Mellow Wave Surfboards - South Coast Stoke

Yes there are waves on the south Coast of the UK, okay, often its cold and swell is week but sometimes when the stars align there can be actual real waves and of course there are the locals that have those sessions on lock down. They will be watching the forecast with ever optimistic view and the maybes because you just never know.

Mark Iles and Steve James are MellowWave surfboards and are based in Bude (North Cornwall) and the Witterings on the south coast of the UK, their boards are functional pieces of art, they look sublime and rumor has it that they ride just as well.

The guys have agreed to spare us some time and a few words about what it is they do, how important it is and most importantly what to look out for on a South Coast forecast.

SB: Hey Mark, how has the swell been this winter on the South Coast, I have seen some pretty sweet pictures?

Mark: Well there have been a few good days but it has not been great for us this winter. We are all feeling a little unfit !(laughs) We get very few waves in the summer so rely on those winter swells and look forward to wraping up in 5/4 wetsuits, boots, gloves, hoods etc. Its all about getting in there so really we will take anything!!

SB: So how and when did MellowWave surfboards come into being? the quality of the boards look amazing.

Mark: I started MellowWave in 2002 with just a surf report and started shaping boards with the hope i could produce a good quality custom board at a good price (as its at the beginning of your surfing life when you have no money and NEED a board;) I only made 10 before my life turned upsidedown (long story) but a couple of years later I hooked up with Steve who took over the shaping and glassing from then on in. He had had over 30years experience shaping and is just as enthusiastic as me, so we are great friends and spend many hours talking about all the retro shapes etc

SB: What is it that makes you want to keep you guys building boards, what is your favorite part?

Mark: Steve likes the mission! We are old school all the way so bringing a beautiful shape out of a blank from a minimal, to a retro fish or stinger and then glassing it and polishing it to perfection is a satisfying process.

SB: I realize that you may not be able to tell me exactly but where is your favorite place to surf locally (South Coast)?

Mark: I surf mostly at Bracklesham Bay, of course there are a few spots best not mentioned on here but the truth is the most fun is at Bracks surfing with friends

SB: Are most of you customers local or do you get orders from all over? How is the local surf community?

Mark: Our customers are from all around the uk mostly but surfers are travelers and don't mind a surf trip to pick up a new board. We don't ship so we have had people travel from deepest Europe to get there hands on one of our customs! Our boards are picked up in Bude so a lot more hope of a good swell to test the new beast on!

SB: Can you remember the first board you shaped and have you still got it?

Mark: The first board Steve shaped was with his brother in Brighton in 1979 he was a cabinet maker and there was a local company that imported exotic woods so they ordered some balsa!! After a days work they went back in the evening to use the work plainer and made a 7ft single fin spear!! The stringer was a peice of solid plastic in black apparently the company plainer was never the same again;) It might still be in Brighton somewhere as it was spotted around 10yrs ago it had J & D Ocroma near the tail.

SB: For you what is the most important thing to get right when shaping a board for someone?

Mark: First thing is the rocker then the template... With a lot of the boards I say to Steve if the customer doesn't like it then I am having it, but that hasn't happened yet. (laughs)

SB: How much would a 5'9 Mellow Wave retro fish set me back with all the trimmings?

Mark: The Retro twins start at £365 with rail colour and glassed in fins if you want plugs on the fins and a full colour £405!!

SB: That does seem like a very reasonable price indeed considering you are talking about a specialist surfboard made specifically for you and by a human that has over 35 years experience doing just that.  Lets no forget that these guys do not ship their boards and as Mark says you would have to pick up from Bude and maybe just snag the wave of your life while you are there.

Big ups to the south coast crew in the UK and anywhere that means you have to extremely motivated to get in the water. I am a firm believer that  is where the heart of our sport lies.