Mère-Made Surfboards: board#056: shortboard for Pierre

Pierre & his first Mere-Made

Dimensions: 5'10 x 18 1/2 x 2
[completed in July 2014]

The story: last July I was in France visiting my mentor and friend David Charbonnel (SWOP Surfboards). I highjacked his shaping room to shape some special board orders for my french customers and friends. It was 75% work and 25% vacation but 100% fun! I would like to thank the SWOP family for their warm welcome and the healthy food I have been fed during my stay in Canejan ;)

The fist board I shaped was for Pierre. He is a french expat who lives and surfs in Ivory Coast (Africa). We connected through Facebook and he placed his order the very first day I announced I would be in France for the summer. It was therefore fair that I shape his board first! Besides we had a tight timeline as this board was for a Bali trip on month after...

The shape: Pierre and I extensively exchanged messages about the shape he wanted. He is a really experienced shortboarder who knows EXACTLY what he wants. He was very detailed orientated which, as a shaper, is really appreciated because I get a precise picture of what he wants in my head (specially when I can't meet the rider in person to discuss). He requested the Vedette model with round rails and a very very deep single concave. FAST was the keyword for his board. I had brought the template in my luggages and the blank was waiting for me when I arrived in France. I was ready. It felt so good to be shaping in my mentor shaping room knowing he was around to check on my work in progress. I was also a bit pressured by the desire to show him my newest improved skills… Of course I am still in a learning process (who is not??) but Master SWOP definitely acknowledged some progress since my last training.

The artwork: simple red blade, like JJ Florence's boards! Male customers are usually less demanding than girls ;)))

The light glass was done by Jerome Barbe at Eclipse Surfboards in Cap Ferret (France).

Testimonial: "c'est depuis longtemps la meilleure (board) que j'ai surfe"

Note: Thanks David for the pictures!