20
The Shop
SEPT/OCT 2018
21
3RD LAW
Justin Slater
Slater’s 3rd Law was started at the end of 2017, fulfilling Justin Slater’s lifelong
dream; to be happy doing something he loved. He moved to Bend just over a
year ago from Michigan for a professional job, but found it did not afford the
lifestyle he originally moved to the west coast for. Afraid of being trapped in that
unsatisfying routine, he quit. Over the next month, Justin spent his time surfing
the Deschutes River. He had surfed a few times on Lake Superior in college but
never really had the chance to get the hang of it until the river wave. Justin was
hooked!
RIVER SURF COMPANY River Surf Company is a
family owned seasonal surf shop specializing in River
Surfing. We sell and rent gear for The “Green Wave”
at The Bend Whitewater Park and natural surf-able
river waves around Oregon. Our goal is to equip and
inform our customers how to successfully surf or
bodyboard river waves in the safest possible way.
By Dave Jaber
Running low on money and wanting to learn more about surfing Justin decided
to make surfboards for the river wave. He created the concept to build custom,
performance hollow wood short boards that would be stronger, and specifically
designed for the river. Justin wanted to build something unique; something du-
rable he could hand craft and that would stand out.
Justin is fortunate to have a small shop in his garage for the time being but still
works full time as a bike mechanic at The Gear Fix. ”It’s the first time in my life
that I can share my passion with others, and for me, that’s what it’s all about”, he
says. You can find his boards for sale at The Gear Fix, just up the road from the
river wave. Our reach out to [email protected] for inquiries about custom
handmade boards.
The Shapers
THE CUBICLE BRAND
Travis Yamada
Cubicle Surfboards
541-390-4965
[email protected]
www.cubiclebrand.com
Cubicle transfers the ocean experience beyond saltwater. River, wake,
powder, sea—whatever’s breaking, the idea is to enjoy the ride. Progres-
sive designs and materials underlie every Cubicle board in the quiver, while
inspiration derives from Pacific waves. Durable craftsmanship and con-
stant R&D shape the process further, and obsession with detail sets the
standard. Cubicle boards surf with precision and attack like a true ocean
surfboard. Three decades of skating, snowboarding, and waveriding in Cen-
tral Oregon go into each model that Travis Yamada creates. All this allows
Cubicle to redefine how waves are ridden, no matter the geography. Innova-
tive surfcraft for exploring more water to ride, pursuing freedom outside the
office cubicle, since 2015.
Cubicle boards ride waves instinctively. That’s because each shape, choice
of materials, and design tweak comes from the hands and mind of Travis
Yamada. After growing up skating streets and ramps, Travis moved to Bend,
Oregon, in the early 90’s. He spent the winters as a pro snowboarder, tour-
ing the continent and the world, impressing everyone with his skate-influ-
enced style. Travis spent his summers doing construction work, and surfing
nearby irrigation canals before Bend built its whitewater park. Still, ocean
surfboards and the feel of surfing saltwater waves inspire Travis most. An
obsession with detail, an ingrained perfectionism, and solid intuition allow
Travis to put his full range of skills into one medium, the surfboard, which
simultaneously serves as a tool and a work of art.
BIXBY SURFBOARDS
Conway Bixby
541-390-5464
[email protected]
@bixbysurfboards
Conway Bixby grew up in Roseburg, Oregon. His youth was spent outdoors snow-
boarding, climbing, fishing, hunting, paddling rivers and mountain biking. Conway
also developed a serious passion for surfing after he and a buddy took a road trip
to Baja just after high school.
In 2002 Conway made the move to Bend to study aviation at COCC. When he
moved to Bend, Conway sold his surfboard, assuming there wouldn’t be much
surfing in the high desert of Central Oregon. When he wasn’t flying, Conway was
snowboarding and working as a snowcat operator. His speciality was grooming
the world class pipes and building and maintaining the parks at both Mt. Hood
and Mt. Bachelor.
In 2004, Conway heard about a secret spot where people were actually surfing a
standing wave in the high desert... So, one day he went to search for it, and when
he found it, he knew he would need to come up with a board to surf it. That’s
when Conway started shaping boards as a hobby. He rounded up the materials he
thought he needed and figured it out from there. When they saw that his boards
actually surfed, his friends began asking for him to make them boards, and soon
enough he was making and selling boards as a side business.
Over the past 12 years, Bixby Surfboards has evolved from a hobby to a full on
obsession. Conway has developed a knack for understanding how individual river
waves work, giving him the ability to shape boards specifically for each unique
wave. In addition, Conway makes handplanes for bodysurfing, which also work
great for river waves. When Conway and his girlfriend need to get away they pack
up their dogs and head to Newport, Pacific City, or Brookings for a little R&D and
surf sessions.