Everything Changes: Notion Uprising

It's funny how much can change in three years. It's been that long since we loaded up our family and moved to the Outer Banks. I have continued to learn and hone my craft of building surfboards and the more I learn, the more I keep changing things to fit what I want my boards to do on a wave. I have been building boards under a new label Notion Surfboards since we moved and I have grown as a shaper and designer so much. I want to share what I have learned and how my boards have evolved.

One of my favorite thing about blogging was sharing my journey as a board builder and I keep seeing page hits from this site so I thought I'd start updating it again. With the progression of design in surfboards, I have developed a bit of an all around design aesthetic that I enjoy. I have launched a new companion brand to Notion Surfboards called Notion Uprising. At Notion Uprising I have designed hi quality accessories to compliment the surfboards I build and I will be adding new products as time goes on. I will be blogging and telling the stories of my friends that live life on the edges of society, as so many shapers do. We view things differently and that comes out in the way we life. Check out the Blog and I'll keep you all up to date with new board offerings and campfire tales of ocean perfection.

FIVEELEVEN

This board is 5’11” x 201/4” x 2 5/8” and is made from Marko EPS foam and SuperSap sustainable epoxy. Glassed strong and light with 3 layers of 4oz warp glass on the deck and 2 layers of 4oz warp on the bottom. It has hemp rail patches and a bio plastic leash plug all making a friendly surfboard for you to demo, just ask if you see me at the beach. I demoed it myself the other day in some small clean little drainers and it was super fun. Jake

For more pictures and to keep in touch check us out at:
 http://notionsurfboards.tumblr.com/ 

OR head to our new website:
 www.notionsurfboards.com

NOTION SURFBOARDS

As you know posts have been scarce on here recently. I have been hard at work developing a new surfboard label based in the Outer Banks, NC. Notion surfboards will focus on building boards for the east and west coast using materials that are friendly to our family, friends and the environment. We will continue to use plant based resins, recycled foams, re-purposed wood, and a combination of natural and synthetic cloths to make durable, high performance, non toxic surfboards that work well in a large range of wave conditions. The board pictured below is a concept that I have been developing, using a recycled EPS frame and rails to make a hollow body surfboard with re-purposed wood skins. I am really excited about how this board and the Ecoboards we have been building ride and hold up to abuse. We will continue to build all kinds of custom boards but will focus on building more sustainable surf craft. If you want to follow our adventure, we have a new website in the works www.notionsurfboards.com and a new blog www.notionsurfboards.com/blog also be sure to like us on Facebook while you are checking out the blog because we will be posting new updates there as well. Thanks you all for supporting JNS Boards and I look forward to continuing to build custom, handcrafted boards as Notion Surfboard. Jake

The Craft

Derek from fotomendo takes beautiful photographs. A while back we did a project together where I made a board for him and he took a series of pictures he called "craft". I really like what he did and he has gone back and added some new photos and re-posted it on his website. Check it at - CRAFT-Thanks again Derek, great work. Jake

Happy St. Patty's Day

This board seemed so fitting for toady that I had to re-post it. Everyone give Kev a wave today, he is cruising with the luck o' the Irish. Jake

9'6" with Fabric Inlay

Outer Banks with No Board and No Wetsuit

borrowed from OBXsurfinfo.com/Photographer: Brent Nultemeier

This was yesterday...I watched it, because our stuff is still being shipped across the country and my wetsuit and boards are in the truck with everything else. Our things should be here tomorrow though, I'm frothing.
Jake

Happy, Cold, Ambassador

Matt lives in Maine, this is what he had to say about it "Welcome back east my boy! dawn patrol. air temp 20 degrees... coldest session I've ever. got a ice cream headache so bad i almost threw up but... i got a barrel and a few other amazing waves. board is amazing. waves were super pitchy this morning" I think I will wait till summer to go surf Maine with Matt, but when I do i will be sure to bring some fresh boards with me for everyone to try. Jake

Teddy Creation/ Hemp Rail Patches

Teddy shape under the watchful eye of JK, I glassed it and Dylan sanded it. A community project, community with a "c" not a "k", right Kelly? Hemp rail patches are bomb proof and light, natures carbon fiber. Jake

6'8" Round Tail with Double Wings

Jacobs new 6'8", Custom paint by Jacob himself, granny fabric rail patches, Single fin box + quad futures, so many options for so many waves. I heard through the coconut wireless that Jacob loved this board when he rode it for the first time other day at a sharky nor cal cove notorious for smuggling pirates and big mountains of water. Jake.
Oh yeah it's made with eco conscious pine sap epoxy and recyclable EPS foam, light on the environment and the arm.

Pugsley for Photog Derek

"The Pugsley" comes from the creative mind of Derek. Derek's mind sees things in beautiful light as you can see from the photographs on his fotomendo website. Check out the sweet time lapses of the mendo coast. "The Pugs" is a huge 6'8" for maximum floatation and paddleabilty. It is super foiled so Derek can throw it around on a certain Costa Rican point break. Jake

Outer Banks Move!!!

So a lot has been happening in life, so much that I haven't had time to blog in the past month. The big news is WE ARE MOVING!! We are moving the the Outer Banks and we are really excited about building boards and raising our family on the islands. We will continue to develop our ecocraft boards that everyone has been liking so much and I still have that hollow recycled board project that I will be working on.

We have passed the ding repair side of the business on to Dylan who has been working with me and learning the ropes for a couple years. You can drop your boards off at Lost Surf Shack in Fort Bragg and be assured that Dylan will treat your board right.

Outer Banks Sunrise (not sure who took this but it sure is pretty)

I have set up a little shop on my parents property and I plan to come back to Northern California and fill orders a couple times a year. I have just finished up a ten board glassing order for JK Surfboards and this weekend I will be glassing a few more of my own custom orders which I will be sure to post pictures of. Then we will be getting on a plane and flying to our new adventure. To all our friends on the East Coast, be sure to come out the Outer Banks and check us out whenever you can, and to our west coast friends we will be back to visit soon. Jake

Eco EPS 6'5" with an Irish Flare

This 6'5" is glassed with Super Saps USDA approved organic Epoxy. We hope to be using a lot of this in the coming year, it's awesome stuff. Recyclable EPS foam, an apple core stringer and a nice durable glass job make this thing light on the environment and sure to last. A little Irish pride makes the board go faster too. Jake

Dawn Patrol Anyone?

Holiday Catch Up

 We have been really enjoying the holidays and as they draw to a close I thought I would give you a little piece of what we have been up to.

 Abalone Enchiladas after church on Christmas Eve

 Finish shaped and glassed this one under Craig Comen's Label. Coke bottle green resin tint, sanded finish

 Trimmed the tree with Nikki

Our Chistmas house with the stockings hung by the fire with care. Jake

Rainbow over Fatty

The glass shop at the end of the rainbow. Jake

Squashed Avocado=Guacamole

New variation on the Avocado. 5'10" x 19 3/4 x 2 5/8 Guac for Dylan. Jake

Four Channels, Three Fins, Two Wings, One Swallow

Shaping bay shots. 6'5" x 20 3/4 x 2 3/4 for Kevin. Kevin had a favorite board that he had to sell back in the day but always sorta wanted back. When Kevin saw the board in my shop for some restoration he asked me if I could make something similar, only different. He wanted channels and a little more pulled in tail and a few other tweaks to the outline. Oh and made with EPS foam and epoxy, please. Thats why the custom surfboard is alive a well and will stay that way for a long time. Jake

Dinner in Honor of Pipe

Pipe masters started today, we celebrated. Jake

5'10" x 20" x 2 5/8 Avocado 4 Julian

Delivered this one to Julian a few evenings ago. Julian has recently been bit by the travel bug, hes a great guy and this board is sure to see some distant shores. Five fin boxes for all his fin tweaking needs on the road. Board looks so fun, when is my Avocado going to be done? Jake