Christmas is coming! At Classic Malibu, we’ve got you covered for all your seasonal needs. Whether it’s a new board for yourself, an Ocean & Earth Grommy board to get the kids started, or some clothing for the Mrs (or Mr) in your life. In this issue, we’ll throw you a few gift ideas as well as keeping you up to speed on all the goings on in The House Of Classic. ___________________ This Issue: Start ‘em Young – Making the right choice for your grommets Shape Of Things To Come – Concave, fliers, rocker… what does it all mean? Jai’s Life – What’s happening in the world of Classic Malibu’s stylemaster, Jai Lee?	Newsletter :: December ’08 :: ___________________ Future Generations When your young ones are starting out in the waves, it’s important to get them on the right piece of equipment for their abilities. Whether they’re just starting out or ready to advance to a ‘real’ board, we can help you make the right choice to get your grommet rippin’ it up as quickly as possible. It’s always vital to get a board that will compliment their surfing. Softboards are perfect for the under 10s just starting out, a mini mal may prove better for the slightly more advanced. Here’s a guide to help you out, giving you all you need to know when it comes to picking out that first board…
	Grommy Softboards: Softboards are perfectly suited to young kids with a thirst for salt-water time but who lack the strength and abilities for a proper board. Made of high-density foam coated in a rubberised layer on the deck, these boards won’t ding easy, but most importantly, won’t bite back when your kid cops it in the head. Rubberised fins also mean no more fin chops, making for a much safer ride all round. A solid plastic bottom provides a smooth glide and heaps of stability, as well as durability. And lastly, two stringers give the board a much more solid feel, far closer to the ride of a real surfboard than the ultra-flexing, low budget Big W / K Mart specials. The Grommy Boards are made by actual surf companies, as close to a true surfboard as foamies can get, without compromising on safety and surfability and still at an affordable price.
Secrets Of The Foam When you first visit Classic Malibu, one of the first things you notice is the diversity. Our name can be deceptive: sure, we have a substantial range of classic Malibu boards, but that is far from all. Longboards of all shapes and sizes grace our walls, alongside fishes, eggs, min mals and performance thrusters. And they all come with their own defining features. Here we illuminate you on some of the design elements that go into our shapes, with the assistance of shaping guru, Neil Randall: - Fliers provide a looser feel, due to the division of the rail and the narrower width. This gives a board a more responsive feel with greater release. - Square-tails in longboards offer superior nose-riding capabilities, with a greater surface area to create leverage. - A round or diamond tail flows with the curve of the wave better, giving improved turning and more responsiveness in steeper waves. - Rockers increase manoeuvreability but will slow the board down, pushing water rather than trimming on the surface. A flatter board forfeits that pivotal aspect in favour of down-the-line trim. - Nose concave develops lift in the board, perfect for nose-riding but also increasing trim. - Tail concaves, single, double or sometimes multiple channels increase the thrust, generating speed and responsiveness in the tail. - Wider boards often have a roll or vee through the bottom. This allows for faster, smoother rail-to-rail transition, enhancing the rail’s drive and hold through turns. - A curvier rail outline matches the curve of the wave better, giving greater hold and responsiveness. A straighter rail will trim down the line better but will need to be turned through the fin, rather than further toward the nose. Next Month: What’s In A Fin? Classic Malibu Cnr Gibson & Eumundi Rd Noosaville QLD 4566 Ph: (07) 5474 3122 Email: info@classicmalibu.com		Mini Mals: Mini mals are often shunned for not being ‘proper’ surfboards. Unfortunately, imported and mass-produced equipment have tarnished many people’s opinions of the versatile, enjoyable boards. A true mini mal is not only a great board to learn on but will also take your surfing a lot further than kiddie’s corner. Hard rails through the tail, blending into a 60/40 towards the nose make for an easily turned yet stable board. Add this to a fuller template and more foam through the mid-section and what you have is a highly responsive board that paddles easily and maintains stability. Mini mals are fun for everyone. Ideally suited to beginners, even advanced surfers can still find a lot of enjoyment in mid-length boards.
	Maestro - Livin’ a Life Of Jai Lee - Classic Malibu Team Rider, Jai Lee, isn’t your run-of-the-mill character. Moving to Noosa at a young age, Jai felt the draw of the points early in his surfing life. (All photos: Andrew Carruthers) You may have noticed that Jai Lee hasn’t been seen around the contest traps lately. Becoming an elusive Miki Dora / Michael Peterson character, only appearing on rare occasions to remind the nay-sayers and sceptics just how good good can be, has become Lee’s modus operandi. Lee’s intentional retreat from the competition has not dampened his profile. Endorsements and media attention still flow his way, a sponsorship from Rhythm Clothing keeping him in apparel and numerous magazine articles and images keeping him in the limelight. Jai’s primary focus now is in paint. Having spent his earlier years taking texters to foam, he fast advanced to canvas creations. Graphics for Rhythm, art exhibitions and commissions of various kinds have nurtured Jai’s artistic flair. Meanwhile, Jai has signed up with the family business, working under his father on the other side of painting, giving houses, units and buildings a fresh coat. His freesurfing, sub-cultural image has struck a chord with many surfers, keen to pursue a surfing lifestyle but dodging the harsh glare of over-commercialism. To these kindred spirits, Lee has become somewhat of an icon and he will often swing by the Classic Malibu shaping bays to ink an original masterpiece onto a custom surfboard destined for local national, even international hands. Though Jai admits himself to being “over the whole competition thing”, his drawing back from the multitude of commitments he has shouldered over the years has ulterior motivation. Though an eternal grommet himself, Jai will soon have a new protégé – early in 2009, Jai Lee will be answering to a new name. That name? Daddy… Next Month: GT – Classic Malibu’s performance practitioner, Grant Thomas on surf schools, comps and life on the progressive side