Friday 31 October 2014

Byron Bay Surf Festival 2014

Namaste hipsters. This was my first year at the Byron Bay Surf Festival (BBSF) so I guess that makes me a BBSF virgin.. I wasn't disappointed. The festival was a 3 day fusion of surf culture, food, art, film, literature and music. It was great to see a solid representation of wooden surf craft builders exhibiting everything from hand planes to dugout canoes. There were fin shaping workshops, hand plane making workshops and an awesome paipo shaping demonstration using traditional axes and adzes. Here's a few snaps for your viewing pleasure. If you get a chance to make it next year, you won't be disappointed.


Byron Bay Surf Festival
This dugout canoe was the brainchild of Tom Wegener and Dave Rastavich. It was carved from a single paulownia tree that blew down in a storm a couple of years ago somewhere near Cooroy/Noosa. The tree was salvaged by Tom after Bill Wallace, the famous toothpick builder gave him a call about it. The project was completed by Andy from Wooden Anchor. I was fortunate enough to have a go at paddling a canoe like this a few years ago on a surf trip to Tupira in Papua New Guinea.

Torsten Kofler


Byron Bay Surf Festival


Byron Bay Surf Festival


Byron Bay Surf Festival
The Surf Lit Lounge.

Byron Bay Surf Festival


Byron Bay Surf Festival
A selection of cosmic hand planes from Sting Glide.

Byron Bay Surf Festival


Byron Bay Surf Festival


Byron Bay Surf Festival


Byron Bay Surf Festival


Byron Bay Surf Festival


Byron Bay Surf Festival


paipo


Byron Bay Surf Festival


Byron Bay Surf Festival
This is one of Nobuhito (Nobby) Ohkawa's creations. Beautifully book matched timbers and immaculate crafsmanship.

Byron Bay Surf Festival
Another Nobby creation. Nobby has his timber cut from a single log and each piece is marked so that the grain can be matched.

Byron Bay Surf Festival
Some of Tom Wegener's "Surfie" belly boards.

Byron Bay Surf Festival
Wooden fin shaping workshops run under the guidance of Nobby.

Byron Bay Surf Festival
Tom Wegener discussing the finer points of belly board design.

Byron Bay Surf Festival
A hand plane shaping workshop run by the guys at Grown Surfboards.

Byron Bay Surf Festival
A Grown timber surfboard creation.

Byron Bay Surf Festival


Byron Bay Surf Festival


Byron Bay Surf Festival
Andy from Wooden Anchor giving a demonstration on how to shape a hand plane using an axe.

Byron Bay Surf Festival
A nice selection of paulownia timber boards, hand plane and paipo blanks from the folks at Wooden Anchor.

Byron Bay Surf Festival


Byron Bay Surf Festival
What a cool car. From the guys at Grown Surfboards.

Byron Bay Surf Festival
Grant Newby was flat out with a ton of inquiries about his boards.

Byron Bay Surf Festival
Hmmm, curry cones from Pocket Curries. These puppies rock.

Byron Bay Surf Festival
The entertainment was going for the whole day. Great music.

Byron Bay Surf Festival
The crowds were enjoying the food, the sounds and the sunshine.

Byron Bay Surf Festival
Plenty of surf art out on display.

Byron Bay Surf Festival
Andy from Wooden Anchor giving a demonstration on splitting a timber slab from a solid paulownia log and shaping it into a paipo.

Byron Bay Surf Festival
Dave Rastavich and Tom Wegener offering a bit of encouragement.

Byron Bay Surf Festival
Andy uses a selection of steel and wooden wedges and a sledge hammer.

Byron Bay Surf Festival


Byron Bay Surf Festival
The timber slab is then cut smooth with a range of traditional adzes and axes. Andy has an amazing selection of tools handed down from his father and grandfather.

Byron Bay Surf Festival
Shaping the paipo using a Swedish carving axe.

Byron Bay Surf Festival
And some final touches using a "Scorp".

Byron Bay Surf Festival
A budding wooden board builder with is Mum.

Byron Bay Surf Festival
A bite of lunch with some ambient music.

Byron Bay Surf Festival
A Tom Wegener "Surfie". I couldn't get over how thin they are (10 mm).

Byron Bay Surf Festival
Fins glorious fins.