Astrodeck Blog


Nathan On Cloud 9 At Cloudbreak

Wednesday, July 13th, 2011

Fiji has been going off and everyone from Kelly Slater to Bruce Irons is there. In fact, Nathan is there with Bruce now and they’re having a blast. Apparently Nathan even caught one of the bigger waves of the day yesterday. Just wanted to share this link with you that Transworld Surf posted. Some great pics of Nathan on it, so check ‘em out!

http://surf.transworld.net/1000134192/photos/cloudbreak-goes-xxl/?pid=55554#ngtop

Danny Fuller Checks In At Astrodeck

Thursday, April 14th, 2011

We’re really stoked here at Astrodeck that we actually have a relationship and rapport with all of our team riders. In fact, we consider them friends first and foremost. How many companies can claim that their riders come to their offices to just hang out and get caught up and shoot the breeze? Not a whole lot.

As is often the case, we’ll get weekly visitors. You’ll never know who will pop up. We’ll have Reef Macintosh come over and get some sandals for his size 13 feet. Or Nathan will drop by with best buddies Mr. Buzz and Bruce Irons, or maybe Shane Beschen might bring his little groms and chat skate with Greyson. It’s like a constant who’s who of popular surf culture at Astrodeck.

In fact, Danny Fuller just swung by yesterday. He picked up some of our sandals; his favorites are the MG1 and the ML3, as well as some of his traction pads, the 405 Danny Fuller pads, both in black and white and black and green. He talked some art with Herbie and also told the A-deck crew about SUP guys doing tow-ins at Puerto Escondido. Haha, what a trip that is!

Danny likes the MG1 Sandal.

Danny likes the MG1 Sandal.

He also picked up some ML3's.

He also picked up some ML3s.

The 405 Danny Fuller Pad in Black & White

The 405 Danny Fuller Pad in Black & White

The 405 Danny Fuller Pad in Green & Black

The 405 Danny Fuller Pad in Green & Black

Anyway, it was great seeing Danny - one of the nicest guys ever, and one of our favorite surfers of all time.

Danny Fuller gettin' some!

Danny Fuller gettin' some.

Herbie Fletcher’s “Wrecktangle”

Monday, December 6th, 2010
Herbie Fletcher's "Wrecktangle" at The Waikiki Edition Hotel

Herbie Fletcher's "Wrecktangle" at the Waikiki Edition Hotel

Herbie will be in Oahu this week to promote his “Wrecktangle” board sculpture that’s being featured in the lobby of The Waikiki Edition.

Coming from the mastermind of Ian Schrager, The Waikiki Edition is a new type of hotel - kind of like an entity of its own - that’s being introduced by the Marriott International. In collaboration with interior designers George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg and landscape designer Deborah Nevins, the Waikiki Edition resides as its own sanctuary on the sand; smack dab near the beaches and Marina shopping districts in a coastal urban sprawl. Truly, a visiting surfer’s paradise.

When you walk into the lobby, the first thing that captures your eye is the wall-to-wall “Wrecktangle” pieced together by Surfer/Artist Herbie Fletcher. Emphasizing the impact of just how powerful Hawaii’s Pipeline is, Herbie collected over 100 surfboards that have been ridden (and broken) at this notorious spot by some of the surfing world’s mighty elite: Kelly Slater, Bruce Irons, Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson, Christian Fletcher, Nathan Fletcher, and the late Andy Irons to name just a few.

Many never think to realize the impact and sheer bravado it takes to ride waves such as the Banzai Pipeline, and for those visitors to the North Shore who are lucky enough to stay at The Waikiki Edition, the “Wrecktangle” will perhaps give them a small idea of how intense that ride was.

Astrodeck By Herbie Fletcher: The Originator Not The Imitator

Friday, August 27th, 2010
When the first Brazilian in the ’80s started using OUR company name, Astrodeck, Herb contacted him and tried to negotiate a deal to buy back our Astrodeck name that he had registered in Brazil. The guy was very uncooperative and did not want to sell it to us-which was very unethical-but, unfortunately, not illegal. Herb contacted a lawyer here in the states about options and he was advised that he could probably win the case but it could exhaust all company assets. Herb had a young, growing family, limited resources, and so he made the decision to move forward by creating films and products that he was proud of, hoping that he could revisit the Brazilian infringement at a later date.
Time marched on and the business had periods of expansion and contractions, with many people jumping into the traction market that Herb created through his invention of the surfboard tail pad. With many players in the market for the pad (Which, by the way, is the smallest segment of surf-related sales.) being dependent on the purchase of a new board, it was difficult to keep our small family-owned company afloat. There was much money spent with attorneys getting trademark protection in many foreign countries, but most never produced the revenue that made the expense worth while.
We had heard nothing out of Brazil for quite some time until we ran into our friend, the shaper, Pat Rawson, at the tradeshow last year and he said that he wanted us to meet a young Brazilian who had bought “Astrodeck” from the previous Brazilian who had trademarked it. Pat said that the young guy really wanted to make it right and work with us. We were thrilled! After the initial introduction, I started to correspond with him through emails as I was always the one who handled all the international business. It was almost immediately apparent that the only way to work together would be a licensing deal due to the exchange rate, import duties, etc. I called him to discuss going forward and he became extremely reluctant to put together any specifics after he said that he was making many items with the Astrodeck name on them, and I said that I felt he would rightly owe me a royalty on anything with the Astrodeck name. He then said that he would have to talk to his people at Astrodeck. That pissed me off and I tried to politely explain to him that he WAS talking to Astrodeck. That’s when he decided to hang up, and that’s the last any of us have heard from him.
That is, until he popped up on Facebook with an Astrodeck profile and account. He is now also in the process of launching a website known as Astrodeck.com.br., where he has even stolen my Astrodeck logo and insignia that was personally created by Shawn Stussy for Herbie.
My attorney said yesterday that I have a very good case. But it could cost me north of $80,000.00. And at this point, with a still-small family-owned business (practically one of the only ones still surviving in this surf industry), that kind of money could completely destroy what we’ve spent our whole lives trying to achieve.
What he’s done may be lawful…but it’s immoral, unethical, and fuckin’ stinks!!!
Best regards,
Dibi Fletcher
CEO
© 2009 Astrodeck. All Rights Reserved   |    WEB DESIGN: ONLINE ALLEY