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BALI TRIP SEPT 2009

Posted in: News, Uncategorized by Richard Harvey on October 17, 2009 | No Comments






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

New Life for an old Classic

Posted in: News, Uncategorized by Richard Harvey on August 17, 2009 | No Comments




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

At first glance the board looked like it was only worth throwing on the junk heap.
After closer examination it was discovered to be a 7’4″ vee bottom stubbie shaped by Hohensee around 1967 and was numbered 18.
The vee bottom stubbie was the transitional board between the long old heavy malibu and the modern board of today.
An interested collector asked if I could restore it. Realizing it would take me several months to do, whenever I had a gap in my board building and art, I started.
Sanding the layers of paint of the bottom took hours, but revealed a clean and relatively undamage surface. The major de-lamination on the deck which was badly water stained was painstakingly filled and the lines of the deck restored.
The broken fin was removed and a new panel made to the the original colour. The base of the existing broken fin was matched to a template in a photo which of Nat Young carrying a vee bottom stubbie in Hawaii in 1967. The match was perfect.
The board was sanded filler coated and the rails coloured as the original had been.
When deciding how to cover the filled section of the nose, several methods were tried, when none of these complemented the board, the new owner, a lover of classic objects and art asked if I could paint a mural on the deck loosely based on a surf movie poster from the 60′s.
So now the board has been finished and will have pride of place in a home in the next few days.
Herold’s new Alaia

Posted in: News, Uncategorized by Richard Harvey on August 11, 2009 | No Comments




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

Joining me in the shaping bay we finished the board in around 4 hours which included the addition of small twin keels which can be sanded off when he gets the knack of riding it.
The natural oiled finish gives the paulownia a lovely golden glow and accentuated the grain lines
He is taking it back to Japan, at the end of the week, as well as another timber board he built at the Eco Village with Paul Jensen.
Jason’s new red single fin

Posted in: News, Uncategorized by Richard Harvey on July 24, 2009 | 1 Comment


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

Alaia and Handboard

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

Old Burleigh Heads

Posted in: News, Uncategorized by Richard Harvey on July 5, 2009 | No Comments


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

This photo has been scanned and will be reproduced in a 20′ x 14″ limited edition (50) reproduction on archival photographic paper. Available framed or unframed at the gallery.
POOL SKATERS 1975 CALIFORNIA

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

Lonnie Toft and Richard Vanderwick were just two guys in a very talented bunch that hit the empty pools around Ventura.
Sequence shots and the crew. Check out the four truck board in the foreground of the group shot. I remember seeing Lonnie get right up on one wheel on the coping with that monster.
Lots of scanning to be done but more coming shortly. Once this is done the book will start.
Longboard Cutback – Floral Series

Posted in: News, Uncategorized by Richard Harvey on July 1, 2009 | No Comments


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

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

Posted in: News, Uncategorized by Richard Harvey on June 30, 2009 | No Comments


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

A rounded square tail small wave board and a larger rounded pintail gun for those bigger days.
Paul is off to Indo shortly, lucky bugger.
Gold Coast Surfing Museum Opening

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

Ran into some identities, Carl Tanner, who has one of the largest surfboard collections in the world, and is a major contributor to the project
Joe Larkin, who started shaping in 1948 and has been a part of the surfboard industry for the last 60 years.
Richard Hadley, who is over from Western Australia to gather ideas and inspiration for establishing his own museum down Yallingup way.
They stand infront of part of the extensive exhibition of surfing poster memorabilia which forms only a section of the museums collection.