(Photo: Laurent Chantegros)
I LOVE shaping surfboards and I'm kinda obsessed with this craft. Even though I am about to shape my 243th board I'm still considering myself as a novice but I hope to become a master one day... This blog is a virtual portfolio and a diary of my journey in the shaping world. Feel free to leave comments or contact me directly at valerie@meremadesurfboards.com.

Valerie Duprat
-Shaper of Mère-Made Surfboards

Saturday, April 21, 2012

board #010: mini-gun for Vincent

Dimension: 6'2 x 18 x 2
[completed in April 2012]

Few month ago my husband broke his mini-gun (see post:"the bad news is... the good news is..."). It was the opportunity to add another Mère-Made to his quiver! Like most of my boards, I used an existing board (the one he broke) as a template. It is really helpful to have the actual board I am "copying" on hand as a comparison. In particular, I like to have a feel of the rails as a reference.

This board was completed pretty quickly as I am starting to get used to my husband's special requests (board #010 is his 4th Mère-Made board!!!). I shaped him two short boards and a modern fish. He is ruining my business by asking for boards all the time ;) The glassing was done also very fast (2 weeks!) at Global Glassing (Oceanside). They know exactly what my husband wants: 4 ounces all over, tail pad, deck patch and Team light resin. You guys rock!

Now about the design. To make a short story even shorter, my hubby and I are both huge fans of the Encinitas-based rock band, Switchfoot. I was in the middle of shaping board #010 when I attended a Switchfoot accoustic concert at La Jolla Playhouse. I went there equipped: I brought a sheet of rice paper (a special paper which "disappears" under the glass) and I had the whole band sign it. My board, not only features the Switchfoot logo, but is also personally autographed. How cool is that ??? No need to say that this board is very precious to me. Although it was shaped for big swells, I hope its rider will not break it soon. 

I spray-painted the Switchfoot logo

the Mere-Made logo shrinked
to make more room for the Switchfoot logo


a Famous pad for a famous board ;)

the design wraps around the rails

Disclaimer:
A Switchfoot board does NOT make you a good guitar player
Yep, this board is autographed by Switchfoot.


this one is staying home ;) YEAH!!!!!

the owner of board#010 is in love

The font used for the signature was downloaded
from a Switchfoot fan who created a Jon Foreman font...
from left to right: a shy Surfmama101, Drew Shirley,
Chad Butler (in the middle of signing the rice paper),
Jon Foreman, my BFF Carine, Jerome Fontamillas and Tim Foreman.




2 comments:

  1. Congrats' Val and Take care with big waves Vince !

    ReplyDelete
  2. Please Tell Vincent NOT to break this board.. i have seen what he does to boards first hand!..This one seems really unique! Again... Val.. you are one amazing talented woman!

    ReplyDelete