Mike Litter Ocean Craft

Welcome Poppy Nelson-Smith to team MLOC. Poppy is an incredibly talented NorCal Junior paddler who is improving every time she hits the water. I’m honored that she’s using my paddles and collaborating with me on design. brings a unique combination of joy, discipline and competitiveness to her paddling. She’s also an environmentalist who raised over $1K for as part of her Wild Buffalo Relay campaign! And if that’s not impressive enough, she also joined me in the shop to design her own templates and work on her blades. Notice the hand-painted poppies on her signature paddles! I’m thrilled to be a small part of her paddling journey. Poppy, good luck to you and next weekend at WBR.

Any wood nerds out there who can name the hand tools on the bench? The fun part is quietly carving away at the paddle blanks with these exquisite tools. Some are commonly used by chair makers, others by luthiers and one even by coopers. I use plenty of power tools too, but the shaping phase is best done the old fashioned way. And check a few shots of the clean looking paddles taking shape.

How cool is this shot from on the Big Island. Clearly this epic steering blade found a good home!

The sailing canoe steering blade project continues! Made two big water blades for the Kauai guys. We also lucked into a magical rainbow filled afternoon on Lumahai beach for this impromptu photo shoot. These big blades are epic. I’m tempted to name each one to honor their mana and recognize them as a steersperson’s legendary companion. Think Thor and his hammer, Mjolnir! Also made a few OC1 paddles - two bound for Marleny and Dave Parmenter on Kauai and one delivered today to for service in Sausalito and Lake Tahoe. It a pleasure to make paddles for such incredible people. And thank you .litter for paddle modeling!

Over the years I’ve resisted making decorative paddles, believing that the spirit of the work exists in the combination of form and function. , however, didn’t have to twist my arm to make a wall hanger in honor of our mutual friend, the late Carla Pollard. Carla was a one of a kind Marin County gem who never hesitated to lend a hand to those in need. Not having to think about paddle strength freed me up to focus on building a beautiful paddle that reflected Carla’s character. So for this California girl I used reclaimed wine tank Redwood and Douglas Fir, two local timbers that complement each other. Carla was a gifted bookkeeper and seamstress, two contrasting professions that she uniquely combined. Jeff, thanks for prompting me to honor Carla and to think beyond functional stuff. I hope this paddle will keep Carla’s memory alive in your life. Making it was certainly healing for me.

I forgot to follow up on ‘s paddle repair. For those who have been waiting anxiously for the result of the job, here it is. The surgery was a success! The broken piece was reattached and secured further with some additional edge banding over the original. The old varnish was sanded off. A new logo was printed on and varnish was reapplied. Included in the photo set is the new paddle I made for Dan. Notice the Oak edge banding which is a little heavier and stronger than the Cherry I normally use, but a better fit for Dan’s paddling “style”. For the rest of you MLOC paddle owners: don’t be afraid to bring your paddles back in for service. I won’t be (that) mad. I (probably) won’t roast you on IG. But I will (definitely)be glad to keep your paddle in tip-top shape for as long as possible.

Two sailing canoe steering blades ready for service in the hands of on the big island. Mike is a master canoe sailor and an incredible artist. It was a pleasure to build for him. The big paddle- based on Nick Beck’s big water blade- is constructed partially from old growth redwood salvaged from a decommissioned wine tank. Redwood is gorgeous but not strong enough for the heavy work of canoe steering, so that blade was expertly glassed by Sam . The smaller blade - also based on Nick’s favorite mid water steering paddle - is a modern iteration of an old-school blade with no composite reinforcement. The combo of Sitka Spruce, Douglass Fir and White Oak should be strong enough to handle the big loads generated in Hawaiian canoe surfing and sailing. The Koa handles are small nod to Hawaiian tradition.

Calling all Ocean Beach body surfers! It’s time for the bi-annual body surfing expression session. Come on down to the base of Irving Sat the 20th and splash around with your aquatic neighbors. I’ll have handplanes, turbo lunchtrays, a paipo and an alaia to play with. And coffee and Bob’s donuts of course! Thank you for making the cool poster.

Sometimes you just gotta make what the people want. Introducing the BiG Boy Boogie, a custom concept for . At 4ft tall and nearly 21in wide, this little sled is purpose built for a big man to go fast. Shockingly, we agreed on the design from the start so I’m a bit worried about that. But maybe, after 40 years of surfing together, this is where Kyle and I finally see eye to eye on boards. Triple salvaged-redwood stringers from , fancy tail block and stinger-inspired rail wings- what’s there to argue about? Come see this beauty and a smattering of other bodysurfing toys at next month’s Hardly Strictly Handplanes event. Stay tuned for details.

Nick Beck in Kauai was generous enough to share intel on his favorite sailing canoe steering blades. I made these two, based on Nick’s preferences, for who sails a in Florida. At 4lbs, the little one (27in blade!) is unglassed but built tough. The big one is only 3.5lbs due to lighter timbers and an expert glass job by Sam at . Both blades boast beautiful Koa handles and will be riding in style in their rugged waxed canvas bags made by . Enjoy Mike!

MLOC is back in the body surfing business. These upgraded redwood lunch trays turn unsurfable days into greedy little tube hunting sessions. This batch features abalone inlay from shells found on a recent trip to Mendocino and some radical bottom contours. You’ll find two for sale at and two at the Summer in the Sunset Show.

We interrupt the normal MLOC programming for some real art! I couldn’t be more proud of .litter for capping off a hard year with this exceptional final project at . I’m blown away by her artistic skill, personal insight and sheer imagination. And her connection to the outerlands of SF warms my heart. Lucy, what an honor it was to watch you present this piece with such poise to a large audience last night. Watching your artistic journey is truly inspiring!