Surfing World called him 'one of the most influential and important surfers and shapers in history' and today Bob McTavish marks a half century of shaping with a special offer that allows surfers to have Bob shape their board with him. For $400 on top of the cost of the board Bob will work with you at the McTavish Factory at Byron Bay to design and hand shape your board. If the surf is right, Bob will surf with you to get a take on your style. Bob will fully hand-shape the board, start to finish, with your input and personally sign it.

Customers will be able to choose a classic from any past era, or a current hot design to lift their surfing to a new level. Each board will soon become a collectable.

Bob McTavish

McTavish Surfboards has been nominated for 2 categories in this years Australian Surf Industry Awards. We've been nominated for both 'Retailer of the year' and 'Core board store of the year' - both for our Byron Bay HQ. Voting is open to the public and you can come along and cast yours by clicking here.

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We've had a fantastic week of waves here in Byron this week, and Ben and Yoko from inbyronbaytoday.com have been out snapping the action. This shot of McTavish team rider Roisin Carolan on her custom UFO is a ripper - she's committed, throwing buckets, AND smiling about it!! If you're not already signed up to receive the daily drop of great shots from inbyronbaytoday.com click here and do yourself a favour.

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A few years back Elle Macpherson decided to take up surfing with some instruction from local surf coach Rusty Miller. Naturally she needed a custom Fireball to get her started! She's back again this year and picking up some more skills. See some pics here. Oh and Merry belated Christmas and happy NY to all! We got the gift of swell here in Byron so i'm pretty sure we've been good this year.

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Xmas morning at The Wreck

Yep its here, the 'Byron Bay the meeting place' DVDs are now available here. I've already raved about it but will go again - this docco is the best, its an awesome picture of Byron Bay, the locals, the lifestyle and what made the town what it is today. Bob is in the film and gives a great portrait of life in the area over the years. A great Christmas gift too. the DVD folder itself is a postcard, so you can order it online and have it posted to a friend (or to yourself) for Chrissy! 

Also, if you're in Byron this week, and you missed last weeks showings (OR if you want to go see it again like I do) its screening again at the Byron Bay Community Centre on Monday 12th December at 7pm - tickets here.

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Its here, its official, its summer! Warm water and crowded waves here in Byron Bay, but you can overlook the crowds as the town really comes alive and pumps right through till Easter. I'd love to say its 30 degrees and sunny but as I look out the office window its pouring rain and 22 degrees - not the ideal kick-off!

Last night was the premiere of the 'Byron Bay - the meeting place' docco at the Community Centre and it was completely sold out! We were so glad we got tickets as the film was amazing, a fantastic look at what makes Byron special - and Bob seemed to totally hog the screen-time ;-) recalling some stories from Byron's past. There was also some great live music from local artist Garrett Kato. We'll have DVD's of the docco in the online store and in our Byron Bay showroom prior to Christmas - its well worth a watch.

View trailer for the docco here. 

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Got a mo? Got a pre 1980 board under the house? Wanna raise some cash for a good cause? Well you're in luck, this Saturday (Dec 3rd) is the Morning of the Mo event, being held around the Byron-Ballina coast. There is a decent swell forecast for Friday afternoon so hopefully it'll be pumping and the Mo-men will be tearing it apart. For more details go here. If you can't compete head along and take in the spectacle, its bound to provide a few laughs.

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In a couple of weeks time (Oct 21 - 23) Byron will be hosting its first ever dedicated surf festival. The event isn't about competitive surfing and will focus more on surfings influence in the art and music scenes, as well as a display of hand-made boards. Lots of great shapers like Simon Jones and Tom Wegener will attend the weekend, and Bob will be opening the festival on the Friday night (Oct 21st) at the Stone and Wood Brewery - so get to Byron for the weekend and enjoy a beer and some of Bobs tales on the night! More details here.

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Lots of clear, chilly mornings this week - with the winter westerlies up early. This morning was a stunner, but at just 10 degrees there was literally no-one on the beach enjoying it!! 

Tallows at 6am. 

While riffling through a few thousand happy snaps yesterday, digging out shots for my second book, I came across these few faded shots of a day at Tallows, the famous nor-easter beach here in Byron. The cameraman was John Blanch, and although I didn’t meet him that day, two years later he was shaping all my designs at DALE Surfboards in Sydney, while I was travelling in California and Hawaii. 

John Blanch was also the guy who named Spookys near Angourie, after surfing it one day in 1963 - he thought it was pretty Spooky! He also shaped at San Juan in 1970-71, making guns for early Lennox chargers.

These shots at Tallows capture the essence of small-wave 'Involvement School' surfing, using fast trims, stall noserides, and even early re-entries. The board I was riding was made at the old Iceworks at Mooloolaba, a 9’3" x 22" x 3” with a 17" nose and similar tail, fairly piggy with the wide point 5" behind halfway, and a full Greenough Stage 3 fin. 

I still get out at Tallows now and then when the swell is up and the crowd is thin! 

Bob

Noseride - Photo courtesy of John Blanch

Reo off the foam. Photo courtesy of John Blanch

Trimming around the section, driving from the middle of the board. Photo courtesy of John Blanch

Trimming on a tiny one. Photo courtesy of John Blanch