Getting Loco on a sunny day

Stephen Vaughn floating park runs like a leaf on the wind.

Which board does Katie choose?

...meow you know.

Final Report : Ntence Decentz Tour 2013

DAY 14.  Mt Ruapehu

Double bed benefits and toasty conditions from the wood fire meant a good night sleep. Bounced outta bed stoked and a little sore from mondo runs yesterday. I clocked up 72 kms of DH yesterday! Perfect. Same deal today, start with a few poach runs with Kam, Bondy and Jordan. The air is fresh, the sun is warm, the birds and the bugs are out. Seems like paradise. Is it?

Found out some info on the local chopper operator and ill try tee up a run for the crew with camera's later in the day before he knocks off. Conditions are very similar to yesterday. Steady SE breeze blown across the hill. Some corners head wind, some from the tail. Very user friendly sk8in. Kam and I got down on some film runs. Matt k got a traveling motorbike rider to run down with Gabe on the back filming. That's one dude I never woulda thought to get on the back of a bike of a stranger. Yeah Gabe. Getting 'er done!

Lunch and the talks turned from the road to the chairlift. Speedy hooked up a free run up the mountain for us all. The view from the top station was epic. U could see most the road as it twisted down the volcano. Took a couple beers for the journey. Again, the name of the game was exploration. Bondy and myself bailed the group and missioned another few hundred meters up the face to snow, or as close to snow at this time of year as we were gonna get. Api, Jordan and Kam soon followed. We had the higher ground so started to hock snow balls. It turned into an all out assault for a short time. Api was making good ground regardless. Full blown warrior status. Had a little wash in one of the run off streams and freshened up a treat. Back down the mountain to session the hill and have a swim back at the jump spot.

 We were a lil earlier on yesterdays swim time and its pay'd off. The suns still shinning on the drop zone. The water is still fresh but its exactly wat these tired legs need! A few jumps and a lurk in the sun and the group was nearly ready to bounce. Back to the hill to finish of the vid Gabe and Jaco have been filming. Be sure to keep an eye out for this one. There's been some great sk8in thrown down the last two weeks and this is just the icing on the cake. 

San Pedro Shred: Festival of Skate

If you find yourself in SoCal on March 30th make sure to check out the San Pedro Shred.  Our boys over at Wheelbase Mag are putting on this wicked skate festival.  Its sure to be one to remember.  Head over to the facebook event page for more details.  

Hard at Work!

Its been a busy couple weeks for the Team.  They have been working hard to bring you all a summer full of epic Landyachtz Videos.

The guys are currently traveling down the West Coast, filming for 2013 product videos.  Guff is the man behind the lens and is responsible for bringing all the Landyachtz videos to your computer screens!

Jon Huey is also along capturing all the action.

Check out all our videos on our you tube channel and make sure to subscribe to see all the new stuff we have in the works.

The 2013 Peacemaker

Back by popular demand and with another wicked graphic...

The 2013 Peacemaker was released last season as an aggressive freeride board.  It quickly became a favorite around the factory and can been seen under the feet of a lot of our team riders.

The Peacemaker is equipped with a functional kick tail, raised wheel wells and can be set up on multiple wheelbases.

It is also available in a smaller 32" version which can be seen once the new line drops on March 22.

Specs:

36.5" L X 9.7" Wide with a 20.6" - 23.8" wheelbase

8 plies of Canadian maple

Medium concave, kicktail and wheel fenders

Wanna win the first one instead?  Head over to our Facebook Page for our 7 days of giveaways.  We are giving away a complete PLUS a Dinghy complete everyday leading upto the Friday March 22nd.

  

The 2013 Battle Axe 40

I'd like to introduce you to the 2013 Battle Axe 40...

We've updated the Battle Axe to blend both traditional and modern technologies into one bamboo cruiser.  New graphics really make this board stand out. 

Drop Mounting and rockered construction make this deck amazing to ride and incredibly responsive.  

Specs:

40.25" L X 9" W with a 29.25" Wheel Base

5 plys of vertically laminated bamboo with mild rocker and concave

Stability and control are what this board brings to the table.  Check it out at your local shop on March 22nd or at Landyachtz.com for more info.  We'll also have a 35" version available.

Wanna Win it and get a Dinghy Complete as well?  Head over to our Facebook Page for details and to enter!

The 2013 Drop Speed

The 2013 Landyachtz Drop Speed is set to release with the rest of the line on March 22nd. Here is a little sneak peak of what this wicked board has to offer.

The Drop Speed has seen a bunch of design upgrades this year including a new sublimated fiberglass graphic.

W concave and wheel flairs make this board super comfortable under your feet, add rigidity while making the board more playful under your feet.

Mild rocker and drop mounting make this board a perfect downhill freeride mountain slayer.

Specs:
38.5" L. X 9.4" W and 28.6" Wheel Base.
7 plys of Canadian Maple
Fiberglass Bottom Sheet with Sublimated Graphic and Composite Top Sheet

 It will be available March 22nd at your local shop. If you don't want to wait check out this contest for your chance to win one plus a 2013 Dinghy:

Field Report : Ntence Decentz Tour 2013

DAY 12. North to the volcano. Mt Ruapehu

Woke at sparrows fart today to make the most of the last of the runs around Wellington. Actually, we coulda spent a full week here and explored. There's so many canyons! Bounced from our accommodation and head to Blue Mountain. Its Matt K's birthday today. The big 25. We all sang him Happy Birthday and were on our way.

Blue Mountain was a sweet tight winding hill with some nice tight rights requiring some skids. Api passed on the knowledge that it can be ripped but its more fun to skid. Thats the way it went down for about an hour. Wat a great hill to wake up on. So many turns, all similar. The weather was a lil overcast when we got up and the higher we went into the canyon, the more surrounded by clouds we were. It just added to the thrill! Great hill, yew!

The journey north to Ruapehu, saw us take the Number 2 and through the Rumataka Gorge. Its a massive cut, up and over the range. Last year it was raining and for obvious reasons, we stayed in the van. Not to be today. Bluebird skies and a rad temp of low 20's and the road is good to go, well the south side anyway. North side still had road works. The south side was a long 5-7 km's around 70 with some long sweeping turns that offered plenty of room to rail the inside! Hit it once and continued the journey.  

 STOKED. After a day of drivin, we finally hit the famous Mt Ruapehu. Catchin the last few runs today was a must. We had to hit it. After all it was just there lurking in all its glory. The drive up was one of anticipation and respect. We stopped twice. The first for Speedy, who hit the guard-rail a few years back and the second for Jacko after last years accident. Remembering the events of last year, Gabe, Kam and myself where humbled, totally level headed.

Good Times in Puerto Rico!

Field Report : Ntence Decentz Tour 2013

DAY 9 The journey south continues.

Best sleep of he tour. The temp last night dropped to a chill. Its gonna be the case the further we head south. I woke with drool all up in me mo. Accommodation was the quarters of the construction workers form the 60's and the hydro power schemes they have in the area. Nice and cozy little cubes!


Drivin on the eastern side of the Tongariro National Park, the sun was shining on the 3 volcanoes of the area. Mt Tongariro, Mt Ngauruhoe (Mordor) and Mt Ruapehu. Reflecting back on the conditions and the unfortunate events that went down on last years tour, i quietly ask the mountain if we can have good conditions and safe sk8ing for this years run on the great Mt Ruapehu. Respect. Its not for another few days before we get back here and to say I'm keen to be able to sk8 this one is a massive understatement. 

Cruised through a rad town through Bull and as u can imagine there where bulls all over town. Big bulls, small bulls, bulls on fences, bulls on wheels. U get the point. Bondy and Gabe got a bargain on some Army surplus gear. Its been a long drive and the crew are getting loopy, a little crazy. Matt k got inverted on the seats and took thing to a horizontal level. Last one in the car gets a shot with Bondy's airsoft gun and today, Gabe and The Chad where victims! 

Secret Surf Spot with Pat Schep

Meow this cats got some serious style.

Field Report : Ntence Decentz Tour 2013

DAY 8. Whangamata south to Turangi.

There it is. So sweet. Morning session up on 'Underground Chicken' on the way south to Taupo Lake. Was a fresh morning with an even fresher westerly which meant for some speedy runs down, with that crisp tailwind! The crew were getting into it early. Close fast riding with a heap of bumping so the boys at the back got to mix it up front in the pack. Jaco and Matt k got down and captured all the ruckus! Saturday morning and the traffic was typically busy. After a bunch of runs, and a heap of footage captured, Matt k gave the steady cam a run. So much draft and some nice tight chillin. Deep in one of the corners we passed an 18 wheeler and decided to call it. Coromandel Peninsular done , its time to head into the belly of the beast and all the volcanic gas action of Rotorua, Taupo and Turangi.

 

On the way to Rotorua to see me good mate Azza, we took a slight detour to session one of the hills we didn't get to sk8 last year. Speedy's been goin on about this one for ages! The top is a fresh water spring. One of the local kuzzi's said it was the best water in NZ. Gabe got right in on them treats. The hill was butter, long sweepers around 3 km in length and pretty fast! 80 was around the top speed. We got in two runs before the good ol po-dawg turned up. Same story as yesterday. Cant sk8 on a Motorway? Shame it was a highway mate? These guys really seem to know the laws here? Ah well, no more sk8in, eluding Speedy once more. 

 Azza. Wat a legend. Greets us with a warm hug and a cold beer for all! Seeing his family again and meeting his youngest daughter was something I've been looking forward to since the tour last year! Spent the next hour chattin about the new things happening in our lives. The girls have stuck so many stickers on their doors, even a heap of the sk8 variety. Azza’s a good bloke and back in the day was all bout comin home, looking after his family and he's deffinately doin that. They are one happy unit!

 Head into Taupo and got some grub on the way to Turangi. Was a short stop cause the call was to stop on the way outta town and session the local park. They had a killer little park here and it was full of the local groms on scooters. Fwaghhh! the boys all rolled out with sk8's at the ready and started to rail the lines through the park. there was a 7 ft bowl at one end with a spine section to a smaller 4 ft bowl. The rest was a series of transition quarters and humps and tucked way back on the side was the mini bowl. Sweet little 2 ftr! Fun as. 

Bounce outta the park totally satisfied we'd hit some more coping here in NZ.  Dinner and the usual games of dice and i think it'll be an early nyt for the most of us!

Do It Yourself!

Field Report : Ntence Decentz Tour 2013

DAY 7. Pumpkin Pit.

Couldn't ask for a more perfect start to the day. Bondy, Cam and myself went to the beach all with out knowin the other was doin the same and woke with a simple stretch in the balmy sun finishing with a refreshing swim in water that offered perfect temps for lazing. The swell has come in over night and the banks are looking the goods. I think a few of us may look into gettin a few boards and make the most of the swell. Whangamata is home to some epic beaches and the Whangamata Bar, a left hand sand bar ,on the mouth of the marina entrance! Today's got some rad vibes to it already. Breaky and off to the 'Pumpkin Pit'.

Tairua is the closest town to the pit and the traffic is as u would imagine for a friday morning. There were trucks, Rv's and cars everywhere. Our first strike of bad luck came as we were hangin out in the van on the first run up, fully frothing on the features of this Coromandel roller coaster, we past a water truck and his load was spilling out the sides onto the road. Bunk! There was a wet line most the way down. Not at all what u want on a busy winding road. We set off to have a quick scout of a run they call 'Sailors Graveyard'. Rough and the usual chip seal, this one was not for us. 

Field Report : GP Offshore

6am wake up... 9 skaters, 5 camera guys, 2 drivers... everyone running  around each other organizing gear for the day. We pile into the van and take off to the north.

After the hour or two drive (plus a little extra shut eye), we were at the top on a mountain range looking down the longest snake I've ever seen.  With everything from hairpins and fast straights, to technical sweepers. This road had a monstrous array of corners, with the smoothest most predictable pavement. We had some gnarly pack runs shoulder to shoulder flying through corners, smiles all the way down. Ditching that spot after a couple quick runs we head to another hill... after all, this was our warm up.