Ellie 2

Here is"Ellie 2", a G-Mat Nouveau Racer built for Aussie matsurfer, Peter Abbott.

I agreed to squeeze Pete in for a mat a while back after his first mat from me, Ellie, fell victim to the seemingly increasing peril of talentless loggers getting in the way and either going belly up right in front of someone riding (if you're caught inside paddle for the wash and take what's coming to you) or letting riderless lumps plow through the line up because they "don't need a leash"!

Sorry for the rant but take responsibility for yourselves you f*cknubbins!

[exhale]

So... Onto Ellie 2. She's a 200/70 wheezer built to feel like a trustworthy r stable ide on critical waves. Pete surfs some bigger hollow surf and has found that the Nouveau Racer design fitted this perfectly. He was keen to go with a red deck again. The material I have now is different to the stuff I had before with this red being a deeper kind of cherry colour. It really is very nice. The original Ellie had a black bottom skin but having chatted with Pete we agreed on navy. It's much a little more malleable (a more apt word than "flex" which I've seen a bit lately) and therefore faster.

Other than that we haven't changed a thing.

Ellie 2 is en route right now and Pete has some travel planned so I'm looking forward to hearing about Ellie 2's adventures!

Have fun Pete fun Pete and watch out for the kooks!

Cheers

G

Ruby

Ruby Ruby Ruby Ruby! Aaahahhahahharrrahhgh!

Yes this is Ruby, a G-Mat Ute built for Newquay based Neale Bergman. Neal won the raffle at the recent Fringe Film night hostel by Stevo and Helen from The Temple of Fringe Surf Shop. The night raised stacks of money for Stoked Stroke Survivors and I was honoured to play a small part in that.

So on to all this... Neale doesn't have a ton of mat surfing experience but he's an absolute hunk and body surfs as well as riding bellyboards so has what it takes. With that in mind a mat that is relatively straightforward to jump on to and get going was the best bet and a 200/70 Ute was the perfect choice. The Ute is the basis for the stock G-Mat RFT that Tom Jennings builds and is a perfect all rounder working well in pretty much any conditions. Like the RFT, Ruby is a wheezer which helps keep things feeling stable.

Of course being a custom, Ruby is built to be a perfect fit for Neale. The red deck, white bottom, white grip combo looks super clean too. I really like this mat.

We were hoping to do a personal delivery and get a wave but the surf looks appalling so Ruby is in the post. I'm going to be down in Newquay at the beginning of August for the showing of Innermost Limits of Pure Fun being hosted by Andy Fielding, so plan to get in with the Newquay area mat crew then.

It's been a fun build this. Hopefully Neale's partner Hayley will grab an RFT now 😎

Have fun Neale!

Cheers

G

Zawn

Here is a mat built for west Cornwall-based mat surfer Matthew Geyman.

Matt surfs way down west getting into some of the short, sucky beach breaks down that way so wanted a mat that would get in and get hold quickly. Matt has a 4GF Omni from PG so we settled on a Nouveau Racer to concentrate on hollower or bigger days. Matt opted to name her 'Zawn'.

Matt says:

“Zawn is named for those secluded places along the Far West’s remote North Coast. Coves accessible only via a scramble, or by canoe, are a treat to explore. Packing a mat on a summer coast path walk, in the hope of spotting an unexpected wave is real treasure hunting. Originally a temporary way to stay on the water after a back injury, mats quickly became a source of joy for my whole family, often replacing more traditional craft: boards and hand planes. Because a mat’s so easy to transport, its rewards were multiplied.

Our closest break (a lesser visited spot in the far west) has waves better suited to short craft and bodysurfing. We snag treasured family memories here: daughters hooting and skidding on mats down the face of Christmas Day growlers, with no other soul about.

‘Zawn’ joins a stable including a 4GF Omni, Catherine’s G-Raft (a birthday gift when she fell out of love with surfing), and a behemoth Redback with chunky handles that the kids love (a great summer mush machine, sent by my brother from some godforsaken town near his home on the east coast of Australia). A mat’s joined the annual Morocco pilgrimage a few times in 20 years, but usually stays rolled up as it’s unlikely to replace a board for the long paddle out to Killers. Zawn will feature more heavily and it’ll love Cathedrals.

After a life in the water, it’s only a surfmat that makes me giggle uncontrollably and I’d do anything to keep the maniacal cackle factor.

Cheers n gone

Matt”

— Matthew Geyman

Zawn is a 200/70 Wheezer. We had some debate around elastic rocker versus free rocker. The new red material kinda made the choice for us being pretty inelastic. I suspect this might loosen up after a surf or two. I'll be checking in with Matt. Matt has also gone for a bungee for long Moroccan swims!

Have fun Matt!

Cheers

G

Yin Yang Glider

Say hello to "Yin Yang Glider", a custom G-Mat Ute built for Aussie mat surfer Richard Sandilands.

Richard lives around Byron in NSW and over the years had shared several sessions hidden from the hoards in the less crowded corners. This is where he first saw GG riding a mat. Like many of us Richard bought a mat, got hooked and then suddenly realised that he hadn't ridden a board in ages!

Richard says:

“There was a small coterie of other mat surfers that gathered at Wategos most mornings in George’s orbit, a loose entourage of older eccentric guys, refugees from the more crowded Byron breaks. Sometimes Warren [Pfeiffer] would come up from Yamba and it was always fun to share the waves with him too.

And the year Jamie [McClellan] was living up the coast and would come to Byron to surf from time to time.”

— Richard Sandilands

There is a strong crew of good mat surfers around that way on the better breaks too so I always like sending a mat that way.

So on to Yin Yang Glider. This mat is a 200/70 Ute. Richard was interested in a stable and versatile mat so she is built as a wheezer which can be useful in choppy conditions and also on bigger days.

Richard says:

“I have chosen what I believe to be a versatile and durable set of specs for this mat, leaning on the more conservative side perhaps to allow for a mat that will surf in a variety of conditions here including bumpier surf especially on cross-shore days at the Pass that can confound the longboard riders and create opportunities for mat riders in what would otherwise be impossibly crowded and competitive conditions.”

— Richard Sandilands

The name came to mind for Richard based on the colour. I really do love monochrome mats. Seriously.... I proper love 'em and Yin Yang Glider is the first in a run of three of them. 🖤🤍

So Yin Yang Glider had embarked on her journey down under. I'm excited to hear how this adventure pans out.

Have fun Richard!

Cheers

G

Cliodnha

Meet Cliodhna, a mat for the final of the three very local people in this run.

Mags Harding (mother of Joe Harding whom a good number of readers will know) lives pretty close to me and is a regular long-standing fixture at the local South Devon surf spots. Mags has ridden mats a bit in the past but these have usually been too big for her (most recently borrowing a XL G-Mat 5 Star General from Alex Williams  which is basically a camp bed for Mags!)

We talked about what Mags was after and she said she wanted an all rounder that would work well in surf around 2-3ft having mulled over the options we settled on a G-Mat Ute as this will cover everything and comfortably accommodate bigger surf as Mags develops her mat riding.

We went for a 200/70 build with a pink acid dyed deck and navy bottom. Mags asked for grey grip and I was wondering how it would look with the pink... Great is eanswer!

Internally we have restricted the airflow. "Wheezers" retain their shape well offering stability, along with the 200d deck, so offers Mags the opportunity to get by the inflation down.

As for the name, Mags tells me that in Cork Cliodhna is known as the Goddess of love and beauty.. She was also a Queen of the Banshees in Irish folklore and seems a perfect name for a mat that will be screaming down the line!

We said we really must have a South Devon matmeet so putting the call out to any mat surfers hiding out there!

Have fun Mags! It's been a fun build and I'm looking forward to seeing you out there!

Cheers

G

Towlie

Say hello to G-Mat 285, a Ute named "Towelie" built for fellow Cornishman, Graham Bracegirdle and my last build of 2023.

Bracey is a pretty well known figure in the UK surf scene having worked in the industry back in the day. He was always known as a charger with his son Joe picking up the mantle today.

More recently, Bracey has spread his sights further afield and a cursory glance at his yard overlooking his rock strewn home break in South East Cornwall will reveal a wide array of weird and wonderful contraptions in various states of repair.

If it's on, Bracey is on it!

Bracey has had a couple of my early cast-off mats over the years so I was stoked when he got in for a custom on this run.

He has ridden a 70/70 Ute previously but was keen to get something a bit more stable so we agreed on a 200/70 Wheezer. The Ute Bracey has was also scaled to me so was a little small so upping the size to fit his height was needed. As I mentioned, the inside at Bracie's home break can be very sketchy so he has asked for a bungee to give a leash option on the bigger days.

As for the rest, Bracey is a Liverpool fan, same as me, so adding a Liverbird was an absolute joy and I have to say, I love how this has come out!

Black on black is always a win for me.

Have fun meht!

Cheers

G

He’enalu Ma Ka Lewa

Say hello to He’enalu Ma Ka Lewa, a G-Mat RB-JMC built for Steve Fox over in New South Wales, Straya.

Steve is a mat rider with many years experience so I was stoked to be able to build him a mat. He has been riding a mat with heavier deck material for some time so we agreed that a 200/70 would be a good fit, especially considering Steve in a pretty tall fella so has a bigger mat. When scaling mats up, every dimension increases but fabric weight doesn't. Therefore a 200/70 big mat will feel lighter and more maleable that a small mat with the same deck material.

Steve says:

“Another mat heading to Ulladulla on the South Coast of New South Wales. This is the epicentre of mat riding in Australia. On any good morning there can be up to 13 mats riders out together thanks to SCUMM and the likes of Pat and Pete et al.

I’ve come full circle in my surfing journey. Starting on the old red and blue surfmat as a kid in the 70’s and now for the past 11 years mat riding again. In between I have ridden surfboards from 6ft shortboards to 12ft Gliders, SUPS,and later in life paipos bellyboards and handplanes. When it comes to surfing the old saying “why stand when you can lie down” is so true. The fact that my hips, knees and back don’t work so well may have something to do with it also. So if your going to surf, do it lying down, and if you going to be lying down, do it on a surf mat, and the you will discover the true ‘Nirvana’ of surfing. He’enalu Ma Ka Lewa - surfing on air

I chose orange for the mat so that it is easier to find when lost. black ones are hard to find amongst rocks. The bungee is so it can be used in wave pools where a leash is required.”

— Steve Fox

Wise words from Steve. We also need to remember that the most evolved aquatic creatures are prone. Unless you want to be a seahorse of course ;) #thisisajoke

So back to He’enalu Ma Ka Lewa and we know where it got it's name now. Steve went for free rocker and free-breathing internal venting to make things responsive and flexible.

I'm really stoked to send a mat down to Oz. I was stoked to see that my courier have reduced shipping rates again too so makes it much more affordable.

Have fun Steve. Can't wait to see what you get up to on your journey of discovery.

Cheers

G