When board shaper Nick Mcarthur paddled his 10-foot experiment out for its maiden voyage, he didn’t know what to expect. Ten hours earlier he’d driven up to Byron Bay on a whim with the heavy board in the back and an impulsive energy he just couldn’t shake. So there he was waiting – just him, the board and a pair of short shorts. And when that perfect wave came, his board rode like a dream and only fuelled his board-shaping obsession.
It was out of this experience that Changi Logs were born. Inspired by the surfing trends of the fifties and sixties, Nick’s longboards are made out of dion foam with a plywood stringer, and then wrapped in imported volan glass from the states. I’m sure Nick wishes he was born in this golden era, but luckily for us he wasn’t and now we’re able to get a taste of what vintage surfing legend Phil Edwards would have taken for granted.
Three years later, Nick still describes that moment out in the water in Byron as one of the most amazing surfing experiences he’s ever had. And when you’re talking to a guy who’s been surfing for most of his life, that’s saying a lot. Which is why I’m going to leave you with some Nick Mcarthur inspiration – it’s one of the nicest quotes I’ve heard in a long time. “Surfing is everything… it is unexplainable. Surfing on a nice wave makes you a better person, you just feel at home and happy”.
