The Patchy Chat

Patchy framed by Ray Collins

So Patchy, you’re a lad who’s constantly on the go, tell us what you’ve been up to over the last couple of months?

Hey mate! Been keeping it all ticking over, you know.. just finished my third year of law school, been working down at Finbox, and bar-tending most weekends. In-between all that trying to find some waves!

What boards have you been riding?

Anything that floats.. Right now its a 9'4 log, a 5'2 quad that the boys at Almond surfboards and I dreamt up, both are most excellent. But pretty much reach for whatever sled will suit the soup.

I know you shape a fair few boards for yourself, what's been your latest venture and howzit go?

A 6'2-ish single flat, vee. Me and Mr Perini hacked up this bit of foam, stuck a 9” Greenough in it, jammed that skeg right forward, loosen'er up and it goes SICK! So stoked. Scored 4ft Green Island on low tide a few moons ago and the thing took off... amping!

It’s rare to see you on a conventional hi-fi 6’1 shortboard, where did your interest in other surf craft come from?

Dad has always been ripping on heavy, flat logs. Emphasis on style and fun, you know. So probably influenced by him mostly, and Thomas Campbell's early films are rad. But it was hard growing up riding different stuff. People down here didn't like that. Having a store like Finbox in the area has definitely helped open peoples minds up to the different possibilities of riding waves.

What’s your plans for the coming year, any travels in the pipeline?

Hopefull get up-n-see Jimbo and Snooze and shoot with Johnny Gill on the Central Coast, NSW, I hear he is up to something rad. Probably back to Indo for a bit. And perhaps California to catch up with Dave and crew at Almond! Let's see what happens!

Thanks Legend, keep on slidin'.

The Doc Interview

Last week we sat down with Thomas Bexon, aka Doc of Thomas Surfboards and chewed the fat. It's been a super busy last few months for the two lads, Doc and Jake from Thomas Surfboards. 

Doc, what’ve you been up to?

Heaps, been to Europe for nearly two months, spent a couple of weeks honeymooning with the wife, we drove around Germany, Switzerland & France. Did a few weeks work in France, Jake and I made 40 boards, mostly for customers and some for a couple of stores.  Spent a week in England catching up with friends and being cold before coming home to defrost.

What’s your favourite thing about France? Wine, baguettes, cheese…..?

Food, wine & the hospitality of the people, the folks we were working with were such great people and treated us so well it was pretty unreal.  Good food at work, cold beer in the fridge, what more could you want.

You’ve been shaping a heap of boards recently. Any of them stick out to you as being particularly special?

Been pretty stoked on the couple of new shorter boards we’ve been doing, and some midlengths, and any of the rare few that I get to make for myself, pretty excited about my new 12’3 cruiser. 

With the kinda ‘new’ direction in surfing at the moment with the resurgence of the log, people riding crafts of all shapes and sizes. What excites you in amongst the surfing nostalgia resurgence?

There's a broader market for the types of boards that I like to make, 6 or 7 years ago there wasn’t that many people who wanted to buy a log, or sub 6-foot fun boards.  It's cool to see a lot more people open minded regarding the boards they'll ride, we’ve made logs for pro shortboarders and shortboards for old guys who only ever rode longboards, it's cool. The hipsters are making it more crowded on small point days though...

What's a usual day in the life of Doc…..give us the daily grind….

At the moment, get up early and sneak in a half-hour body surf on the way to work. There's been a lot of work this time of year but that’s always good when northerlies are blowing.  When there's waves it's either sneak out of work for a long lunch break or knock-off early depending on the tide.

Summer's here. We all know that Sunday is the best day of the week, what does a perfect Summers Sunday consist of?

Waves, the wife, beers, doob’s and relaxed times..

Christmas……Love or Loathe?

Bit of a Grinch but I'm coming around, the work load is always mental and makes it tiring.

You had any point swells yet, looking forward to those long walks and tired arms? What's your trick to dealing with the Noosa crowds?

Yeah it's been good, we've had a few good point swells, on the day I got back from Europe and one day last week, it's been nice. You've got your techniques and ways to deal with it, who not to drop in on etc, if it’s a Chinese board you can go..

What, in your opinion is the secret to a successful beard? Constant maintenance or a more laissez-faire attitiude?

Just let the fucker grow and try not to get resin in it.

Thanks Doc, keep it classy.

warming up

Christmas is almost upon us... can you believe it??!... and that means warm water, long afternoons and more beach time. TCSS slider Kerry Langdon-Down has been getting amongst it before baby #2 (Popeye) arrives.

                                    


... but with the warmer water comes the red algae, captured here by Kerry at his local when it rolled through...

High Summer's Hit!

Hot summer, jeez it sure ain’t a bummer. With this summer set to be the hottest summer ever, in the history of the world, for at least the last four years it’s time to get that summer clobber ready for war! And by war of cause we don’t mean the gun-slinging, bayonette-wielding variety but more of the sunshine slumbering, iced Koppi-slurping, girl-chasing kind. 

The gear is that perfect combination of just the right amount of fruit and clean lines that combine to result in the ultimate dapper summer gent. There ain’t nothing worse than being over-dressed in summer, but on the flip side, it sure sucks feeling stuck in a flock of plain shorted, plain teed sheepazoids. High-Summer'll have you grooving like Hans the Homeless newspaper collector. 

Available at all the greatest stores and our online store.

Thanks to Simon Perini, Simon Patchett and Rama's for his clothes hanging prowess.