Bottom turn masterclass...

Nigel demonstrates the classic bottom turn... eyes on the prize, knees bent, body torqued...Bit of cleavage showing there Nigel :)

Mentawais 2006. Photo: Alex Williams.

Not much has changed...

This advert from 1982 pretty much says it all, and it is still as true today.

Nigel, Phil, Ben, Jason, Chris, and Daz (in process order)- still the best shapers, glassers, finishers, producing boards for progressive surfers throughout the UK and Europe...

Keep it up boys :)

Check Lee Niles New baby

Think you should have fun with this one Lee in at pasta point and sultans

Tim's Bonzer fin

What ever next art work on fins now nice one Tim think they look really good.

 

 

Pasty on his holiday

Great shot of Pasty on his new B-52 at ulu's on his winters hols he said the board went so good for him and he had a great time

Kasper in cold dutch waves

 

Kasper going off on his 5'6'' pod in the last set of waves they had in Holland and his mate looking stoked to.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thurso Uncovered

Article from Atlantic Surfer #4 1979. Article by Steve Daniels and photos by Alex Williams.

 

Nigel 1981

Ollie From Holland

Ollie from Holland gets his new 5'10''x19 3/4''x 23/8 Fish with custom graphics he  looks really stoked with it.

Holly picks up new board

HOLLY PICKS UP HER NEW BOARD TODAY WITH A FEW LITTLE CHANGES FROM HER LAST ONE WE THINK THIS ONE IS GOING TO GO GREAT FOR HER . ALSO THIS SHOULD BE GREAT FOR HER TO TAKE TO AUSSIE FOR HER FORTH COMING TRIP.

Twas 1978

Twas 1978, Phil was "wittering"  his way through South Africa, sampling J Bays finest, whilst Nigel was busy earning a reputation as

THE British surfer. Ben, Jason, Chris and Daz were all still twinkles in their parents eyes... well maybe not Chris (take that as a compliment Chris) Nigel had proven himself in Hawaii and had been getting into shaping at Ocean Magic under Moonies careful tutilage...

What I love about this article is the editorial mistake...  or was Nigel switch-foot back then?

 

 

 

The EuroTwin

Nigel Semmens, 1979, Fistral Beach with his Ocean Magic EuroTwin... later Nigel was to win the European Championships on a similar board and one that now makes up part of the Alternative Board portfolio that we still make here at the factory today... incredibly fast down the line, if you have never ridden a twinny you owe it to yourself to try one... you'll understand why a whole generation switched boards overnight.  Photo: John Conway.

Nigel also won the British Open on the same board... check out Fistral car park for all those old cars...

1980 - Atlantic Surfer #6 - 75p

This is a scan from Atlantic Surfer Number 6... its a Vitamin Sea advert whose relevance lies to the left of the picture, featuring the Aku-Shaping machine expert and long time board manufacturing guru... One of the 1960,s early 70,s crew on Boscombe pier and one of the original surfers of Broad Bench at Kimmeridge Dorset .  He cut his teeth at J-Bay and later with a career spanning Vitamin Sea, Rockit, and now NS Boards at the Ocean Magic factory in  Newquay... the one, the only, and still 5 fin cinco-system champion of the World....  .Phil Clifford

For those who are interested the man in the middle is Tad Ciastula, and the one on the right is Chris Jones (CJ) and his dog "Bean" (RIP).

I'd like to claim the photo was taken by me in my "summer of resin" but that was  a year later so it was probably by Tad's wife Sue. Whilst I'm on the subject of Tad - sorry for being a little sh*t on occasions Tad - it was because you built me that potato chip as a "present" for working all summer but then took my original board in exchange. However I should have told you I felt ripped off rather than stewing on it and then buying a Martin Geary just to spite you. Phew - glad that's off my chest I've been carrying that for 29 years!

Nigel in a fleshy little number...

Scan from Wavelength Magazine, 1988... Riding a logo-less Ocean Magic stinger, in a flesh coloured wetsuit as part of the "Surf" washing powder ad for UK TV shot in the Canaries at La Santa. Apparently Nigel was eventually "beached" from the shoot as Steve Daniels looked more like the actor... and so his stunt-double days were over. Photo: John Conway

Simon Tucker talks design... in the 1980s

An article from Wavelength Magazine #18 interviewing a number of the hot groms of the day about their boards... note the Ocean Magic Stinger Simon Tucker is riding...

Happy New year

2009 started with some epic surf with many spots in Cornwall at their all time best. Fistral was going off a few weeks ago, and it was great to see so many NS Boards out there.

Attached is an old advert from the days when Nigel wore fluro pink (like everyone else I might add). That's Spencer Hargreaves laying down that  bottom turn by the way. Photo by the late great John Conway.

Happy New Year everyone.