Simon Patchett // Pinwheel Japan
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We’ve been talking surfboard design with Patchy quite a bit recently; mostly via Skype. It was great to surf with Patchy in Japan and try a variety of different boards… take the surfboard theory talks to the next level of actually getting in the water. We talk often about the difference in the waves here in California (specifically the waves we cater to) and the waves he surfs in New South Wales. We ride our boards flatter here in CA, because we’re trying to harness more of the wave energy and create boards that glide really well. Those same boards often out-run the section of many of the more power-packing waves that Patchy regularly surfs. We’re working on a new longboard for Patchy to continue our never-ending game of surfboard refining. (Working closely with different surfers who surf a variety of different waves has been the biggest driving force behind our surfboard development and diversification). We used the Pinwheel as a starting point… the outline was right what Patchy was hoping for: defined hips and a narrow nose, to fit the steeper wave faces, and a little more rocker (albeit continuous and gradual rocker), with a lot of curve through the tail. Patchy was thrilled to have a chance to surf a stock Pinwheel, as a tease for what is coming down the pipe for him soon. Here are a few shots of Patchy and his 9’2 Pinwheel in Japan via Chad Cress. 
