New Boards?

[Artz]

I was in and around the Surfboard industry for many years. I still have some good friends that mow foam or slap resin on shaped blanks. Most of the time i have simply come up with a few ideas and just have someone make me a new custom board. Some have been classic Boards, that worked so well in their era, that I still can recall how they felt under my feet. Now on the other hand I have had some that were shall we politely say, Sucked big time! Some were so bad that I felt guilty about selling them used to some other poor fool. OK I didn't feel that guilty I did take the money and prayed I would never see That guy in the lineup. At least 85% of the boards I have had over the years I watched while we they were being shaped.
Some of my favorite Boards from their time were a Hobie square tail Super light. It was one of the first boards that was under 25 lbs! Then There was my first "short board another Hobie that was 8'6" Yes that was a short board. Within a few months that board was way to long we had dropped to 7'6" and less. In the mid 70s I had a Sunset Surfboard that is still on the top of my list as one of the all time best boards. It was a 7'4" swallow tail winger. forward rolling V. Some of the best surfing I have ever done was on that board. In that same era I had a Caster. Billy Caster was a very talented shaper his Boards were very popular with the La Jolla crew,for good reason then just went fast! excellent boards for surfing the reefs around La jolla. I was doing some work for Nectar Surfboards in Salona Beach Just as Simon Anderson and Gary McNabb were making the first Thrusters. I was never a big fan of twin fins But did like The early Fish boards. Fish were another board that was made for the reefs and points of La Jolla and Point Loma I had also surfed few early Bonzer boards. Do ya think The three fins have proved themselves over the years? The early tri fins were very fast down the line boards like a fish with a bit more maneuverability like a twin fin. I could go on and on I really enjoy talking about and finding out what makes a surfboard tick? It takes years for a shaper to understand what makes a board do what it does.
Seems today most people just buy a Surfboard off the rack. Nothing wrong with that. It is just that to me a board is a very personal tool More personal then my skis, or any other sports equipment.
Do you do the whole custom thing or simply walk into a shop and burn up the credit card on an off the rack board?

[mountainbored]

Used to have my boards shaped years ago when I lived by the beach. Bonzers and quads by the Campbell bros. Now being up in the mountains, not surfing as much, it's hard to really know feedback from the board and relate it to your next shape. So I buy off the rack. I like shopping through the stores and checking all the boards out. I can actually see and feel the shape and rails right then instead of hopeing that some measurements will produce a good board. Especially since I'm only buying new board every 2-3 years.
Last board I bought was a 7'x 21" wide egg, shaped by Stoneman out of SLO(central cal), off the rack last year.

[Brocktoon]

Artz-

I've thought a lot about this, especially in the wake of Clark Foam closing and my recent exposure to serious skiing.

Check out this thread for a related discussion we had a few months back:

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...highlight=surf

Anyway, I've worked hard to cultivate a relationship with my main shaper, Steve Barto. It's paid big dividends as we've been able to tune my boards and find something that works great for me. Likewise, I've discovered his specialties. I love talking design with him and he's great about incorporating my thoughts or dissuading me if my ideas suck. I used to work with Roger Beal before he moved west and loved his boards as well.

However, Clark Foam's closing has changed the industry. With this event and heightened gas prices, polyurethane boards are way more expensive. For this reason, the industry is finally starting to seriously look at construction alternatives. I think this will inevitably lead to mass-produced (or at least entirely machine-produced) boards. The thought of this used to make me shudder. However, shaping machines have proven to be tools for custom boards, so automation may not destory the custom industry.

Even more, my experience with skiing has led me to conclude that I may not need a custom board to get the optimum wave riding tool (as much as I love having a custom board and participating in its creation).

I've got two EPS boards coming in a couple weeks. I've never had anything but polyurethane and I'm excited to feel out the differences.