Remembering Madiba

 

A quick Ink Brush sketch to honor Madiba and the service he gave. The compasion of this man on the country I grew up in was not deserved or expected. The grace he showed leading us towards freedom for all and equality could not have been writen as it was without him.

In my youth, I clearly remember feeling the overwhelming tension in the air through the times of change. 

It was not expected that a man leading the right way forward was to be one of such grace and without resentment. A country that had done everything to hide the ways, actions, capabilities and potential of such a leader, now at the mercy of his guidance as the people looked to him to lead.

To be honest I thought we were all gonna die, being a young white boy walking the streets of Johannesburg from school running from riots and the sound of gun shots. Mandela was a man in power then, but not a man we knew, never mind one who we now have seen could lead with such grace.

I'm honored to have lived in a country which has undergone such change through a time that was lead by a man unlike any. Thank you Madiba

Fittingly Black and white.

 Ink brush and honor. 

Donald Brink

Short Sale First Five

Its a consistent honor to shape boards for people just like they need and want them. I embrace and find myself fascinated with all types of surfing and boards. Today I'm offering a special for those who need or want a short board and find they value in this deal and the benefits of working on the details involved for a custom hand shaped board. Whether you are referencing an old favorite, or looking for the dream groveler, this season we can build some thing special. Keep it light tight and right.
Consider the options over the next few day as you seek out something just right. Black Friday has a place, but perhaps more importantly and along the traditional roots of surf boards history and heritage. Small business Saturday is tomorrow, so support you local shapers and keep the true essence of those who innovate and create alive.

visit brinksurf.com to order

Offer available to first five customers,
advertised price includes the shaping
and glass. Clear sanded finish with fin
box system of choice included.
Add for fancies
offer valid only for local pick up
no shipping or international orders
Enjoy Your Water
Donald brink

Sustainable Show at Surfing Heritage Cultural Center tonight

Testing a board Testing abroad

Building boards based entirely on the output of the surfing experience and the functional elements of each part is a pursuit of freedom. This can create new and alarming statements in a boards look, but it's the perception of the value and the soul of the sum of their parts that often times needs little more than a few words of explanation toward understanding the vision and value and at times to more trained eyes perhaps just a giggle or a grin.

I know some of these boards look different because I'm used to seeing normal ones just like you are. However, in the dedication to bring the best out of performance and be on the cusp of progression, in varying wave types and conditions, with whatever ability or maturity a wave rider has, these brave thoughts have brought much joy to small and meager days at beaches and reefs abroad that will be forever etched within the memories of the surfers ride.

I recently returned from Hawaii, the Queen of the Sea to me. It was a short trip and the forecast predicted smallish surf. I never travel to Hawaii with out a good single fin in the bag, there is something about drawing pure and intentional lines on the stages where so much of what we have come to know all began and continues to be adorned.  I gravitated towards the updated and refined progression of thoughts in my little quad. The water was warm and so were the locals. "Mahalo", a few strange looks and perhaps a comment or two but the board felt so well matched to the conditions on offer.

I have spent so much time in Southern California's weaker waves, longing to create good grovel boards for anyone. The weight of testing similar concepts in a paradise like the islands brought feelings of slight trepidation and awe. I'm learning the reality that the sea needs to be approached and engaged in on whatever level or flavor it has to offer and the smaller days can be intentionally and bravely embraced with design and determination.

Enjoy your water; whether the sun shines, waves break or rains fall. We are to cultivate the fascination we have for the sea and are solely responsible for this. Play in the sea and be free. There seem to be less and less venues in this day and age where creativity and innovation is embraced and honored. Surfing can be the part of your life in which you can bravely learn and live these free traits. From what you ride and how you ride it, wherever you are start pursuing the mysteries hidden in your experiences of the sea on the smallest of days and beyond.

Stay tuned for upcoming announcements and vision details on how and why surfing will never be the same again because  of the creative and innovative paths and plans of many who care. #creatorsandinnovators

Enjoy Your Water,
Donald Brink
brinksurf.com

News and More from recent happenings, boards and events

It has been a busy and exciting season getting ready for the past weekends show. The Boardroom is an anticipated annual event, this being my third year having a booth. I thank all the surfers and friends who came by the booth with the kindest of words about the craft. We had a wonderful time discussing wave rides and explaining concepts of the boards and sharing thoughts and visions.

This year was a particularly treasured show as I was included in the lineup of 6 shapers chosen to honor Terry Martin in the Tribute to the Masters Shape Off. This was taken with the utmost respect of honoring such a friend and true legend to life and this craft of shaping. I was amongst the most talented of shapers with elaborate pedigrees and years of refined talent. We each recreated a 9'8" Legacy style longboard triple stringer with moderate rocker and a blended concave. Perfectly tuned rails and every inch of intentional perfection in Terry's board which we could study and reference yet not measure. Matt Calvani did well to claim top honor and the perpetual Mike Marshal trophy.  The two allotted shaping hours flew past, yet with a determined pace and dedication to craftsmanship and detail, I was elated with my efforts. My shape finished out well and although I could have spent 3 weeks getting the dust off and trying to make Terry more proud with every nuance, I think he would have been beaming at the board I made and so proud of the encouragement and belief he invested in my path which I draw from daily.

Shaping surfboards is a precious craft and I love to be involved with making surfers boards. The interest for how boards are made from one design to another, was hugely evident at the show in the crowds formed around every shaper, watching through the windowed bays from start to finish.

I have been working hard on the details and design of a new board concept for some time and the results have been rewarding. I was awarded "Best of Show" in the alternative board category for this entry and the concept was received well and had common interest among people as we discussed the thoughts of form and function of the creation. I have a patent pending on the board and look forward to the potential in manufacturing of these in a soft durable format. I feel like we can forever change the world of surfing with a fun pure and extremely progressive all encompassing option like this. The basic premise is: wave shaped rail, beach shaped rail. Go right, flip it over go left. Finless, buoyant, fast, functional, freeing.

Stay tuned for more developments.

Enjoy Your Water,

 Donald Brink
brinksurf.com

Korduroy TV Local Legendz post

http://local-legendz.tumblr.com/post/60762442713/donnie-brink-in-san-clemente-seems-to-have-such-a
Its an honor to be included in this initiative, for one I like Korduroy TV. Secondly Brenton you are the Legend. Classic Humans, thanks guys.
Donny

Liquid Salt Interview

http://www.liquidsaltmag.com/2013/09/donald-brink/

 

Shapers announced for terry Martin icons of foam shape off at the Boardroom 2013

http://business.transworld.net/139839/news/shapers-announced-for-terry-martin-icons-of-foam-shape-off-at-the-boardroom/#.UiaCTKW48IA.facebook

Today is Terry's Birthday. I was finishing up a shape and bouncing around the factory shifting gears this morning when his son Josh pulled up. We chit chatted a little and discussed fins and finishes, latest projects and the goings on of the recent few days. I knew it was his dads birthday and I brought it up in the conversation because I knew he must be thinking about his dad a lot on a day like this. He was and he explained how he adjusted his schedule at the drop of a hat to shape balsa and keep things real on a day like today. It is as though he knew those kinds of inklings were birthed in him from the passionate paths of his father. I feel it too, the effects of the encouragement along the way towards your own dreams and goals from a mentor and respected master like Terry was, and is, as the effects of his role in each one of us lives on, challenging us to make a difference and do something.
Donald Brink
Enjoy Your Water
Shaping Life Tribute Film

Movie : Day In the Life of Video Portrait

http://www.grindtv.com/lifestyle/culture/post/donald-brinks-divergent-design-thinking/

video Link: /Click here to play video

News Letter August 2013

Current summer season has seen much change and some new opportunities for my shaping and your surf boards.
Working in the the new factory has been a pleasure. Building good surfboards is an artistic and creative, yet very accurate skill that is smothered in soul. It's birthed from a comfort of ones creative space or current state.

Recent projects include new designs and refinement of others, duplicating or referencing favorite boards and recreating for customers. All these tasks keep the learning curve keen and the hands and eye in tune. I love the variety of boards we get to put together, working with people on the rides of their dreams and details of their surfing experiences.

Its an honor to be included in the conversations of surfing and surfboards throughput the world. Hard work, dedication to a passionate path and a commitment to responsibilities seems to be the common must-haves to things that are built over  time and have a good effect on others and add to the world. My role as a craftsman was included in a recent profile piece for Fiat's new campaign showcasing the 500L. The 4 door elegant ride suits an active family like ours and the needs of a surfer and family man can be met with their new car. The day in life of format was fun shooting and is really a pretty  accurate representation of our daily flow from work to play and more.

The asymmetrical boards continue to be drawing attention and rightly so because reports of the changes made for the heel rail to the toe rail have surfers noticing the benefits of the design in question as we aim to reference their flavor of ride and enhance its performance particularly in small surf. They continue to be fun to shape and design. The bravery of being different is something that is generating joy for those who believe and provides an opportunity for education to others along the way.

Surfing to me is proving to be a deeper and deeper activity the more I begin to asses its pure value and just how well it can be used to add to each and every one of our paths.

Enjoy Your Water,

Donald Brink
http://donaldbrink.com
View video and GrindTV blog here:  http://www.grindtv.com/lifestyle/culture/post/donald-brinks-divergent-design-thinking/

keel fish

four flat full fun fierce fabulous foolsgold

Custom for Rob and his VW

Surf SUP
Its making the things people are used to better by virtue of design. This one will shine on the smallest surf and whenever the art seems fitting.
Acrylic on fabric inlay.
Stringer-less EPS

half block

asym log. long rail curve rail off concave on concave flat roll full roll. 

red white and blue

short wide and full

News From Brink Surf and more

Brink Surfboards has been enjoying many changes and progression over the past few months. First off I'd like to thank all those who have ordered and enjoyed new boards from me. It's with such respect and honor that I get to partner with your surfing and creative paths. The boards have been brave, and yet, constantly being refined in their flow and concept. Results from your experiences have been rewarding and the feedback from time to time makes the anticipation of the calls or emails so worth it.

The changes of late are very exciting. I moved the factory and am enjoying the new space and dedicated floor plan. This downtime of construction brought with it some late nights of framing and dry wall, vacuum lines electrical etc. I'm almost finished with some details that are being tended to over the next few weeks between your boards.

I was honored to be featured in the Latest issue of Slide magazine Issue #25, it's been a joy to read the story of the path to date that most of the world didn't know. Shawn Parkin was a pleasure to work with and captured the heartbeat of the day to day happenings as they were on camera. Chasen Marshall wrote the piece and put the long text together with precision and talent through his words about mine.

The recent trip to South Africa in March with the family was a delight. I shaped and shared thoughts with the Surfing Community in Cape Town. Those boards and more are being enjoyed since my departure and we look forwards to the images and reports of the freedom they bring in both thought and wave rides.

Things to look forward to. Summer is heating up and there are interesting orders coming in the door, for which I'm really grateful. The belief in the asymmetries has been rewarding and so I enjoy to continue making memorable stance specific sleds for the willing and free. Some interest in the concept shapes is increasing too, there are a few mind blowing designs that I look forward to reporting on which will be completed on the arrival of the blanks on order.

Team rider Teresa O'Connor is continuing to do well and will compete in the events in Hawaii this coming week.

Thank you to all those who support this path and partner with us in yours.

Enjoy Your Water,

Donald Brink
http://donaldbrink.com

Red Rail Geometry

The Gonzomat 9'8"

asym dream liner

orange you glad it's fixed

the makings of the squirrel twin

Slidemagazine

available at leading surf outlets or online at Slidemagazine.com
thank you to Chasen Marshall and photographer Shawn Parkin.
thank you Slide
enjoy your water.

bigger slinger

a regular footed shape.
single or tri
fuller heel rail.
pinched down toes rail.
deck dualations
wide points a skew.
built for a step up option without going longer, rather curve front and aft and rails to suit.
thicker than you think, foiled more delicately Than a Dreamliner.

new Heat Winner for Teresa

slight refinements for the ever progressing and consistently placing young lady.
tad more rocker, fin foils and secret concaves. 

#Roxy

full step-up

blood water color

I painted this 10 years ago. it's water color on a water proof paper. took days to evaporate and dry. then I lifted it up from where it lay for all to see. not unlike the subject.
still relevant today, everyday.
Isaiah 53:5

Potential Tour Tool

Travel Shape Travel

single fin like

if this guy surfs I'm sure he rides a single fin.
shot from the hip whist viewing the Cape Argus Cycle Tour.

Cape Town quarter quiver foam

5'8" asymmetric flat deck thruster
6'9" asymmetric bonzer hi-liner
8'8" Rhino over taker

feather duster for Cape Town