother Damian whose ongoing support, advice and encouragement got me through the thick of it and enabled me to see the mammoth project through to its completion. How important is it to test your designs before making any improvements? Testing is essential to improving performance. Achieving the right degree of flex has been a focus of much of this testing process. Only by testing a completed board do you appreciate the changes you have made and the areas that require attention. Testing and improving has been the most costly and time-consuming process of board development. My progress has been a combination of shear luck and dogged determination. 134 ISOMAG / CUTTING SHAPES.
CUTTING SHAPES The Tim Johnston interview
Did you seek any advice from established shapers? Living in New Zealand there wasn’t any local shapers to ask for advice. I sent a few emails to a number of board companies overseas but their responses were brief and not very helpful. I approached several bodyboarding companies in Australia regarding PP and PE foam but was told that I’d be lucky to purchase any as companies don’t sell blanks to the public and choose to keep all operations in house. I approached some of our country’s top riders for advice on what attributes they thought made a good board. I used this information to research materials that would match these characteristics. The Internet and several university lecturers were invaluable sources of knowledge and advice in understanding the characteristics and compatibility of selected materials.
What is the hardest part of shaping board? The hardest part of shaping boards is the patience and perseverance required to see the project through to its completion. The saying ‘patience is a virtue’ rings true after enduring days and sometimes weeks waiting for people, product and machinery. The unexpected dramas that arose during the project took their toll on my resolve and ambition. There were times I felt like giving up, especially when confronted with pieces of mangled board. But I had come too far to give up. I developed a dark sense of humour concerning my misfortunes. This helped me rally for the next challenge. ISOMAG / CUTTING SHAPES. 135
Nick Mezritz and Dan Sivess are two of the world’s best shapers who both hail from New Zealand. Does that inspire you? Nick and Dan are an inspiration for sure. It’s great to know that two of the best board shapers in the world are Kiwis. NMD are designing some fantastic looking boards like the one Winchester won the Arica competition on. It’s great to see NMD sponsoring BBSNZ with quality prize boards that make their way into the hands of up and coming talent. “Thumbs up” to these guys. I look forward to their next advancement in bodyboarding technology.
Your thoughts on CNC vs. hand shaping? I regard hand shaped boards as sculptural works. They are uniquely individual handcrafted creations that embody the shapers personal touch. Although a hand shaped board may not have the symmetry obtained by CNC machining it is the skills used in bringing about a well-shaped board from a block of foam that is to be commended. I think there will always be a place for both forms of shaping, although a masterfully shaped board should, in my opinion always command more prestige and appreciation.
What would be the ideal materials for a board to suit New Zealand waters? The flexibility of both PE and PP foam are adversely affected by water temperature but continue to be used in construction of bodyboards. Because a move to more temperature tolerant foam has yet to be used the ideal board for New Zealand waters has yet to be developed. A design element I tried to incorporate in my boards was the use of a core material that would retain a consistent flex in all temperatures. I have yet to test the boards out in the tropics so I’m unsure if I have achieved this.
Sustainability seems to be a big thing these days. Do you think it is possible to create and environmentally friendly bodyboard? I believe environmentally friendly boards will be achieved in the near future due to the research and development of new production technologies and bio based materials that can be adapted and applied to board making. Decreasing our carbon footprint is necessary to the health of the planet. Sustainable and ecologically sound alternatives must be prioritised. We want clean oceans, air and earth for future bodyboarding generations.
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CUTTING SHAPES The Tim Johnston interview
If you do crack the magic combination of shape, flex and materials can you see yourself producing bodyboards commercially? My goal is to create a comfortable range of boards incorporating unconventional materials that are designed specifically for large, heavy waves. The boards will need to be robust, temperature tolerant, and have a snappy flex fatigue resistant core that can absorb impact. If the design, construction and ride ability of these boards proves successful a small-scale production could be viable. Making jigs and using power tools to shape boards is something I would like to explore in the future.
Is shaping your own board something anyone can do? Where there is a will there is always a way to put your ideas into practice. If you have the passion, materials, machines, expertise and perseverance you can do it. I was naĂŻve in underestimating the complexities involved in board making. If I had known the challenges ahead I would have thought twice about committing to the project on my own. However there is a sense of satisfaction and pride in riding boards that you have developed from a few sketches. I encourage all you would-be backyard shapers to give it a go.
Any advice for anyone wanting to try and shape their own board? If you decide to make a board, be sure to do your groundwork first. Spend time making concept drawings in orthographic top, side and bottom perspectives. Transfer these into scaled technical drawings that can be used as templates to shape with or model from. Research your material and construction choices to ensure materials are compatible and suitable for the job. If you want to make a board from PP or PE the process will be easier as there are video clips on Youtube demonstrating the tools and techniques of hand shaping and lamination. Hand shaping is the cheaper alternative but I would recommend brushing up on your power tool skills first. I suggest practicing on cheap polystyrene (EPS) to build confidence and precision. Have fun and keep trying and you’ll get there.
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138 ISOMAG / CUTTING SHAPES.
CUTTING SHAPES The Tim Johnston interview
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140 ISOMAG / CUTTING SHAPES.
CUTTING SHAPES The Tim Johnston interview
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ZONE
REGIONAL NEWS. NTH
AKL
By Blackman
By JKFM
Since last report, the north of the north has been hit with somewhat consistent swell for both coasts with waves from Whangarei to Kerikeri to The Cape which has given everyone something to do. A couple of well-timed sick days from work and I was off to score a reef that I can last remember surfing in about 2002.
The 09 region has been producing the goods over the last few months... so just because we’re some giant “Super-city” and the media beat-up is that we’re all about rising property prices, motorway traffic jams and rehashed stadiums being fluffed up for the RWC. No sireee: going surfing in Auckland is all about being underground. So damn far underground that most of the time you go boogin’, you’re going to struggle to find someone to go surf with.
Everyone is probably still talking about the epicness that was Easter weekend and what many are calling the best comp in New Zealand bodyboarding history. This was taken out by none other than local man, Big Daddy Dowman in some pretty sizeable liquid. Hats off to him! Currently a gigantic high is right on top of us bringing more waves, water is still warm so no steamers just yet. We got a taste of winter in mid May with a massive SW swell sweeping up the coast turning on what many are calling the best Shippies ever. Hopefully with winter approaching we’ll be able to get a few more days like that with no more summer crowds!!
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Damn big place this is, and its inhabitants with their busy little lifestyles. The magic formula that I’ve found is that if you keep it simple and maintain focus on what truly matters (ie. scoring sick slabbing beachies) then nothing else really matters. Fuck the traffic, fuck the council and its bludging pack of un-elected “councillors” and fuck the damn price of petrol. All that matters is how you can get to the beach, at the right time, at the right tide with the right crew and all be in the same frame of mind. I surf with a couple of bro’s, or just head out by myself.
Paul Mossong
In order to score sick waves around here, you keep your secrets to yourself, and observe the multitude of factors that need to align when the waves are on. So when that call comes, you drop everything and go. Especially during the money months here. There have been a few sessions over the last few months since the last issue that have been pretty sick. Some seriously bullshit barrels were ridden and some heavy slabs taken on and conquered. It’d be good if we had some photos to back these claims up though, but we’re all too busy surfing instead of shooting. It’s the stress of sitting in traffic for an hour or two just to go surfing that does that.
BOP
RAG
By Pabs With stories of epic waves, warm water, sunny skies, big sharks, long drives, new discoveries, cyclone swells and angry locals than don’t even surf, it’s fair to say everyone got their fair share of waves and everything else along the way this autumn.
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Jolan Kilkelly
East Coast
on winter there’s a renewed enthusiasm that only comes from scoring epic sessions, and is only satisfied by yet more. If Autumn is anything to go by then I say bring on the snow!
By JFez Welcome returns. After a swell-barren summer, the autumnal axis tilt was very anticipated, and hasn’t disappointed. A variety of weather systems have been generating solid and regular pulses around the coast, mythic reefs have broken and been enjoyed; local beaches, long without sign of potential, have spilled epic day after day finally the frustrations of the warm months are fading into distant memory. Gizzy also recently played host to the O’neill Cold Water Classic, an international stand-up competition. Although not of much interest to me personally it was impressive to see the talent, and much of it was held at Pines so it was kind of hard to avoid. As we prepare for the fridge to open 144 ISOMAG, ZONE: REGIONAL NEWS.
WTGN By Cuda It’s been non-stop since the beginning of March. As one swell wanes the next one waxes and wetsuits have barely had time to dry.Paul Greelish has been holding pole position at his local, although Damon andRarotongan import Harris Ngai were the only ones in sight on a maxing 6ft day at the heavy right. Duncan Smith reports some all-time sessions over the hill and Kane McMillan
has the photographic evidence to back these claims. After a disappointing jaunt to the Christmas Islands, Pete Weber is back and dominating the hollow river mouth he loves. Dan Charles has had a perpetual hard-on over the banks at his cherished Houghton Bay. The last time I saw him he was putting Paul Roach to shame on the fast lefts. The action hasn’t been limited to the south coast either. Harry Silver, Ahi Newby and Middles left behind a solid south swell to go and chase cyclone swells on the east coast. With the help of Ahi’s inside knowledge and whanau, the boys were able to score some memorable pits.I am going to make an outrageous call, but Wellington currently has the hottestbodyboarding talent in the country (they’re surfing good too). Dic McKenna has been blowing up with massive spilt-legged inverts and punchy air revies going down every surf. Duncan’s groms: David and Logan, are starting to charge the big stuff and some local DK’er has been seen popping solid front-side airs. Furthermore, as I write this I am hearing reports about the epic contest in the Far North where Wellington has been well represented. Apparently Duncan (a “perfect 20” in a heat) and Ahi (huge rolls off heavy 6ft sections) have both been dominant throughout. And upon making such a contentious call, it is time for me to depart these fair shores and embark on a round the world adventure that will involve stops in exotic destinations such as Mexico, France and Sumatra. First port of call is LA with fellow boog Danny Waugh. I love this life! Thank you autumn. You will be missed.
West Coast By Joltan La Nina has blessed the coast with warm northeast winds, warm water and great banks north and south of the Grey River the last three months. We’ve had a bird feeder bank that has stuck around for a long period of time and most of the locals have been getting into it. The usual suspects of Tezza, Jade Morrison, Mike Gibson, Nick & Mitch Bretho’s, McPaike (occasionally) and myself have been scooping and boosting the righthanders on offer. Ben Hodgson also made a trip over for a week and lucked into some sweet ones with only him and Tezza out. A new grom on the scene in Greymouth is Josh Lee. The kid paddled out the other day with one fin and a shitty old board and was seen scooping all over
the show. I’ve just been informed that he has purchased a brand spanking new NMD Winnie so we’ll be seeing more of him in the future. Special mention must go to expat coaster Ben Smith, who unfortunately had to come home to see off his Dad. RIP Tim. Smiddy had a 5 - 6 week stint here on the coast and he was frothing all over our wedge and showed us all why he was rated the ‘best in NZ’. All the locals young and old got schooled on how to launch from the old master. Some even claiming that he is still, with regards to tech and style, the best NZ has to offer in the prone stance. Also coming home for a stint was Brogan Thompson who relished in the mid banks. The mythical one… Two years ago after extensive research I had written off a certain north coast reef and vowed it was pure myth. I am now happy to say that the shroud has been lifted and that it is fully legit. Just waiting for the conditions and free time to get into it on a bigger swell. At four foot I think it could be amazing. Stay tuned - video footage to come.
CHCH By Ryno Unless you wanted to get extremely sick this autumn, chasing waves around the Christchurch beaches was out of the question. Thanks to the earthquakes, plenty of sewerage has been pumped into the ocean along the town beaches and will remain this way for some time. On the plus side, this has motivated the boys and many of us have been chasing waves all over the show. In saying that, there hasn’t been an abundance of large swells so some trips have been very 50/50 with the odd one paying off. Not a lot else to report as the quake and aftershocks are still the main focus. Here’s hoping for a wave-filled winter with no shaking!
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Ben Hodgson Sam Brooks
Deep South By Shroom “A couple goes to an art gallery where they find a picture of a naked woman wearing a solitary leaf over her forbidden region. The wife doesn’t like it and moves on but the husband keeps looking. The wife asks: “What are you waiting for?” The husband replies: “autumn.”
rewarded with 6ft kegs, returned happy with reports of 3-4ft beachie perfection. A solid east swell peppered the coast in late March, which finally brought Aramoana to life after a lengthy spell of bad banks and no swell. For a good week a number of boogers feasted on the hollow peaks including Aurelien Frenchy, Rob Geezer and old school Stu. The swell was predicted to peak on April Fools Day at 6-8ft+ and had everyone amping on their favourite reefs, only to wake up the next morning to 2ft slop. April Fools all right! The Latimer brothers made the most of it however and scored some fun wrapping pits at a northern reef.
Anyway… autumn took a little while to crank into its consistent self this year. Early on there were fears it could be our worst autumn ever but by the end of it many would argue that it’s been pretty damn good.
Easter Bunny delivered more than just chocolate delights over the holiday weekend. A couple of usually-dormant beachies produced Mexico-like pits while further south the Wild Stallion came out kicking bigger and harder than ever before. More on that next issue.
In March a number of keen folk paid numerous visits to their favourite beachie up the coast and while not
Mid April saw a long period south swell bash the coast and a bombie previously unsurfed by bodyboarders was
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finally tamed. Actually, the bombie tamed us with Rastas Stephenson and Jerry Gantley copping some huge hidings out there. It was a good spectacle with some incredibly heavy waves rolling in - and it wasn’t even a good day. May saw another giant north swell that didn’t really deliver. 160km winds will do that to a swell no matter how giant it is! That was followed by a week of 30ft swells, snow, flooding and some good pits if you knew where to look.Aidos Dickson has returned as he always does at this time of year only to leave us when the water drops to single figures. He’ll be back when the mercury rises. With no work commitments Aidos was on any swell that popped up and was ripping as usual. Big Bdiddy Dorsack is back in the dirty south for good and keen to fill Aidos’s spot in the car. Ed Saltau returned on a working permit for a week and claimed some OK waves at The Spit were “best ever.” Too much time ripping the curl at Bells Beach Ed!
The Deep South crew have had a social schedule akin to that of Paris Hilton. First up a couple of eatablesShroom and Radish celebrated their 30th birthdays with good music, beer and yarns aplenty. The F.A.G (Frew, Aidos and Gardy) leaving party was a wild night with an epic turnout and some pretty funny stories circulating the following days. Enjoy your time overseas boys! It’s all down hill from here. Winter is upon us. I’m going to make like a beaver and hibernate till spring. See you then!
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Goose
Sneak Peak Next issue, out September 1st. ISOmag’s spring issue is likely to be a mixed bag, bipolar if you will. One page might be your typical New Zealand winter shot‌ dusting of snow on the hills, murky water with some guy pulling in laden head to toe in thick rubber; while the next page will be the polar opposite - literally, with a soothing Pacific reef pass or a thumping Central American beachie like this one here, as hordes of NZ bodyboarders escape our dreaded winter. A few will remain, traveling to the eye of the storm to find the best possible waves, often in blizzard conditions. ISOmag issue 7, online September 1st. Pack for all conditions.
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