BEATTY PRODUCTS GONE

If you haven't noticed, the Clyde Beatty glass shop is gone. Before that it was the original Santa Barbara Surf shop owned by local shaper Reynolds "Renny" Yater. It really is a shame to see it go. Yes, it was a mad house at times. I worked in that glass shop for a year about 10 years ago during it's heyday. Lots of boards coming and going. I met a lot of cool people down there and some not so cool people but for the most part it was a very entertaining experience to say the least. Working in that shop is where I met Wayne Rich. Wayne is one of the best shapers in the world and one of the most honest hard working guys you will ever meet. If the shit ever hit the fan Wayne is who you want standing next to you.......respect. I had a great time working side by side with Pancho, Clydes right hand man. I don't think Pancho ever set foot in the ocean but he was one hell of a surfboard glasser. His dad Alvaro did all the glossing. Alvaro is a good man. They could do it all and now that Clyde's gone off to China Pancho is now working down in Ventura at Glass Monkey Glass shop owned by John Birges. I had my ups and downs with John but in the end he is a solid guy and also one hell of a glasser and shaper. It amazed me how quickly he learned how to shape and glass. Please call John and Poncho at 805 644 SURF for all your surfboard glassing needs. They do great work. Clyde is gone and these guys will fill the gap. John glassed all my BlueLine SUP boards after Spencer Kellog across the driveway at iShapes buzzed them out on his killer shaping machine. Spencer is another great guy that I have known for almost 20 years. Spencer has been shaping beautiful surfboards for 25 years. He also did time at Clyde's glass shop. You can reach Spencer and i Shapes at 805 644-1317. Another guy I worked with at the shop was a dude they called "The Butcher". Everyone at the shop had a nick name and this was my favorite. The butcher was a mean dude but damn he could sand a board in record time. You had to have thick skin to work in that shop and the butcher tested my patience everyday. He stopped sanding boards many years ago and I still see him around town fishing and reading down at the book store. Like I said, the butcher was a little grouchy at times but he taught me a lot about sanding surfboards fast!!. If you weren't fast you didn't make money. Anyhow, thats my small tribute to the Clyde Beatty glass shop in Santa Barbara. Crazy times. OUT.